 
# Speaking of Life

by Joseph Tkach

14th edition – August 2018

Copyright 2018 Grace Communion International

### Table of Contents

Introduction

The 40,000 Dollar Couch

The A-Team

Access to God

Acts of God

Advent: Hope

Advent: Peace

Advent: Joy

Advent: Love

Aggressive Atheists

All We Have to Say

Always With Us

Amazing Grace

Anniversary of the King James Bible

Another Look at Repentance

Appearances

Are You Conciled?

Armageddon Blues

Artificial Life

The Artist

Ascension

Awe-Inspiring

Baptism

Because the World Depends on Us

Believing What Comes Naturally

Beneath Our Feet

The Best Thing in the Worst Times

Birthday Candles

Black History Month

Blessings From the Sky

Blind Man on a Bike

Blow Ye Trumpet, Blow!

Body of Christ

Bottomless Refills

Boxes

Bread

The Bride

Bright as Diamonds

Broken Cistern

Bumper Sticker Prayer

Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

By This Will All Men Know?

Calling out for Help

Casting Call

Central Truth

Child of Destiny

Christ Pantocrator

Christian Service

Christians Should Never Retire

Christmas

Christmas for Sinners

Church Is Healthy

The Cleveland Flyover

A Cloak of Invisibility

Combating Atheism

Come Just As You Are

Contagious Love

Crazy Love

Creativity: A Reflection of God

Dancing for Joy

A Day of Departures

Deliverance From Oppression

Despite Our Doubt

Do vs. Done

Do We Teach Universalism?

Does God Change?

Does God Hear Our Prayers?

Don't Be April Fooled by Legalism

Don't Be Spooked

Don't Worry

Doubting Thomas

The Earthrise

East From West

Easter

Easter With Eliot

Easter – What's the Big Deal?

Einstein

Election Day

Embassies and Embassies

Embrace the Grace

Emotional Terrorism

End of the World, Again...

Entanglement

Equally Yoked

Eternal Punishment?

Evangelism

The Expanding Universe

The Eye of the Storm

Failure and Forgiveness

Faith on Prescription

Father's Day (1)

Father's Day (2)

Father's Day (3)

Father's Day (4)

Father's Day 2017

Fear Not

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Feel the Beethoven

Finish the Race

Finishing the Race

Fisk Jubilee Singers

Flashmob

Forgive

Free to Be

Freedom in Christ

Freedom: A Two-Way Street

Frequent Fliers

The Fruit of the Vine

The Fulcrum of History

Fulfilling the Law

Gathering in the Lord's Name

Get in the Game

Giants of the Faith

The Girl Scout's Song

Give Me That Old Time Religion

Give Thanks

Giving It All Away

Giving Thanks

Glass Beach

God Is Also in the Margins

God Is Faithful (1)

God Is Faithful (2)

God Is Love

God Is Love (2)

God Loves Atheists, Too

The God Revealed in Jesus Christ

God With Us

Going the Extra Mile

Gold Rush

Gone Forever

Good News That Lasts

The Good Old Days

The Good Samaritan

Grace Is Not A Supplement

Grace Rules!

Grades

Gratitude Is Good for You

The Great Drought

The Greatest Thing

Growing in Grace and Truth

He Hears Your Voice

He Loves Me...

The Heartbeat of Christ

A Heavenly Gift

Hidden Value

The Highest Love

Home Keys

Homeless Jesus

Honest to God

Honoring Mothers

How Do I Pray?

Hugs From God

I Am a Rock

I Am the Truth

Images

The Impact of Obedience

In Christ

The Incarnation: All About Love

Incognito Royalty

Independence Day

Independence Day (2)

Independence Day 2016

Independence Day 2017

Intercessory Prayer

Into the Light

Invitation to Mission

Is God a Butterfingers?

Is God Mad at Haiti?

Is Keeping Christmas a Sin?

It Isn't Fair

It's a Wonderful Life 1: Prayer

It's a Wonderful Life 2: Individual Impact

It's a Wonderful Life 3: Meaningful Community

It's Okay to Say Goodbye

Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Know

Johnny Cash and the Captive Audience

The Joy of Christ

The Joy of Fulfillment

Just As You Are

Just Keep Listening

Keep Calm and Carry On

Keeping Up With the Old Guys

The King Lives

Kingdom of God

Knock Yourself Out

Knowing God

Leading Our Friends to Christ

Let's Get Logical

Laundry Love

Liar Liar

Light and Glory

Lighthouse Rescue

Liturgy in Action

The Living Temple

The Logic of Grace

Long May He Reign

Lose the Trinity and What Have You Got?

Lost in Translation

Love by Any Other Name

Love Story

Magic Eye

Make a Joyful Noise

Making Friends

Making the Unseen Seen

The Master Potter

The Masterpiece

The Meaning of Christmas

The Meaning of the Incarnation

Memorial Day (1)

Memorial Day (2)

Messianic Secret

Mind of Christ

Mixed-Up Prayers

Mother's Day (1)

Mother's Day (2)

Mother's Day (3)

Mother's Day (4)

Mother's Day (5)

Mulholland and the Grace of God

The Mystery of the Pigeon Code

Much to Be Thankful For

Napoleon, Nails, and the Value of "Little Things"

Never Lost

Never Obsolete

New Birth

A New Thing

New Year 2011

A New Year, a New Heart

Newtown

Night and Day

No Fear

No Free Lunch

O Holy Night

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Old Trinitarian Doctrine

Once Blind, Now I See

Once in a Blue Moon

Once in a Lifetime

One in Christ

The Only Clock That Matters

Our Divine Heritage

Out of the Muck

Out on the Edge

The Patience of God

Pay What You Want

Peace on Mother's Day

Peace That Passes Understanding

Peace Through Suffering

Peanuts and Grace

The Photoshop Gospel

A Piece of the Picture

The Pinocchio Effect

Prayer

Prayer Faster Than a Processing Chip

Presentation

Priceless Heirlooms

Protect Me From Your Followers

Real News

Reconciliation

Reconciliation and Redemption

Religion vs. the Gospel

The Rest of the Story

Resurrection

Revelation

Righteousness

Rock and a Hard Place

Royal Heirs

Russell Brand

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

School Prayer: It's Not Illegal

Science and Faith

Secrets

Seeing in Color

Seeing Is Hearing

Seeing What's Right in Front of You

Self Portrait of God

September 11th

Serenity

Service Users

Setting the Stage

Show Your Work

Simple Truth

Sin Boldly

Sinners at the Feet of Jesus

Solitude

Spare Change for Change

Speaking of Death

The Spirit of Truth

The Spiritual Aging Suit

Spiritual Breath

Spiritual Mirror Neurons

St. Andrews, Scotland

The Statues That Walked

Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Stillness

The Stillness (2)

Stuck in a Block of Stone

Superhero

Superlative Water

Syrian Jesus

Take a Good Look

Take Up Your Cross

Taking Prayer Seriously

A Tale of Two Teachers

The Temple that Cannot be Demolished

Tension and Stress

Thanksgiving (1)

Thanksgiving (2)

The Third Man

This Is the Day

Tips for Jesus

To the Glory of God

Tootsie Pop

Top of the Charts

Total Forgiveness

Transformed Letters

Translations

The Trinity Revealed

Trinity Sunday

Triune Prayer

Triune Spinner

A Triune Tune

True Riches

Trust in the Lord

Truth in Advertising

Two Are Better Than One

Two Kinds of Life

Unclaimed Baggage

Undercover Boss

Understanding our Heavenly Reward

The Ultimate Love Story

Unlimited Mercy

The Upside-Down King

Valentine's Day (1)

Valentine's Day (2)

Visiting or Belonging

Waiting for God?

Walking in Circles

Walking on Water

Wanted: Christ and Us

The Water Hyacinth

We Are God's Garden

Weak and Strong Theology

Wealth and Power

Wearing the Word

What About Hell?

What Are You Afraid of?

What Are You Worth?

What Good Shall I Do This Day?

What Grace Teaches

What If

What If the Sky Should Fall?

What Time Is It?

What Would God Not Do?

What Would Jesus Tweet?

What Would Martin Luther King, Jr., Tweet?

What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar?

What's Barth Got To Do With It?

When Were You Saved?

Who Do You Say I Am?

Who Was That Jesus, Anyway?

Who's to Blame?

Why Wait?

Wings of Desire

Wooden Nickels

Would Have Been Enough

The Wrath of God

Written on His Hands

Yellow Pages and the Bible

Yesterday, Today, Forever

You Were There

You're Included

You're Never Too Young

Your First Job

Your Own Twin

About the Publisher

Grace Communion Seminary

Ambassador College of Christian Ministry

## Introduction

_Speaking of Life_ is an ongoing series. This compilation is therefore out of date almost as fast as it can be posted. We gather here all the episodes that were 1) presented by Joseph Tkach and 2) on our website as of August 20, 2018.

The programs are available for free at speakingoflife.org, or at https://www.gci.org/videos/media-speaking-of-life/. Every program is available in several video formats, mp3 audio, and as a transcript. We hope that you find them interesting, educational, inspiring, and helpful.

Dr. Tkach has been, since 1995, the president of Grace Communion International. He earned a D.Min. degree from Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology in 2000. He is the author of _Transformed by Truth: The Worldwide Church of God Rejects the Teachings of Founder Herbert W. Armstrong and Embraces Historic Christianity,_ and several e-books.

In 2018, Greg Williams presented some of the _Speaking of Life_ programs. They are not included in this compilation.

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## The 40,000 Dollar Couch

Every year, college students across the United States move into dorm rooms. But before they can settle in, they need to get the essentials: mini-fridge, TV and, of course, a couch. But when a group of New York roommates brought their thrift-shop couch home, they discovered a surprise – 40,000 dollars hidden under the cushions.

They talked about what they would each buy with their cut of the money – maybe a new car, a vacation, or just pay off student loans. But then they found a name written on one of the envelopes. They were faced with a moral dilemma: keep the money a secret or call the thrift store and report their find.

I'm sure most of us haven't held 40,000 dollars in hand, but I'm sure we've all been faced with similar complex moral questions. Many people would be tempted to take the money and run. But we know that as Christians, we're called to a higher standard. See how Paul explains it in his letter to the Philippians:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

We're called to do what's right, even when doing the right thing is a really hard choice. Though our salvation is not based on these works, we also know that as followers of Christ, we are known by the fruit we bear. Our actions speak out about the nature and character of the One we worship. It might be difficult to make certain decisions sometimes, but we know that through Christ, all things are possible – and knowing that we've done the right thing is the true reward.

In the end, the roommates made the right decision. After calling the thrift store, they were given the address of the woman who had donated the couch. It turned out that her husband, preparing for a time when he was no longer alive, had stored the money in the couch. When the roommates returned it to the woman, she felt as if her husband was looking down on her from heaven.

In the end, the college roommates were excited to help out this woman in need. It was the right thing to do. And likewise, we should heed their example, no matter who is looking, and always take the high road.

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## The A-Team

Many of us remember the _A-Team._ It was one of the most popular action shows of the '80s and even inspired a big Hollywood movie. I remember seeing a poster for the film that read: "The A-TEAM – there is no plan B."

Later, while studying Christ's atonement, I remembered that line. You see, many people have the misunderstanding that mankind's fall from grace was a surprise for God. They think that he had an "original Plan A," but after our sin forced his hand, he had to come up with a "Plan B" – and send Christ to be crucified on the cross.

But we know that this idea just isn't true.

God was never caught off guard by our need for deliverance from sin. He (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) counted that cost for all eternity, and being of one mind and purpose, was both ready and willing to pay it so that humanity would once again be reconciled to him.

Our Lord Jesus foreknew his sacrifice and told his disciples what he must do to overcome evil and bring life out of death. No one could argue that he was naïve or unaware of the path that he would take to make all things new. We know that he sacrificed himself out of his unending love for us. Listen to how what Christ said in the Gospel of John: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).

And he reiterates: "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again" (John 10:18).

Let us remember that our Triune God is not the victim of circumstances beyond his control. Christ's coming and sacrifice was never a "Plan B." Instead, Christ – along with the rest of the Holy Trinity – were always the A-Team, ready, willing and able to pay the ultimate price to bring us back into communion with their divine life.

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## All We Have to Say

"Love means never having to say you're sorry" is a famous line from the film _Love Story,_ but it's also dead wrong. I think the opposite is true: love means being able to say that you're sorry. As Christians, we all have an awareness that while we're assured of our eternal salvation in Christ, we continue to live in a fallen world and we don't yet fully partake in the perfection of the Trinity. A sinful nature still has a pull on us, and we will hurt and offend those closest to us. When this happens, our pride instantly kicks in. That's why admitting we're wrong and asking for forgiveness are so incredibly difficult. But if we desire to be like our Lord, John tells us that "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us all from unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-9, NKJV).

Saying we're sorry and asking for forgiveness is the only way to heal a relationship where we've wronged someone. Listen to what Jesus says in Luke: "If your brother or sister sins against you... and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive them" (Luke 17:3-4 NIV).

It's tempting to keep a record of wrongs that others have done to us, but doing so ignores the example set for us by Jesus. Of course, we can't make anyone else accept our apology. But we can certainly set the example by overcoming our pride, admitting that we're wrong, and asking for forgiveness first. And we open wide the door to restoration. This can bring a wonderful dynamic of openness and trust to a relationship, and in so doing, it mirrors the radical love that our triune God has shown for us. Because remember, true love doesn't mean never having to say you're sorry: instead, it actually means being able to say that you're sorry.

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## Access to God

Earlier this summer, a heat wave swept through Southern California. Our air conditioners worked overtime to keep us all cool here at headquarters. But as you can imagine, there just wasn't enough power to go around. Suddenly, our entire office blacked out – lights, air conditioning and Internet all came crashing down at once.

I felt so disconnected!

I couldn't Google what had happened. Cell phone service was down – so I couldn't text my wife and daughter. And the power was out at the office! As I sat there in the darkness, I realized just how much I took all these modern conveniences for granted – and just how lost I was without them.

Fortunately, when I think about our connection with God, there is no power outage big enough or digital interruption great enough to keep us from access to the Father. Unlike a faulty Internet connection, our God is always available, no matter what the circumstances are – twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There's nothing that can keep us from accessing his grace and love.

In his collections of essays on Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote about what it looks like to see prayer in action:

An ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say his prayers. He is trying to get into touch with God. But if he is a Christian he knows that what is prompting him to pray is also God: God, so to speak, inside him. But he also knows that all his real knowledge of God comes through Christ, the Man who was God – that Christ is standing beside him, helping him to pray, praying for him. You see what is happening. God is the thing to which he is praying – the goal he is trying to reach. God is also the thing inside him, which is pushing him on – the motive power. God is also the road or bridge along which he is being pushed to that goal. (Lewis, _Mere Christianity,_ chapter 24)

I love that illustration of us being prompted to pray by God himself, by the Holy Spirit dwelling within. And that Christ is interceding on our behalf and praying with and for us. There truly is nothing that can keep us from our God.

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## Acts of God

As we record this program, large parts of the northeastern Australian state of Queensland are inundated with major flooding. Flood water has covered an area the size of France and Germany combined. Officials and relief workers, struggling to cope, say it is a "disaster of biblical proportions." That is the way we often describe major natural disasters. Insurance companies call them "acts of God."

"Act of God" is an actual legal term – a way of saying that no human was to blame. Such language can give people the idea that the Bible is primarily about catastrophes, and that we're all at the mercy of an often bad-tempered God whose "acts" are destructive, unpredictable and life threatening. But that's not the message of the Bible.

The primary, central "act of God" described in the Bible is not bad news, but wonderful good news. It tells us about a God who, far from being angry and destructive, loves us with a love that is so great – he did everything that had to be done to save us. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).

The Son of God became a man, suffered and died as one of us and in doing so took humanity itself into God's own being. It means that when we suffer, God suffers with us. We all know that every person who lives will eventually die, but the good news is that death is not the end of our story. Jesus' death changed death itself. He made death a pathway to resurrection, to new life, to a new creation in which, as Revelation 21:4 tells us, "there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain."

Christians hold this hope in faith — faith that God, who freely took up our human cause as his own, even to the point of dying as one of us, is true to his word. Every person who dies will live again, and all who believe God, who trust him, will share in the relationship Jesus has with his Father. The core message of the Bible is not one of doom and gloom, but that despite the suffering we experience in this life, God loves us with a love of "biblical proportions," and our eternal future is secure in his hands.

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## Advent: Hope

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Advent season, a time when many in the Christian faith start preparing for Christmas. Over the next few episodes, I'll be covering the four themes of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Together, we'll examine scriptures that illuminate _who_ God is, _why_ he came and _what_ he brings for us. I hope you'll join me...

Have you ever visited the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico? I did when I was much younger. The caverns are beautiful, massive underground caves; some of which have never seen sunlight! Down there, if you turn off the lights you'll be thrown into absolute darkness. Imagine my surprise when the Park Ranger did just that!

I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. As my eyes tried to adjust, a wave of fear and anxiety built up inside me. I felt like I would be stuck underground forever. Finally, the ranger turned on a flashlight and pointed it at the rock ceiling. Even though it wasn't much stronger than a candle, the beam illuminated the entire cavern, chasing away the darkness. I don't have to tell you that as soon as I saw that light, my fear disappeared.

That experience reminded me of this passage in Isaiah 9:2: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light."

Isaiah lived in a time of war and uncertainty, when it seemed like there was no hope for deliverance from invasion and occupation. It doesn't sound that different from our world today, does it? He used the imagery of light and darkness to describe the feelings of the people of Israel, hoping and yearning for deliverance.

"See, darkness covers the earth... but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you" (Isaiah 60:2).

During the season of Advent, we try to remember what it must have been like to hope for the Messiah. Six hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah wrote: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation is he..." (Zechariah 9:9, ESV).

These prophecies must have been like beams of light in a time when darkness and sorrow plagued Israel. After experiencing the complete blackout of the Carlsbad Caverns, I had a small taste of what hopelessness would feel like. Thankfully, Zechariah's prophecy was made flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, the one who said: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

As we begin our series and continue to move closer to Christmas, I wanted to take a second to remind us what Advent actually means. It's the anglicized version of the Latin word _adventus,_ which means "coming," as in "the Lord is coming." In examining the theme of hope, we are reminded that we have been brought out of darkness and now live in the light and hope of Jesus Christ. And that's something we can truly celebrate!

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## Advent: Peace

Have you ever watched a Miss America Pageant? During the show, the host asks each contestant what they would hope for. Almost every time, contestants give the answer "world peace." It happens so often that this response has become a cliché.

But is world peace really such an unattainable idea? I'd like to say, "With Christ, it's not!"

On Christmas day 1914, at the height of the First World War, British and German soldiers laid down their weapons and met in the middle of "no-man's-land." They exchanged gifts, sang carols and even played an impromptu soccer match. For a moment in time, this celebration of Christ's incarnation brought enemies together.

But that shouldn't be surprising.

Isaiah wrote about this effect more than 700 years before the first Christmas in his most famous passage: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV).

Christ took on the form of a man to bring humanity peace. The prophet continues, telling us: "Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end" (Isaiah 9:7).

Can you even imagine what "peace with no end" would look like?

I think we have a hard time doing just that – especially when we look at the world around us. Everyday we're bombarded with news stories about civil wars, famine and disease. Add that to the stress we experience in our personal interactions at work and in our homes, and you start to see the world the way Jeremiah did so long ago: "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14).

But I want to look at what Christ told his disciples: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

During this season of Advent, as we move toward the celebration of Christ's birth, I want to personally wish you "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding..." (Philippians 4:7).

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## Advent: Joy

In the previous episodes of our Advent series, I've talked about hope and peace. Now I'd like to look at what happens when that hope is fulfilled. To do that, I want to take you back to the night of Christ's birth.

At that time, Bethlehem was an agrarian town with a population of about 1,000 people – and a small percentage of those were shepherds. But shepherding today is a little different than it was back then. Not only did you have to contend with lions, wolves and bears – but you also had to sleep with the sheep! Shepherds were outcasts, people who didn't fit into the social norms of their time. But all that changed on the first Christmas night...

We find the account in the Gospel of Luke:

There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:8-11)

But the story doesn't end there. After hearing the "good news," these shepherds rushed down the hill, found Jesus in the manger and told Mary and Joseph what they had heard. And after that, "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told" (Luke 2:20).

What I really like about this story is that even though Jesus hadn't necessarily saved anyone yet, the shepherds still glorified and praised God. They had faith that all the things the angel had told them would come to pass. It reminds me that when we put our trust in Christ, we can rest in the knowledge of his timing and his power to work his miracles. And that assurance is something that brings me great joy.

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## Advent: Love

Over the past few weeks, we've been discussing the themes of Advent. In the first episode, we examined how the prophets hoped for the Messiah. Then, we talked about the peace he would bring. And last week, we heard about the joy the shepherds experienced as they encountered the incarnation. Now, I'd like to look at our response to that miraculous gift.

When my children were younger, we would place an ornament on our tree every night until Christmas Eve. And as soon as the last one went up, my kids would tear into their presents. With each unwrapped gift, their smiles grew wider and wider, until finally – they would rush to my wife and I and shower us with hugs!

Giving and receiving gifts has always been a way of expressing our love for one another. And in the Bible, we see God does the same thing. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples: "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him" (Matthew 7:11).

But Christmas wasn't just about God giving us a "good gift" – Christ's birth was the greatest gift ever!

John wrote: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).

Did you catch that phrasing? God loved us so much that he gave us a gift to bring us into communion with him.

But how does God want us to respond to this gift?

I think the answer can be found in the concept of participation. Christ has drawn us out of darkness and into light. And through this relationship, a relationship with Christ, we are sanctified, transformed, becoming more like Christ. We know God is love, and his purpose is to perfect all things, so when we receive this gift, our natural response is to love others. First John 4:19 sums it up like this: "We love because he first loved us."

This Christmas, we here at GCI wish you and your families the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love. I hope you'll continue to join us as we respond to those gifts and participate with Christ in the coming year.

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## Aggressive Atheists

I believe that most atheists are really agnostics. In times of crisis, for example, they, like everybody else, tend to resort to prayer. When the chips are down, they _hope_ a merciful and benevolent God is there for them.

But some of those whom we might call "aggressive" atheists are different. They like to use science and logic to try to convince believers why they should _stop_ believing. Using science and logic, they argue, it is impossible to prove that God exists.

Richard Dawkins, for example, has compared the idea of an imagined Flying Spaghetti Monster to belief in God. God is no more real or provable by conventional means of proof than a flying spaghetti monster, he argues. It is just made up.

He's right about one thing. The existence of God _can't_ be proven by conventional means of proof. You _can't_ prove God exists using science and logic. You can only know God by _faith,_ not by scientific study. You can only know God though God's own revelation of himself, not by mathematics, logical deduction or the scientific method.

But what these aggressive atheists don't like to admit is that just as the existence of God cannot be proven through science and logic, neither can it be disproven through science and logic. They have no more grounds to disprove God's existence using conventional means of proof than we believers have to prove God's existence using science and logic.

The tools of belief in God are revelation and faith, start to finish, not science and logic. The atheist has no basis to disprove what can only be held true by faith. The Flying Spaghetti Monster and other such analogies are not valid analogies for belief in God because they miss the very heart of why so many people believe.

God's personal revelation of himself through Jesus Christ makes sense of the world. It assures us that we matter, that we are not here by accident, and that we were created on purpose and for a purpose. It makes _love_ matter, because by faith we hold that God made us because he _loves_ us, and in that love he will make us into people who can love like he loves.

Aggressive atheists can scoff about the lack of scientific proof for the existence of God, but they are looking in the wrong place. By standing on their premise that God doesn't exist, they miss the still small voice of revelation, and the personal joy of knowing God and knowing God knows them.

I like to say that in the end, there is really only one kind of atheist: those who will one day come to faith. That's my prayer.

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## Always With Us

Have you ever seen an original Jesus Doll? This one was made about sixty years ago, and it's probably a collector's item now. It was made at a time when the idea of "personality dolls" was becoming popular. Barbie also first appeared around this time.

Barbie is still going strong. But the Jesus Doll was a flop. The company thought they had done their homework, even consulting with religious leaders, including the Pope. But this was a more conservative era, and it seems that parents were horrified at the idea of their children playing with a doll that looked like Jesus.

But the company was just ahead of its time. Now there are many Jesus dolls available. Here is a modern version, one with a button on the back. If I push it, we'll hear a gospel message.

In these more liberal times, people don't seem to be offended by the idea of a doll that looks like Jesus. And of course, children get very attached to their toys, don't they? Especially dolls and stuffed animals. So perhaps there is some value in the idea – a "Jesus" you can take anywhere – a 24/7 companion. Because isn't that is who Jesus is?

But he is so much more than that. He is a powerful creator, the Son of God, who sustains the universe. We all, every one of us, depend on him for every breath we take.

This then, is the person who promised that he would be with us always, and would never leave us or forsake us. Not just in this life. He said it was his will that we enjoy his company forever – and that he would transform us to such a degree that he would fully enjoy being in the presence of his holy love forever.

This is not just a sentimental idea thought up as a marketing ploy. It is a reality that the world needs to hear and understand. Far from being a cute toy that belongs to us, we belong to him. He came to forgive, save, redeem, reconcile, and restore us to a fullness of life in him. He loves us with a perfect holy love, and will never let go of us.

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## Amazing Grace

The other day I was walking along, when all of a sudden, I stumbled across a section of broken sidewalk. Luckily, I caught myself before falling down. But when I turned around to see where I'd tripped, something caught my attention: two words carved into the sidewalk: "AMAZING GRACE." I had walked right over them.

That started me thinking. How often do we stumble and leave the amazing grace of God behind?

Everybody sins. The apostle Paul famously wrote: "All have sinned and fall(en) short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). But as Christians, we can sometimes feel like we're through with all that. We've been saved in Christ, so temptation can't touch us. That's where we run into trouble. Sooner or later, we're going to sin again. That's just part of being human. In Christian-ese, we call those slip-ups "stumbling." But the worst part of stumbling might not be the sin at all. Sometimes, people feel so much shame after they've sinned that they don't turn back to God. Instead of embracing God's free grace, they try to do a good work, balancing out the wrong with two rights. But that's not the way it's supposed to be.

In Christ, we are on a journey of sanctification, being conformed into the image of our Savior. But it's not always a smooth process. That's where God's grace comes in. It's by this grace that we are able to access God's forgiveness and, through Christ, be brought back into perfect communion with our Lord. See how Charles Spurgeon describes it:

Our Lord Jesus is ever giving, and does not for a solitary instant withdraw his hand. As long as there is a vessel of grace not yet full to the brim, the oil shall not be stayed. He is a sun ever-shining; his is manna always falling round the camp; he is a rock in the desert, ever sending out streams of life from his smitten side; the rain of his grace is always dropping; the river of his bounty is ever-flowing, and the well-spring of his love is constantly overflowing. (Spurgeon, _Morning and Evening_ )

Christ's grace to us is never-ending. It's inexhaustible and always new. No matter how many times we stumble or how much shame we feel, God's grace is always available to us. So the next time you're out walking around, keep your eyes open. You might just stumble right into God's amazing grace.

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## Anniversary of the King James Bible

The year 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Version of the Bible. England's King James I commissioned nearly 50 scholars and translators to revise an already existing text – the Bishop's Bible of 1568. In their words, they set out not to make a new translation of the Bible, but "to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one." This included gleaning the best from such well-known versions as Tyndale's, Matthew's, Coverdale's and the Geneva Bible.

The 1611 King James Version went through an intense, nearly three-year editing process by six translation committees. The six teams met to tackle pre-assigned sections of Scripture and each team eventually had to check on the work of the others. The balance between Anglican bishops and Puritan zealots on the committees was almost a guarantee that no one doctrinal slant would dominate, a rarity in 1611.

The final manuscript has a richness and majesty of style that remains unsurpassed to this day. Few English-speakers are not affected by the rich poetry of the Psalms or the moving tones of "Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name" and "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole."

Such 1611 phrases as "bring hither the fatted calf," "God forbid," "eat, drink and be merry" and "my cup runneth over" have traveled around the world. Coming from the age of Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh, the King James Version appealed to an audience well used to striking, punchy phrases.

It was destined to be a hit. The literary critic Peter Ackroyd claimed that the 1611 Bible "invigorated the consciousness of the nation" and through the spread of the English language it positively affected many other nations as well. It is not too much to say that the King James Version gave a centrality and a commonality to Protestant Christianity that endured until very recent times.

But the King James Version had weaknesses as well. The translators of 1611 did not have access to the wide body of since-discovered Greek manuscripts we possess today. They based almost everything on one so-called "Received" Text from the Greek region of Constantinople. Today we know there were other whole families of manuscripts that would have strengthened the King James Version immensely had they been available at the time.

The men of 1611 knew their work was imperfect. They presented their new translation to the church, as they put it, "with all humility," never imagining that some misguided descendants would feel they had produced the true infallible text. Their attitude of being open to fresh inputs and insights from the Holy Spirit is an example that can help Christians today as we face our own religious divisions. And if this anniversary year of the King James Version prods us to rededicate ourselves to reading the Bible in any translation, it will have been a great success.

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## Another Look at Repentance

Repentance is a cornerstone of Christian life, yet when it is misunderstood – as it often is – it can cause Christians to live with needless fear and doubt about their relationship with God.

The most common way to misunderstand repentance is to think that to repent is to stop sinning. But since we all do still sin despite how much we repent, we have to assume that our repentance is not "deep" enough or "true" enough and we strive harder. No matter how hard we try, though, sin remains in our lives, and our lack of success gives us a growing sense of frustration and anxiety about how we stand with God. Eventually, some burn out and give up trying.

We don't have to go down that path. The truth is, repentance toward God is simply not about a new and improved you and me. It's about a new perspective, a new way of looking at things that were already true long before we came to see them. It's a change in how we think about God and about ourselves.

Repentance is not a behavior issue. It's a faith, or trust, issue. Jesus has already done everything that needed to be done to restore humanity to a right relationship with God. There's nothing we can add to that or take away from it. Repentance isn't about promising to never sin again. It isn't about striving to be a better person. Repentance is about believing God's word of truth about who he is and who we are.

In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 **,** the apostle Paul wrote, "It is because of [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Jesus is our life and our righteousness. We are a new creation in him, holy and righteous not of ourselves, but in him.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said to his disciples, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Repentance is the start of a new relationship, a new friendship, not the start of a sinless life. Our righteousness is real only because it is Jesus' righteousness given to us, not because we can achieve it ourselves. And that means it will endure forever. So we have nothing to fear. We can take all our weariness and all our burdens to Jesus and find rest for our souls.

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## Appearances

Things are not always as they appear. That was certainly the case with Jesus. The crowds saw a miracle-worker, a remarkable man of God who could heal their diseases. They came from all over the region to see him and hear him speak and to be healed. Sometimes the crowds were so thick that Jesus had a boat ready in case they pressed him into the Sea of Galilee.

After a long day of hearing Jesus teach and heal the sick, the people would go home. They would go back to their families and their jobs and life would return to normal.

But they would wonder about that day by the sea. They would wonder who that amazing man was who healed the sick. They would talk about him in their towns. He had inspired a sense of hope in them, whoever he was. Some said he was John the Baptist, come back to life. Others said the great prophet Elijah had returned. But things are not always as they appear.

The day would come when they would hear of this man again. And what they would hear would change everything. Jesus was not just a teacher, a prophet or a healer. He was God in the flesh — God among us and one of us — and he took our very humanity into himself, doing away with our sins and giving us his own righteousness.

Maybe you need to see beyond appearances too. It might appear to you that your sins have the better of you. It might appear to you that God is fed up with you, sick and tired of your falling short, ready to spew you out of his mouth and wash his hands of you.

Things are not what they appear. God loves you and always will. Christ died for us, while we were still sinners. Paul tells us this in Romans 5:8: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Jesus didn't wait until you were behaving better before he loved you and saved you. Sin doesn't stand between God and you—God already took that barrier away. That means you can stop worrying and trust him. He loves you, he saved you and he'll never let you go.

Don't believe the lies your sins tell you—despite what your sins say, God does still love you, and he won't ever turn his back on you. So why not take your struggles with sin to him—in faith that he's already forgiven you—and trust him to help you become more like him? He's right beside you, he loves you without measure, and he's not going away.

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## Are You Conciled?

In 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, beginning in verse 17, Paul wrote,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

It's interesting to note that Paul uses the word "reconciliation" three times. I enjoy exploring the meaning of familiar words because there is often more to them than "meets the ear."

If something can be _re_ _-_ conciled, presumably it was once "conciled." But what does that mean? "Concile" isn't a word you'll find in most dictionaries. Reconciled is what linguists call an "unpaired opposite."

For example, we recognize what it means to be "disgruntled." But how often are you "gruntled?" You can be "overwhelmed" – but what about being "whelmed?"

These were once quite common words, but they have fallen into disuse, and only their opposites remain. So what about "conciled?"

You can actually find it in the multi-volume _Complete Oxford Dictionary._ It is an archaic word that has to do with people meeting in agreement. And thus, " _re-_ conciliation" implies not the forging of a _new_ relationship, but the _restoration of a relationship that once existed_. And this adds an exciting dimension to the verses I read in 2 Corinthians.

With this new understanding, we can see Paul showing us that God, through Jesus Christ, has "reconciled" the relationship broken by the fall of man. In this restored state, God and man now work together in partnership to spread the "ministry of reconciliation" to all the world.

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## Armageddon Blues

The popular film "2012" stirred renewed interest, as well as fear, about the end of the world. Doomsday predictions always gather a following, and there seems to be no end to new ones. Since the earliest days of Christianity history records a continual parade of failed predictions.

More recent ones would include the prophetic hen of Leeds. It seems that in 1806 in the English town of Leeds, a hen began laying eggs that had the words "Christ is coming" clearly visible on their shells. Fears of doomsday spread rapidly until it was discovered that the ominous eggs were a hoax.

In 1854 thousands of followers of preacher William Miller believed that the world would end by March 21 of that year. It didn't happen, but the faithful didn't give up. A new date was calculated – followed by more disappointment. Even that wasn't enough. Further Bible study "revealed" that the date should have been October 22, 1854. What became known as the Great Disappointment of 1854 is now history, but the lesson has yet to be learned.

In 1980 televangelist Pat Robertson declared, "I guarantee you by the end of 1982 there is going to be a judgment on the world."

1999 was a nail biter for those who believed that one of Nostradamus's quatrains predicted the end of the world for August of that year.

Millions were uneasy as the year 2000 approached, worrying that even if the world didn't end that year, planes would be falling out of the sky as their onboard electronics would stop working. It was another needless frightfest.

Televangelist Jack Van Impe declared that the Great Tribulation would begin in 2001, and that "political chaos, natural disasters, nuclear war and the worldwide rise of Islam will usher in mankind's final hour."

And now we have 2012 taking center stage at the doomsday circus.

Maybe we should take comfort in what Jesus said. He said, "Of that day and hour no one knows, only the Father." So according to our Savior, if we think we know when the end is, we don't. So there is nothing to predict, and nothing to panic about. We can trust our safety and care to him, because we are always safe in his hands.

The bottom line about the Mayan Calendar and the year 2012, and all other doomsday scenarios is this: Our job is to live faithfully, not make predictions.

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## Artificial Life

There was a time when we who believe in a Creator could say with some confidence "scientists will never create life." Well, we can't say that with quite the same confidence now.

Last year, it was announced that a team of scientists succeeded in creating life. In a landmark experiment, they created the world's first synthetic life form in the laboratory. This controversial feat occupied 20 scientists for more than 10 years at an estimated cost of $40 million and was described by one researcher as "a defining moment in biology."

Quite obviously, this experiment was performed with a remarkable amount of work by a highly skilled team of quantum and computational chemists, protein engineers, biochemists, and molecular biologists.

It is important to understand that these scientists have not created life from nothing. Nor have they claimed to. What they have done is to remodel an existing life form to generate a new one. Another way of looking at it would be like a team of highly trained engineers taking parts from other existing engines to build a brand new working engine. But let's not underestimate what these scientists have achieved.

The researchers pieced together enzymes from about one hundred proteins of known structure, essentially mixing and matching protein regions to produce enzyme mosaics. They planned and performed well-thought-out design strategies in order to prepare artificial DNA molecules that were carefully manipulated by highly skilled chemists.

The ingenuity of this scientific team was evident throughout the process. Their efforts are of huge theological and philosophical significance. Let me quickly explain why!

Their work provides evidence that if life is to undergo any significant transformation at the biochemical level, intelligent agents must be directly involved. Their work was based upon decades of accumulated knowledge, brilliant ingenuity and strategic planning toward their planned goals in order to design new, synthetic metabolic pathways and add to the genetic code. To put it another way, they made evolution "happen."

As you probably know, some scientists who espouse an atheist agenda would argue that life could originate and develop through natural processes, with no need for an intelligent creator. But clearly, this experiment did not reinforce that argument. It was not an undirected process. Neither was it a lucky coincidence or blind luck. It required precise methods and procedures intelligently thought out and expertly executed. These scientists have shown that modifying even the simplest life form needs the involvement of an intelligent agent directing the process.

So, far from showing that life does not need a Creator, this experiment actually reinforces the conviction of a need for a Creator's involvement in the origin and development of life. This experiment won't put an end to the "Creation versus Evolution" debate. That controversy can never be determined by the data collected by scientific experiment. Those results must be interpreted on the basis of philosophical or theological assumptions established on some other grounds. And of course little intelligent discussion can take place while one side is trying to knock the other out of the ring.

But in the meanwhile, we are coming to understand more and more about the beautiful and intricate processes that are involved with the phenomenon we call life.

Both science and religion should approach the questions of the development of life with humility. We still have much to learn, and the more that we do learn about life, the question should not be whether or not a Creator was involved, but rather, was there ANY part of this wonderful process that did NOT need the involvement of a Creator?

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## The Artist

We've all heard of the great artist Michelangelo. And I'm sure many of you have seen paintings by Monet or Picasso. But I'm certain that almost none of you are familiar with the work of the painter Paul Smith.

Born in 1921, Paul was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors informed his parents that he wouldn't survive past infancy. But Paul refused to give up. And by the time he reached 11, he was ready to start a career in art. After finding a discarded typewriter in his neighbor's junk pile, Paul realized that this would be the perfect tool to help him create his masterpieces. After some trial and error, he discovered that he could use 11 of the keys on the keyboard to create intricate patterns. The results were amazing.

Through the years, Paul brought joy and hope to almost everyone he met. When they looked at his typewriter paintings and said, "I can't do that," Paul simply asked, "Well, what _can_ you do?"

That question got me thinking. So often in our lives, we can look at everything we don't have. We highlight our disadvantages instead of looking positively at who we are and what we do right. But the apostle Paul teaches us something different. We read in his letter to the Ephesians that "we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

I've read other versions of this verse that phrase it like this, "We are God's workmanship." What I really enjoy about that translation is the idea that none of us is disposable. We are each created by God – a creation that he takes pride in. He loves us, no matter what. And before we were even born, he created good works for us to do.

While we might not be able to create artwork like Paul Smith, we all are able to partner with Christ in the work he is doing every single day. Let's see what we can accomplish together.

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## Ascension

Forty days after Jesus rose from the dead, he ascended bodily into heaven. The Ascension is so important that all the major creeds of Christian faith affirm it.

Christ's bodily ascension foreshadows our own entrance into heaven with glorified bodies. 1 John 3:2 tells us:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Jesus not only redeemed us from sin, but made us righteous in his own righteousness. He not only forgave our sins, but seated us with himself at the right hand of the Father.

The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:1-4:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

We do not yet see and experience the full glory of our resurrection and ascension with Christ, but Paul tells us that it is no less real. The day is coming, he says, the day when Christ appears, that we will experience it in full.

What will our new body be like? Paul gives us an idea in 1 Corinthians 15.

The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body..." (verses 42-44)

And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven." (verse 49)

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (verse 54)

God did not merely forgive our sins and then leave us on our own to try to be righteous. As Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

This is the foundation of our faith and hope. God has made us one with Christ so that in him we can share in the love relationship he has with the Father and the Spirit. In Christ, we are the Father's beloved children in whom he is well pleased.

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##  Awe-Inspiring

On Christmas Eve, 1988, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders were broadcast live on American television. As they displayed pictures of the Earth and Moon as seen from Apollo 8, Command module pilot Jim Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth."

They ended the broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the first 10 verses of the book of Genesis.

Lunar module pilot William Anders said:

"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you."

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Jim Lovell continued:

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

And God called the firmament heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

Commander Frank Borman finished the reading with:

And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

Borman then added, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."

Like the Apollo 8 astronauts, King David the psalmist was struck by the majesty of the starry night sky and wrote:

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (Psalm 8:3-5, KJV)

The question, "What is man that thou art mindful of him?" takes on new meaning in the New Testament, where we learn that our heavenly Father loves humanity so much that he sent his Son to become human, taking all human sin on himself and destroying it so that through the Holy Spirit humans can share in the eternal relationship of love that Jesus shares with the Father.

May the awe-inspiring beauty of the vast creation forever remind us that we belong to the One whose love for us will never cease.

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## Baptism

When should a person be baptized?

A lot of people see baptism as something you do when you get your life straightened out. Others see it as the thing to do when you are ready to fully commit yourself to straightening out and flying right. But that's not really what baptism's all about!

Baptism, as a sacrament, is often called a visible sign of an invisible reality. But what is the "invisible reality"? Many think the invisible reality is their devotion and commitment to Christ. In other words, they think they cannot be baptized until they are ready to publically show _their_ commitment to follow Christ. They think baptism is a sign of something about _them._

But baptism is not a sign of something about us. It is a sign of something about God.

The Grace Communion International _Statement of Beliefs_ says this about baptism:

The sacrament of baptism proclaims that we are saved by Christ alone and not through our own repentance and faith. It is a participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in which our old selves have been crucified and renounced in Christ and we have been freed from the shackles of the past and given new being through his resurrection. Baptism proclaims the good news that Christ has made us his own, and that it is only in him that our new life of faith and obedience emerges.

In other words, baptism signifies our union with Christ in _his_ life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. That is a union that already exists though what Christ has done on our behalf 2000 years ago.

It is not a declaration about how committed to Christ we are; it is a declaration of how committed Christ is to us. We don't have to worry about whether we are ready; Christ is the one who is ready. We don't have to be righteous enough; Christ is the one who is righteous for us.

If you are waiting until you are totally sure and ready, or committed enough, how long are you going to wait? When are any of us ever "ready" enough or "committed" enough?

Like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36, maybe it's time to ask, "Why shouldn't I be baptized?"

Baptism is not about how ready _we_ are or how committed _we_ are to God; it is a testament to how committed _God already_ is to _us_.

So what are you waiting for?

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## Because the World Depends on Us

Do you remember the old Johnny Horton ballad called "Sink the Bismarck"?

It told the story of a naval battle, early in the Second World War, when a group of British ships set out to sink Nazi Germany's most powerful battleship, the _Bismarck_. One of the lines in the song goes like this: "We gotta sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us."

That's a lot like the approach that we evangelical Christians tend to take in spreading the gospel. We act as though we're spreading the gospel because "the world depends on us."

That mindset certainly drives many people to do some heroic things. But there is a downside. It can make us think that salvation is something that depends primarily on what we do.

But the Bible tells us that salvation depends on Jesus, not on us. Jesus did all that needed to be done – all indeed that could be done – to secure the salvation of the human race. That is the good news of the gospel.

Whenever we try to add to that – thinking our efforts are needed to somehow finish or complete the process – we end up distorting the message. The world's salvation does not "depend on us." No one's salvation depends on us.

But, we are blessed to have a part in the process of sharing the good news; we have the privilege to preach it, spread it, share it, print it and broadcast it. There are so many ways we've been blessed to take part, but no person's salvation is won or lost on our account. God is never hamstrung by our ineptitude, lack of effectiveness, irresponsibility or laziness – any more than he is spared from losing anyone because of our great skills of oration or persuasion.

We have a part in the work of the gospel by grace, not by necessity. It is by grace we share in the work of the gospel, but the Father, the Son and the Spirit are the ones getting the job done, not us. Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

When Christians work together in love, the understanding of the faith grows. But when Christianity has been used as a cloak for greed, aggression or political advantage, the gospel has been discredited. Real Christian love produces a climate in which the gospel can germinate and bear fruit in others.

The world's salvation doesn't depend on us, and thinking that way easily leads to mistakes and a false sense of importance. But Jesus is at work in us – through the Holy Spirit – to live up to what we believe, according to our opportunities and means. As we do that, we may not change the course of history, but we will, by God's grace, in Jesus' name, and in the power of the Spirit, have made a difference.

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## Believing What Comes Naturally

Is it unnatural to believe in God? Atheists confidently claim that atheism is the only logical and natural position for a human being, unless his or her mind has been polluted by exposure to religion.

Richard Dawkins, in his book _The God Delusion_ , wrote "You Christians reject all the gods of history except one—we atheists just deny one god more." He seems to think this will convince us to agree with his point of view. After all, we reject, Ashteroth, Molech, Isis and Osiris, Zeus or Jupiter, Vishnu and Karishna, so isn't it logical to also reject the one God in we do believe?

Ravi Zacharias has pointed out the flaw in this line of reasoning. He showed how Dawkins' argument is the equivalent of saying that when we consider the mates of other people we know, then we can see that marriage is illogical and unnatural. So we should therefore also reject the one person we have chosen to be committed to, and become celibate. But that is obviously ridiculous – the difference between celibacy and monogamy is not merely a matter of degrees. They are virtually opposite positions. Professor Dawkins' reasoning is obviously flawed.

It saddens me that people's faith in God can be undermined by this kind of false reasoning. The ideas of atheists like Professor Dawkins are given wide publicity. But you don't hear so much about evidence that contradicts them.

For example, have you heard about the research of psychologist Olivera Petrovich? She has found empirical evidence that, far from having a natural proclivity for atheism, infants seem to naturally incline toward belief in some kind of God. Her research can be illustrated by the experience of Helen Keller, who became blind and deaf when she was only a few months old. Helen was cut off from all normal contact, until a dedicated teacher, Annie Sullivan, unlocked her mind. Helen grew up to become a gifted writer and speaker, and eventually she became a Christian. Writing about her understanding of God during her childhood years of silence and darkness, Helen wrote, "I always knew He was there, but I didn't know His name!"

So you see, the idea that atheism is our natural default position, and a belief in God is abnormal, _just isn't true._

The Bible warns us not to be led astray by "cunningly devised fables." Arguments based on flawed logic and contrived arguments are no threat to genuine faith. Remember – atheists must do more than just cast doubt. They must _prove_ that God does not exist. They haven't done this, because they can't. And they won't.

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## Beneath Our Feet

In 2013, archeologists in the Cappadocian region of Turkey made an astounding find: a series of underground churches buried under a Byzantine-era fortress. These small chapels contained icons and ancient frescoes, giving archeologists a glimpse into a fascinating and integral chapter in the story of Christianity, when a trio of church leaders known as the "Cappadocian Fathers" helped shape a foundational tenet of our faith that to this day is still spoken aloud in millions of churches around the world.

The Cappadocian Fathers were Basil the Great, his younger brother Gregory of Nyssa, and their close friend, Gregory of Nazianzus. These three young men set out to prove that their Christian faith could hold its own against the intellectual ideals of the Greeks. They dedicated themselves to a life of academic rigor and monastic devotion to biblical truth. Their diligence as scholars paid off at the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381, where they articulated a concrete conception of the Trinity still used today: we know it as the Nicene Creed. See if you recognize it:

"We believe in one God, the Father, almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God,

begotten from the Father before all ages,

light from light, true, God from true God,

begotten not made,

of one substance with the Father, through whom all things came into existence,

Who because of us men and because of our salvation

came down from heaven,

and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man,

and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and was buried,

and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures

and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father,

and will come again with glory to judge living and dead,

of Whose kingdom there will be no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver

Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is together worshiped and together glorified

Who spoke through the prophets;

in one holy catholic and apostolic church.

We confess one baptism to the remission of sins; we look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."

Their clarification helped settle once and for all the heretical beliefs of Arianism and acted as the church's statement of faith regarding the Trinity. Here at GCI, we're thankful for the legacy these church fathers have passed on. We want to make sure that this important doctrine is never buried or forgotten again. For more information on the Trinity, visit our website GCI.org. We hope you stop by and check us out!

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## The Best Thing in the Worst Times

When I watch or read the news these days, I sometimes feel like throwing up my hands in frustration and despair. It seems that nothing is going right, not in this country or around the world.

The financial crisis is getting more ominous, and no one seems to know what to do. Unemployment is a growing problem and thousands are losing their homes. Efforts to make things better just seem to result in their getting worse.

Beyond our borders, more and more nations are engulfed in revolution and political upheavals. Even stable democracies are facing riots and civil unrest.

Long ago, the prophet Jeremiah cried out to God: "Why do bad people have it so good? Why do con artists make it big?... How long do we have to put up with this — the country depressed, the farms in ruin — and all because of wickedness..." (Jeremiah 12:1-4, _The Message_ )

There are days when I know just how he felt. Recently I came across a story that I found very encouraging, and I'd like to pass it on to you. It happened in England, about 350 years ago, in a village called Harold Staunton, near the city of Leicester.

The first half of the seventeenth century was a time of turmoil in England. After a savage civil war, the old order of things had been overthrown and the King, Charles I, had been beheaded. However, as so often happens in revolutions, the new rulers under Oliver Cromwell soon became the new oppressors. They were strict religious fundamentalists, intolerant of anything and anyone who disagreed with what they thought was right.

They banned music, dancing, and even Christmas. Many irreplaceable marvels of architecture were battered down or burned and left in ruins. Those who did not agree knew it was best to keep their heads down until the madness was over.

Well, not everyone... In the village of Harold Staunton, the Lord of the Manor, whose name was Robert Shirley, decided to build a new church, in defiance of the new regime. That church still stands today. Over the main door there is a stone plaque with a carved inscription. It is very weathered, but you can still make out the words. The message is clear, even if the language seems a bit ancient to our ears.

The inscription says: "In the year 1654 when all things were, throughout this nation, either demolished or profaned, Sir Robert Shirley, Baronet, founded and built this church. He it is whose singular praise it is to have done the best things in the worst times, and to have hoped them in the most calamitous."

The church in Harold Staunton is not huge, but it has made a big impact. When I think about that, I don't feel so helpless and frustrated. Robert Shirley, you and I have the opportunity to do "the best things in the worst times." We don't need to build a physical church; there are plenty of those. But by working together, Christians can reach out to a world of bad news with the good news of the gospel.

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## Birthday Candles

One of the hardest things we as Christians have to believe is that God has forgiven us. We know it's true in theory, but when it comes down to the practical, everyday situations of life, we so often behave as if it's not.

To forgive totally and without reservation is counter to our nature. I am sure you remember the discussion between Jesus and his disciples about how many times we should forgive someone who sins against us. He told them to forgive again – and again – and again – if necessary.

It's hard to fathom that level of forgiveness. We're not capable of it, so it's difficult for us to comprehend that God is. We often forget that his forgiveness is not provisional. We feel that although God says he has removed our sins, he's really waiting to punish us if we fail to live up to his standards.

This is the way we tend to forgive. We behave like trick birthday candles. When you try to blow them out, they light up again.

No matter how hard you try to blow them out – they keep coming back. These candles are a good representation of how we tend to see ourselves as forgiven, and how we forgive others. But that is not how Divine forgiveness works. When we repent of our sins, God forgives and forgets. There is no further penalty, no negotiating, no resentment awaiting further judgment.

God does not want to think of you as a sinner. He sees you for what you truly are – a repentant human being, cleansed of all guilt, paid for and redeemed by Jesus. Remember what John the Baptist said of Jesus? "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). He does not temporarily set sin aside or just hide it.

God forgives totally, and that is how he wants us to see ourselves – and others – even though we are still imperfect.

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## Black History Month

February is Black History month in the USA, during which we acknowledge the contribution that African-Americans have made to this country. For example, the recently released movie _Red Tails_ tells a little-known story of African-American aviators who were a part of "the Greatest Generation" and helped defeat the enemies of democratic freedom in the Second World War.

Some people in other parts of the world may wonder why America devotes a month to recognizing the achievements of just one segment of our population. However, the contribution of African-Americans to this nation has not always been acknowledged. In fact, for a long time it was quite the opposite.

We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and the study of black history, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Carter Woodson was born to parents who were former slaves. He spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coalmines and enrolled in high school at age 20. He later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. Dr. Woodson was disturbed to find that history books largely ignored the black American population. If they were acknowledged, it was generally in ways that reflected their inferior social position. Woodson set out to set the record straight.

The awful stain on our nation's history that was slavery is now in our past, but the effects linger on. It is only in my lifetime that some of the most glaring injustices have been addressed. When I consider this aspect of our past, it leaves me asking how we, a people who sing proudly about "The land of the free and the home of the brave," and who pledge allegiance to a republic that promises "Liberty and Justice to all," could have allowed ourselves in the past to be so blind, so prejudiced and so stupid. Advocates of slavery and segregation even used the Bible to support their arguments. Could anything be more contrary to the "ministry of reconciliation"? (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Black History month is not just for African-Americans. It is a reminder to all of us that we are capable of inhuman behavior. Racism is not just a black-white problem. History shows that all people are guilty. Remember Auschwitz, Kosovo, Cambodia, Darfur and Rwanda – to name just a few racially motivated atrocities of our modern times. These are signs of the fallenness of all humanity. Christianity and racism are incompatible. We must work to not just overcome racism, personally, but eventually to obliterate it through our message and example of love and reconciliation. As Acts 17:26 reminds us, "God made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth" (NIV 1984).

We have a common Savior, a common need for forgiveness and salvation, and a common destiny. God values us all, and Jesus paid the same price for each of us. That leaves no room for bias, prejudice, segregation or discrimination of any kind.

So, as we are reminded of the significant contributions and the unique sufferings of our African-American neighbors, let me encourage you to take some time getting to know more of that history. Let us pray for the eradication of the lingering injustices still found in our nation.

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## Blessings From the Sky

While a lot of people love the birds in their garden, it's rare for their feelings of affection to be reciprocated. But for eight-year-old Gabi Mann of Seattle, Washington, it isn't rare — it's an everyday reality. Over the past few years, she has befriended the crows that come to her family's garden, making sure to feed each individually. In return, the crows have begun to bring her gifts: everything from pieces of smooth glass, to buttons, beads, and even lost pieces of jewelry. It's an odd assortment of items, but to Gabi this collection of treasures is more precious than gold.

While Gabi is rare in her relationship with her local flock of birds, she isn't the first person who's been brought something precious from the sky. In the book of First Kings, God warned the prophet Elijah that a famine was coming to Israel, and told him to leave the city and go out to the desert. While he was there, God promised him something special: "You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there" (1 Kings 17:4 NIV).

That's exactly what happened. While Elijah was out in the middle of nowhere, Scripture tells us that "the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening..." (1 Kings 17:6 NIV).

Stop and imagine that for a second. During a famine, Elijah was led by God to walk out into the middle of the desert, where nothing grows and where he was far away from all food sources, and he was told that his food supply will arrive by raven. I'm sure even Elijah thought that sounded unlikely! But sure enough, it happened like clockwork, and every morning and every evening a flock of ravens brought him his food. While it isn't surprising to me that God provides — he is our Father, after all — what can be surprising is how that provision arrives. Scripture is full of more stories of provision like Elijah and the ravens.

So I want to encourage all of us this week to look at the ways that God has blessed us unexpectedly. Where has his grace arrived in your life that was remarkable and extraordinary? And where has his abundance been found where you least expected it? You might be surprised to find out!

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## Blind Man on a Bike

You probably know the famous hymn _It Is Well With My Soul_. One of the lines is "Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight."

That might sound a bit awkward to our modern ears, but it makes an important point. Recently, I heard a remarkable story that fits well with this idea.

When Daniel Kish was a baby, he suffered from a rare cancer. To save his life, surgeons found it necessary to remove his eyes. Daniel grew up totally blind, but that didn't slow him down. Today, he pedals his mountain bike through streets heavy with traffic, climbs trees, and camps out by himself deep within the wilderness. And on top of that, he cooks!

Daniel has learned to "see" the world by using what is known as echolocation. As he goes about his day, he makes clicking sounds. As those clicks bounce back, Daniel is able to create a mental image of his surroundings. He uses his ears as his eyes, similar to the way bats do.

This is an amazing example of what a human being can accomplish, especially when something very important is missing.

This made me think about the gift of faith. As a believer, you probably take the fact that you have faith for granted. It is easy to forget that many people do not live their lives with faith in God. Faith opens our mind to aspects of existence, which are otherwise invisible.

And without faith it is impossible for us to become all that God has created us to be. As Hebrews reminds us, "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see" (Hebrews 11:1, _The Message_ ).

I look forward to the day when Christ opens the eyes of the spiritually blind, and as that old hymn reminds us, our faith will become our sight.

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## Blow Ye Trumpet, Blow!

A cold wind blew through a gathering of people. Men and women, black and white, free and slaves stood together and listened as the Emancipation Proclamation was read. It announced a shift in the legal identity of slaves held in Confederate States. From that day on, the United States government declared these men and women to be permanently free. As the gathering cheered, Frederick Douglass took the stage and led the gathering in singing his favorite hymn, Charles Wesley's "Blow Ye The Trumpet Blow":

Blow ye the trumpet, blow!

The gladly solemn sound

let all the nations know,

to Earth's remotest bound:

Jesus, our great high priest,

hath full atonement made;

ye weary spirits, rest;

ye mournful souls, be glad.

Ye slaves of sin and hell,

your liberty receive,

and safe in Jesus dwell,

and blest in Jesus live

The year of jubilee is come!

The year of jubilee is come!

Return, ye ransomed sinners, home.

To anyone who heard Lincoln's Proclamation and listened to Wesley's hymn, the concept of the year of Jubilee and the new wave of freedom must have hit close to home. Fredrick Douglass's joining of this historic event with the atoning work of Jesus Christ revealed the connection between God's redemption of human nature from the slavery to sin and the release of people of color from social, political and economic bondage and the evil of the institution of slavery, for both were dehumanizing, marring the image of God stamped into every human being.

Christ came to restore our humanity, to remake human nature and emancipate us from its corruption. But that most essential and fundamental liberation from a corruption at the core of our being was to lead us to bear witness in all our relationships, personal and public, social and economic, to that liberating work that revitalizes our humanity. While, thankfully, none of us live under the horrific conditions of pre-Civil War slavery, all of us still require the revealing, reconciling and atoning work of Christ, which alone can penetrate to the core of our natures, enslaved to self, to pride, captive of the power of sin and the threat of death.

But through the miracle of our Lord's incarnation, his entering into our human condition and putting on our fallen natures, he broke our chains and ransomed us out of death, regenerating human nature that we might share in what he accomplished for us. Because of Christ's great atoning sacrifice, we have now, as Charles Wesley writes, been given our liberty, safe to dwell in Christ and ransomed from our sin, free to return home. We are free in him, our Creator and Redeemer.

As we celebrate Black History month in our GCI congregations, I pray we can all join together in thanksgiving for the Emancipation Proclamation, and also together join in Christ's continuing ministry to restore to every human being their true humanity, founded and fulfilled in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.

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## Body of Christ

Last year marked the tenth anniversary of the Disney Concert Hall. Completed in 2003, the structure is one of the most modern in Los Angeles and houses one of the greatest orchestras in the world. So as you can imagine, when I showed up for a concert, I was very excited.

But when the orchestra began to play, I cringed. They sounded horrible! The cellos screeched, the violins yawned and somewhere in the back a trumpet was running scales! I covered my ears, hoping it wasn't too late for a refund.

Then I realized: they were just tuning up!

Finally, the conductor took the stage. And as he raised his baton, the orchestra started playing together – only this time it was beautiful! Every instrument blended perfectly. And as I listened, I thought to myself: the church is just like this orchestra.

We're all so different, designed by God for his unique purpose. Some of us are cellos, others are violins, and I'm sure you've met a couple kettledrums in your life! We're designed to play together with our brothers and sisters – making room for one another in this great symphony. But sometimes we can lose sight of Christ, our conductor, and start in on something I like to call an "improvisational solo performance." But we know from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians that that's not how it's meant to be.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:14-16, ESV)

We're called by Christ to participate with him in harmony with our brothers and sisters in his ministry of grace. Each of us has a part to play – no matter how big or small. And all of our parts are perfectly orchestrated by the great Triune conductor. Each is essential to the whole masterpiece of music. When we keep our eyes on him, we can create the most beautiful symphony of all – one that gives glory to our eternal Conductor, and invites others to join in.

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## Bottomless Refills

At brunch recently, a friend of mine joked to the waitress about the restaurant's advertised "bottomless refills" on mimosas, asking her just how "bottomless" they really were. She informed us that the most she'd seen someone drink was ten mimosas. It got me thinking: ten mimosas isn't really bottomless —it's just ten mimosas. No one enters the restaurant expecting to drink an infinite amount of mimosas. Why? Because of everything from our height, to how fast we can drive on the interstate, to how many mimosas we can drink, we live in a world defined by limits. But God doesn't.

By definition, he has no limits. He wouldn't be God if he did! But sometimes we fall into the trap of treating God like we treat a "bottomless drinks" sign at a restaurant: we think, "That's not really what that means. Of course there are limits."

Maybe we choose not to talk to God about something important, because we've already prayed a few times today, and we don't want to bother him. Or we're afraid to ask for his mercy or healing or power in a given situation, because we already have many times before. But that's not what God wants out of a relationship with us. He created us – he knows that we have limits; that is why he makes his whole limitless self available to us!

Jesus tells us to "come to me, all who are weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, ESV), and Peter tells us to "cast all your anxiety upon him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7 NIV).

Because we live in a fallen world that still waits for Christ's coming kingdom, our experience of our limitless God will still be limited. We can still fail to fully understand things. We can still run out of energy, patience, and time. We can't change the fact that here and now, we're still limited creatures.

But in Christ, we're offered a kingdom that knows no bounds – and we're invited to participate incrementally more and more in God's limitless glory, character, and being, for all of eternity. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ can and will give us a foretaste of the kingdom that awaits us. Just think about that: the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of the Father, and the grace of the Son, are all ours for the asking! Sounds like an infinitely better deal than "bottomless" refills, doesn't it?

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## Boxes

When our son was little, my wife and I bought him a little wagon to haul around his other toys. He sat patiently while I opened the box, pulled out the wagon, popped on the wheels and tongue, and smiled expectantly at him. He smiled back, then crawled straight into the box, started rolling around in it and proceeded to play with the box the rest of the day.

Of course, that's not uncommon for little ones. They often seem more interested in playing with an intriguing box rather than with the toy that came in it. They like to get into boxes, pile them up with other boxes to make a fort, wear them – there seem to be no end of things they can think up to do with a box.

Well, we can laugh at little children when they do things like that. Truth be told, though, that is what many of us do with one of the most valuable things we own. I am talking about our Bibles. The Bible is God's word. Between its covers is the good news of how we humans have had our sins forgiven through Jesus Christ and in him were reconciled to God.

You'd think we'd want to open a present like that and really get to know it. But instead, we often prefer to just play around the edges of the real message. It often seems more fun to use the Bible to concoct faddish diets, to condemn people we don't like or to develop "end time" conspiracy theories.

Just as a child might find a box to be more fun than what is in it, at least until the box falls apart, these distractions can also seem more interesting than the Bible's real message. But unlike a box that soon falls apart, some of these distractions can become obsessions, and end up diverting us farther and farther away from the gospel's central message.

We witnessed a striking example of this recently, when a religious organization warned their followers that the end of the world was about to happen and the righteous should prepare to be raptured up to heaven at 6 p.m. on May 21. Many people believed it and acted on it, even though the Bible says in Matthew 24:36, "...about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

This kind of thing is not a recent development. Two thousand years ago, the apostle Paul had to warn the Christians in Ephesus not to get sidetracked. He advised them to focus on the central truth, growing in understanding of what the Bible really is all about, "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).

"Then," he said, "we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14).

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## Bread

I love the smell of fresh baking bread. My wife sometimes puts the ingredients into our bread machine last thing at night, so that we wake up to that wonderful aroma. It certainly helps me to thank God for "Our Daily Bread."

Have you noticed how often bread is mentioned in our everyday clichés and idioms? For example, we talk about "taking the bread out of someone's mouth," meaning to deprive them of their livelihood. "To break bread" means to eat a meal, especially in companionable association with others. And to "know which side one's bread is buttered on" means to be aware of those things that are to your advantage.

Today, in our modern world, when we have dozens of varieties to choose from, it's easy to take bread for granted. But for much of history, bread was so essential to human survival that it was known as the "staff of life." This is why it made such an effective analogy in the Bible.

It's an analogy that's easy to miss if we don't read the Scriptures as a connected story. When we read it piecemeal, we can miss some of the long and beautiful threads that run through the Old and New Testaments.

You probably know the story of how God fed the children of Israel in the wilderness with miraculous bread that fell from the sky each night. They called it "manna" and it was their staple diet for the many years they wandered in the wilderness. Then, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, the manna ceased.

There is an interesting statement in the book of 2 Baruch, which is part of the Apocrypha. Those are books that are not a part of inspired Scripture, but biblical scholars consider them to be of historical interest. 2 Baruch 29:8 reads: "And it shall come to pass at that self-same time (in the days when the Messiah comes) that the treasury of manna shall again descend from on high, and they will eat of it in those years."

That gives a new level of meaning to the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000. Perhaps it was what the crowd had in mind when they said, "Surely, this is the Prophet who is come into the world" (John 6:15). They thought Jesus had given them manna, like Moses.

The crowd followed Jesus, wanting more of the miracle bread, but Jesus explained that they had missed the point. Manna was only an analogy of a much more important source of nourishment. He told them, "It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:32-33).

Jesus was, of course, referring to himself. We need bread to sustain our physical existence. But as he said, we cannot live by bread alone. Even the best bread – like the loaves my wife makes – is just an analogy, to remind us that what we really need is the true bread from heaven – the life that comes from our relationship with God. That is bread that can sustain our lives forever.

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## The Bride

I recently officiated at the wedding of a friend's daughter. I've known this young lady for quite a while and was thrilled to be included in her special day.

As I stood at the altar and watched father and daughter walking down the aisle toward us, I was momentarily overcome with emotion as I realized how beautiful the bride looked and how proud her father was as he escorted her to the groom standing beside me.

I could tell the groom was filled with anticipation and excitement. He was looking forward to the culmination of several months of planning and preparation for the moment when he and his bride would become man and wife.

It made me think of how excited Jesus must be seeing his bride – the church – being prepared by the Holy Spirit for the great wedding celebration we read about in the book of Revelation. I can only imagine the joy he is experiencing – knowing that everything he had worked toward will soon come to pass.

Jesus shared many parables about weddings and feasts, and his first miracle was at a wedding. I believe, of all the metaphors and analogies used for the fullness of God's kingdom, one of the most beautiful to relate to is Jesus calling the church his bride.

The remainder of my friend's daughter's wedding day was full of joy for all involved. Everyone was included in the celebration of a bride and bridegroom coming together to begin a new life as one. I can't help but reflect on the joy all will know when they realize they are included in God's plan to bring all into relationship and oneness with his Son.

I believe God designed marriage just so we could get a taste of what he has in store for us as we join with him – not till death do us part – but for eternity.

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## Bright as Diamonds

We've all heard the song, "Pennies from Heaven." But have you ever heard of "Diamonds from the Sky"? It might sound crazy – but depending on what planet you're on, seeing diamonds falling from the sky is just as ordinary as rain in Portland.

Scientists have recently uncovered complex data on the atmospheric conditions on giant planets like Jupiter. They've theorized that over certain parts of the planet, massive storms create solid carbon that falls in particles toward the planet's surface. As it does, the atmospheric pressure increases, reaching such incredible force that the carbon hardens into diamonds.

Here on earth, that process happens miles beneath the Earth's crust over eons of time. But regardless of how it happens, it still seems miraculous to me. Carbon is one of the most common elements in the universe, but with the right amount of time and pressure, it can become one of the most valuable and sought-after objects in the world!

It's a lot like our journey as Christians. Without Christ, it's easy to feel like we're the "most common thing in the universe." After all, there are seven billion people on this planet. But through our relationship with the triune God, he faithfully refines our hearts, minds, and character to conform to his perfect image.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that, "We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image" (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV). Most days, however, I don't "look" much like Jesus. I'm imperfect, and the process of becoming more like him can be incredibly difficult. Sometimes it's easy to feel like giving up. But thankfully, God never will. His faithfulness never wavers, and regardless of tough circumstances or slow progress, we're all assured that, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

Even on our worst days, we know that God is still working in us and through us to bring the light of his glory to a darkened world. We might look like plain old carbon now, but we're promised that eventually, in Christ, we will shine as bright as diamonds!

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## Broken Cistern

I like to start my days with a kick. So every morning, I pour myself a large cup of tea and let it cool to drinking temperature as I check my e-mail. Imagine my frustration, when I reached for my cup only to find it completely empty and the tablecloth saturated with tea. The cup had a crack in it I didn't see.

As I threw it away, I was reminded of a passage in Jeremiah where God rebukes his people for trading a relationship with him for empty dreams. He said, "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" (Jer. 2:13).

We don't use a lot of cisterns in the United States anymore, but for many years people relied on these reservoirs to hold water for their drinking, bathing, cooking and cleaning. If a cistern broke, it was a catastrophe.

God used this illustration to help us understand that life without him is like living with a broken cistern – hopeless. Just as we can't live without water, we can't live without God. And the good news is, we don't have to.

Christ tells us in John 4: "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13).

Like a broken cistern, our lives are full of holes. We try all kinds of methods to patch those holes and to give our lives meaning, but we're still left empty because we don't have what really matters – a relationship with the one who loves us, giving us himself through the Son, filling us with the Spirit as we receive him.

When we are in a personal and meaningful relationship with God, we're filled with living water, and, spiritually, we'll never have to thirst again.

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## Bumper Sticker Prayer

You see a lot of interesting bumper stickers on American cars. It's one of the ways people can make a public statement about things that matter to them. Bumper stickers can be clever, or cute, or even profound. Some of them are just for fun. But sometimes, like anything else, they can be misleading. Take for example the bumper sticker that tells us to "Believe in the Power of Prayer."

On the surface, it sounds good.

But if we think about it, it's misleading. It's misleading simply because it isn't prayer that has power. It's God. Which means it's not the power of prayer we need to believe in; it's God we need to believe in.

Prayer has no power on its own. God does. Prayer just means talking to God. We pray to God and trust him for the faith to accept and live with his answers, whatever those answers might be.

God knows what we need before we even ask. And he knows what is good for us and what isn't. We trust God to answer our prayers according to what is the right and good thing to do, not according to what we might want or what we might think is best.

God is not our Super Butler, waiting obediently to do whatever self-centered thing we ask. God is love, and he hears us and responds to us only in love.

In fact, our prayers aren't even our own. That's because we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in us. Jesus said in John 14:20, "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."

When we pray, it's Jesus praying in us, with and for us. Jesus takes our not-so-great prayers and redeems them and perfects them, making them his own, and brings them to the Father in our place and on our behalf. That's God's love and power at work. The Holy Spirit, our Comforter, moves us to pray, and Jesus, our Brother, takes up our prayers, redeems them and presents them to the Father, whose beloved children we are in Jesus.

It isn't the power of prayer we need to believe in. It's the love, grace and power of God we need to believe in. Maybe instead of "Believe in the Power of Prayer," the bumper sticker should read, "Believe in the love, grace and power of God." And how exciting that belief becomes as we begin to learn who God really is for us and who we really are to God.

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## Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

We are all familiar with Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon and his statement, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." But did you know a similar significant event occurred right before this quote?

As he was leaving the Lunar Module, Buzz Aldrin made this public announcement. "This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way."

Aldrin later wrote about his experience:

In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the scripture, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing."

I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the Communion elements.

To think that some of the very first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus Christ is amazing. And it brings new thought to Jesus' words spoken in John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The word for "world" in the ancient Greek of this passage is _cosmos._ Jesus was telling his disciples that he is the light of the entire cosmos, of the whole universe. Buzz Aldrin knew this and had the opportunity to honor Jesus on the moon. Communion in outer space. How cool is that?

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## By This Will All Men Know?

Do you remember those bizarre scenes in Bethlehem last Christmas? In the Church of the Nativity, supposedly built over the very place where Jesus was born, a fight broke out between some priests who were cleaning the church in preparation for the Christmas services.

Three different denominations share the Church of the Nativity. Each has its own section, and they guard it very carefully. But during the cleaning, Armenian and Greek Orthodox clergy became involved in a dispute over that territory. So about 100 robed priests got into a scuffle with buckets and brooms. The riot police had to be called in to separate them. They made no arrests because, said the official police report, "They were all men of God."

Well, it's a strange way for "men of God" to show their godliness.

However, although most "men of God" don't go to the lengths of attacking their rivals with brooms, churches do tend to guard what they consider "their territory" very carefully, don't they? The various denominations take their "distinctives" very seriously, whether it be worship styles, what they allow themselves to eat or wear, what days they observe as holy, or which version of the Bible is the "right one." When we do this, we risk making the same mistake as the religious leaders of Jesus' day, who paid great attention to minute details, but lost the big picture of what worship is all about.

In John 17:21, Jesus prayed that his church would be "one." I don't think he meant they should all be exactly the same in every detail. As President of Grace Communion International, I visit churches all over the world. It is unrealistic to expect a congregation in Africa or Central America to be the same as one in Europe or the American mid-West. Even in the early church, Jewish and Gentile congregations did things in different ways.

However, are those differences as important to God as they are to us? Jesus did not say we would represent him properly only if we got doctrine, worship, or liturgy exactly right. He said, "This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other" (John 13:35, _The Message_ ).

That is why it is important that we work together as Christians, setting aside our differences and focusing on what we have in common at the center of our faith and worship. Sadly, it doesn't seem to happen nearly as often as it should. But when it does, it is very satisfying.

Recently I was invited to a meeting of leaders from several different denominations. There were leaders from the Assemblies of God, Foursquare, Nazarene, Free Methodist, Salvation Army, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness, United Pentecostal, Wesleyan, Evangelical, Brethren in Christ and a few others I don't recall. I was told that this was the second time in the history of the church that leaders from 13 Wesleyan-based denominations gathered together in this fashion.

Instead of bickering over details, we found ourselves enjoying one another's company, and saying so. It was a reminder that the territory which should concern us as Christians is not our differing customs and traditions. Rather, we have been given a field to cultivate together – a world that has not heard the gospel and does not know Jesus and the life he gives us.

Sadly, we offer the world an unattractive and confusing example when we squabble, fight, and throw brooms at each other. But when we work together in love and harmony, setting aside our differences, we offer a positive example – an example that Jesus said would show the world that we are _his_ disciples. And that's the greatest privilege we have as his brothers and sisters, and as members of his worldwide and international Body.

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## Calling Out for Help

Last year while hiking near Sacramento, Mike Vilhauer got lost. He wandered off the path and suddenly realized he couldn't find his way back. As the sun sank, Mike crawled under some shelter – and over the next five days, he weathered storms, battled hunger and even fought off an angry wolverine! But as he grew weaker, he started to think he'd never be rescued.

Have you ever felt this way? Like you're hopelessly lost? We all go through trying times. When I start to feel this way, I open up my Bible and turn to the Psalms. If anyone knows what it feels like to be lost, overwhelmed and abandoned, it's King David. See how he writes about it in Psalm 22 –

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest... Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me. (Psalm 22:1-2; 22:16)

What David was feeling here is sometimes called "the Dark Night of the Soul," a term coined by the 16th-century Catholic mystic, Saint John of the Cross. Now widely recognized among scholars worldwide, this term has even been picked up by Hollywood screenwriters. It's that point in the movie where the hero feels like there's no hope left. But that's not where this biblical story ends. Listen to how David finishes his Psalm \--

For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. (Psalm 22:24)

I love that last verse about crying out for help. It's a truth we should never forget. Mike Vilhauer sure didn't. Instead, he made an 8-foot sign that read – "HELP." Searchers saw it and were able to save his life. The next time we're feeling deserted, overwhelmed or alone, remember that our Triune God is faithful to hear us when we call on him. He will never abandon us or forsake us. And that's a promise we can count on.

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## Casting Call

What would you say if I pitched you a movie adaptation of the Bible starring Tom Cruise in the role of Jesus, John Travolta as King Solomon and Elizabeth Taylor as Moses's mother? What if I could get Steve McQueen, George Harrison and Marlon Brando as featured extras? Would you be interested? While you might be scratching your head about these casting choices, there's a Bible museum in Ohio that's reclaiming old waxwork figures to illustrate scenes from the greatest story ever told. And you know what? God's doing the same thing with us!

From the time of creation, we were called to be God's beloved children. We were designed by him to enjoy a close relationship of trust, hope and love with our creator God. But acting out of distrust and pridefully choosing sin in the Garden of Eden, we cast ourselves as another character in a story of our own making. Just like the replacement waxwork movie stars who had nothing to do with the original script, that road has led us to alienation from our author and director. We've been disconnected from the loving source who gave us life and as a result, our story now resolves in darkness and death.

But God hasn't forgotten us.

Through the incarnation and atonement of Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, he has recast our role once again, giving us a new identity in Christ, ensuring that we're included in his great story of redemption. See how Paul writes about it in Romans:

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:6-11, ESV)

We may never get a chance to see the movie adaptation of the Bible I was pitching earlier. But as we enter into a relationship with Christ, answering his call to us, we know that through him, we are cast as leads in the only story that matters: his!

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## Central Truth

Christians are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Together, the Father, Son and Spirit are called the Trinity, and the Trinity occupies center stage in all authentic Christian churches and organizations.

The doctrine of the Trinity is far more than just a creed to be recited or words printed on a statement of faith.

The central biblical truth – that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit – actually shapes our faith and our lives as Christians. The wonderful and beautiful fellowship shared by the Father, Son, and Spirit is the very fellowship of love into which our Savior Jesus places us through his life, death, resurrection and ascension as the Son of God in flesh.

From before all time, the Triune God determined to bring humanity into the indescribable life, fellowship and joy that Father, Son and Holy Spirit share together as the one true God. In Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, we have been made right with the Father, and in Jesus we are included in the fellowship and joy of the shared eternal life of the Trinity.

Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension are living proof of the total and unwavering devotion of the Father to his loving purpose to include humanity in the joy and fellowship of the life of the Trinity. Jesus is the proof that the Father will never abandon us. In Jesus, the Father has adopted us and made us his beloved children, and he will never forsake his plans for us.

When we trust Jesus to be our all in all, it is not an empty trust. He _is_ our all in all. In him, our sins are forgiven, our hearts are made new, and we are included in the life he shares with the Father and the Spirit. He is our brother, and in him we become the beloved children of God by grace.

God's eternal and almighty word of love and inclusion for you will never be silenced. You belong to him, and nothing in heaven or earth can ever change that.

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## Child of Destiny

In July 2013, the whole world took notice when Prince George was born in England. He is said to be "the Child of Destiny." His future has been decided – he is third in line to the British throne, and one day will be king. We all seem to be fascinated by the traditions and pageantry of royalty. So it wasn't surprising that this child captured the imagination of people around the world. And every detail of his life will continue to make the news in the years ahead.

But here's something I bet you hadn't thought about. According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, Prince George was only one of about 370,000 babies born that day. Most were born in the world's poorer countries. Many, sadly, have already died. Many more will not survive their first year. Those that do survive will grow up in poverty, knowing only hunger and misery. Some have the misfortune to be born into one of the world's war zones, and their childhood memories are destined to be filled with fear and uncertainty.

That is a sad fact about life today. But thankfully, that is not the whole story. About 2000 years ago, another King was born – in Bethlehem. Unlike Prince George, he was born into humble circumstances, and only a few people noticed his birth. But the birth of this baby changed the destiny of every human being who has ever lived. I am, of course, talking about Jesus. Through his life, death and resurrection, the promise of eternal life in a restored and renewed creation is made available to every human being.

To God, every human life is precious – every baby born is a child of destiny. He loves his creation and is aware of every aspect of it. Jesus told us not even a sparrow lives and dies without God being aware of it. He added, "Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Through Jesus, every human being has become a child of destiny. And that is the core of the good news found in the gospel.

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## Christ Pantocrator

A few years ago, the Getty Museum held an exhibit highlighting ancient Christian artwork. One of the paintings on display really caught my eye. Created sometime during the 6th century A.D., this painting is called "Christ Pantocrator," which translates to Christ "Ruler or Sustainer of All." What I really like about it is how loaded the imagery is with profound theological concepts.

Let me show you...

Since the time of our Lord, theologians have affirmed the dual substance of Christ – the fact that he was both fully human and fully God. In theo-speak, that's called the "Hypostatic Union." But how do you paint that?

Well, this artist chose to portray it in a really interesting way. You can see that the face of Christ feels more like two different faces fused together. And his expression looks like two different expressions. And if you look closer, you can see that even his eyes portray this bifurcation — the one on the right is focused on us, the earthly viewer, while the eye on the left is turned toward heaven.

I think that is quite ingenious. Now let's see how the artist tackles the Trinity. If you look at Christ's hand, you can see that he's holding three fingers together, forming a circle. That's how the artist chose to symbolize the Trinity – three distinct divine persons, completely joined and unified – three-in-one.

Of course, like all our representations of our Lord, it's a poor imitation of the glory that is the Incarnation and the mystery of the Trinity. But I love that the artist waded in to the deep end and was willing to wrestle with how to convey these important theological understandings of Christian faith in an interesting and unique way. It is always interesting to see how an artist can "paint theology" into the canvas. I hope art like this will encourage us to dive deeper into the Word of God, and inspire us as we share these truths with those Christ brings us into contact with.

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## Christian Service

It was on a snowy evening in January when the doctor received an urgent call summoning him to perform an emergency brain surgery at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. But he was only able to drive a few blocks before his car stalled in a heavy snowstorm. He made the decision to walk the rest of his journey in the biting cold. Finally, he arrived at the hospital, dried himself off and got to work.

We do not know for certain whether this doctor was a Christian, but we can instantly recognize a powerful theme of love and self-sacrifice in the way he responded to this crisis. Notice how nothing could stop him—neither the time of night or the inhospitable weather—once he made up his mind. Never thinking of his own well being, he put himself at the disposal of goodness.

As Christians, we need to ask ourselves: "What motivates us to do good for our neighbor?" One answer is obedience to the command of Christ when he said, "love your neighbor as yourself." Christian living means serving others, but that doesn't mean that our salvation is dependent on external goals. As the Lord makes clear through Paul, we are not justified by works, but by the mercy of God through faith in Christ. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

As Christians, any good work we do is evidence of our deep and true relationship with God. The kind of faith that leads to godly works goes beyond merely acknowledging Christ with our minds — it means putting complete trust in who God is, and letting that trust move us to feely and joyfully join him in what he is doing in the world.

The doctor performed a successful surgery and the patient was restored to full health. And just like this surgeon, Christ, the greatest servant of all, has begun a good work in us that he is faithful to complete. As those united to Christ, let's continue to look for opportunities to live out wholehearted Christian service.

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## Christians Should Never Retire

When people think of the word "grandparent," it is often connected to another word: retirement. It seems like there's a memo going around that when we get older, we have to slow down. But let me tell you about a lady who disregarded that memo. Her name is Mavis Albin, and she's a grandmother of eight. Instead of trading in her heels for a pair of comfy slippers, she bought some Nikes and hit the gym. Since childhood, she dreamed of playing basketball, and at 55 those dreams came true. She began playing for the Baton Rouge Tigerettes, a team of charming Southern belles—all grandmothers. Now, at 76 years old, she's shooting for her eighth gold medal at the Senior Olympics.

Mavis's refusal to slow down when she reached "a certain age" should be an inspiring example of how we are to continue to grow as Christians. As followers of God, we never retire, not until we are called home. In fact, as we add years to our lives we are actually developing as believers—growing in wisdom, holiness, and influence. Solomon wrote about it in Proverbs: "Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31).

The process of sanctification allows us to progress toward holiness as we continue in obedience to the Word of God. That's why so many older folks become great mentors to young believers. If you are someone who is further down the road of life, you're in an ideal position to impart wisdom and encouragement to those who are just starting out on that road.

As Christians, we should be proud of our age. The more years we gather, the more motivated we should become to stay on top of our spiritual game and not just sit on the sideline. Think of Mavis and her team of basketball playing seniors. They've got no intention of retiring anytime soon. Our enthusiasm should mirror theirs. So fight the good fight, finish the race, and continue to grow in faith and understanding. And consider finding someone young to encourage and mentor for the kingdom of God. You may be surprised to find that your best years are still ahead of you.

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## Christmas

Early in my Christian walk, I found the Christmas season annoying and irritating rather than inspiring and enjoyable. That's because I believed Christmas was really a pagan holiday masquerading as Christian, and as such, God must hate it. I thought people who call themselves Christian but participate in such pagan revelry must disgust God.

But something the apostle Paul wrote gave me pause to reflect on my assumptions about Christmas, as well as Easter, another holiday I took for pagan debauchery. It's in Philippians 1:15-18. In this passage Paul is referring to the way some were responding to his imprisonment. Some were taking advantage of Paul's being out of the way by preaching Christ to set themselves up in Paul's place. Others were preaching out of pure motives, just to proclaim the gospel. Here is what Paul had to say about it:

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

So what does that have to do with Christmas? It showed me that when Christ is preached, that's a good thing, regardless of the reasons or setting for it. And that led me to take a closer look at what believers actually do during Christmas, rather than just assuming they were joining in pagan revelry.

I found that for believers, Christmas is about Jesus. The Christmas tree, which is an evergreen, symbolizes the everlasting life we have in Jesus. The lights point to Jesus, the Light of the world. The gifts reflect God's unconditional love, given simply because he is God and not because we deserved it. And the day itself is a commemoration of the birth of Jesus, God in the flesh, who became one of us to draw us into the love and intimate communion he shares with the Father.

When I saw what Christmas is really about, all my fear and distaste disappeared. God is not some curmudgeon who made humans so he'd have somebody to keep his rules. God loves us and wants us to enter his joy, and part of his joy is celebration. To celebrate Jesus is the best kind of celebration there is, because in celebrating Jesus we are celebrating all of humanity, to whom Jesus has given worth, meaning and dignity by taking humanity into himself.

You know, pagans lived in houses, wore clothes, ate food, went to work and raised families. We don't avoid those things. And pagans prayed, assembled for worship, sang hymns and gave offerings. We don't even avoid most of the things pagans did in worshipping their false gods, nor does God expect us to. Pagans don't own December 25. That day belongs to God, like every other day.

If you are afraid to celebrate Christmas because you think God hates both it and the people who keep it, I hope you'll consider giving it some more thought and prayer. It really is a time of great cheer, joy and hope for those who trust in Christ. And God approves of that.

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## Christmas for Sinners

When the Magi finally met Jesus, the King of the Jews, after being led to him by a special star, they did not find him in a king's palace. They found Mary and Joseph, and the babe in a manger.

Who would have expected it – the promised King, the Anointed One – born in a stable? What more unlikely place to look for the prophesied Prince of Peace – in a cattle stall! But Jesus came to real people in the real world. He came to stand in for and represent every person in every age, from the first man to the last, from the greatest to the least, the rich, the poor, the middle class, every race and every tribe – and every one of them a sinner.

Jesus came to save sinners, not to bask in the fineries of human royalty.

The Christmas stable reminds us that whatever life throws at us, whatever trials we might face, whatever our lot in life, Jesus is with us. Jesus is there beside us. God knows our plight and stands alongside us in undying love.

At the Messiah's stable, the world's pride has no place. In that lowly place he came to dwell with us in our deepest sin, weakness, need, sorrow, and pain. Here in a corner of a barn is Emmanuel, God with us.

Throughout Jesus' life, in lowliness and humility, he served sinning, broken, and desperate people. He showed even the lowliest and loneliest of men, women, and children that they really matter to God, and that true life does not consist in what people possess, or what their station in society is, or how much the world respects them.

Jesus shows us that God loves us and that we count; he loves us completely even at our very worst, even at our most sinful and our very weakest.

The message of the stable leads us to seek what really matters, the joy of receiving and giving faithful love. It calls us to trust in the One who loves us so much he will never let us go, and to stop wasting our lives on all the empty and meaningless things that cannot bring us real satisfaction, peace, hope, and joy.

In our Savior Jesus Christ – born in the common surroundings of common people – we find our deepest fulfillment in the shared love of God and our relationships with one another that alone make life worth living.

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## Church Is Healthy

You've probably heard the following statistics:

• Avoid riding in automobiles because they're responsible for 20 percent of all fatal accidents.

• Don't stay home because 17 percent of all fatal accidents occur in the home.

• Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14 percent of all accidents occur to pedestrians.

• And most of all stay out of hospitals – they account for 32 percent of all deaths!

You'll be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church!

I say this tongue in cheek, because logic also tells you that you have to walk, drive, or take public transportation to and from church, so this adds a dimension of danger. However, many studies have validated that people dedicated to regular church attendance increase the odds on living a longer and healthier life than those who never attend church. I would suggest there are a number of reasons for this.

Attending church regularly reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We take some time to forget about our personal problems and enjoy our relationship with God, receiving his Word and Spirit in our worship. We are renewed in our faith, hope and love for God and for each other. We, collectively, are the body of Christ, dedicated to sharing his love and his life with others. And finally, we're reminded that we have a purpose – to love others and to make disciples.

I believe the author of the book of Hebrews understood this when he wrote:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

I've always heard that regular exercise, healthy eating habits and proper amount of sleep were the top three life-sustaining activities. To that, I can now add attending church.

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## The Cleveland Flyover

Mark Gubins is an artist. He works out of an art studio near the airport. He's so close that as the jumbo jets start their final approach for landing, they fly right over his studio. Wanting to be a good neighbor, Gubins climbed up onto his roof and in big, bold white lettering he wrote – WELCOME TO CLEVELAND.

The only problem is: Gubins doesn't live anywhere near Cleveland. Both he and his studio are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Since he painted the sign, a number of airline passengers have done a double take, suddenly believing that they got on the wrong flight.

I've heard of non-Christians expressing a similar reaction when they show up to a church service expecting to hear about grace, hope and love, only to suffer through a sermon about rules and regulations for living a better life. What they were expecting didn't correlate with what they got. As a life-long Christian, I can say I understand. It seems like here in America we like to emphasize a version of God that feels more like an old man in the sky with a checklist who's waiting for us to screw up instead of the Triune God who is with us and for us.

At GCI churches, we try to introduce anyone who joins us to the God of the Bible – a God whose very nature is love. It is this nature that reveals to us that he has already forgiven us for our mistakes and, like the Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, he is waiting for us to return to his arms.

Because we know that we are included in Christ, we are free to receive from him forgiveness and a new life under his direction. We can then share that love and new life we receive by his Spirit in relationship with those around us. We want someone who attends our churches to feel welcomed just as they are. We want to also extend this feeling of welcome and belonging into the streets of our communities, welcoming the rest of the world into a redeeming and renewing relationship with our Lord.

So the next time you see someone new attending one of our worshipping groups, make sure you don't "Welcome them to Cleveland." Instead, tell them that they're welcomed just as they are into a new and transforming life of communion with our Triune God.

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## A Cloak of Invisibility

I read in the news recently how scientists have made some advancement in the technology that makes objects invisible. A "cloak of invisibility" has long been the stuff of legend and fantasy. But now, it seems, researchers have demonstrated that they are able to engineer materials that redirect light waves around a three-dimensional object, effectively making it invisible. They have also made similar breakthroughs with sound waves. More and more, it seems that what was yesterday's science fiction is becoming today's reality.

Sadly, although these inventions might have a peaceful application, technological breakthroughs are often made in the context of war and aggression. We human beings have an insatiable appetite for weapons that are ever more sophisticated, and for the assured means to protect ourselves against them. As Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 59, the nations of this world do not know the way to peace. Weapons are a major item in world trade, and the principal export of some economies. There are governments that force their people to live in poverty, or even starvation, while they spend their resources on building improved armies.

By contrast, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and his kingdom's "principal export" is to show the world the way to peace. As Jesus reassured Pontius Pilate, the kingdom of God did not pose a military threat. "My kingdom is not of this world," he said. "If it were, my servants would fight."

However, Jesus did not intend the establishment of his kingdom to be a covert operation. He said,

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The kingdom of God has no need for a "cloak of invisibility" that bends light so that we cannot be seen. On the contrary, we are called to a life of visibility—a life of reflecting the light of Jesus so that the world may see him in us.

However, sometimes I think that some of us could make good use of that other technology that suppresses sound waves. Sometimes the noise we make gets in the way of the light we are called to reflect. So much of Christian communication seems to be inspired primarily by John the Baptist, Elijah or the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah 58:1 says, A large part of their responsibility was to "cry aloud and show my people their sins." Some Christians seem to regard their primary service as condemning the sins of others, being accusers, and holding others in contempt.

But such a posture fails to even fully reflect the calling of these prophets, much less those who know and live on this side of the finished work of Christ—who has inaugurated his kingdom of righteousness and peace with God and our neighbors. The gospel will always call for repentance. But our primary message should be about grace, forgiveness and the transforming power of God made available to us through the work of Christ.

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## Cockroaches and Salvation

I know the Bible tells us that everything God created was good. But sometimes I wonder why it says that about cockroaches. Most of us think they are disgusting and want to get rid of them.

The trouble is, our world is literally infested with them. There are over 4000 species, thriving in climates all over the world, and they seem almost indestructible. They can live for weeks without food, and if they have to, and they can survive on postage-stamp glue. They can withstand extreme heat and cold, and recover after 30 minutes underwater. No wonder it is hard to get rid of cockroaches.

They remind me of another invasive critter that is just as hard to get rid of. This is an idea – that infests not our kitchens and bathrooms – but our ideas of what we need to do to be saved.

Many see Christianity as a transaction. They believe Jesus was sacrificed, opening up the way to salvation. If we repent, believe the gospel, and then do enough good works, God will grant us eternal life. However, if we fail to live up to our side of the deal, we will die and spend eternity in a place of torment, separated forever from God's love.

The problem is, we can never seem to get ahead. For every step forward, we take two steps back. The harder we work to fulfill our part of the bargain, the more hopeless it all seems. Salvation based on works is a formula for guilt, fear, and a constant sense of failure. But getting rid of that idea is like, well, it's like trying to get rid of cockroaches. The idea of conditional salvation, based on our works, continues to survive.

But you don't have to live with it. Salvation is God's free gift. It is a rather unequal, one-sided transaction. Your salvation is paid for and is maintained by Jesus Christ. End of story!

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## Combating Atheism

In the last few years, we have seen the rising influence of writers and scientists who vigorously preach atheism. They not only express their personal doubts about God's existence, but they campaign with almost evangelical fervor against the very idea of God and religion.

These atheists are highly educated and their arguments are not easily dismissed by most people, even though their arguments have long ago been defeated. It is difficult to logically refute arguments that are unfamiliar to you. Many Christians see this move towards atheism as a threat. We who believe in God feel we must somehow win this argument, and prove that God does exist, otherwise the atheists will have won the argument.

But no, they haven't. You see, although I have absolutely no doubt about God's existence, I have also learned that it is impossible to prove it to someone who is determined not to believe. There is ample evidence in the world and the whole cosmos to show the existence of a Creator. As the Psalms say, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1). And Paul wrote to the church at Rome, "God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made" (Romans 1:20).

These scriptures are often used to prove God's existence, but that is not what they are saying. The wonders of creation provide impressive evidence for those who believe, but they do not give knock-down proof for those who do not. A determined atheist can always find a hole in an argument, or a loose brick in the proof. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest thinkers of church history, put it well when he wrote, "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."

The problem is that you cannot prove God's existence from within naturalism – the philosophy held by those who assume that only nature exists. There is no amount of evidence that can be taken from nature and used as proof for the God of the Bible. This is because God is not physically a part of nature – he is transcendent of its origin. You can only "prove" one aspect of nature on the basis of some other aspect of nature. So by studying nature, one can only yield further knowledge of nature. But, as the theologians of the early church put it: "Only God knows God, and only God reveals God." At best, nature can give us indirect evidences that confirm the existence of God, but the ultimate reason Christians have faith in God is Jesus Christ himself. Jesus is the Reason, or as the Gospel of John puts it, The Logos.

But, just because we cannot give clear material proof that God exists, it does not mean the atheist has won the argument. We don't need to be on the defensive. What we need is to turn the argument around. It is not our job to prove God exists – it is the atheist's task to prove he does not.

Atheists may cite some scientific discovery, the weakness of religious arguments, or the hypocrisy of some religious behavior to support their case. But this should not divert attention away from the central fact they have to prove. They must still prove that God does not exist. And just as it is not possible to prove God exists through naturalism, you cannot prove God does not exist through naturalism. The study of nature can only negate claims about nature.

For this reason, many atheists eventually admit that they are actually agnostic. Even Richard Dawkins in his recent public conversation with the Archbishop Rowan Williams acknowledged that he could not say with 100% certainty that God does not exist – he stops short at 99%. If they are honest, they cannot dismiss the evidence that the physical, materialistic world is not all there is. They may not come to the point where they accept and surrender their lives to their Creator, but they are no longer sure he does not exist. They simply don't know! They are agnostic, or "without knowledge."

Never forget that the strongest proof of God's existence is first, Jesus Christ, and, second, the example of those who have surrendered to God, and live their lives in partnership with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let us do that and let God take care of the atheists in his own good time. He will – because he loves them, too.

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## Come Just As You Are

Billy Graham often used a phrase to encourage people to accept the redemption we have in Jesus. He would say, "Come, just as you are!"

It is a reminder that God sees everything: our best and our worst, and he loves us anyway. The call to come "just as you are" is a reflection of the apostle Paul's words in Romans 5:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Many people today don't even think in terms of sin. Our modern and postmodern generations tend to think in terms of "emptiness," "hopelessness," or "meaninglessness," and often view their inner struggle as being rooted in a low sense of self-worth. They might try to learn and love themselves as a means of becoming loveable, but likely not, as they feel like they are so messed up, so broken, that they could never be good enough to be loved.

But God doesn't define us by our lacks and our failures; he sees our whole being: the good, the bad and the ugly, and he loves us dearly in spite of everything.

Even though God does not have a hard time loving us, we often have a hard time accepting his love. Deep inside, we know we aren't worthy of it.

In the 1500s, Martin Luther struggled to live a morally perfect life, but continually found himself failing, and in his frustration he at last discovered freedom in God's grace. Until then, Luther had identified himself with his sins and found only despair, instead of identifying himself with Jesus – God's perfect and beloved Son – who took away the sins of the world, including Luther's.

In these modern times, even though many people don't tend to think in terms of sin, they nevertheless have feelings of hopelessness and doubt that create a deep-seated sense of being unlovable. What they need to know is that in spite of their emptiness, despite their worthlessness, God values them and loves them.

God loves you, too. Even though God hates sin, he does not hate you. God loves all people, even sinners, and he hates sin precisely because it hurts and destroys people.

"Come just as you are" means that God is not waiting for you to get better before you come to him. He loves you already, despite what you have done. He has secured a way out of anything and everything that could separate you from him. He has secured your escape from every prison of the human mind and heart. In repentance, we simply hand him all the wrongs we have done and will do. In faith, we surrender all that we are and all we have to him, trusting him to put everything right.

What is it that holds you back from experiencing the joy of knowing God's love for you? Whatever it is, why not give those burdens to Jesus? He is more than able to carry it for you.

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## Contagious Love

During Jesus' ministry, he often upset the religious establishment of the day by extending love to people considered "unlovable." As in all societies, during Jesus' day, there was the "in" crowd and the outcasts.

The "in crowd," as characterized by the Pharisees and Sadducees, was a group, smug about their goodness and holiness. They could make a great show of treating each other well, but made no time for the lower elements of society.

In contrast, Jesus spent most of his time with the outcasts. He forgave a woman caught in the act of adultery. He treated a prostitute with dignity and respect. He made friends with the much-despised tax collectors and with others who were considered beyond the pale of polite society. He touched and healed lepers – the ultimate outcasts of the day. Jesus found his closest friends among the common working people of his day.

Jesus revealed that our human capacity to love needs to be extended beyond just those we know and like. He told his followers to pay special attention to those whom society has rejected. In the "Parable of the Sheep and the Goats" (Matthew 25:31-46), Jesus identified with the suffering of the sick, the loneliness of the prisoner and the plight of the poor. He told us to help them, saying in verse 40, "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

That kind of love is contagious. It often brings out the best in anyone who receives it or witnesses it. Jesus was remembered as a man who "went around doing good," Acts 10:38 tells us. Those who followed him after his resurrection were soon called "Christians," and it was not long before their unusual way of life began to be noticed.

In hard economic times, Christians were generous. When plagues struck, Christians nursed the sick. When widows and orphans were left to fend for themselves, Christians cared for them. Even though Christians were often despised and persecuted, their lives of love also tended to prick the consciences of those who knew about them, causing many to join them in their labors of love.

We do the same today, but if our labor in Christ is to be genuine, it should never be geared to draw attention to ourselves, or to get people to come to our church. We don't serve others to show them something about us, but to show them something about _them._ When we help the poor and the outcasts, we let them know that they do matter and that they are included in God's love, no matter who they are or what they have done.

Once we begin to understand that there is no place and no person that God's love does not reach, we can look at ourselves in a different way, as God's beloved children. We can also look at _others_ in a different way. There is no "in" crowd or outcasts. _Everyone_ matters, and everyone has been included in God's love. There is redemption for every person; all they have to do is believe it and embrace it.

Maybe _your_ life of love and service in Christ will help them do that!

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## Crazy Love

There's an old saying – "Love can make you crazy." When you're in love, you do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do. You see it all the time in movies – the hero arranges a wildly extravagant display of affection in an attempt to win the leading lady back. It's this type of wild extravagance that got me thinking about the way God expresses his love for us.

The story of our relationship with God is filled with moments of distance, resentment, disappointment and disobedience. It seems like it's impossible for us to maintain our "side" of the relationship. But even though he knew this from the beginning, God did something that most of us would think is crazy – he loved us anyway. See how John puts it: "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him" (1 John 4:9).

God's relationship with us isn't contractual. He doesn't say, "If you do X, Y or Z, then I'll love you and remain faithful." Instead, he offers us a covenant where his love is freely given. It's not earned or deserved. He has promised to be faithful to us no matter what. He remains for us and for our good because of who he is – a holy and loving God. And that means that no matter what happens on our side of the relationship, God will always fulfill his promises, no matter how crazy it seems to us.

This Valentine's Day, I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a restful holiday. I pray that you'll also be reminded of God's "crazy" covenantal love that extends to all of us through his Son Christ Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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## Creativity: A Reflection of God

When I was a boy, I read Mark Twain's classic story, _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court._ One of the memorable scenes in the book was a meal at King Arthur's table, vividly described in all its historical detail. The knights and courtiers ate like slobs using their hands and fingers, tearing off hunks of meat, grabbing handfuls of side dishes, sloshing ale and throwing bones over their shoulders for the mass of dogs around the table to fight over. It was a mannerless, napkinless, forkless bacteria-and-germ paradise.

When forks were finally introduced to England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, the clergy attacked them an "immoral luxury intended to undermine the very fiber of the people and to attract the wrath of God."

Most innovations, small and great alike, meet with considerable resistance at first. Sad to say, historically speaking, it has often been members of the clergy who fueled the opposition.

The telegraph, the railroad, "store-bought" canned goods, the automobile, antibiotics, radio, airplanes, television and the Internet, have all been condemned by one preacher or another as "inventions of the devil." On the other hand, it has often been Christians who pioneered and spearheaded the very advancements in scientific understanding that some of their fellow Christians were busy condemning.

Not all change is progress, of course. But Christians should be the first to applaud legitimate progress. Instead of condemning innovation and new discovery, Christians can, through example and education, urge humanity toward the right use of its God-given creativity.

When we oppose progress, we undermine the relevance of the gospel in the modern world by making it seem backward and ignorant. But God created us to use the intelligence and creativity he gave us, which is a reflection of God's dynamic creativity. It is seldom that a new invention or discovery itself is evil. What might be evil is the wrong use that some people put it to.

God has never stopped creating. In fact, every person in Christ is already a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them."

And Revelation 21:4 tells us that the day will come when God will at last make all things new and wipe away all tears. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain because the old order of things has passed away. Now _that_ will be real progress.

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## Dancing for Joy

When was the last time you danced for joy?

For a Baltimore teenager named Amari Hall, it was just recently, about six days after his successful heart transplant. In a video that quickly went viral, he can be seen dancing with pure joy in his hospital bed, as the doctor and nurses join in around him. Just a month before, he was facing death from a heart defect. But after a grueling sixteen-hour surgery, he pulled through with not just a new heart, but a new lease on life as well.

It reminded me immediately of the joy that comes from salvation in Christ. In the Gospel of Luke, Christ repeatedly tells his disciples what happens in heaven when even one sinner repents and begins a new life in him: "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7).

And again just a few verses later, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10).

As if that wasn't enough, Jesus then follows that with the parable of the Prodigal Son, perhaps the Bible's most powerful story about the joy that comes from the reunion between a sinner and their heavenly Father.

I think for those of us who've known our Lord for decades now, it can be easy to forget just how incredible the miracle of salvation really is. A human heart finding eternal life in relationship with the Triune God is the most joyful event possible, and it kicks off an outpouring of celebratory joy and worship in heaven every time it happens. Heaven throws a party! Isn't that amazing?

But here's what's just as amazing: we can participate in that same party each and every day, by remembering the miracle of our own salvation, and celebrating accordingly. We're called to live lives of joy in Christ, and when we take a moment to stop and think about how blessed we are to know him, our response should be like Amari's: one where we dance for joy!

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## A Day of Departures

50 years ago, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. It was a day that shocked the world. Many can still remember exactly where they were when they heard the news. But did you know that November 22nd also marks the passing of Aldous Huxley and C.S. Lewis? These three men died within hours of each other. As we look back at their departure, we are reminded of our own mortality.

Hebrews tells us that: "Man is destined to die once, and after that the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

That can sound a little threatening, since we know that we've all fallen short. But judgment doesn't necessarily imply condemnation. Earthly death is a kind of judgment in and of itself. And we know that not all who die are condemned. I think that judgment in this context indicates a "sorting out" of the true nature of a person's being.

In this moment, standing before our judge, some may cling to life achievements. Clearly Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley made great contributions to our world. But on that final day, even their temporal works will be stripped away and we will stand before our Creator as fallen creatures, all equal – presidents, novelists and humanists – all of us will be subject to death.

But we are not without hope. The Bible tells us that Christ came into the world to take on our sins. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: "One died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Jesus' death was vicarious – meaning that when he, our Creator died, the entire human race was laid in the grave with him. But the good news of the gospel is that we were also raised with him, to a great hope – the hope of not only escaping the penalty of sin but also being reconciled to God.

With that in mind, judgment doesn't seem as scary. In Jesus we have an advocate with the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the "One who died for all." And he is the reason that none of us have to "get what we deserve." Christ alone is the final basis for our eternal judgment. And that means we have hope in Jesus – our great High Priest and merciful Judge.

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## Deliverance From Oppression

We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of black history, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Born in 1875 in Buckingham County, Virginia, Woodson spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coalmines. He entered high school at the age of 20 and taught elementary school for two years after his graduation. He later studied at Berea College, the University of Chicago, and Harvard University, receiving a Ph.D. degree from Harvard in 1912. He was dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Howard University from 1919 to 1920 and of West Virginia Institute (now West Virginia State College) from 1920 to 1922.

As Woodson studied, he couldn't help but see the dearth of information in American history on the accomplishments of blacks. So he decided to take on the challenge of giving black Americans their rightful place in the nation's history. In 1915, he established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now called the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, and a year later founded the widely respected _Journal of Negro History._ In 1926, he launched Negro History Week as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history.

Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. February was a good choice for other reasons as well.

W.E.B. DuBois, an important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born in February, 1868. The 15th Amendment, granting blacks the right to vote, was passed in February 1870, and the first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels, took his oath of office the same month.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded by a group of concerned black and white citizens in New York City in February 1909. And, in what would become a civil rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in February 1960.

Although blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books, thanks to the courage and hard work of leaders like Carter G. Woodson.

In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus read from the book of Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,  
because he has anointed me  
to preach good news to the poor.  
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners  
and recovery of sight for the blind,  
to release the oppressed,  
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. (Isaiah 61:1-2)

These words of the prophet Isaiah foretold the ministry of Jesus, and they continue to ring true as faithful Christians commit themselves to letting Jesus live in them to further deliverance and hope to the oppressed.

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## Despite Our Doubt

Jesus once healed a paralyzed man whose friends had let him down through the roof on his bed to get him past the crowds to Jesus. But instead of saying to the paralyzed man, "Rise up and walk," Jesus said, "Son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5).

The Pharisees were outraged that Jesus, a mere man, would presume to forgive sins. So Jesus told them, "So that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, I say to the lame man, 'Rise up and walk'" (verses 10-11, paraphrased).

To believers, this is unnecessary. We already believe that the Son of man has power to forgive sins. We don't need a _sign_ of Jesus' power to demonstrate the fact that he has authority to forgive sins.

In the Bible, signs were usually given for unbelievers. Paul, for example, was an unbeliever and an enemy of the gospel, in that he persecuted believers. When Jesus appeared to him in person on the road to Damascus, he became a believer. Many others became believers when they witnessed the signs given by Jesus and the apostles.

Sometimes, though, we wish we did have a sign, because we do fall into doubt about the things God has told us. We sometimes doubt whether God really loves us. We often doubt whether God really has forgiven us. Sometimes we even doubt, though we don't like to admit it, whether God is really there at all.

And our doubt makes us worry all the more that if God is there, he probably doesn't love and forgive sinners and doubters like us.

But it is not our faith that saves us. It is Jesus who saves us. In our moments of strong faith, we trust him completely and all fear is gone. In our moments of doubt, we fear failure and condemnation. But either way, the Word of God says that we are already seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father.

Colossians 3:1 puts it this way: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, [notice the past tense; it's already been accomplished by Jesus without our help]... Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."

Whether our faith is strong or weak, Jesus is always the same. He loves us and will not let us go. He has faith for us even when we are in doubt, because he is our righteousness and our life. He has already forgiven us and made us his own. We already sit with him at the right hand of God.

So rather than wishing for a sign to give us some reassurance, let us trust in Jesus who is faithful, not in how strong or weak our faith might be.

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## Do vs. Done

Have you ever tried to lose weight? It's a lot harder than it seems. You fight hard to eat healthy only to slip up at dinner and order a slice of cake. How does this happen? Paul talks about it in Romans: "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" (Romans 7:15).

As long as we inhabit mortal bodies, we experience the push and pull of our conflicting desires. We try to "just will ourselves through it." But it's not that simple. Our wills are only as strong as the desires driving them. When this dynamic is applied to our spiritual lives, the results can be frustrating and confusing. We might want to spend more time in prayer, to serve more, or to act more lovingly to our friends or spouses in an effort to be more like Christ, but our sinful nature influences our will — resulting in a lot of conflict.

But there's good news. A wise man once told me that the difference between Jesus and religion, when it comes to the problem of sin, is that religion says, "do," but Jesus says, "done." In his sacrificial work on the cross, the question of our sin has been answered forever.

Now, this doesn't mean the process of becoming more like Jesus won't be difficult, or that we won't mess up. But it does mean that we can wage this battle daily in full confidence of its outcome: Jesus wins, every time. In fact, he already has! We remain his beloved children and he has promised, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

As Calvin used to say, it takes perseverance and patience, repentance and renewal, mortification and vivification. But when we stand firm in God's completed work for us, and realize that the impossible task we must "do" has already been "done," we truly begin to walk in his resurrection power and life. What Christ has done for us, the Holy Spirit will work out in us, and in his time and in his way, God will bring it to completion.

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## Do We Teach Universalism?

Occasionally, people ask me if Grace Communion International teaches "Universalism." Universalism is a belief that everyone will be saved, regardless of whether or not they are good or bad, have repented of their sins, or have accepted Jesus as their Savior.

The answer is "no," we do not teach that. The Bible teaches that there is salvation only in Christ. It also tells us, for instance in 2 Peter 3:9, that God desires all to come to repentance, and he has created and redeemed humanity for true fellowship with him. In Jesus Christ, who is God's elect for our sakes, all humanity is elect in him as the new Adam. By this, I mean that everyone is eligible to receive God's offer of forgiveness of sin and eternal life extended to them by the Holy Spirit. But that does not necessarily mean that all humans _will_ accept that gift.

We also believe that in Christ, God makes gracious and just provisions for all, even for those who at death appear not to have yet believed the gospel. So careful students of the Bible recognize that, whereas the Scriptures do not enable us to determine ahead of time the final state of everyone, we need not rule out the power and grace of God to fulfill his desire to save everyone.

However, there may be some who remain stubbornly hostile to God. Repudiating grace, rejecting their Savior, they would not enter into their salvation. It's hard to believe that anyone would make a choice like that, but if we are to be faithful to Scripture, we must allow it as a possibility. The important thing to remember is that it is their choice – not their destiny _._ As C. S. Lewis shrewdly observed, "the doors of hell are locked from the inside."

God has done everything possible to save us from the terrible and horrific condition that is hell. He has given us his Son, Jesus, as our representative and substitute to stand in for us as our High Priest. And the Spirit works to draw us, so that we can share in all the benefits held for us in Christ. Yet in the end, we cannot presume upon the grace of God, and dogmatically declare that God will indeed violate the deliberate choice of those who willfully and persistently reject his love and turn away from him and his Spirit.

So, even though we cannot say for certain that all humans will ultimately accept God's gift, surely, we can hope that is the case. That is, after all, what God has said he desires, and surely, wanting what God desires does not make you a heretic.

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## Does God Change?

Some Christians believe that God never changes in any way about any thing whatsoever.

But that is not true.

When we humans try to describe God, the only tools we have are our human languages, with words that describe things we already know about. So we have no choice but to use analogies and comparisons to created things, things we already know about through our five senses. But we need to remember that God is never exactly like anything we can compare him to.

Even the pronoun "he" in reference to God is only an analogy. It's a mistake to think that God is actually male or female. Even the term "Father" can be misunderstood. The term "Father" refers to the relationship between the Father and the Son, as we're told in John 1:14, 18, 34. The term "Father" also refers to the relationship between the Father and creation, as we see in Ephesians 3:14-15. But the term "Father" is only an analogy. It does not mean that the Father is just like human fathers. It only means that there are certain ways in which the Father is somewhat like an ideal human Father.

So what about the question of whether God can change?

God—Father, Son and Spirit—is the source and cause of all being and existence. He brings everything into being without anything bringing him into being. He is pure Being, and all other being finds its source only in him. All things depend on God for their existence, and he depends on nothing for his existence.

So when we say God is "unchangeable" or "immutable, we do not mean that God cannot change as he, in his divine freedom, chooses to change. What we do mean is that God cannot be changed by anything outside himself, as though he were a created being.

When God created the universe, he freely in grace and love became something new—Creator—and he did so in the freedom of his grace and love. Likewise, when the Son became flesh in the Incarnation, God became something new—human—like us and for our sakes. God did not have to create, nor did he have to become flesh, but he did so in his divine freedom out of the abundance of his grace and love.

But there is an all-important way in which God never changes!

Malachi 3:6 reads: "For I the Lord do not change. Therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished."

This and other passages about God's unchangeableness are declarations of God's absolute faithfulness to his covenant promise. In other words, God declares that despite all our trials of faith and doubt, he will never change his mind about loving us and saving us.

So, when we say that God is "immutable" (which means unchangeable) and "impassible" (which means incapable of feeling), we do not mean that God cannot change or feel. We mean, rather, that God cannot be changed, or moved, or hurt against his will by anything outside himself.

But in his divine freedom as God, he can, and does, of himself and for his own loving purposes, both change and feel. The bottom line is that God loves you and God is for you, and he will never give up on you.

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## Does God Hear Our Prayers?

I imagine everyone who has ever said a prayer has wondered at some time if that prayer got past the ceiling. The image of a prayer not reaching God but instead being blocked is a sentiment I have heard quite a few folks describe. Many believe even if the prayer does get through, they still have to do something special in order for God to answer their prayers.

The truth is, we don't need to get permission from another person, wear a special garment, light a candle, use a special rug, first take a bath or take a specific posture or position before we pray. Some of these can be useful or helpful to do, depending on where you are going to pray or what kind of ambiance you are trying to create; but they are not requirements for God to hear your prayer.

The Bible reveals God as omnipresent, meaning he is everywhere at the same time. Therefore, it is impossible for anything physical to prevent your prayer from reaching God. But even more important is the "location" of God's heart towards us. The 139th Psalm addresses this quite well, particularly verses 1-3:

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. (Psalm 139:1-3)

Or as King David told Solomon:

The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. (1 Chronicles 28:9)

When we consider God's omnipresence and his compassionate heart, it is most certainly foolish to think we have any secrets from him or that any of our prayers have not gotten past the ceiling. God interacts with every prayer and knows what is best for every person in the scheme of all eternity.

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## Don't Be April Fooled by Legalism

A few years ago, Twitter offered users the option to upgrade their accounts to a "Premium version." For five dollars a month, Premium Twitter users could have access to all the vowels in the English alphabet. Sounds crazy, right? But as I started scrolling through the feed, I looked at the date on my computer – April first. And I realized I'd been April Fooled by Twitter. Twitter's upgrade was just a funny joke, but I know that there are lots of ways we can actually fool ourselves into thinking we need to upgrade our relationship with Christ by buying the "legalism package."

All Christians would agree that we need a savior and that our salvation comes by God's grace alone. But once we get past that initial mercy, some of us slip into the idea that we need to "maintain our salvation" by living under a rigorous code. We buy into the idea that our continuing in salvation is dependent on what _we do_ after accepting God's grace. But when we do that, we're kind of like that version of Twitter on April Fool's Day – we're communicating, but we're not getting all the vowels. We've left behind what is crucial to our ongoing life in Christ, under his grace.

When you try to add to what Christ has already done, you start living your life without a crucial part of the gospel. In English, it's impossible to write most words without using a vowel. God's grace is the same way – it's impossible to live life without it. But unlike the Twitter twist, an upgrade to that "premium grace" can't be earned and doesn't need to be paid for by our efforts. Christ offers his mercy to us freely for life. How we enter into the Christian life is how we continue: having faith in his grace for all things.

Our continuing life of obedience under his Lordship, living according to his teaching, flows out of that same "relationship of trust" that we began with. Our transformation into the likeness of Christ is a gift of the Holy Spirit received by faith. Our salvation and deepening trust and living communion with God come with freely given, lifetime, upgrades; it's all part of the full package. So this April Fool's Day, keep your eyes open and your ears sharp – and don't fall for that old legalism joke!

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## Don't Be Spooked

It seems to be great sport in some circles today to question, undermine and ridicule Christian faith. The whole idea of God is a delusion, argues the noted atheist, Professor Richard Dawkins. Others say that religion has had a negative impact on human society and should therefore be banned. Some believe that those who teach religious concepts to children be considered guilty of child abuse. And recently published books ask us to believe that certain extra-biblical "gospels" may give us deeper insights into understanding Jesus than the New Testament.

Meanwhile, amazing new scientific discoveries about the nature of physical reality are being commandeered by skeptics to challenge the relevance of the Bible. Some of their arguments are sophisticated and technical, far above the education and expertise levels of most believers.

We ordinary Christians seem to be outnumbered and outgunned. But before we allow ourselves to be spooked by new discoveries and technical information we aren't equipped to deal with, let's keep in mind that all truth is God's truth. Science can only discover what God put there to begin with.

In other words, the arguments of the skeptics are not as overwhelming as they sometimes seem. And even though most of us do not have the training and background to enter the fray, God has called many capable men and women who are more than able to defend the Christian turf in the scientific world.

They have education and experience, and they are not intimidated by atheistic arguments of fellow scientists who can't see God behind the new frontiers of discovery. When given the opportunity, they can more than hold their own, and show that the atheist viewpoint does not have the final word.

Many believing scientists assure us that the ever-increasing understanding of life's mysteries has deepened, rather than shattered, their faith. Truth has nothing to fear from more truth, and you can be sure that Jesus Christ is not afraid of anything science has or ever will discover about the universe he created. Neither should we.

It's also helpful to keep in mind that the Christian faith spread through the Roman Empire in the first century not by winning technical debates, but because Christians lived in the love of Jesus Christ. In times of plague and famine, it was the Christians who cared for the sick and destitute. In an age when slaves and women were without power, it was the Christian way of life that gave them a voice and self-respect.

So don't let the anti-religious, anti-Christian propaganda destabilize you. This is not a time to cower and bury our Christian heads in the sand. Most of us are not trained to challenge complex scientific arguments or indulge in sophisticated debate. But all of us are more than able to make a significant contribution in a way that really does count – by being the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

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## Don't Worry

Have you worried that you might not "make it" into heaven, or that you are not worthy of the kingdom of God?

Many Christians do. Especially at Christmastime, when there seems to be joy and good cheer everywhere except in their worried hearts. They know their sins and failings, and they can't imagine that God would want someone like them messing things up in heaven.

But the gospel is good news, and the good news is that you don't have to worry about your salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast," the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9.

Salvation doesn't come by our righteousness. It comes from God, by grace, apart from anything we do. "Christ died for us while we were still sinners," Romans 5:10 tells us.

If you know you are unworthy, that's good, because you are. None of us is worthy of the kingdom of God. That's why the Son of God came – to save sinners, not to save righteous people. There aren't any righteous people.

Paul says it this way in Roman 3: 21-24:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

We can't attain salvation by anything we do, nor can we lose salvation by anything we do. Salvation is a gift of God, given because God loves us. It is not payment for good behavior. It is adoption into our Father's family as brothers and sisters of Jesus. It is being restored into a right relationship with God and with one another.

Colossians 3:1-4 says,

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

We can stop striving to "make it" and we can stop worrying. Jesus has already done everything necessary for our salvation. He wants us to believe it and start walking with him. We won't be sinless this side of heaven. But no matter how many times we fall down, no matter how many times we fail, we can always trust him to pick us up and help us move on. He is our righteousness and our life, and in him, we find our joy and good cheer.

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## Doubting Thomas

Growing up in the church reading the Bible, did you ever choose a favorite disciple? Is there one of those men who worked alongside Jesus who you understand better than the rest? I know some people who really admire the loyalty of Peter, while others approach ministry the way Philip did. But I want to talk to you about my favorite disciple –Thomas.

If you don't know anything else about him, you probably know what he's famous for – doubting. The Gospel of John paints the scene like this:

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:24-29)

We've all had moments where we doubt. But what I love about this passage is how Christ responds to that doubting. He doesn't turn away or push Thomas aside; instead, he returns a second time to make sure that Thomas has an opportunity to see him. Christ draws near, giving himself to his disciple – even allowing him to poke and prod his body almost like you would a little child.

That is who our God is – deeply committed to seeking us out, no matter where we are, no matter what our doubt – and bringing us back into communion with him. He meets us where we are so that we can continue to walk faithfully with him.

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## The Earthrise

On December 24, 1968, the astronauts of Apollo 8 were making their fourth orbit around the moon when they saw something that no other human being had seen before. As they began their rotation, the spacecraft windows caught the edge of the moon just as planet Earth appeared on the horizon. And for the first time in human history, they had a chance to see our world from God's perspective.

The photographs they returned with were spectacular. They were printed in _LIFE_ magazine and widely circulated over the years. But what I found so interesting about the Earthrise photograph is that it reminded me just how powerful and awesome the God we worship really is.

He is the God who created this world. He separated the night from the day, parted the Red Sea and saved Noah from the flood. In the book of Job, we get a chance to hear God ask: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?" (Job 38:4-7).

Isn't that a great image – a God who can measure the Earth's foundation? But at the same time, he's a loving Father who knows each of us individually. The Psalmist writes: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:15).

The same God who separated the water from the land also cared enough to design every part of you. He knows the hairs on your head, the way your laugh sounds and your deepest dreams and goals. And he is the same God who calls each of us individually by name, drawing us through our Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The next time you look up to the moon, think about the astronauts of Apollo 8 racing through the stars, remember – God created that universe, but he also created you – and he loves you very much.

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## East From West

God tells us that, through Jesus, he has removed the penalty of sin. But we find this hard to accept at face value. We hear that our sins are forgiven, but we feel the need to add a conditional "if." We also understand that God's love for us is unconditional, and yet we still think there is a "but." For some reason, unconditional love and forgiveness seem "too good to be true."

Even in Old Testament times, some were able to glimpse into the fullness of God's desire to forgive and forget. In Psalm 103, verses 11 and 12, David wrote: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

At the time David wrote this, most people never travelled far from home. They thought of the heavens as an inverted bowl in which the sun, moon and stars somehow moved. Within their limited grasp of the cosmos, far East and West could have been just over the horizon, and "as high as heaven" was somewhere above the clouds.

Nowadays, when we can fly far above the clouds to travel long distances, David's analogy may seem less impressive, but it shouldn't. Recently, we had a reminder of how far beyond our human grasp the cosmos really is.

_Voyager 1_ , the unmanned spacecraft originally launched September 1977, has been back in the news. It was launched on a trajectory that took it past Jupiter and Saturn. _Voyager_ fulfilled its mission brilliantly, sending back stunning pictures of these two giant planets. But then, it kept on going – and it is still going, still beaming back information after 35 years.

Voyager has travelled farther "from East to West" than any other manmade object. It is now over 11 billion miles away, close to the point where it will leave our solar system altogether and head off into interstellar space. It will eventually come under the influence of another star, but not for another 40,000 years!

Perhaps if David was writing Psalm 103 today, he might say something like this: "For as far as interstellar space reaches away from earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the Voyager spacecraft has travelled from east to west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

The point is, God's love for us, and his desire to remove the guilt and stain of our sins, is still greater than anything we humans can imagine – and it always will be.

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## Easter

Good Friday and Easter set themselves as pivotal dates on the Christian calendar. I say "pivotal" because all that we – as Christians – hope and believe hinge upon the events commemorated on these days.

But then, does it seem strange that we don't know exactly when they happened?

I know that many people put great emphasis on getting the details of Jesus' arrest, trial, death and resurrection correct. We know that they happened between the years 30 to 33 AD, but it is impossible to pin down, beyond all doubt, the exact year.

Most orthodox Christians accept that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. However, others insist it was a Wednesday, and some calculate Thursday. Then there are arguments over whether he was in the tomb for three days and three nights or just parts of those days.

Some believe we should not celebrate the orthodox Christian days at all, insisting that the Old Testament Passover observance is the only correct way to remember Jesus' sacrifice.

But, is it really so important to know exactly when these things happened? I don't mean to suggest the details are not significant. The Bible makes it clear that God carefully orchestrated the events of Jesus' last week so that prophecies of the Messiah could be fulfilled. But there is some ambiguity in the scriptural record.

Writers in the first century did not record events with the same precision that we expect today, so some questions about the timing of events cannot be resolved conclusively. What was most important to them was _what_ happened, not _when_.

That should also be our focus today. If, about 2000 years ago, Jesus was executed, and then later resurrected, the destiny of every human being has been changed forever. If this had not occurred then, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "our preaching is useless and so is your faith" (1 Corinthians 15:14). But Paul reminded his readers that because of Jesus' resurrection, death had been "swallowed up in victory" (verse 54).

"O death, where is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" he wrote (verse 55).

Death is an enemy, and we still feel some of its sting when a loved one dies, or when we see innocent people murdered. The great, over-arching promise of Good Friday and Easter Sunday is that Jesus has conquered this enemy.

God orchestrated these events so that they fulfilled the specific prophecies of the Messiah. The writers of the Gospels wanted us to know that this happened. Let's remind ourselves of this, wherever, whenever and however we commemorate our Savior's death and resurrection.

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## Easter With Eliot

I recently re-read T.S. Eliot's _Choruses From the Rock._ Originally part of a pageant play, it speaks about a longing for the renewal of Christian faith during hectic and fast-paced modern times. But as I read through it again, a few of the verses jumped out at me.

Then came, at a predetermined moment, a moment in time and of time, A moment not out of time, but in time, in what we call history: transecting, bisecting the world of time, a moment in time but not like a moment of time, A moment in time but time was made through that moment: for without the meaning there is no time, and that moment of time gave the meaning. (Eliot, 199)

This "moment of time" Eliot keeps on referring to is the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. In that moment, everything changed. The wages of sin were paid in full once and for all. Christ became the ultimate atoning sacrifice that brought us back into communion with God. But what I love about Eliot's verse is how he paints a picture, which includes those who looked forward to Christ's atonement, those who witnessed it and those of us now who look back and remember it. We are part of this great tradition, part of those who sought God and are continually seeking him today. Like the prophets who looked forward, we have the benefit of seeing their prophecies fulfilled in Christ. We look back with a different type of faith, knowing that in our Lord Jesus, our redemption is completely secured.

Through Christ's glorious incarnation, our wildly creative and compassionate God has made a way back to him. And through his death and resurrection, no one is without hope. In Christ, all have a path back to God. That is why Easter is the moment in time that "gave the meaning" for everything else.

I'm Joseph Tkach, wishing you a joyous Easter.

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## Easter: What's the Big Deal?

While I was driving home from work I turned on the radio and heard a reporter ask the following question: "So what's the big deal with Christ's death? Sure, crucifixion is painful, but he was only up there for a few hours. It was almost like Jesus just had a bad weekend."

I was shocked. I'd never heard it put that way!

But the question got me thinking: why is Christ's death so important? Was it just the amount of physical suffering he experienced? Why is it so special? I think we can look at it like this...

Christ was betrayed, tortured and crucified. And he did suffer a tremendous amount of pain. But the Bible tells us that there was so much more happening in that moment:

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:21-22)

Christ's death wasn't simply about physical pain. By offering himself as a sacrifice on our behalf, he took on the whole weight of our guilt and alienation from God. He willingly suffered all the consequences of our distrust and disobedience to God.

On the cross, he submitted to the loving and just judgment of God, and our corrupt sin natures were condemned to death in him. He joyfully paid this price so that we could be given new natures, be filled with his life and stand, reconciled to God, with no barriers between us.

And that's why his death and resurrection are a "big deal!"

As we celebrate Easter, we remember that while Christ suffered physically, let's not forget that spiritually, his sacrifice brought us back into communion with God. For him, it wasn't a bad weekend – far from it! This was the weekend of Holy Passion when his great redemptive plan was accomplished! And with that in mind, we really do have something to celebrate!

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## Einstein

I think it was Mark Twain who said, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so."

We who believe in God are often criticized by atheists and agnostics for believing things that common sense tells us just "ain't so." Reality is reflected in what you can prove to be true, not in nebulous ideas that logically don't add up: For example, the idea that God is three persons in one.

That used to be so, but beginning with Albert Einstein, scientists have gotten used to the idea that they must accept a reality of things that common sense tells them "ain't so."

Albert Einstein has always been a fascinating personality to me. More than a hundred years ago, he wrote a paper describing a radical insight into the nature of light. Einstein challenged the accepted ideas of physics, and pioneered the development of quantum physics that turned the scientific world upside down.

As we continue to probe deeper into the nature of the physical world – from the immensity of the universe to the intricacies inside the atom – we are confronted with facts and phenomena that defy common sense.

Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist, has written, "Quantum physics is a new model of reality that gives us a picture of the universe. It is a picture in which many concepts fundamental to our intuitive understanding of reality no longer have meaning" _(The Grand Design)._

Einstein showed that being scientific doesn't mean making everything understandable with absolute certainty. Today, research shows us that we must accept the reality of things that just "ain't so."

I find this a fascinating topic to explore. When I see what paradoxes exist in nature, it is not so difficult for me to accept that the nature of the "Creator of light" would also seem – to my limited human understanding – also somewhat paradoxical.

So it is not only scientists that owe Einstein a debt of gratitude for his insights. Theologians can also learn from him. In theology we stand before a reality that far exceeds our understanding.

Christian theology is not unscientific, and science does not and cannot rule out a reality greater than ourselves, or greater than our universe. As Einstein wrote, "Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe – a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble."

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## Election Day

In the United States, election day is approaching. What are Christians to do on Election Day, when they want to reflect Christ in everything they do?

First, let me say that it's a priceless blessing to have the right to vote. But that right has little value unless we use it. The Bible teaches us to be responsible citizens, and part of being a responsible citizen is to exercise our right to vote. The right to vote goes hand in hand with freedom, and it helps ensure another cherished right – our right to worship as we see fit.

It can be tempting to think that our single little vote won't matter that much, but if we let ourselves believe that, so will others, and _many_ single little votes do matter.

As we prepare to go to the polls, one thing to keep in mind is that God does not have a "favorite" political party or some "divinely chosen" candidate out there somewhere. Politics is usually brutal, and it often takes people with a so-called "killer instinct" to win an election. It isn't hard to see from all the election campaigning that candidates try to bury their opponents in rhetoric, half-truths, innuendo and often-blatant accusations. Sadly, in this world, if you don't play the game, you don't stand a chance of being elected.

Politicians make grand claims and promises, but the truth is, not one of the political parties or candidates is _able_ to solve the thorny national, state or local problems they promise they're going to solve. Nor are any of us voters going to solve them by voting for some so-called perfect candidate, because there is no such thing as a perfect candidate.

So how is a Christian to decide?

At election time, we have four things to do: First, we need to pray for wisdom and good judgment. Second, we need to become as knowledgeable about the issues and candidates as we can. Third, we need to vote as wisely as we can, and fourth, when the results are in, we need to pray that the winners will promote peace, justice and freedom.

So let's get out and do our civic duty by voting as wisely as we can, and praying for the best. But remember that regardless of who we vote for, and regardless of the job the winner does, our ultimate trust is in our Savior, who in the end makes all things right.

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## Embassies and Embassies

I recently visited Ottawa, Canada's capital city. I am always impressed by a national capital.

A capital is where a nation makes a special effort to put its best foot forward. The imposing buildings on Parliament Hill symbolize Canada's history and its traditions of democracy. On display there are Canada's national treasures, along with statues and portraits of the men and women whose vision and courage helped make Canada what it is today.

As the capital city of Canada, Ottawa plays host to the embassies of many nations. The embassy compounds of Canada's major allies and trading partners are striking facilities. Some have been specially constructed to reflect the architecture and traditions of the embassy's homeland. Others are splendid old mansions that have been converted for diplomatic use.

Even poor, struggling nations find a way to have impressive embassies. An embassy is an outpost of the home country, and it is expected to make a positive impression, regardless of conditions at home.

The kingdom of God, by contrast, does not have impressive embassy compounds in the world's capital cities. In this world, the kingdom of God is an invisible kingdom – invisible like the Holy Spirit who empowers it.

Driving by some of Ottawa's foreign embassies, I was struck by the fact that, like Christians everywhere, I have dual citizenship. My U.S. citizenship is defined by my American passport and birth certificate. My other citizenship is defined by faith – I am a citizen of the kingdom of God. As an American, I was pleased to see that the American embassy in Ottawa is an impressive and imposing building, as is appropriate for a powerful and influential nation. The kingdom of God is also powerful and influential, but it has no official embassy in Ottawa, nor in any other world capital. The kingdom of God is a different kind of nation.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus was brought to trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate represented the authority of the Roman Empire. He had been told Jesus was a security threat. His accusers said that he claimed to be a King.

"Are you a King?" he asked (John 18:33).

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world," thereby assuring the Roman governor that his kingdom posed no military or political threat. "If my kingdom were of this world," Jesus added, "then would my servants fight."

This was a kingdom like no other. Jesus held no territory. He had no grand capital city. He commanded no army or police force, and had no political platform. His kingdom would make its presence known in a very different way.

He told his disciples, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). This is a kingdom that rests on the foundation of the One who transforms minds and hearts. It does not need standing armies and imposing, palatial compounds to carry out its work. Its work is carried out invisibly, by the Holy Spirit, and its embassies are established anywhere and everywhere two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus Christ.

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## Embrace the Grace

A few years ago, the Princeton Religion Research Center publication _Emerging Trends_ reported that 56 percent of Americans, "with most describing themselves as Christians, say that when they think about their death, they worry 'a great deal' or 'somewhat' that they will 'not be forgiven by God.'"

The touchstone of the Protestant Reformation was salvation by grace. Yet, the prevailing view among Christians today still seems to be that salvation depends on what we have done or not done. It is as though a great divine scale will weigh all our good deeds on one side and all our bad deeds on the other side, and our salvation will be determined by which side is heaviest. No wonder people are afraid!

But if we are indeed saved by grace, and the Bible says we are, then we can stop worrying and instead begin to trust in the heavenly Father whom Jesus Christ revealed to us, who loves us so passionately that he will never let us go. We don't have to worry about whether he will forgive us; he has already forgiven us. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," the Bible tells us in Romans 5:8.

We are judged righteous only because Jesus died for us and rose again. It doesn't depend on the quality of our obedience. It doesn't even depend on the quality of our faith. He has enough faith for all of us. All we have to do is believe him, to come to his banquet, to the place at his table that has already been set for us.

Jesus said: "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

That is God's will for you. You don't have to fear. You don't have to worry. You can accept the gift of God.

The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

And Jesus said in John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Grace, by definition, is undeserved. It is unearned. It is God's free gift of love. It is given to every person who will accept it. God is our Redeemer, not our condemner. He is our Savior, not our destroyer. He is our Friend, not our enemy. God is on our side.

That's the message of the Bible. It's the message of God's grace. The Judge is on our side. He loves us. He is not out to get us. He is out to save us and bring us home. In fact, he has already done everything that needs to be done to make our salvation secure.

Why not ask God to give you the deep peace that comes from knowing you are eternally safe and forgiven in his almighty hands? He's anxious to hear from you.

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## Emotional Terrorism

In April 2013, we watched anxiously as law enforcement and homeland security desperately sought the two young suspects in the Boston Marathon attacks. The people of Boston experienced – for a few days – what so many around the world have come to accept as a way of life. Young people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are growing up never knowing a single day of peace or security.

Although we were able to breathe a sigh of relief when the crisis came to an end, the authorities cannot drop their guard. Even the best security forces cannot guarantee 100% protection. That is the nature of our violent, angry world. Sometimes the situation seems hopeless.

Events like this should move us to be introspective and question the intent of our hearts. How does someone become so filled with hate and indifference for others that they could carry out something so monstrous? We might wonder what goes through the mind of a terrorist as they plot destruction. Do they "see" the innocent men, women and children that they will directly affect – the lives they lead, or their countless friends and family? So much of this mayhem is caused by misguided religious zeal.

We are all capable of cruelty and indifference. As Jesus explained, "For it is from within, out of a person's heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person" (Mark 7:21-23).

The vast majority of us, whatever our belief system, would never seek to physically harm someone. However, our actions or lack of actions emotionally harm others. Ask yourself, "What behavior do I allow that can hurt and destroy?"

The apostle Paul tells us to have the mind of Christ and let the Spirit renew our thoughts. A terrorist convinces himself that his actions will change the world to the way he thinks it should be. So let's ask ourselves, "What changes will I make today in my schedule, relationships, and actions that will change the world and that will especially change me to how Jesus Christ intends it to be?"

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## End of the World, Again...

I find it incredible how some preachers manage to distort the gospel. The word _gospel_ means "good news," and good news is supposed to make you feel better. But the way some preachers explain the gospel can leave you feeling hopeless and lost.

Fear is, of course, a motivator, and it's possible to manipulate Scripture into an intimidating doomsday message. That can certainly get some attention – at least, for a time. Predicting the end of the world can turn into quite the lucrative business. But when prophecies ultimately fail, do we hear those preachers apologize? No, we hear justifications and excuses as they try to maintain their authority by reigniting fear.

Remember Y2K? As the new millennium approached, there were dire predictions that many older computers could not process the date change from 1999 to 2000. This, it was suggested, would lead to catastrophic failures, and a world crisis. Many leading preachers jumped on that prophecy bandwagon. Computers crashing would signal the beginning of the tribulation, they warned. Some went as far as selling rations and water purifiers – encouraging people to stockpile propane and withdraw cash from their banks.

When the fateful moment arrived, very little actually happened. The worst reports I recall were that 150 slot machines at a Delaware racetrack stopped working. In Australia, two bus ticket machines stopped working. The worst damage occurred in Germany, where 20 million bankcards became unusable. The world as we know it kept going. No apocalyptic predictions came true. The doomsayers were shown, once again, to be false prophets.

The latest end-of-the-world obsession concerns the Mayan Calendar that ends a 144,000-day cycle in 2012 on Dec. 21, the day of the winter solstice. The number 144,000 sounds biblical, so the doomsayers are once again out there warning us to expect something drastic to happen. Unfortunately there will be some who will be taken in by it. Fear, it seems, is never far away.

All this totally misses the point and the purpose of prophecy. As the angel explained to John in Revelation 19:10: "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (NIV 1984). And the testimony of Jesus is good news – of his salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life. This means that the gospel is the true prophetic word.

So then, does the gospel deny or overlook the "bad news" of our sin, the power of evil and its tragic consequences? No, it assumes it, while never giving it center stage – never lending it the upper hand – because Jesus himself is the first and the last word. Through his life of obedience, his crucifixion, his resurrection, his ascension – once and for all – evil ultimately has been conquered, sin is forgiven; death itself has been overcome. New life is at hand.

Hearing and receiving the gospel urges us to repent of our unbelief – in the truth and reality of who Jesus is and what he has done. It is through repentance that we experience the faith, hope, and love of our Savior. The good news of Jesus, the gospel, his prophetic testimony, should never leave us quivering with fear. Instead, we are filled with great hope and peace that transcends our own understanding.

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## Entanglement

One of the most incredible mysteries in all of physics is called "quantum entanglement." This is the phenomenon of two or more particles becoming "entangled" in such a way that each particle's quantum state cannot be described independently of the other, no matter what their location in the universe is. This means that the two particles could be light years apart, but both will react equally and simultaneously to a force acting on just one of them.

When we join our lives with Jesus, something similar happens. Paul wrote, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). Joined to Jesus by the Spirit, you might say that we become "entangled" with Christ. Everything about us – our stories, our flaws, our hopes and dreams – becomes redeemed by sharing in the resurrection power of his life. His desires and dreams move in us through his Holy Spirit. Regardless of what we might face here during our time on earth, our true lives are already safe and secure, hidden with Christ in God.

So then why is daily life such a struggle? The ups and downs of relationships, health issues, and job losses can feel pretty far away from being filled with the resurrection power of our risen Savior. This is the unique challenge of the Christian life, one that Paul addresses in one of the next verses: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

We "fight the fight of faith" each day, receiving anew what the Spirit gradually works out in us. We're involved in a transforming process through an ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ. We grow up into Christ. The promise of living an entangled life with Christ is this: that whatever we face each day, the Holy Spirit faces it with us, and will provide the power, grace, and love we need to move step by step toward total transformation into a fully-redeemed life in Christ.

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## Equally Yoked

Sometimes just making it through the day can be a real challenge. There are a million and one distractions ready to derail us from accomplishing our goals. By the time we fight our way through traffic and make it home, we're already exhausted. However, life with Christ doesn't have to be so difficult. Listen to what Jesus said: "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).

Over the years, people have looked at this verse as an illustration of Jesus taking the weight of our burdens from us and making our life easier. But maybe there's another way to think about it...

In biblical times, two oxen were yoked together to increase their power. Typically a young ox was paired with a more experienced animal. And while the work was still hard – together, they shared the burden. As they worked, each gave and received strength from their partner. And over time, the younger, weaker ox grew stronger and matured.

I think we can see our relationship with Christ in the same way. He offers us his yoke, calling us to partner with him. We start off weak, stumbling and wanting to pull in the wrong direction – but as we journey with our Lord, he strengthens us, picks us back up and puts us back on the right path. It's not always easy, and there are many times when we fail him, but we know this: our Lord has promised never to forsake us. He is working for, and with us. That's how we are sanctified with him – by joining in this journey, allowing him, by the Spirit, to perfect in us what our Father longs for us to be.

I hope this way of looking at that passage encourages you as we all continue our walk with the Triune God. We know that we can trust him to help us grow in strength and spiritual maturity as we are sanctified by and through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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## Eternal Punishment?

Have you ever punished your child for disobedience? Most of us have, knowing that a quick punishment now, can save a lot of trouble later. Can you imagine inflicting a punishment that lasts forever? Sounds crazy, doesn't it? We, as weak and imperfect parents, forgive our children quickly after punishing them. No good parent would think it fitting, or even sane, to punish children for the rest of their lives. In fact, don't we often already anticipate forgiveness even before we discipline them?

Yet some Christians would have us believe that our heavenly Father – a Father who is not weak and imperfect – wants to punish some people forever and ever. And these same people would also be quick to say God is full of grace and mercy! Jesus tells us to love our enemies and even to do "good" to those who hate us and persecute us. But some Christians think that God not only hates his enemies, but also literally roasts them mercilessly and relentlessly for eternity. But how does that view show love, especially the love that is the essence of God's being? A love that is perfect, eternal and infinite!

As much as we human beings love our children, how much more does God love them? That's a rhetorical question—God loves them infinitely more than we are even able to love them. The truth is, God really does love the world. The apostle John declared it:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

Yes, the Lord disciplines those he loves, but that discipline is for the same reason we discipline our children, to teach them and to save them from further pain and trauma. Love desires the perfection of the beloved. Anything less would not be loving!

I am not denying that there is such a thing as hell. Given the biblical warnings, which are meant to prevent people from rejecting God's grace, it might somehow be possible for some to eternally and absolutely reject God's love and not experience all its benefits. Instead, I am emphasizing the nature of God's being – God is love. Any discipline from God is to point us to the truth that we are his beloved children, sanctified by his Son. It is to get our attention so we can receive all his benefits, including eternal life—and participate in what he is doing, bringing many sons and daughters to glory.

Next time you hear some human authority confidently assigning some people to hell, remember this: the salvation of this world depends on God, and only on God. God sent Jesus to do the job, and Jesus did a perfect job. God's focus is not upon eternal punishment; he is in the business of salvation. And God is really good at what he does. Let's leave all final judgments to him.

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## Evangelism

If you talk to 10 people on the street, you will likely find 10 different opinions about who God is, what God is like, how God deals with humans and what God expects of us.

Surveys have shown that even among Christians, ideas about Jesus, grace, sin, forgiveness, faith, repentance, obedience, etc., vary widely. How much more do ideas about Jesus vary among non-Christians?

Suppose I approach a stranger in a coffee shop and ask him if he knows Jesus. What comes into his mind? Is his idea of Jesus that of a melancholy-eyed weakling, as Jesus has often been depicted in art?

When he was young, did the stranger's parents tell him that Jesus hated jazz, cards, beer and Catholics? Maybe his neighbors are Christians who won't let their kids play with his kids.

With that background, how would this stranger be inclined to feel about my question, and about me? He would probably be annoyed, and his already negative impression of Christians and of Christ would be substantiated.

And all because I assumed that God doesn't really care how we spread the gospel, as long as we do it.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 points out that there is "a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven." Among these are "a time to plant and a time to harvest" and "a time to be quiet and a time to speak up."

Francis of Assisi once said, "Always preach the gospel. If necessary, use words." People are not attracted to uninvited strangers who invade their space, but to those who have proven they care, people whose lives reflect the love of God.

In Colossians 4:5-6, the apostle Paul wrote, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

When a person is curious about our Christian hope _because we live as though Christ is the Lord of our life,_ then that person has a more accurate perspective of Jesus because he or she has seen Jesus in us.

The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:10: "God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you" (New Living Translation).

God has richly blessed us with active parts in his work of building up the body of Christ, the church, and reaching out with the gospel to nonbelievers. The greatest tool he has given us is his own life, ministered to us by the Holy Spirit and reflected in the way we live.

It is Christ in us being reflected to others with his grace and kindness that makes our witness to the gospel attractive.

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## The Expanding Universe

A hundred years ago, Albert Einstein announced his theory of general relativity, changing the world of science forever. One of the most groundbreaking discoveries he unveiled is that our universe is constantly expanding. This staggering fact is a great reminder not just of how large our universe is, but of something the Psalmist said: "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:11-12 KJV).

This is the incredible reality of God's grace provided to us through the sacrifice of his only Son, our Lord Jesus. The Psalmist's wording is no mistake. "As far as the east is from the west" is meant to stretch our minds and give us the mental image of a distance beyond our own imagination. Because just as it's difficult to imagine anything beyond the size of the physical universe, so it should be even more difficult to imagine anything greater than our redemption in Christ, especially when we consider the magnitude of what was redeemed.

You see, our sin put an immovable gulf between God and us. But through Christ's work on the cross, all of that changed. That gulf between God and us was reversed. God has in Christ reconciled the world to himself. And we are now invited to draw near to him as family, and to live in right relationship with the Triune God for all eternity. He provides his Spirit to empower us to turn to him and surrender our lives to him so that the life of Jesus may be lived out in us.

So the next time you stare up at the night sky, remember that God's mercy surpasses the limits of our vast universe, and that even the furthest distances we know are still tiny compared to his immense love for us.

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## The Eye of the Storm

When you think about a hurricane, what comes to mind – a lot of wind and rain? Or complete and total stillness? The truth is – both are present. At the center of a hurricane is something called the "eye of the storm," a place where the wind calms, the rain stops, and the sun shines. Edward R. Murrow once described flying through the eye of the storm as flying through "a great bowl of sunshine." There's an interesting parallel here with the reality of prayer in our lives. Sometimes our lives can feel like hurricanes: noisy, confusing and unpredictable. But for every storm in life, God provides an "eye" – the experience of prayer.

Prayer is designed as direct communion between us and God. It's a one-on-one connection that revitalizes, renews, and transforms us — and a central part of this exchange is the experience of his peace. So, even if the rest of our life feels like hundred-fifty-mile-an-hour winds and stormy seas, when we pray, we find the storm's "eye," a place of calm and serenity.

For an example, we can look to our own Lord and Savior, Jesus. Luke tells us: "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16). During the years of his active ministry, Jesus experienced many "storms": resistance from both natural and supernatural enemies, the strain of teaching and a rigorous travel schedule that took him back and forth across the Holy Land. So even for the incarnate Son of God himself, the experience of his Father's peace was essential to getting through each day.

Sometimes, the circumstances of our lives can feel like a hurricane. When they do, I hope you take a cue from our Lord's example, and remember that if you want to experience true peace in even the harshest of circumstances, you can always find the eye of the storm... in prayer.

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## Failure and Forgiveness

Have you ever wondered whether God is fed up with you? That might well have been Peter's gravest concern after he denied Jesus three times that agonizing night when Jesus was arrested and condemned.

The Gospel of John, chapter 21, tells us that several weeks after those events, Peter and six other disciples had been hard at work all night on the Sea of Galilee, but every hopeful cast of their nets pulled in empty. As dawn broke, someone appeared on the shore, shouting for them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. They did as he said, and caught so many fish they could barely haul the net ashore.

Then the disciples realized that the stranger on the shore was Jesus. He already had a fire going, with fish on the coals and bread baked. He called them over to eat with him.

When they finished, Jesus asked Peter some embarrassing questions.

They were embarrassing because before his arrest, Jesus told the disciples that they would all fall away. But Peter argued vigorously. "Even if everyone else deserts you, I will stand with you. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you!"

But he did disown Jesus – three times!

Now, as they rested together on the seashore, Jesus asked Peter, "Do you really love me more than the other disciples do?"

Remembering his former braggadocio, Peter must have felt ashamed. He answered, "You know I love you."

Jesus responded, "Feed my lambs."

Peter probably didn't know what Jesus meant, and it must have been a little disconcerting when Jesus asked again, "Do you truly love me?"

Peter probably looked at the ground and mumbled in a strained voice, "Yes, you know I love you."

"Feed my sheep," Jesus repeated.

Then the Gospel writer tells us Peter was grieved when Jesus asked him for the third time, "Do you love me?"

"Lord," Peter pleaded, "You know all things. You know I love you."

"Feed my sheep," Jesus told him again.

Three denials, three failures. That was Peter's story.

But rather than condemnation, Jesus gives Peter three invitations to restoration – "Do you love me?" – followed by three affirmations of trust and confidence – "Feed my sheep."

Jesus saw what Peter could not see. He knew Peter's failure. He was under no illusions about Peter's inability to be faithful under pressure.

Yet Jesus came to him precisely in that failure, forgiving, helping, and encouraging him – not only accepting Peter in spite of his weakness, but entrusting him with duties of the kingdom.

Peter felt unworthy. And he was. But Jesus made him worthy. The disciples' weaknesses and disloyalty did not destroy their relationship with him. His love for them had not diminished in the slightest. He was still their Lord, their Master and their friend.

The same is true of us. Even in our unworthiness, Jesus makes us worthy – full of worth to the One who gave himself for us, and who never stops loving us.

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## Faith on Prescription

Some atheists claim that belief in God is immature and subjective. They say that religion is for the hesitant, the guilt-ridden, the excessively timid and those lacking clear convictions with which to face life. Some of these atheists even see religion as a cause of mental and physical illness. But a recent study done by the British charity, Christian Medical Fellowship, known as the CMF, showed otherwise.

Drawing on evidence from more than 1200 studies and 400 reviews, this study showed that, far from being bad for health, being a practicing Christian can have significant benefits to both physical and mental well-being.

Moreover, evidence from these studies and reviews has shown an association between a life of faith and a number of positive health benefits, including: protection from illness; coping with illness, and faster recovery from it.

In fact, of all the studies reviewed, 81 percent showed benefit and only 4 percent showed harm. The 4 percent were among religions who refuse vaccination and blood transfusions.

So what particular health benefits were identified in the report? Here are a few:

• Increased well-being, happiness and life satisfaction

• Lower rates of depression

• Less anxiety (and related illnesses)

• Lower rates of alcohol and drug abuse

• Better adaptation to bereavement

One study of 21,204 adults showed that those who attended church regularly had a life expectancy up to 14 years longer than those who did not.

The report goes on to suggest that modern doctors need to listen to their patients, "who typically are more religious than their carers [caregivers]." It suggests that doctors support spiritual care, because at a time of illness, spiritual issues often rise to the surface – questions of personal worth, mortality and place in the world – questions only faith can answer.

There are strong links between emotional and physical health.

Even though faith can have a very positive influence on health, we who believe in God and the Christian faith should not claim that our faith is a guarantee of good health and well-being. That is not always the case. The gospel is not a _name it and claim it_ message about health and wealth. The gospel is about spiritual health and well-being.

We should not claim that belief in God is a guarantee of good health. But we can point out that the claim some atheists make about belief in God being bad for your health is simply not borne out by the facts.

The CMF report concluded that in contrast to the idea that the Christian faith is bad for your health, research suggests that faith is associated with longer life and a wide range of physical and mental health benefits.

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## Father's Day (1)

For Christians, Fathers Day is not only a time to celebrate fathers and fatherhood, but also a reminder of our heavenly Father's unconditional love for all his children.

In his parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, Jesus gives us a glimpse into the heart of true fatherhood. You remember the story. A man had two sons. The younger demanded his share of the inheritance and left home with it, squandering everything in wild living until he was destitute. Finally...

When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men." So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. (Luke 15:17-20)

Even though the father had been disrespected and taken advantage of, he did not respond by domineering or retaliating. Instead, he patiently waited for his son to come to himself and return home. Without hesitation he ran to him and received him with joy.

There are at least two lessons here. One is that God never ceases to love us deeply and unconditionally in spite of our sin and foolishness.

The other lesson teaches us about the transforming power of unconditional love in a parent-child relationship. In the prodigal's darkest hour, he remembers how much better he had it at home with his father. Even though he only expects to be treated like a servant, he is drawn back home by his trust that his father will receive him in spite of how he has acted.

When the older son complains that the father has treated his younger brother too well after his outrageous behavior, the father explains:

"My son," the father said, "you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31-32)

It's a message of hope for all of us, whether we are selfish, greedy and impetuous like the younger son, or self-righteous, judgmental and bitter like the older son. Through all our sin and rebellion, God stands with us, waiting patiently for us to come home.

Jesus told this parable because he wants us to know the Father's love for us. And knowing the Father's love, may all of us who are fathers or father figures learn to love our children as our heavenly Father loves us.

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## Father's Day (2)

I want to tell you about one of the greatest love stories I've ever heard – the love of a father for his child. A little over 50 years ago, Rick Hoyt was born to Dick and Judy Hoyt. But during the delivery, Rick was deprived of oxygen and, as a result, he was born with cerebral palsy. Doctors encouraged the Hoyts to send their newborn son to an institution and forget all about him.

But the Hoyts wouldn't do that. They didn't give up on Rick. Instead, they treated him just like any other kid – taking him to the lake, helping him learn to swim and even letting him join the neighborhood street hockey games. When Rick got to high school, he wanted to compete in a charity 5K run. So his dad constructed a special racing wheelchair and they were off.

Later that night, Rick turned to his father and spoke through his computer voice processor, saying: "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like my disability disappears." Well, that was enough for Dick. Since that day, they've competed in over 1,100 races – and never placed last!

When I heard this story, I was amazed at how well it paralleled our Father God's love for us. Just like Dick Hoyt, our Father is faithful to lift us up even when we can barely stand. He has given us this promise through the prophet Isaiah: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

We know that through Christ, our Father has adopted us – and that our God will always be there – no matter what. And it is by his strength that we are able to fight the good fight of faith and finish the race.

This Father's Day, take a moment and thank your dad for all the times he carried you, cheered for you and worked alongside you—for all those times his love and care reminded you of God's own Fatherly love for all his children.

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## Father's Day (3)

As we celebrate Father's Day, I'm reminded of a friend of mine. Years ago, he took his young daughter to a concert. Not just any concert: it was _the_ concert every young girl wanted to see – the boy band N'Sync.

My friend wanted to make this night as special as possible for his little girl, and so he went all out: singing along in the car, wearing his own N'Sync T-shirt, and even fighting his way through crowds of paparazzi and screaming fans to get the band's autograph on his daughter's CD. He said he'd never felt more out of place or ridiculous, but he'd also never cared less about it. The glow of pure delight and his daughter's shrieks of excitement made everything worth it. In the end, he didn't care how ridiculous he looked, he only cared about bringing his child joy.

I think that story is a great reminder of the type of love God shows for us as our Father. He says in the Gospel of Matthew:

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

We can see directly and concretely the nature of God's fatherhood in the deep relationship Jesus had with him. This was a relationship that stretched back to eternity and took Jesus through his crucifixion to his resurrection and return to the Father's glory in his ascension. But sometimes the father-heart of God can be forgotten when we consider God's transcendent attributes such as his power, wisdom, holiness, sovereignty and divinity.

We need to remember just how personally he cares for us, knows all our dreams and fears and passionately wants to bless us with his best. He loves us perfectly, preparing us for an eternal union and communion with him as his glorified children. He doesn't care what it looks like to pursue those along with us. What he truly cares about is giving us good gifts, and sharing that experience of joy alongside us.

So this Father's Day, remember my friend fighting through those screaming crowds to get his daughter's CD signed, and think of how much more your heavenly Father loves you, and wants more than anything to give you all good gifts.

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## Father's Day (4)

A few years ago, U2 made a live concert film called U2 3D. The band allowed IMAX cameras onstage to capture their performance in incredible detail. They performed a new song called "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own," and before he started to sing, Bono explained that he'd written it for his father. The song told a story about a father and son who had wasted most of their lives arguing only to realize that in the end, they needed one another.

As the show ended, I started thinking about the chorus, and I was grateful that with our heavenly Father, we never have to "make it on our own." Because of Christ's great atoning sacrifice, God has adopted us into his family. Through the Son he has become our heavenly Father. And because we were reconciled through our Lord, we know that we'll never have to face the ups and downs that life throws us on our own. Listen to the confidence the prophet Isaiah had in God's faithfulness: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10, ESV).

Paul reiterates God's faithfulness to us in his letter to the Romans: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).

While the song might speak of a tumultuous father/son relationship, Bono later sings a line admitting that his love of singing was a gift from his father. Like Bono, our heavenly Father has given us a gift – the gift of right relationship with him through our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope this Father's Day we'll remember that no matter what comes our way, with God on our side, we'll never have to go it alone.

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## Father's Day 2017

Most of us know the classic Harry Chapin song, "Cat's in the Cradle." The emotional story of a father's troubled relationship with his son was a number one hit in 1974 and has sold millions of copies since. But did you know how it came about? The roots of the song lie in the strained relationship between a New York politician named John Cashmore, and his son James. John was a self-made man who wanted to give his son the life of education and opportunity he never had, and he moved heaven and earth to get him into the best private schools, country clubs and a top law school. But it came at a cost.

James's wife Sandra noticed something strange about their relationship as adults: John rarely spoke directly to his son. Instead, he preferred to communicate to him through Sandra. Later, after she and James had divorced, the story stuck with her, and when she shared it with her new husband, it affected him so much he wrote a song about it. Her husband was Harry Chapin, and the song was "Cat's in the Cradle."

It's an intriguing story, and a sad one. I'm sure James Cashmore would have traded all those great opportunities for a much closer and more personal relationship with his father. Imagine the difference just a few moments of connection each day would have made!

Fortunately for us, our heavenly Father is nothing like this. He speaks to us clearly, freely, and lovingly, and his relationship with us is anything but arms-length. We need to look no further than his relationship with his own Son to see this. Jesus and his father spoke intimately and often, as Luke notes in his Gospel: "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16).

Jesus models how we are to approach God in prayer by starting the Lord's Prayer with "Our Father." Later, while in Gethsemane, he addressed God by an even more personal name, "Abba," which translates to "dearest father." It implies the kind of affection and simplicity that exists in the love between a child and their father, whether young or adult. It is exactly this kind of relationship that we are welcomed into as Christians. As Paul tells us, "the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15).

Through the Holy Spirit, we can know God as Christ does: as our Dad. He will never leave us, he will never forsake us, and he will always be there to listen and speak with us. That's the deepest reason we can all celebrate Father's Day!

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## Fear Not

Halloween is a holiday devoted mostly to one thing: FEAR. People buy tickets to experience a good scare in haunted houses or darkened movie theaters, or dress up as their favorite monsters. But our culture's fixation with fear seems to go beyond October 31st. Fear-driven headlines, marketing strategies, and rhetoric fill the world around us, and in the face of it all we might find fear taking root in our own hearts. If we're honest with ourselves, many of us experience fear daily, about everything from being late to a meeting, to getting on an airplane, or even about our own future. But God has something very different to say about fear, and it starts with a surprising fact.

Do you know what command is given more than any other in Scripture? It's just two simple words: "Fear not." That command, or a variation of it, appears 366 times in the Bible. As our Creator, God knows and understands our tendency to fear. But it's far from his perfect design for our lives. Fear doesn't just limit our own effectiveness and potential — it warps our view of and relationship with God. So he offers us a way out: his love. According to John, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18 NIV). The power of God's love frees us from our fears, by assuring us that no matter what happens, he is with us, and has already secured our eternal future. This doesn't mean we're immune to the storms of life. But it does mean that even in the midst of them, our fear is replaced with hope. Peter reminds us: "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade" (1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV).

So the next time you're tempted to give in to fear, I'd encourage you to remember something: that the love of our triune God is far more powerful than whatever we could possibly be afraid of. Nothing can separate us from the love of our Father.

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## Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Steinway grand pianos are legendary for their craftsmanship. Since 1853, the Astoria-based company has created iconic instruments, working for an entire year to assemble a single piano from 12,000 individually handcrafted pieces. The focus and dedication necessary to create these beautiful instruments is amazing. But as advanced as a Steinway piano is, it falls impossibly short of a human being. We are the true masterpieces! The Psalmist writes: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." (Psalm 139:13-14).

Think about that for a second. The same hands that created galaxies personally wove your DNA. That same breath that commanded the sun to shine also breathed life into you. It's an overwhelming and humbling thought, but one that can easily be forgotten. From commercials, to magazines, to billboards, we're surrounded by non-stop images of "ideal physical beauty," images that often prompt us to think about what we lack, instead of giving thanks for what have in abundance. The truth is, every human being who has ever walked the earth is a unique and masterful work of art, created with perfect love and care by our heavenly Father. Although our fall from grace has tragically intervened, God, through his Son, is working to bring to completion and perfection his creatures and the entire cosmos in which we exist.

So the next time you hear the beautiful notes of a concerto played on a Steinway, remember the care and love with which your heavenly Father has taken in crafting you, and give thanks that the Creator of the universe loves you so much that he took the care to shape each and every part of you.

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## Feel the Beethoven

In February 1924, New Yorkers gathered around their radios to hear a live performance of Beethoven's ninth Symphony. But there was one listener who didn't hear a thing. It wasn't because her radio wasn't tuned in. Instead, it was because she was deaf from childhood. Her name was Hellen Keller. Even though she couldn't hear the broadcast, she managed to experience it in her own way. She turned the radio up and reached out to the speaker; literally feeling the cellos, brass and drums with her fingers.

The difference between Keller and the rest of the radio audience reminded me of the many unique ways that we can experience God's grace and mercy. Like the radio program, God's grace is always being "broadcast" to us through Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. This grace is an outpouring of God's love for us – his sons and daughters. But so often, we can fall back into thinking that our access to this expression of divine love is limited. We sit back, away from the radio, just listening with our ears.

But I think we're called to be like Hellen Keller: we're called to draw near, turn the volume up and reach out to receive and interact with that grace with all that we are. We're meant to experience it first-hand in every dimension of our lives. We know that in Christ, God drew near to us. Recognizing our need, our sinful and broken humanity, he came to forgive, save and reconcile us. He did not come to bring condemnation. Rather, he joined himself to us, and in our place and on our behalf overcame temptation, triumphed over evil and death and brings us into the very presence of God our Father.

It's because of that great sacrifice that we never have to fear that we've disqualified ourselves or put ourselves at such a distance that we can't receive God's free gift of grace and mercy. Instead, we can live in touch with his life-transforming grace so that our whole lives resonate with his heavenly music.

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## Finish the Race

At 91 years old, Harriet Thompson became the oldest runner to participate in the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego, CA. It was her 15th time running. In 7 hours and 7 minutes, she also became the fastest runner to take part in the 90-94 age bracket. But her story is even more remarkable.

Harriet is a cancer survivor and had completed radiation treatment on her legs just days before the big race. She wasn't running just for her own pleasure. By participating in these marathons, Thompson helps raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.

The apostle Paul uses running imagery in his second letter to Timothy. Warning his young, faithful brother-in-the-Lord that hardships will come, he encouraged him to continue preaching, teaching and doing the work of an evangelist. Paul writes the following: "For I am already poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:6-7).

Paul knew that life wasn't just a marathon that had to be endured to the end, but a race to do as much good directing people to Christ and his kingdom as possible. We don't know how much time we've been given or how many trials we'll face. But we do have responsibility for what we choose to do with the time we've been given.

We need to know that as believers, we do not run alone. We have the Word to guide us, and we have mentors to counsel us, just as Paul counseled Timothy. We also have the ultimate trainer in Jesus Christ. He is our strength and our joy in good times as well as in hardship and sorrow.

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## Finishing the Race

One of the greatest moments in Olympic history belongs to a British sprinter named Derek Redmond. Despite smashing national records and winning gold medals in the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, Derek faced setback after setback due to injury. In the 1988 Olympics, he was even forced to withdraw just ten minutes before his race due to an injured Achilles tendon.

So when he stepped onto the track for the 400 meters in Barcelona in 1992, he did so with one goal: he had to win a medal. At first, it seemed like that's exactly what was going to happen. But halfway to the finish line, the unthinkable happened: his hamstring snapped, and Derek fell to the ground in pain. As he watched the other runners flash past him, he knew his dream was shattered. But still, he was determined to finish his race. So, he waved away the medics and began to hop toward the finish line alone. Finally, his father joined him, giving him the support he needed to finish the race.

The apostle Paul knew a thing or two about finishing races. As he neared the end of his life, he told his beloved friend Timothy, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV). Through incredible setbacks — shipwrecks, imprisonment, public beatings — Paul persevered in his mission to spread the gospel of his Lord. But like Derek Redmond, he didn't finish his race alone. Later in the same chapter, he tells Timothy: "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed" (2 Timothy 4: 17 NIV).

When we face setbacks in our own race of faith, we should never forget that we do not run alone. We run with Christ, following in his footsteps toward a finish line that carries a victory far greater than any we could ever dream of achieving on our own: the perfect, eternal completion of his redemptive work in us and in the world. Just like Jim Redmond, all along the way he graciously supports, encourages, and cheers us on with pride and love of a father, as we fight to finish well.

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## Fisk Jubilee Singers

During the period directly after the American Civil War, many universities sprung up throughout the South with a single goal: educating "freedmen" – men and women who only months earlier had been slaves. One of the most famous of these institutions was Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. Fisk opened its doors in 1866, but soon ran into financial trouble. By 1871, the school was on the verge of bankruptcy. Unless something changed fast, they'd have to close their doors.

That's when the Fisk Jubilee Singers were born.

The group consisted of students, young men and women, many of whom had been slaves themselves – all of whom knew how to do one thing very well: sing. The group began touring America in hopes of raising enough money to keep their school afloat. But unlike the "black minstrel" acts of the day, where singers would don blackface and sing derogatory songs about themselves, the Fisk singers remained true to who they were. They dressed in their Sunday best and sang songs of deep, spiritual meaning. Listen to this one; I think you'll recognize it...

Over the next few years, the Jubilee Singers performed across America and Europe, singing for people like Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant and even Queen Victoria! Their efforts paid off, raising more than enough money to save Fisk University. In fact, they raised so much money that the school built Jubilee Hall in their honor, a historic structure that stands to this day.

What I like so much about these singers is that they didn't sit on the sidelines. When their school needed help, they took action. When the world expected them to look a certain way, they stunned audiences by rooting themselves in their identity in Christ, using their God-given talents to help others re-think stereotypes. When the going got rough, this group of singers turned to their Lord for strength.

The Fisk Jubilee Singers have continued on, and they still sing their distinctive songs today. I hope their example encourages you as it has me.

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## Flashmob

Have you ever seen a flashmob?

"Flashmob" is the name we give to those apparently spontaneous incidents where ordinary people in a public place begin to sing, dance, or perform in a coordinated and totally unexpected way. Like for example when unsuspecting people in a shopping mall's food court were treated to a performance of the Hallelujah Chorus.

Other Flashmob events have taken place in railroad stations, airports and public parks.

After the initial surprise, most people seem to react very positively. Many actually join in the singing and the dancing.

These Flashmob events may seem spontaneous, but they must surely be the result of much planning. It takes coordination to get the right people in the right place at the right time. So although it seems casual and unrehearsed, the main participants are often professionals, used to working together.

But it isn't the quality of the performance that is the special attraction of a Flashmob event. It is the totally unexpected nature of what happens, taking the audience completely by surprise. It is this element of surprise, and the fact that it happens in ordinary places that makes them so effective.

To be a genuine Flashmob, the event must have no commercial or political agenda. In fact, the only purpose must be to entertain and make those who watch feel better for a while. That is why they can be so effective in reminding us that there is more to life than the humdrum daily routines of making a living in a dog-eat-dog world. If a Flashmob is done well, it can be inspiring, and lift the mood and the spirits of those watching. It is like a sudden shaft of sunlight on a dark and gloomy day.

Jesus understood the idea of Flashmob. He knew people needed encouragement. He would use routine situations and ordinary places to do something or say something that left people feeling better about life. He used every opportunity to encourage the downhearted, and to give hope to people whose lives had become bowed down with the cares of the world. He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

He told his disciples, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). He was remembered as a person who "went around doing good," Acts 10:38 tells us.

And this is what he asks of those who follow him today. Whether working together or as individuals, Jesus told us to be like lights shining in a dark world. The gospel means "good news." If we believe it and live by it, it should also be good news to those around us, too.

Life is a struggle for most people. Just as in Jesus' time, so many of us are "weary and burdened." That's why genuine acts of kindness, generosity and unselfishness do tend to take us by surprise. And like a well-coordinated Flashmob performance, such acts of thoughtfulness can lift the spirits and show that there is more to life than our immediate troubles.

You don't need a whole team of people. You don't need a special place. You don't need hours of planning and coordination. Christ is in us and we are in Christ. That means that every day presents opportunities, wherever we are, whoever we're with, to make our little part of the world a happier and brighter place.

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## Forgive

On the list of frustrating things, heavy traffic ranks pretty high. And drivers who don't signal, don't look, won't move over, cut people off, speed, tailgate, go too slow, or drive incredibly noisy or incredibly large vehicles rank among the world's most frustrating people. And as we all know from first-hand experience, it's very easy for us to condemn drivers who get on our nerves. On the other hand, most of us find it quite easy to _forgive_ our own driving mistakes.

I wish I could say this phenomenon only pertained to driving. But the truth is, we find it far easier to forgive ourselves for just about anything than to forgive the same mistakes in others.

Jesus highlights this all too human tendency in Matthew 18:33-35:

"Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

It might be easy to assume from this statement that God forgives us on the basis of our forgiveness of others, a simple transaction – if we forgive others, then God will forgive us. But that would be a false assumption. God forgives us on the basis of Jesus' perfect sacrifice on our behalf and in our place, and on no other basis.

In such statements, Jesus is not prescribing a new form of legalism; he is describing the nature of hearts that trust in him. For example, when we trust in Christ, we no longer have anything to hide from him. That isn't because we are suddenly sinless. It's because we trust him to love us unconditionally and to forgive our sins, sins that we are no longer afraid to show him.

Because we trust Christ, we can commit our fears and anxieties to him, which frees us from the need to get even or get back at others. In other words, we know that others, like us, are measured by Christ's love and grace, and that takes the starch out of our natural tendency to condemn others.

Whether it's in traffic, at the courthouse or around the dinner table, we're no longer slaves to our raw impulses to condemn others—we are free to forgive others as God, for Christ's sake, forgave us.

Matthew 18:35 is a condemnation only to those who don't trust Christ—their selfish measuring rod is the only standard they know – and the only one they understand. But for those who trust the Redeemer, there is only one measure—the ever-unfolding height and depth of the love of Christ.

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## Free to Be

One of the first steps toward becoming a Christian is repentance, or confession that we are sinners. To admit to God and to ourselves that we are sinners is to put aside our human pride and confess the truth of what we really are.

But we don't make that confession blindly, and we don't make it out of any sense of humiliation. We make it knowing that the God to whom we are confessing our sinfulness loves us completely, unconditionally and eternally. And we make it knowing that he has already made atonement for us in Jesus Christ even before we were born.

By knowing God loves us in this way, we are free in Christ to honestly acknowledge our sinfulness before him without any fear. We can trust ourselves to him fully and without reservation. Knowing we are safe in his love, we can confess to him and trust him with even the most crushing burdens of our darkest sins and fears. That is freedom indeed.

But how do we break free of our sinfulness? How do we enter into that new life of righteousness and obedience? When we try to do that on our own, we find ourselves failing. We fight against our old ways using all our willpower and devotion, but we lose so often that we can easily fall into despair.

But there is no need to carry such burdens. That's because God not only forgives us, he transforms us into a new creation in Jesus. Jesus is not only our Redeemer; he is our Righteousness and our Life!

The Son of God became one of us, human as we are, to do everything for us that we could not do for ourselves. During his life, he obeyed the Father perfectly in our place. In his death, he took the consequences of our sins in our place.

In his resurrection he conquered death for us. And in his ascension, he places us with himself at the right hand of the Father. He represents us before the Father and he substitutes for us before the Father. He paid for our sins, and he is our life and our righteousness. In Jesus, we are a new creation.

We still often fail to live up to who we are in Christ, of course. But we also live by faith, trusting God to be who he says he is for us, the One who forgives us and who makes us new in Jesus. And we look forward to the day when we will fully experience what we, for now, only experience in part.

The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

No longer must we live in opposition to God, ourselves and our neighbors. God has broken the chains of darkness and sin, freeing us to be a new creation, a new person – redeemed, healed and complete in Jesus Christ.

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## Freedom in Christ

We in the United States celebrate our national holiday on July 4th. That was the day, back in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. The actual signing was only one incident in the along sequence of events that led to establishment of what became the United States, But we recognize July 4th, 1776, as the birth of our nation.

Many other things happened that year – some significant, others trivial. For example, a hurricane hit the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, resulting in the sinking of 100 French and Dutch ships, and over 6000 deaths. Oh – and a New York bar decorated some mixed drinks with bird tails, which coined the term cocktail.

In England, Edward Gibbons published the first volume of his _Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire._ Also, that year, Adam Smith published his _Wealth of Nations,_ widely considered the first modern work in the field of economics. It is still widely influential today.

But in 1776, there was something else published, something I think is far more noteworthy. It was the famous hymn, _Rock of Ages_ , written by August Montagu Toplady. Historian Mark Noll suggests that it might actually be the most consequential publishing event that year. _Rock of Ages_ is one of the two most reprinted hymns in Christian history. The words read like a good sermon, or almost like Scripture:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;  
Let the water and the blood, From Thy riven side which flowed,  
Be of sin the double cure, Cleanse me from its guilt and power.  
Not the labours of my hands, Can fulfill Thy law's demands;  
Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears for ever flow,  
All for sin could not atone: Thou must save, and Thou alone.  
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling;  
Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless, look to Thee for grace;  
Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

There is a lot of very sound theology wrapped up in that verse. It transcends denominational lines and national borders, and reminds us, whomever and wherever we are, of our most important citizenship. As Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)

The United States was founded on the principle that all people are created equal, and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When we pledge allegiance to our flag, we are reminded that it stands for liberty and justice for all. I am extremely grateful to be a citizen of a nation that values freedom.

However, there is no freedom equivalent to the freedom we have in Christ. Sometimes when we celebrate an event, our joy takes us to a higher place. So let us also, even more, celebrate our freedom in Christ. Jesus came to us, hidden in the Trinity, birthed in the most humble of circumstances, dying on a cross. He revealed God's infinite, perfect love to us, and we do well to recognize his suffering as a gift that grants us a freedom of cosmic proportions – a true freedom that flows from faith, hope and love, and that leads to freedom, to truth, to goodness, to beauty – that leads to life eternal in fellowship with the Triune God.

As the apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

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## Freedom: A Two-Way Street

It's a wonderful blessing to live in a country that values freedom. Freedom, of course, is a two-way street. If we are going to have freedom for ourselves, we have to extend freedom to others. And that means tolerating the opinions of others, even if we don't agree with them. One of the ideals the United States was founded upon is the Christian virtue of respecting the right of others to disagree with us. Jesus even taught that we are to love our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-47 he said,

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?... And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

It won't be long before election campaigning will get under way again for senate seats, governorships, and other elected offices, as well as for new laws and taxes. Viewpoints will vary widely, and both sides on any given issue or candidate will try to bury its opponents in rhetoric, half-truths, innuendo and often blatant accusations.

What is a Christian to do on Election Day, when he or she wants to reflect Christ in every aspect of their lives? Christians and politics – it's been thorny relationship throughout history. One thing we know: God does not have a "favorite" political party nor some "divinely chosen" candidate out there somewhere.

The truth is, none of the political parties or candidates is going to solve all the national, state or local problems they promise they're going to solve. Nor are any of us voters going to solve them by voting for the perfect candidate, because there is no perfect candidate.

At election time, our job is simply to become as knowledgeable about the issues and candidates as we can and then vote as wisely as we can. And when it's over, regardless of who wins, our job is to pray that the winners will promote peace, justice and freedom.

It's such a blessing to have the right to vote. But it has little value unless we exercise it. The Bible teaches us to be responsible citizens, and in our democracies, part of being a responsible citizen is to exercise our right to vote. The right to vote goes hand in hand with freedom, as well as helps ensure another cherished right, our right to worship as we see fit.

So we vote as wisely and we can, and hope for the best. But regardless of who we vote for and regardless of the job the winner does, our ultimate trust is in our Savior, who in the end makes all things right.

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## Frequent Fliers

How many of you have ever received a free flight through frequent flier miles? I know I have. But what about meals, hotels, or even entire vacations?

It turns out there's a very specialized group of people who regularly do. These "air miles millionaires" collect frequent flier miles not just by flying hundreds of thousands of miles per year, but also by using airline rewards credit cards, or taking advantage of specialized third-party promotions available only to the highest class of airline loyalty program members. They then exchange these miles for dream vacations, access to first-class lounges, or free upgrades on flights around the world — living an elite lifestyle most of us could never afford.

When I heard about this, all I could think was: aren't you glad the kingdom of God isn't a loyalty program? In fact, it's the exact opposite! Salvation is a gift freely given. It is immediately available to those who turn to Jesus Christ and put their trust in his saving power to redeem and transform their life.

The Bible makes it very clear just how simple it is: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

Salvation is just that simple, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the cross itself, when one of the criminals crucified alongside Jesus asked him, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42), to which Christ replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

This is the beauty of God's kingdom — the career criminal who accepted Christ's grace in his last minutes alive is no less "saved" than the career believer who accepted Christ's grace as a young person. It doesn't matter how long you've known Jesus or not — what matters is that you can enter his kingdom by his grace alone. There are no "miles," no "loyalty programs," and no special membership requirements: just grace.

And the truly incredible part? That grace is free each and every day, to each and every one of us. Now that's a deal worth believing in!

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## The Fruit of the Vine

For the last 10,000 years, humans have harvested grapes to create wine. It's a difficult process that takes an experienced vintner, good soil and perfect timing. The winemaker prunes the vines, checking for signs that signal the exact day or night when the grapes will be ready for harvest. It's a lot of hard work, but when it's done right, it's worth the effort.

Jesus was no stranger to great wine. His first miracle was changing water into some of the best wine ever tasted. But his familiarity goes deeper than that. In the Gospel of John, he describes his relationship with each of us like this: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1-3).

Like a healthy vine, Jesus provides a steady flow of life to us, while God the Father acts as a loving vintner, knowing when and where to prune unhealthy, dying branches so that we might grow more fully and in the right direction. All of this is so we might "bear good fruit" — the fruit of the Holy Spirit's presence in our life — fruit that leads to all the other fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

But like a great wine, the process of transforming our lives from broken vessels into finished works of redemption can take a long time and can feel difficult and even painful along the way. Fortunately, we have a patient, wise, and loving Savior who is both vine and vintner, guiding the process of our redemption with grace and love.

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## The Fulcrum of History

I enjoy sports on TV, but often my schedule doesn't allow me to watch them live. So I record the games, and watch them in the evening. To keep the results a surprise, I make an effort to avoid the news headlines.

But of course, it doesn't always work. I remember one occasion when I was in a restaurant that happened to be showing the game I planned on watching later. I made sure to get a table out of range of the TV, but as we left I couldn't help overhearing the commentator announcing the game's result. I decided to watch the recording anyway. Although I knew the final result, it was still exciting. I found myself quite engrossed, looking out for the events that would favor the eventual winner.

The Bible reveals such an event – an event that turned history in our favor. And when I say "our," I don't only mean Christians – everybody, the whole world benefits. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has already won the war against sin and death. Though we haven't seen the fullness of his victory yet, Jesus will one day return and then all will be revealed.

We live in very worrying times, and none of us can stay immune from the world's problems. Financial worries, job insecurity, health concerns and difficult relationships afflict us all. But they cannot prevent the final outcome.

It is comforting to remember that the "end" is already settled. In the last book of the Bible we are told, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).

The book of Revelation was originally written to inspire and reassure the first generation of Christians who were suffering terrible persecution. They were encouraged to lift up their heads in hope because victory had already been brought by our Lord Jesus. Nothing can stop his return: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him" (Revelation 1:7).

Ever since the first centuries of Christianity, the book of Revelation has been often considered a puzzle that, when solved, will predict exactly when Jesus will return. Perhaps that is understandable – when things get rough we naturally want to know how long the bad times will last. However, all the interpretations, whether scholarly or fanciful, have proven to be wrong.

You see, the last book of the Bible is not a prerecording of specific events that lead up to Jesus' return. It's written in what is known as "apocalyptic style." Through that lens, Revelation tells us that Jesus will return, but not specifically how and certainly not when. It was written to encourage Christians facing hardship throughout the ages. So it is as valid for that purpose today as it was 2000 years ago.

And if Jesus has not returned, it will still be valid 2000 years from now.

God has already shown us the outcome of history, even though we do not have an idea of how much time is left. The excitement of Christ's return still lies ahead, spurring us on through our trials of today. In that respect, life is like a game that we know we are going to win.

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## Fulfilling the Law

Paul wrote in Romans 13:10, "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." It's interesting how we naturally seem inclined to reverse that statement.

When it comes to relationships, most of us like to know where we stand. We like to have some clear evidence, some way to measure where we stand with others, and the idea of the law being the way to fulfill love is easier to measure, easier to keep track of, than the idea of love being the way to fulfill the law.

The problem with that reasoning is that a person can keep the law _without_ loving. But a person cannot love without the law being fulfilled in them. The law gives instruction in the ways a person who loves will live. But the difference between the law and love is that love works from the inside, transforming a person from the inside out; and the law only affects what is on the outside – outward behavior.

That's because love and law have very different motivations. A person motivated by love does not need to be told to behave in a loving way, but a person motivated by law does. We fear that unless there is some strong outside motivation, such as the law, compelling us to behave rightly, we probably won't.

But real love is unconditional. It's not something that can be compelled, forced or coerced into existence. It's freely given and freely received, or it isn't love. It might be acceptance or approval, but it is not love, because love has no conditions. Acceptance and approval usually do have conditions, and we often mistake them for love.

That is why our so-called "love" is so easily strained when the people we "love" fall short of our expectations and demands. Such so-called "love" is really just approval, which we can give or withhold based on how well others measure up to our demands and expectations. Many of us were treated that way by our parents, our teachers and our bosses, and without even thinking we often treat our own children that way.

Maybe that is why we tend to get so uncomfortable with the idea that faith in Christ has superseded the law. We want something to measure others by, but if they are saved by grace through faith, which they are, then we have no measuring rod to use. If God loves them in spite of their sins, then how can we size them up and withhold love from them when they don't behave the way we want them to?

Well, the good news is that we are all saved _only by grace through faith_ , and we can be very thankful that we are, because not one person but Jesus has ever measured up to salvation. Thank God for his unconditional love, through which he both saves us and transforms us into the image of Christ.

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## Gathering in the Lord's Name

Do you remember when Jesus led a few of the disciples on a daylong hiking trip? Maybe that description doesn't jog your memory. But if I told you that Moses and Elijah showed up, too, then you'd instantly realize that I'm talking about the Transfiguration.

This is how Mark records it in his Gospel:

They were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) (Mark 9:2-6, NIV)

I've heard a lot of sermons about the transfiguration that focus on how silly Peter acts in the midst of two of the most revered men in Hebrew history. But when I read it again more recently, I noticed something very interesting. We all know that Moses is responsible for giving the Hebrews the Ten Commandments and all the Law, the ways of God. And many remember Elijah as the great prophet of God.

What I find so interesting is how Mark records the staging of the event. Christ stands at the center between Moses and Elijah. In that moment we're given a picture of who Christ is – each of them points to Christ as the fulfillment of their own service. In a way, they are passing the baton to Jesus. And it is Christ who joins and completes in his own person their ministries. But he also transcends them and is not to be confused with them as merely another human servant in the whole line of Israel's leaders.

To make sure we understood this point, Mark tells us that "a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to him!'" (Mark 9:7).

The Transfiguration isn't simply an event in the life of Christ. It's an invitation to a deeper understanding of his redeeming identity – and our own partnership in his continually atoning grace.

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## Get in the Game

I love baseball. When summer rolls around, I hop on the freeway and head over to Angels stadium to catch a game. There's just something about the smell of the grass and that first bite of a hot dog that makes me feel like a kid again. And while baseball may be the great American pastime, it's also a good analogy for our interaction with Christ.

Let me explain...

James B. Torrance called the doctrines of _union_ and _participation_ the "twin doctrines" of Christianity. You really can't have one without the other. They work together like this: God united himself to us, through Christ, so that we could be reconciled to him and participate in the ministry of Jesus. Christ's incarnation gives us an identity. You could say that we were drafted onto his team and handed a uniform.

Paul wrote about this in Galatians: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).

But we know Christianity isn't a spectator's sport. We're not supposed to just show up to the stadium and watch God do all the work. Christ, as our head coach, has called us into relationship with him. He's given us his love, his forgiveness and his word to strengthen us as believers. He's given us a position or purpose to play on the field. And that's where our participation starts.

The fruit of our relationship with Christ is that we join him in his ministry to call others to him. For some, that participation can look like running a food cupboard for the homeless. Others might participate by planting churches around the world. And still others may sit in prayer, listening for God. All of these forms of participation are valid. And there are many more.

So the next time you're in church and you feel like wanting to do a seventh inning stretch, just remember: you're not on the sidelines, you're already in the game!

I wish a lot more of us would say, "Put me in, Coach!"

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## Giants of the Faith

If you've ever been to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you'll recognize these pictures...

The great Redwood trees are some of the oldest living things on this planet. Needless to say, walking through the ancient groves is truly a humbling experience. These majestic giants have been here long before our modern world. They've outlived political revolutions, technological shifts and pretty much everything else the planet could throw at them. When I look at these awe-inspiring giants I can't help but think of a different type of giant – the giants of the faith. I thought about how even as the Son of God, Jesus was intimately familiar with the lives and work of those "giants of the faith" who had come before him. He quoted the Law of Moses, the Psalms of David and the prophecies of Isaiah during his ministry.

Likewise, I think there's a lot we can learn from some of the "giants" who have come before us. I'm talking about people like Athanasius, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and even more modern ones like Lewis, Chesterton, Barth, Thomas Torrance and James Torrance. When you read their work, you can't help but be humbled by the wisdom that comes from people who have wrestled with doctrines and faith at a level that transcends what most of us ever experience. Like the ancient Redwoods, their work has often outlived centuries of revolutions, shifts and trends in the Christian faith, helping the church chart its course through history. By reading and studying that work, we reap the benefits of their "deep roots" and hard-earned wisdom, perhaps glimpsing insights into our own faith that may deepen our relationship with God.

So the next time you reach a point in your journey where your own personal experience falls short, remember the giants of the faith, and take advantage of the chance to crack a book and walk in the footsteps of those who have come before you.

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## The Girl Scout's Song

The other day I was listening to a podcast when I heard a story about a troop of British Girl Scouts living in China during World War II who where interned in a Japanese concentration camp. And while they endured horrible conditions and were forced to go without food and water for long periods of time, these Scouts didn't let the circumstances get them down.

Instead, they determined to live by their code, making the best of every situation. One of the ways they did this was by singing songs to make them feel better. They sang funny songs, silly songs and even had songs that they sang before they went to bed. As the Japanese soldiers marched this Girl Scout troop through the front gates, the scouts recited Psalm 46, singing:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, through its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-5)

When I'm facing an uncertain situation, I turn to my favorite passages of Scripture. Whether it's the Psalms, the Prophets or the Gospels, Scripture reminds me that none of us are abandoned by God – he has not now, or ever will turn away from his children or stop pursuing us. He will do anything and everything to bring us into a deeper relationship with him.

The British Girl Scouts endured their hardship, living to see the American troops parachute in and liberate the camp. I don't know if they sang a Psalm then, but if they did, I think it would have been this one: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17).

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## Give Me That Old Time Religion

Which music platform do you think turned a larger profit last year – an "app" like Spotify, or vinyl records? The answer might surprise you. According to _Time_ magazine, vinyl records brought in more than $226 million dollars last year in the United States alone – almost double what free digital music streaming services earned from advertisements. But what really made me scratch my head was that most of the people buying these old records were in their 20s and 30s. What's old is new. Actually, there's a similar movement happening in churches right now, too.

Over the last few decades we've seen attention shift from community-based congregations to "megachurches." These types of gatherings have had their moment. Big stages and flashy worship services became a model for what a "successful" church should look like. While there's nothing inherently wrong with these big gatherings, some of megachurch pastors have acknowledged that they've faced some serious challenges, too – trying to help people know and care for one another other and, more importantly, helping congregants mature in their faith.

But now there's an upcoming generation of youth who grew up in these larger churches, but now they're looking for a change. They're seeking out more intimate church communities where they can get involved with a missional cause. When it comes to worship, many are searching through the pages of the old songbooks and finding hymns inspired by giants of the faith like Charles Wesley, Martin Luther and Augustine. Just like the run on vinyl records, that "old time" religion has become "new" again.

At GCI, we think we've got a little of that "old time religion." Our churches aren't too large or overwhelming. We're a tight-knit group of believers who have been saved by God's abundant grace and we can't wait to share it with the rest of the world. Like those original converts to the faith who gathered for meals and fellowship, we love getting together before, during and after a service to build real and lasting relationships based on Christ's love and mercy. So whether you're one of those people who has gone back to the "real" sound of vinyl recordings or you're just looking for some of that "old time religion," swing on by one of our GCI churches or fellowship groups. You can find us at: gci.org/participate/find.

We'd love to have you join us.

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## Giving It All Away

There's a church around the corner from our GCI headquarters that hosts food trucks on Wednesday nights. For those of you who don't live in Los Angeles, you might not know what a food truck is.

They're basically mobile kitchens that specialize in comfort foods like grilled cheese sandwiches, tacos, and pizza. They've even become so well known that Zagat started rating them. But last summer, there was a truck driving around Minneapolis that won't be getting a Zagat rating anytime soon. And not because it can't pass the health code inspection.

Instead, this Minneapolis truck didn't sell food – it accepted donations. They call it a "Reverse Food Truck" and their mission is simple: collect $50,000 dollars worth of food by the end of the year that can be distributed to the homeless community in the city. When I heard about this, I thought: "What a great idea!"

You see, through our union with Christ, we receive every good blessing that our Father in heaven has prepared for us. And it is by this union that we are sanctified and made mature as believers. As we recognize what God has given to us, freely through his mercy and grace, we're able to pass on what we have received to others. Christ encouraged this type of generosity during his parable of the Sheep and the Goats in the Gospel of Matthew. He praises those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked and visited those in prison, saying: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me" (Matthew 25:40).

This holiday season, I'd like to encourage you to get out into your community and look for opportunities to see how you can bear witness to the generosity of our Triune God who recognizes our deepest needs and has given so freely to us.

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## Give Thanks

When the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620, after enduring a difficult trans-Atlantic voyage, they couldn't have imagined what hardships still laid ahead. Almost half of the colonists died in the first year, and those who survived faced horrible disease and extreme weather. But by November 1621, William Bradford declared a Harvest Feast to give thanks to God and celebrate all that he had done for them.

But what did these Pilgrims have to give thanks for? Starvation, death and disease? That doesn't sound like God's providence to me. But William Bradford saw things differently. He put his faith in God, knowing that only by trusting in him would the Pilgrims be saved. Over that next year, Bradford's faith was rewarded.

It happened that a native American named Squanto lived nearby. Squanto, having been captured by an English adventurer and sold into slavery in Spain, spoke English. It was through his help that the Pilgrims were able to plant crops in a way that was suited for the climate of the New World and also forge a lasting peace with the neighboring Wampanoag tribe.

Even in our most difficult trials and tribulations, we know that Christ is with us. He has promised to work all things together for good. We see that in this story. Out of all the inlets and bays in the east coast of America, the Pilgrims chose the one where a Native American already spoke their language. It was through this relationship between William Bradford and Squanto that God brought healing to this group. God is always working, even through our pain, actively redeeming our hurt to bring us closer to him. When we choose to follow Christ, we can trust that he will bring us through the darkness and into a new life in him.

This Thanksgiving, as we remember the Pilgrims who gathered so long ago, let's not forget that Thanksgiving not only offers us a chance to give thanks to the Lord for his blessings, but also it's a chance to renew our faith in him — and that opportunity is something to be truly grateful for.

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## Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It's a time when we gather together with family and friends to give thanks for the blessings we've experienced over the last year. But so often the true meaning of giving thanks can get lost in the food, football and movies. So this week, I wanted to take a look at what giving thanks actually looks like from a spiritual perspective.

As Christians, we're the adopted children of God through Christ. And our Father in heaven is continually showering us with his love, grace and mercy. When we open our hearts and accept these perfect gifts, through our relationship with Christ, we enter into a beautiful relational cycle with our Lord – one of giving and receiving – that sanctifies and refines us as Christians.

Now let's take a look at how that played out in the Scriptures. "On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us!' When he saw them, he said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed" (Luke 17:11-14).

But that's not where the story ends. One of the ten lepers, after being declared clean, ran after Jesus, catching up with our Savior and thanking him. Jesus welcomed the response because this Samaritan alone had completed the circle of relationship by returning to give thanks. This one alone truly received all that Christ had offered to the men. You see, Jesus didn't just offer the men a physical healing – he wanted to give them a continuing relationship with himself as the mediator of God's blessings.

What I enjoy about this story is the spotlight that Luke shines on the importance of thanksgiving in a living relationship with God through Christ. The power of thanks can truly never be underestimated. This holiday season, I hope we'll remember to focus on the mercy and love our Lord has given to us, and our neighbors, and know that God welcomes our turning back to him in thanksgiving.

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## Glass Beach

Beaches are some of the most beautiful places in God's creation. But there's one in northern California that didn't start that way. It's called Glass Beach, and it got its name because the local town didn't have a garbage removal service. So they threw their trash over the cliffs. Empty bottles, shattered windows, even cars ended up there. Eventually, the city was forced to shut down the beach.

That's when something really interesting happened. As the years passed, the waves ground all that broken glass into smooth pebbles. Finally, the garbage-filled beach was transformed into a beautiful kaleidoscope of color.

This whole process reminded me of our sanctification – the way in which we as Christ-followers are molded and shaped through the power of the Holy Spirit to become more and more like our Savior. The book of Titus puts it this way:

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7, ESV)

We know that the grace of Jesus has already justified us in the eyes of God. But as fallen human beings, it's impossible for us to fully live out the perfect character of Christ each day. This is where the Holy Spirit comes in. It's only through his activity in our hearts and minds that we can truly be changed, sharing more and more in our full humanity regenerated and raised up in Christ and give to us by his Spirit.

Like the waves crashing year after year on Glass Beach, the Holy Spirit works to remove our rough edges, using events and circumstances in our life for the refinement of our character, gently and persistently re-shaping us into the image of Christ. So that just like Glass Beach, what might start out looking like garbage can be refined into a truly beautiful kaleidoscope reflecting the very light and life of Jesus Christ.

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## God Is Also in the Margins

I read an interesting article last year about the history of bookmaking. The piece included an image taken from a book printed in 1544. In the margin, I could see a tiny drawing of a hand pointing a pen toward a passage in the book. The article explained that this was a common practice among scholars of that period. They would draw these pictures in to single out passages they found particularly interesting – sort of like highlighting, only more creative.

The combination of the hand in the margin of a mechanically reproduced book is a striking one, and points toward a way in which we as Christians can interact with Scripture.

Many of us own Bibles of our own, and odds are, if we've owned it for a long time, we've marked it up pretty good by now. It's almost as if the Word calls out to us to interact with it on a more personal level. Christ himself loved and trusted in the Scriptures, quoting them extensively. If we are to continue in the spirit of Christ, our attitudes should be the same as that of our Lord, looking for God to speak to us through his Word in Scripture.

The central story of the Bible highlights God's participation in the lives of his creation, proclaiming his love for us, stretching out his arms despite our failings, and redeeming us from the wages of sin. When we read the Scriptures, we are being offered a glimpse into the mind and heart of God. Paul writes:

No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9, ISV)

As the bearer of this powerful message, by the Holy Spirit, Scripture calls out to us, inviting us into communion with our Triune Creator God, a communion forged by our Redeemer and Reconciler, Jesus Christ. So, I would encourage you to write in the margins of your Bible, just like that 16th century English scholar did. Note those special places where God speaks to your mind and heart giving you new life. I think you'll find that God will indeed speak to you "in the margins."

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## God Is Faithful (1)

There is a myth that if people really trusted God for healing, they would in fact be healed. When people who believe that myth aren't healed, they feel guilty. They look for the supposed "secret sin" that is keeping them from being healed.

Christian friends and family may tell them they need to pray that God will show them their sins so that he can heal them. They might tell the sick person that he or she needs more faith, and prescribe more prayer and Bible study and fasting as the way to get God to heal them.

But such advice is nothing more than superstition. It reduces God to the level of the ancient pagan gods – tyrants, who cared little for the plight of humans and acted only when they had something to gain, or when a stronger god forced them to. The Father of Jesus Christ is not like those gods.

Formulas for getting right with God have no place in the gospel. Our relationship with God is not a business transaction in which we do something for God, maybe do some good deeds or say the right words in just the right way, and then he will be good to us. God has already saved us through Christ, and he did it while we were still sinners simply because he loves us, as Paul tells us in Romans 5.

The reason we pray, as Jesus did, "Your will, not mine, be done," is that God's will for us is always unwaveringly good, and never bad. God is, and always will be, faithful to his word of promise to love us regardless of what we do.

We pray for healing, but we trust ourselves to the One who cares for us. We believe he will do what is right and good for us. We live by faith, resting ourselves in his hands, because he is good. It's not about secret sins, it's about trusting the faithfulness of God.

The one thing we do know for certain is that our sins are forgiven, and that's what really matters. We can be certain of that because it doesn't depend on us, it depends on God, and God is completely faithful.

If we are healed physically, too, that's an added blessing. But we should remember that everyone who gets healed of a disease eventually dies anyway. Even Lazarus, who was raised from the dead, eventually died.

Physical healing is great, and we praise God for the wonderful healings he has given and continues to give, but we look ultimately to something that lasts forever. Like those cited as examples of faith in the book of Hebrews, we look for a better country, a permanent one, a heavenly one, promised to us by the One who is faithful.

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## God Is Faithful (2)

My dad always had a soft spot in his heart for the elderly and the widowed. He used to say to me: "One day we will all grow old and hope for care and the companionship of others." When he was assigned to work with several congregations, it wasn't long before he had set up weekly Bible studies and arranged groups to look after and pray with the elderly and widowed. My Dad did this for a number of years and became known as the "widow's elder" because of his compassion and tender heart. It was something he enjoyed doing and he loved to share stories about them and their amazing faith.

There is a story in 1 Kings about a widow that often reminds me of the stories my dad used to share. In this scripture, we find God sending Elijah to the city of Zaraphath and telling him, "Behold, I have commanded a widow to feed you." When Elijah arrives, he finds the widow collecting firewood and he asks her to bring him some water and bread.

She responded, "As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die" (1 Kings 17:12).

This widow had given up. We don't know all the details that might have brought her to such a distressed point, but God had other plans for her.

Elijah told her to not be afraid, but to go ahead and make him some bread, and then to make something for her and her son. He said,

For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land." She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:14-16)

The story is about her response to God's invitation to be an active participant in his work, and her example of faith is a testimony to us all.

No matter who you are, or where you're at, we've all been invited to participate in God's ongoing work of sharing his good news to others, to let them know they are loved and they are included in his plan. Just like the widow, we often cannot see how God is going to work things out, but we should know that he will always be trustworthy and faithful.

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## God Is Love

I'm sure you've heard the expression "God is love." It's one of the Bible's best-known statements. But like so many other popular sayings, it can be so well known that it becomes cliché. So let's stop for a moment and ask ourselves, "What exactly do the words, 'God is love' mean?"

What does it mean to say anything is something? For example, take this glass of distilled water. The liquid inside it is water. It doesn't just look like water, or behave like water, or feel like water – it is water. There is nothing about it that is not water.

Twice in the fourth chapter of the First Epistle of John, we are told, "God is love." Not just that he is loving, but that he is love.

When this was written toward the end of the first century, it was a radical statement. In fact, to many people of the ancient Roman and Greek world, the idea that the gods they worshipped were loving would not have occurred to them. The pagan gods had certain powers, and they had to be respected, even feared. You could attract a god's attention, and hopefully their favor, with acts of worship and sacrifice. But people certainly didn't think that Jupiter or Zeus actually loved them.

The message that "God is love" was something completely new in the world. And it still is. As one theologian, Leon Morris, wrote: "This means more than that God is loving, it means that love is of _the essence of his being_." God did not create love. He did not say, "Let there be love." Love is not a created thing; it is the essence of God himself.

To love us is not merely something God has decided to do – it is something that is natural and normal – you could even say inevitable. It is the way God is. God loves us because he is love – even though we are not always loveable. God loves us in spite of our unloveliness, and he loves us so much that he chooses to make his home with us. Because he is love, God can no more not love us than this glass of water can stop being water.

God loves us, he is with us, and he is for us. We see this in the coming of Jesus as God in the flesh. We see this in Jesus atoning for our sins. And we see this in Jesus who died for us even while we were still sinners.

Jesus gave a very simple way to identify his followers. It wasn't by a certain set of doctrines or religious practices, although of course, sound doctrine is important. He said that, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus' desire is that we be unified in him and have love for one another.

This is not just a religious platitude. It's a totally different way of approaching our relationship with each other. It is the life of God himself, living in us, transforming us. It is the way of the kingdom of God, a life that will endure forever.

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## God Is Love (2)

Recently I heard a message that Bishop Michael Curry delivered at Yale Divinity School on the topic of love. He started the sermon by reading from 1st John:

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:7-10 NIV)

Curry then went on to quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer's exposition on this passage, reminding us that: "Love is not God – God is love." Did you catch that? There's an important distinction that I think we can miss if we're not careful. It's not love that we're worshipping. Instead, we're called to worship and know God as he truly is, understanding that his very nature is love, and that he has chosen to show us that love through the perfect revelation of his only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. We learn and experience what true love is from God. He is the definition of love. We learn and can love God only because he has first loved us.

From the moment of Christ's birth, when his nature was joined with our humanity, transforming it, sanctifying it and glorifying it throughout his life, he was illustrating what it meant to love one another. He dwelled among us, living in relationship with those around him, patiently teaching those who came to learn and even taking time to teach those who opposed him, and even warning them if needed.

When the time finally came, his love for us reached its high point, in Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross. There, in our place and on our behalf, he surrendered himself to God and submitted to our Father's righteous judgment on our sin and our distrust of him. Christ bore the full weight of our guilt and shame, transforming them into repentance and trust in God's forgiveness and renewal, bringing us back into communion with God. That's God's kind of love.

On Valentine's Day, I hope we remember those words that John wrote so long ago: "Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." And I hope we find ways to show one another something of the transformational love that God has given to us, and like Christ, that this love points us all back to the one who "first loved us."

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## God Loves Atheists, Too

Why is it, I wonder, in any discussion involving atheism or belief in God, it is the believers who seem to feel they are at a disadvantage? It is as if believers tend to think that atheists have somehow won the argument unless the believers can prove them wrong.

But the truth is, it is not possible for atheists to prove that God does not exist. Just because believers cannot convince atheists that they are wrong, it does not mean atheists have won the argument.

As one atheist, Bruce Anderson, pointed out in an article entitled, "Confession of an Atheist," "It is worth remembering that a substantial majority of the cleverest people who ever lived have believed in God."

Many atheists simply do not want to believe that God exists. Rather, they look to science as the only path to truth. But, is science the only path to truth?

In his book, _The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions,_ the agnostic, David Berlinski asserts that prevailing scientific theories about the human mind: the Big Bang, the origin of life and the origin of matter are all open to debate. He writes, for example, "The claim that the human mind is the product of evolution is not unassailable fact. It is barely coherent."

As a critic of both intelligent design and Darwinism, Berlinski's basic point is that there are still many phenomena that science cannot explain. We have made great progress in understanding the natural world. But nothing we have discovered, if clearly understood and honestly reported, demands that we take a Creator out of the picture.

I know personally several scientists, some of whom are leaders in their respective fields, who have no trouble reconciling their ongoing discoveries with their belief in God. The more they learn about the physical creation, the more their belief in its Creator is enhanced.

They also point out that no experiment can be devised that will once and for all prove or disprove the existence of God. You see, God is the Creator, not part of the creation. You can't "discover" God by searching through deeper and deeper layers of the creation. God reveals himself to humanity in only one way – through his Son, Jesus Christ.

You will never find God as the result of a successful experiment. You only come to know God because he loves you, because he wants you to know him. That's why he sent his Son to be one of us. Once you come to know God, that is, once he has opened your heart and mind to know him and you have experienced the relationship of love he has for you, you will have no doubt that God exists.

That is why I can say to the atheist, it's up to you to prove there is no God, not up to me to prove there is. Once you know him, you'll believe too.

What's the real definition of an atheist? People who don't believe in God – yet.

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## The God Revealed in Jesus Christ

When you hear the word _God,_ what image comes to mind?

If you're like most people, you probably think of a solitary figure somewhere in the sky. To some, he's a harsh Judge, meting out divine rewards and punishments on everyone based on how well they measure up to his high standards of living.

To others, he's more like an elderly gentleman with his flowing white beard, dressed in a shining white robe. Or, like an aged executive in a business suit, as portrayed by Morgan Freeman in the films _Bruce_ and _Evan Almighty._ Or maybe something like George Burns' portrayal of God as an elderly man in Hawaiian shirts and tennis shoes.

Some people think of God as actively involved in their lives, while others think of God as detached and remote, out there watching us "from a distance," as suggested in the Bette Midler song. Or maybe right here among us, but somewhat clueless and weak, like Joan Osborne's "stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home."

But the Bible presents God through only one lens: the lens of Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ alone is the perfect revelation of the Father. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father," Jesus said in John 14:9.

In Hebrews 1, verses 1 to 3, we read:

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

If you want to know what God is like, you look at Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John tells us, Jesus and the Father are one. In other words, God is not a detached and uninvolved Watchmaker, watching us from afar. Nor is he some eagle-eyed Detective, Judge, Jailer and Executioner waiting for us to make a false move.

God, who is Father, Son and Spirit, is just like Jesus Christ. He loves every human into existence and loves them every moment of their lives. He draws all of us toward Jesus, and wants all of us to turn to him, trust him and receive his unconditional love.

What is God like? God shows us exactly what he is like in Jesus Christ, who, as John 3:17 tells us, came into the world not to condemn the world, but to save it.

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## God With Us

For months, the miners trapped underground in Chile [August to October 2010] captured the hearts and imagination of people around the world. Utterly helpless to do anything about their plight themselves, they had no choice but to rely on the efforts of others who worked day and night to rescue them.

In many ways, the plight of the miners is an allegory of the spiritual condition of all humanity. Spiritually speaking, all of humanity has been trapped in a life-threatening environment. The Bible calls it "sin and death." Like the miners, we are utterly helpless and unable to do anything about our dire predicament. Just as the cave-in cut off the miners from the outside world, sin is a barrier, keeping people from the life God created them to have. But there is good news – a rescue is under way.

I am sure that as they waited for rescue, the miners explored their options. They had picks, shovels and some quite sophisticated mining equipment. Could they dig their own way out, they must have wondered? But the reality was that no amount of work on their part would be enough. They were in too deep. For them, the only hope was help from above, from those who care.

What a great relief it must have been when after 17 days of being cut off from everything, that first narrow borehole broke through. Although it was not large enough to get them out, it was a means by which food, air, and news could reach them, as well as a source of hope and encouragement through the long months of waiting.

Each of these boreholes was like the gospel – a conduit through which God sends us the good news of our rescue from sin and death, together with sound spiritual nourishment and hope.

Sadly, the gospel is often misused to spread a negative message of condemnation, fear and spiritual intimidation. It is like sending the trapped miners a steady stream of information about what is going wrong and how bad their situation is, and then demanding evidence that they fully understand their plight, that they really want to be rescued, and even that they start living as though they are on already on the surface before the rescue can proceed.

Jesus didn't wait until humans proved anything. He died and rose for us while we were still sinners, Paul tells us twice in Romans 5.

Those who believe that good news – the gospel – can see past the gloom of the moment and know that the joy of rescue is ahead. The gospel is good news, not bad news. It's all about grace and truth and hope, not fear and worry and uncertainty. After all, that's why the angel told the shepherds, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

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## Going the Extra Mile

Let me read you a headline from an article I recently came across – "98 Year Old Woman Regains Drivers License to Help Friends." Did that catch your attention? I know it caught mine. As soon as I read it, I wanted to know more.

Her name is Evelyn and she lives in a really great retirement community. Each week, a bus would drive her and her friends to the grocery store, where they could shop for food and enjoy a nice lunch out. The whole community cherished this opportunity to socialize and share life together. But all that came to a stop when their bus broke down and could not be repaired. As a result, the members were forced to rely on their families to bring them groceries. But for one of Evelyn's friends, that strain proved too great.

If there wasn't an alternative, Evelyn's friend would have to move to another home and their little community would be shattered. Well, that was all Evelyn needed to hear. She had a perfect driving record – never even had a ticket in her life! So she went to the DMV, passed her tests and got her license back. Because of her effort, the community was able to stay together and continue sharing life with one another.

Isn't that an amazing story? I think it serves as a perfect illustration of what the early church would have looked like as it was getting started. Just like the retirees, these early Christians were living and dwelling together in their own community. And just like Evelyn, those who were able to give gave what they had to strengthen and serve the body. See how Luke records it in the second chapter of Acts:

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47)

I love what this looks like. This is true Christian community. And I know we here at GCI have already experienced this and are ready and willing to continue caring for and building each other up in love. This week, I want to encourage you to think about what your community around you might need. See if you can't help them out in some way. Who knows, you might just end up helping out someone who really needs it and sees a little bit of Christ in you.

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## The Gold Rush

During the Klondike Gold Rush, prospectors carved 1,500 steps into the mountain ice in Skagway, Alaska. They called it the Golden Staircase. Every day men and women from around the world climbed it, lugging a year's worth of supplies by foot. They fought through avalanches, blizzards and wolves for a chance to strike it rich and change their lives forever. But what they went through is nothing compared to what our Triune God endured to pursue what he valued most: the salvation of humanity.

Our Creator entered our world and endured the pain and hardship of a human life. He was betrayed by friends, suffered an excruciating death and rose again to bring us back into communion with our Father. But he did all these things with joy. See how the author of Hebrews reminds us: "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame" (Hebrews 12:2-3 NIV).

Christ was able to undertake the work of salvation with that joy because he knew why he was doing it: so that by his death, all of humanity could partake in his resurrection life. Paul writes: "Since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:21-22 NIV).

Those men and women who risked their lives on the Golden Staircase so long ago did it all for what they thought was most valuable – gold. When they found it, they'd shout out "Eureka!" Our Lord overcame evil itself, joyfully enduring all suffering until our redemption was accomplished. He did it all so that we could partake in his redeemed humanity. Realizing that makes me want to shout "Eureka!" – because knowing our salvation is assured in Christ is more valuable than any Klondike gold.

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## Gone Forever

Have you ever lost an important file on your computer? That can be pretty disconcerting, but the fact is, people who know what they're doing can actually recover most files.

That is reassuring to know when you are trying to locate information that you've accidentally erased. On the other hand, it isn't so reassuring if you are trying to erase material that might be incriminating. Knowing it might still be in there somewhere is not a good feeling. So naturally, there's a market for specialized programs that write over unwanted files multiple times so that they can never be retrieved.

Have you felt that way about your sins? Is there a nagging fear that God might not have really eliminated all your sins, that he still might be holding some of the worst ones over your head?

In Psalm 103, beginning in verse 8, we are reminded that "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." In verse 10, we're told, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

You can't get much farther than "the east is from the west." But despite such reassurances about the love and mercy of God, we still find it hard to believe that God has really put that kind of distance between himself and our sins.

Humanly, we often find it very hard to forgive and to forget. So we suspect that, just as in a computer, our sins are lurking dangerously somewhere in God's memory. But like an electronic file that has been totally eliminated, our sins have been "written over" and totally eliminated. It didn't need a specialized program – but it did need a special sacrifice.

The apostle Paul, of course, never saw a computer and could not have imagined one. But he did understand that for sins to be forgiven and eliminated, they needed to be "written over." He pictured sin as a debt that was written down and needed to be erased or wiped out. Here is how he explains it in his epistle to the Colossians: "Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross" (Colossians 2:13-14, _The Message_ ).

Jesus, through his sacrifice, wiped the slate clean. Our sins are just not there anymore. They are not lurking somewhere in a heavenly file. They have been written over, and they are gone forever. When God says he has removed our sins "as far as the east is from the west," he means it. He does not want us to live in lingering doubt about whether we are forgiven.

When the computer expert finds your missing file, you can breathe a sigh of relief. When God says he has totally eliminated the file of your sins, it seems too good to be true. But that's why the gospel is called "good news."

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## Good News That Lasts

Have you ever gotten one of those "too good to be true" offers in the mail from a credit card company? They arrive in brightly-colored envelopes proclaiming things like, "Zero percent interest on new purchases for your first 12 months!" Zero percent interest is pretty good. But then you read the fine print, and what seemed like good news at first turns out to only last for that introductory period of 12 months. After that? The real interest rate kicks in, and 22.5% isn't very good news at all!

I was just tossing one of these flyers into the trash the other day when it hit me how much offers like that are the exact opposite of the gospel. Because the good news of the gospel never expires! There is no "introductory rate" on grace – it's just that good, forever! Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1 NIV).

I love this verse, because it sums up the permanence of the gospel so well. It's not temporary good news — it's permanent. Here, Paul reminds the Galatians of that truth, and then encourages them to "stand firm" in it, in order to resist being "burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

I think he's speaking here to the human tendency to view God as a cosmic cop who's watching our every move. Sure, he forgave us that one time, for that one sin, but what happens when I sin again? Won't he count that against me? Won't the "offer" of grace expire at some point? Won't he give up on me and say I'm a lost cause?

Do you see how damaging that mindset can be? We shift from the promise of permanent good news, to one of temporary good news — and the problem is, that's not the gospel of Jesus. In Christ, we're fully forgiven, forever, and that will never, ever change. God will not give up on those he loves. He gives us a new start so we can continue to grow up in him, so we can become conformed to Christ, healed and restored. His love will bring to completion the good work he began in us and among us. His love loves to wholeness and completeness. When we waver in that hope, we slip back into the "temporary good news" mindset, which Paul so rightfully calls a "yoke of slavery."

So the next time you feel yourself being tempted to believe that the grace of our triune God is some kind of "introductory offer" that expires, do what I did with that flyer, and throw that thought where it belongs: in the trash!

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## The Good Samaritan

Have you ever heard the story of the Good Samaritan? It's one of the best-known parables that Christ ever told. But you might not remember the situation that prompted him to tell it. While he was teaching, a lawyer asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Some translations read "he put him to the test."

But Christ didn't back down. He answered the lawyer with a question: "What does the law say?"

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27).

But the lawyer continued, asking Jesus who his neighbor was. His approach to "love" was to try and fit it into some kind of matrix, like he was adding facts and figures together. He wanted to know how far he had to go – where could he stop? But Jesus saw things differently. He told the story of the Good Samaritan, about a wounded Hebrew traveler rescued by his cultural enemy.

The story is a perfect illustration for how wildly creative God's love for us really is. While the lawyer wanted to know where the line was for him to stop loving, Christ answered with a story that affirmed the concept that our Triune God's mercy knows no boundaries. In Christ Jesus, we are called to a life of transformation. And through him, we become vessels pouring out his love and grace to this world. We are the Samaritans, the ones who are willing to show divine mercy to people, even if they don't look like they're part of our "tribe."

I have to admit, my favorite part of the exchange is the ending. After telling the story, Christ sums up his point by telling the lawyer (and all gathered) to "Go and do likewise." I think that's all the encouragement that we need to go out and become Samaritans, bringing God's reconciling grace to the world around us.

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## The Good Old Days

As I get older, I find myself living in a world that is changing faster than I can. I was warned this would happen. And now I find myself looking back to the "good old days."

Part of my fascination with crossing over the invisible "60-year boundary line" and into this seasoned part of my life, is that I never thought I would get here. I spent much of my life believing the world "as I knew it" was about to end. I vividly remember such Premillennial Dispensational sermons warning me I would not finish high school, let alone get married.

Week after week, I would hear that Jesus would be returning in just a few short years. I wondered why they were "short" years, and not normal ones, but that was not the kind of thing you were supposed to ask. Today, it's been over 50 "short years" since I first heard that. And, thanks be to God, it's been about 25 normal length years since the church came to its senses and stopped preaching it.

That kind of thinking can lead to some very unhealthy worldviews. Focusing on bad news – interpreting every war, earthquake, weather upset or political scandal as further evidence that the world is ending. By looking for storm clouds on every horizon, no matter how bright the day, you begin to resent good news and are suspicious of anything that suggests life might be getting better.

And when you think of it, this is a great contradiction – you look on the past through rose-colored glasses. Saying "things were better back then," but were they really? Life may have been simpler in some aspects. Perhaps it was safer for children to go outside to play in the old days, but I am not sure if that's just an illusion. And, was there ever really a time when all our food was organic and no pesticides were used? Maybe – but not too long ago, there was a serious risk that you could die of what today are easily treatable diseases. As recently as 1900, the American life expectancy average was only 48.

I am not suggesting that there has not been a decline in some important values. But "going back" is not the answer. A quick look at some advertisements from 40 to 50 years ago shows we didn't have it right back then either.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 offers us this advice: "Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions."

To see the past as a time when things were right can be just as bad as expecting the future to get worse. The truth is that some things have gotten worse – but in other areas, life is much better.

However, it can't be good enough. The Bible does give us hope for not just a better future – but the best of all possible futures. It looks forward to the time when God's kingdom will be – on earth – as it is in heaven. Whatever stage of life we are experiencing now, we can long for a future, where all tears are wiped away, and there is no more pain, no more sorrow and no more death.

As we wait, live positively, doing what we can, whoever we are, wherever we are, as a living witness to that way of life.

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## Grace Is Not a Supplement

Grace is the first word of our denominational name— _Grace Communion International_. We did not choose that name because it sounds "religious." Each word identifies our experience as a Christian denomination.

Grace is an integral part of that identity – especially our identity in Christ. We have always understood grace to be unconditional, an unmerited pardon of our sins. But we tended to think of it as one of the components of salvation that needed to be "stirred into the mix" because we can't keep the law. We need to see that God's grace is much more than that.

Grace is not just a spiritual supplement that God provides because we can't keep his law, like a whiff of oxygen to help a sick person breathe a bit easier. Grace is the love and freedom-producing action of God that reconstitutes humanity into an entirely new creation. It transforms us and gives us a new kind of life – life that no amount of law-keeping could sustain. Grace is the environment that allows us, God's new creation, to not just survive, but to grow and flourish.

As Paul explained in his epistle to the Galatians, "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:19-20, KJV).

The Father, Son, and Spirit have been giving, receiving, and sharing love for all eternity, and love is their gift of grace to us. God's grace is not the exception to a rule – his rule is a gracious one, all the time, to give us life and to bless us, even if obstacles to our receiving it have to be removed at his own cost.

We see God's grace clearly in the person of Jesus, who, as Paul said, loved us and gave himself for us. The Gospel of John gives us Jesus' own encouraging words: "The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one. I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:23, NRSV).

As recipients of the grace of God, in Christ, we not only share in the life of God through Christ, in the Spirit, but we also share in the mission of Christ, through his Spirit. That mission is the complete restoration and renewal of all creation through Christ Jesus, into a state of perfect glory. God's grace in the person of Christ is for all humanity without distinction to race, status, or gender.

That is why the vision of Grace Communion International is "all kinds of churches for all kinds of people in all kinds of places."

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## Grace Rules!

By the time we finish kindergarten, we have a pretty good notion that life is not fair. Even so, we want life to be fair, and we even expect it to be fair. When it isn't, some of us can get pretty upset.

Jesus gave us a parable about fairness in Matthew 20:1-16. He said:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, "You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right." So they went.

He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, "Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?"

"Because no one has hired us," they answered.  
He said to them, "You also go and work in my vineyard."

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his supervisor, "Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first."

The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. "These men who were hired last worked only one hour," they said, "and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day."

But he answered one of them, "Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"

So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

A denarius was pretty good money for a day's work, about the same as the pay of a Roman soldier. Being a Roman soldier was not the most prestigious job, but it was higher up the social ladder than the common vineyard worker. So the workers eagerly accepted the job. But they were not happy that others got the same pay for far less work.

Jesus wasn't giving us a civics lesson. He was telling us about how grace works in the kingdom of God. It doesn't matter how good we've been, compared to how good someone else has been. It doesn't matter how sinful we've been, compared to how sinful someone else has been. Salvation simply isn't tied to anything but the riches of God's love and grace.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

Regardless of the relative pain or ease of our life's journey, salvation comes only by grace and not by what we do. Like any gift, the only thing we can do with grace is have a little faith. In other words, trust the Giver and accept and embrace the gift.

With God, we don't get what we deserve. We get everything we don't deserve—his unfailing love and a new life in Jesus Christ.

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## Grades

Summer is over now, and many are already back in the world of classes, teachers, books, assignments, and, of course, grades.

Some of us, on the other hand, have passed the years for formal education, but many older people have chosen to go back to school and take college courses in areas of personal interest or job enhancement. Whether still in school or out of it, we're all well acquainted with the pressure, anxiety and fear that formal education can generate in us as we strive to measure up and make the grades we need.

Life itself can take on that same sense of anxiety and worry if we measure our personal worth in terms of achieving a "grade." Christian writer Henri Nouwen put it this way:

The world says: "Yes, I love you _if_ you are good looking, intelligent and wealthy. I love you _if_ you have a good education, a good job and connections. I love you _if_ you produce much, sell much and buy much." There are endless "ifs" hidden in the world's love.... The world's love is and always will be conditional. ( _The Return of the Prodigal Son,_ p. 42)

In the world, and often even in our homes, love is based on our behavior. Life has a way of teaching us from an early age that when we are good, our parents, teachers, bosses, spouses and even many of our friends love us, but when we aren't so good, they don't.

But it is not the same with God. God does not withhold his love until you measure up. He loves you all the time – before your sins, during your sins and after your sins. "While we were still sinners Christ died for us," Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 and 10. But God does not _leave_ us in our sins. Jesus came not only to be the atonement for our sins, but also to be our righteousness.

The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome: "But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22). God not only forgives our sins, he also provides the righteousness we need—the righteousness of Jesus.

In short, we are saved because God is righteous, not because we are righteous. God's righteousness, Paul says, is displayed in his act of transforming us sinners into his own forgiven and redeemed children in Jesus Christ – something we experience only through faith. Jesus already made the grade for us; our job is to turn to him and follow him.

"Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes," Paul wrote in Romans 10:4. Jesus does it all, start to finish. He's the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

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## Gratitude Is Good for You

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. We eat great food, see good friends and family and take the time to reflect over another year of God's goodness. Even more than that, I love giving thanks. As it turns out, there's a good reason for that. Not only does giving thanks feel good, it actually is good for you! A recent medical study at the UCSD School of Medicine showed that fostering an "attitude of gratitude" on a daily basis drastically reduces the risk of heart disease. The doctors running the study say that gratefulness is proven to lower stress and improve mood, energy, and sleep, leading to a longer and healthier life.

I think it works the same way in our spiritual life as well. The act of giving thanks forces us to shift the focus away from ourselves and put it back where it belongs: on our heavenly Father. As the source of every good and perfect gift, God is the only natural destination for our thanks.

Think about it: is there a single gift or blessing in your life that didn't ultimately come from God? I can't think of any! That doesn't mean we can't be thankful for, and to, all those intermediary circumstances and people involved in making those ultimately good things available to us. They just give us more to be thankful for. The more we're reminded of this, the more we keep our eyes on Christ, which puts the stresses and problems of our daily lives into much-needed perspective, freeing us to focus on what truly matters most.

So as we enter another Thanksgiving week, let's remember to take that active spirit and discipline of giving thanks with us into the New Year. Not only is it good for us, but it also brings us into ever-deeper communion with our Triune God, who is worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving.

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## The Great Drought

For the last two years here in California, we've experienced lots of sunshine – but not a lot of rain. In fact, this last summer was on record as being the driest we've ever experienced. Luckily, Jesus has promised "living water" to all those who follow him.

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water that I give them shall never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14)

We all go through many different seasons in our spiritual walk with the Lord. We go through times of deep connection and great feelings of joy in what God is doing in and through us. But sometimes we can feel like we've reached a spiritual plateau, like we're the dried-out riverbeds in dire need of water to remind us of God's truth. This can sometimes feel like a spiritual drought. When this happens, where can we go for relief?

I'd suggest we turn to the word of God and take another look at the words of Christ. He is, after all, "The Word" mentioned at the beginning of John's Gospel. The living water he talked about is him – "The Word" – and our Bible could be seen as a well of living water that flows straight from God himself. There is truth and encouragement in the words of Christ.

When you're in the middle of a spiritual drought and feeling like a dried riverbed, why not open up your Bible and dive into the word of Christ? Not to analyze or increase your understanding, but just to soak in it. Receive it. Take it in. Be reminded of who he is and who we are in relationship to him, our heavenly Father and Brother, with us and in us, by the Spirit. He's promised us living water that will not run dry.

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## The Greatest Thing

Have you ever thought about the fact that the only thing in the world that really matters is love? It's the only thing that lasts, the only thing that makes us whole, that fills us, that soothes us, that completes us.

Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13. He wrote:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (verses 1-3)

Doing good things, behaving decently and kindly; these things are good, but they are not the same thing as love. They can be done without love. Con artists fake good behavior all the time, but only so they can take advantage of people. They use outward behavior as a ruse to hurt people, not as an expression of love.

Paul continues:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (verses 4-7)

It's interesting that Paul never says of love: "It keeps the law."

If we take time to meditate on these beautiful characteristics of love that Paul is listing, we can begin to see that love is vastly higher and deeper than merely keeping the law. Love is in the heart, and it is always real. Law keeping is often only in the will.

Paul goes on:

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (verses 8-13)

Everything is temporary—from prophecies to knowledge to childhood to spiritual manifestations. Everything will fade away, except, that is, faith, hope and love. And as Paul said, the greatest of these is love. Thieves can steal your goods; liars can ruin your reputation; disease can rack your body; but nothing can destroy real love. It is God's greatest gift, and the one that we will take with us into the next life.

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## Growing in Grace and Truth

Jesus Christ is not merely a great role model or a great moral teacher who pointed us down the right road. He's our all in all, our everything, the beginning and the end – the goal of our faith and our lives.

It's interesting to take note of the admonition the apostle Peter gives in the conclusion of his second letter. He didn't tell us to stop sinning. There wouldn't be much point to that, since we don't have it in us to stop sinning. Yes, that might be hard to admit, but if we're really honest with ourselves, we know it's true.

Certainly, the more we walk with Jesus, the more we come to love what is good and lose our fascination with what is not. But we never reach the perfection of Christ in this life. In fact, the closer we are to Jesus, it seems the more we realize what a sinner we are.

No, Peter didn't tell us to stop sinning – he told us to "make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Christ." And then he told us how. Not by our willpower or by our efforts to be righteous, but by growing.

In 2 Peter 3:13-18 he tells us to grow in two specific things: the grace of Christ and the knowledge of Christ.

In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him... be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We grow in grace by trusting God to be who he says he is for us. He's our advocate who testifies on our behalf. He's our defense attorney who believes in our value and worth. He's our Judge who pronounces us not guilty. He's our therapist, our trainer and our coach who helps us learn to live rightly. He's our substitute, who takes all the negative consequences of our broken lives onto himself. And he's our representative, who gives us his reputation as though it were our own. All this he does knowing fully well that we're as guilty as sin.

In Christ, we are and always will be the beloved children of our Father in heaven. All he asks is that we grow in grace and get to know him better. We grow in grace as we learn to trust him to be our all in all, and we grow in knowledge of him as we follow him and spend time with him.

And there's more. God not only forgives us, he transforms us. He makes us new, cleaning us from the inside out. As we learn to rest in his grace, we come to know him better. And the better we know him, the more we sense the freedom to rest in his grace.

It's not about what _we_ do; it's about what Jesus has already done – and continues to do – for us, in us and through us.

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## He Hears Your Voice

A rancher was having lunch with a friend near Times Square in New York City. The streets were filled with noise. There were people everywhere – talking to each other or talking on cell phones. There was music coming from several stores and the constant noise of cars, busses and trucks on the roads. There were horns blaring, doors slamming, and sirens wailing. The sounds of the city were almost deafening.

In the midst of all this noise, the rancher cocked an ear and said, "I hear a dog whining." His friend thought he was hearing things. "With all the noise in this city, you can't possibly hear a dog whining." "No, I'm sure of it," the rancher said. "I hear a dog and it sounds like it is in pain."

The rancher listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street and headed down an alley. He picked up his pace as he noticed a pile of skids that looked as though they'd been knocked over. By this time, they both could hear the whining and together they started moving skids until they found a small dog that had been trapped when the skids fell.

"I can't believe you heard that dog in all this noise," his friend said. "Well," the rancher explained, "my ears are tuned to listening for animals. Just by listening I can tell when one of my cows is in labor, when one of the sheep is stuck in the fence or when a coyote is getting near the hen house. It's what I've tuned my ears to listen for."

Hearing this story reminds me that God has tuned his ears to hear us. There are times when we feel like that small dog trapped under the skids of life that have fallen down on us. We don't see a way out and we cry out, like the Psalmist did in Psalm 18:6: "In my distress I called to the Lord, I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."

Another Psalm says, "I love the Lord, for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for mercy" (Psalm 116:1). There are several more scriptures that speak of God hearing our voice and responding. I find this comforting and encouraging.

God has tuned his ears to hear your voice. He allows nothing to get in the way of him hearing your cry – not even sin. Whether you feel like a small puppy trapped under a pile of skids, or you are simply seeking to know God better, you can be assured his ears are tuned to your voice.

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## He Loves Me...

How many of you remember that old game, "He loves me, he loves me not?" It involves plucking the petals off a flower while alternating the words, "he loves me, he loves me not," with the goal of determining whether or not the object of your affection feels the same way you do or not. While this seems like a silly child's game, sometimes we do something similar in our relationship with God.

Even though Scripture tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (John 3:16 NIV) and that God is "...the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8 NIV), we can still fall into the trap of viewing our relationship with him as a conditional one. We can start to think that God's love for us is dependent on our actions to earn or keep. For example, we can think that God loves us only if we've read Scripture today, or if we've said our prayers, or if we've spent time in worship or meditation. Each day's spiritual routine can end up being treated like a flower petal we're plucking off. "I prayed and studied Scripture today... He loves me." Or, "I missed my Bible reading, and was impatient with my significant other today... He loves me not."

See how that works? It might seem simple, but it is immensely damaging if it becomes a habit. The "he loves me, he loves me not" version of God is one where we can never be certain of his love, since it is conditional on whether or not we've done enough to earn it.

That just isn't true! In Romans chapter 8, Paul puts it like this:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39 NIV).

How conditional does that love sound to you? Not very, right? I don't know about you, but while my own sin can seem like a big deal sometimes, it isn't a bigger deal than a demon or 'anything else in creation'!

So the next time you find yourself plucking another petal off the flower and saying, "He loves me not," remember this verse. And remember what it means: no matter what, he definitely loves you! He will not give up on you, but love you to the point of your sharing in the perfection and glory of Jesus Christ.

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## The Heartbeat of Christ

Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare, and it isn't often that we ever hear of any good coming from a tragedy like that. But for Anna Lewis, that's what happened last year. The loss of her 31-year-old son to a car accident was transformed into a moment of incredible beauty. How? She heard her son's heart beating again, this time in the chest of Greg Robbins, a man who desperately needed a transplant to survive. Now, thanks to Anna's son, Greg has a new heart and a new chance at life.

The meeting was incredibly bittersweet, of course. But Anna found lasting comfort in the fact that her son gave life to another. His heartbeat – the same one that Anna no doubt had heard many times through his life as she raised him – was still echoing, but this time in the body of someone else. Her son's death had given another man new life.

That's a lot like the new life we're invited into through Christ. The offer of salvation involves an exchange: his life, for ours. Without him, we have no hope of spiritual life in personal union and communion with God through him. We all desperately need a spiritual "heart transplant" so that we don't die a final death due to sin and alienation from God. That's exactly what God promises us: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26 NIV).

But in order for this transplant to occur, Christ had to join himself to human nature and experience our death, so that his new and resurrected heart could live on through us and give us a perfectly right relationship of trusting love for God. Paul talks about it in Second Corinthians: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).

When we accept the free gift of salvation and enter into a personal, vital and growing relationship with the triune God, Christ's life becomes our own. Just like Anna, God hears the heartbeat of his own Son echoing through us, and sees in us the same righteousness of Christ, which he continually shares with us by the Spirit's dwelling in us.

So the next time you pause and listen to your heart, remember that it isn't just yours beating in there anymore – the heartbeat of Christ now echoes in you, too!

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## A Heavenly Gift

In Ephesians 2:8, the apostle Paul says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith." He adds, "and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast."

During times of doubt or personal struggle with sin, it is comforting and reassuring to know that our salvation is not based on us, on how well we behave, or how strong our faith is.

Our salvation is solely of God, by God and through God from beginning to end. When Paul wrote "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith," he does not mean the reverse, that it is by faith we are saved, through grace. Faith doesn't save us, God does. And he does it by his grace, because HE is gracious.

Salvation isn't something that can be earned. God gives it to us freely. Our part is simply to trust God who forgives us even though we don't deserve it. That's what faith is: trusting God to love us and save us in spite of ourselves. Faith is not a work that determines whether or not God will save us. God has already done that in Jesus.

Notice how Paul explains it in Romans 4:4-8:

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.

Faith does not cause God to save us. Faith simply involves trusting God and embracing the salvation that God has already, by his grace, made real for us in Jesus. Faith doesn't cause salvation, or in any way bring about salvation. Faith only allows us to receive and see what is already true in Christ.

"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him," David said. That person is you. And your heavenly Father has made it so by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

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## Hidden Value

When Pete Najarian agreed to help clean out his recently deceased cousin's garage, he never thought he'd stumble onto a treasure trove. But that's what happened. His cousin – Arthur – was an artist who left an entire life's worth of paintings behind. Now, a decade after his death, Arthur's collection is valued at 30 million dollars. His paintings hang in prestigious galleries and critics compare him to Cezanne and Gauguin. And to think — all of it was just stuffed into the cramped walls of the 8 foot by 8 foot garage studio where Arthur worked tirelessly for decades, unseen and unknown by anyone – including Pete!

Sometimes we don't always see things the way they really are. Remember when the disciples tried to keep children from interfering with Jesus' busy schedule? They saw the children as a hindrance. But Christ told them, "Do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14 NIV). When a prostitute lavished her most expensive perfume and washed our Lord's feet with her tears, Jesus didn't look down on her with disgust, like his religious host did. Instead, he commended her, saying, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (Luke 7:50 NIV). And even when he knew his friend Lazarus had died, he didn't give up hope and mourn. Instead, he simply said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up" (John 11:11 NIV).

No matter the situation, Jesus was always able to see more deeply into what seemed obvious to everyone else, and recognize God's purposes in any given situation. But we live in a physical world and have been trained to think superficially about it, as if what we can easily perceive with our eyes and "scientific" instruments is all there is. Many times, God's presence, purpose and eternal promises are left out of the picture. But listen to what Paul wrote: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18 NIV).

When we shift our focus from the "here and now" and begin to share in the eternal heart, mind, and future God has revealed to us in Christ and his Word, we begin to see the world like Jesus did – from a heavenly perspective. When we do that, we begin to discover the many priceless hidden treasures all around us!

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## The Highest Love

Sometimes the greatest truth can be best expressed in the simplest way. For example, the saying, "My God is so high you can't get over him." That's pretty high.

The Bible also tells us that God has no beginning and has no end. I can't begin to perceive that. Can you? There is no analogy I can come up with that makes it totally clear.

Another thing the Bible tells us is that God is love. Not that love is just one of his many attributes, but that he is love. All that God is and does is love!

In other words, when God creates, he creates in love. And also, it's for us to know that when God judges, he judges in love.

We're not used to that kind of love. Maybe that's because most of us put limits on our love, restricting it just to those who love us. We usually want something in return for the things we give, but God isn't like that. He loves us even when we don't love him.

God's love is expressed through his grace. No matter how well behaved we try to be, none of us deserve God's favor. And yet God loves us anyway, and nothing we have done, or can do will take us beyond his loving reach.

The apostle John wrote these encouraging words:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)

That's a love "so high you can't get over it." Or around it. Or away from it.

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## Home Keys

The ability to type was once a very useful thing to know. Being a good typist opened up many job opportunities. But today, it is not even an option. We depend so much on computers that being able to use a keyboard has become absolutely essential.

I learned to type back in the days before computers and word processing. I sat in front of an old IBM Selectric and laboriously pecked away without being allowed to look at the keyboard, until the movements became instinctive.

The important thing is to start by putting your fingers on what are called the "home keys" of the keyboard. These are A, S, D and F on the left side, and J, K, L and semicolon on the right side. If you get that right, with proper training, your fingers will naturally move to the other keys correctly. With perseverance, these movements become instinctive, and you will find yourself typing quickly and accurately.

But sometimes, when I was learning to type, I didn't get my fingers on the right home keys. When that happened, even though I made all the right moves with my fingers, what I typed was absolute gibberish.

Guess what? That can also happen when you try to understand the Bible. There are certain basic principles that act as a starting point. Once you get those principles right, the contents of this big book [the Bible] begin to come clear. But, if you get those biblical "home keys" wrong, your understanding also gets distorted.

This is what happened to some of the religious leaders of Jesus' day. Many were deeply sincere and dedicated students of the Scriptures. They wanted to know what the Scriptures meant, and they wanted to do the right things to please God. But, because they had gotten their fingers on the wrong home keys, so to speak, they ended up rejecting the very One the Scriptures were about.

Jesus explains in John 5:39-40: "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, but you refuse to come to me to have life."

But even Christians can get the scriptural message all mixed up. Some see the Bible as the key to becoming healthy or wealthy. Some think it's their tool for predicting the immediate future. Some use it to condemn people they don't like or as justification of their oppression on others. Some use the Bible to create a soul-strangling religion of rules rather than listening to its proclamation of the good news, grace for lost sinners.

That's the trouble with getting your fingers on the wrong home keys. You can think you are making progress when all you are doing is producing gibberish. With a keyboard, the home keys are non-negotiable. You must use them if you want to type accurately. As the Second Epistle to Timothy says, the Bible is there to "make us wise about salvation" [2 Tim. 3:15], and it does that by telling the good news of who Jesus Christ is for us, and who we are in him.

Get that right, and the rest will fall into place.

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## Homeless Jesus

Last year a small church in North Carolina placed a statue of Jesus out in front of their building. The only problem was that it portrayed Jesus as a vagrant sleeping on a park bench. While the installation has spurred a variety of reactions from a lot of different groups, I think it highlights one of the central aspects of what Christ's incarnation is really about.

Let me explain...

Over the centuries, artists have depicted Jesus in a variety of ways. Early Christians painted him as a humble shepherd leading his flock, while later generations enthroned Christ in a position of power on the clouds as transcendent Lord and Savior over all creation—having the whole world in his hands. Now, modern artists have painted our Lord with more ethnically accurate features based on digital DNA recreation. All of these expressions of Christ are part of a complex mosaic that reflects our human perception of who God is.

More often than not, we like to cast Jesus based on our own experiences. We shape him to reflect certain aspects of change that we would like to see in our community. Prophet, best friend, healing physician – he was all of these things and much more. Here, the artist has created the image of a homeless Jesus to remind us of Christ's words to his disciples:

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40)

What I find so interesting about this statue is how it does turn our image of Christ upside down. We remember him as the King of Kings, the Son of God who performed miracles and dazzled the learned religious leaders of his time. But we also need to remember that he was born in a humble stable, worked with his father in his family's carpenter shop and probably helped his mother make breakfast. He dwelt among us, suffered with us, and I'm sure, on at least one occasion, was forced to sleep under a tree just like any common vagrant. But that truth isn't anything we should shy away from. Instead, like this statue, it serves as a way of reminding us that Christ came among us to bring forgiveness and redemption to all – from the greatest leader to the very "least of these."

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## Honest to God

Have you ever seen the cartoon of a little boy kneeling beside his bed, with a paper bag over his head? "I'll tell you what I did," he confesses to God. "But I am not going to let you see who I am."

To some extent we are all like that, aren't we? Each of us has wrapped ourselves in layers of emotional camouflage, to cover up our fears, our insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. And often this camouflage becomes who we are, to the point that we can no longer see what we are really like.

Well, you can get away with it for a while, but sooner or later you will be exposed. I heard a story about a high school band that may or may not actually be true, but it helps illustrate the point. Just a few days before the spring concert, the director became sick and a substitute was brought in. Being new, he didn't know the students.

On the day of the concert, one of the trombone players approached his friend, and asked, "Hey Joe, fill in for me on the trombone at the concert. I've got a big date that night."

The friend protested, "What? I can't play the trombone. I've never touched one in my life."

"That's no problem, Just watch the other trombone players. Do what they do. Nobody will ever know."

So Joe reluctantly agreed.

The night of the concert came, and Joe put on his friend's band uniform and carried the trombone to the stage with the other trombonists and band members. He carefully watched the others, and picked up his instrument when they picked up theirs. When the other trombonists seemed to extend their slides, Joe extended his. He began to relax – he was getting away with it.

But to his horror, he noticed that later in the program there was a piece of music that called for all four trombones to play a brief trombone quartet.

When that part came, the substitute director pointed his baton toward them. Joe rose with the other trombonists. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he raised his instruments to his lips simultaneously with the others. All four took a breath and with a united motion pulled their sliding trombones in a gesture that indicated proud harmony.

But not a sound came forth. It turned out that all four were filling in for friends who were trombonists. They were all pretending and not one of them knew how to play.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us: "The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

We don't have to pretend with God. He already knows us inside and out, and loves us anyway. As the following verses in Hebrews 4 go on to say: "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

That's why Jesus came – to put us into a right relationship with God and each other.

We can't hide anything from God, and we don't need to. He knows our problems, and he's on our side. When he saved us, he knew exactly what he was doing.

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## Honoring Mothers

A man once told me, "I don't like being told to go see my mother on some humanly contrived holiday."

I tried to explain to him that while he might not like the idea of a contrived holiday, he should think about how his poor mother feels when all her friends are relating their stories of the things their children did with them on Mother's Day, and she can only feel alone and left out.

It isn't flowers and brunches our mothers want. Those are just symbols of something far more important – the precious gift of children who care enough to share their time.

Did you know that one of the last things Jesus did on the cross was ask a friend to look after his mother?

We find the story in John 19:25-27:

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, "Woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The "disciple whom Jesus loved," a person referred to only in the Gospel of John, was of course none other than John himself. As a close and dear friend, he was Jesus' choice to see that his mother would not fall destitute with no one to provide for her.

Of course, you might be thinking, "You don't know my mother. Believe me, she's no Mary. How can I honor a woman like her?"

No mother is perfect, and few mothers are what their children would call ideal. But whatever their flaws and shortcomings, most mothers do love their children in a profoundly deep and unconditional way. And such unconditional love is rare in today's world. But it's there, and wherever you see it, it's a reflection of the unconditional love our heavenly Father has for us.

More than 40 countries have an annual celebration of motherhood. In the United States, Mother's Day owes its origins to the work of Ana Jarvis of Grafton, West Virginia. Her letter-writing campaign eventually resulted in President Woodrow Wilson's 1914 proclamation of a national observance of mothers, to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.

For all its commercialism, Mothers Day is a good thing. This year, why not let your mother know how special she really is?

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## How Do I Pray?

A friend of mine volunteered at a camp for kids with special needs. While some of the campers were in wheelchairs or needed help getting from one activity to the other, almost all of them struggled to express themselves in a way that we'd be used to. This became apparent during a time of devotional study when one of the boys was asked to lead a prayer. This camper really wanted to do a great job. But as he started to pray, my friend leaned in, trying hard to understand the words being said.

That's when he had a breakthrough.

Even though he couldn't figure out what the young man was praying for, he realized that God understood and cherished every single word this camper was praying. God knew exactly what this young man was going through. For God, it didn't matter what order the words were in. All that mattered was the camper's heart. My friend could tell right away that that was in the right place.

As President for GCI, I end up receiving a lot of emails from people asking me questions, sharing their favorite sermons, or just "checking in." One of the questions I get most is: "What's the correct way to pray?"

I can understand how sometimes we can get caught up in the idea that we have to do something for our prayers to be heard. But deep down inside, we know that's just not true.

There really isn't a "right way" to pray. Of course, we have a few examples in Scripture – David's prayer for guidance, Paul's prayer for believers, and (of course) the Lord's Prayer. While these and many more are great signposts that point us in the right direction, at the end of the day, prayer is a personal way of talking to God. I think what matters most is that we approach the throne of grace humbly, with a heart devoted to seeking God's will – and a spirit of willingness to join in the redemptive work already happening around us. I think that as we do that, our prayers will be headed in the right direction.

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## Hugs From God

I miss the days when I would come home from work and my kids were waiting to run up and throw their arms around me. Sometimes I would come home mid-day just to get one of those heart-warming embraces. Even though my kids are much older now, I still love it when they hug me, especially when the embrace is spontaneous and seems to serve no other purpose than to let me know that I'm loved and appreciated. I can say without a doubt, that the best Father's Day gift I've ever received were hugs and kisses from my children.

One of my favorite parables demonstrates the power of a hug quite well. In Luke 15 we read about the Prodigal Son. After taking his inheritance and losing it, the son in this story decides to return home and offers to be his father's servant. But the father recognizes his son coming down the road and runs to him. He then throws his arms around his son's neck and kisses him. This is an embrace the son will never forget. That hug told him he was forgiven, he was loved and he was included in the family.

Jesus told us this story so we could understand God's love for us. The author of the book of Hebrews reminds us to "approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). This sounds very much like walking up to God and receiving a hug of assurance.

While I am far from being a perfect father, I take great comfort in knowing that God is the perfect Father. And not just perfect, but infinitely perfect. Even though I can't always sense when a hug is needed, our Father who designed us to be in relationship, knows when we need encouragement, affirmation and comfort. And just like hugs make love real in a way that words alone may not be able to do, God reaches out to us in all kinds of ways to show us his love.

On Father's Day weekend, know your Father in heaven loves you and is hugging you.

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## Images

What do you see when you look in the mirror? The apostle Paul tells us that what we see in the mirror is not what we really are – we see only a poor reflection of ourselves. But God, on the other hand, sees us perfectly – and very differently from the way we see ourselves.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul explains it in these words: "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

God knows us as we really are, as he has actually made us to be in Jesus Christ. But we have only an inkling of that – a poor reflection as in a mirror.

In Colossians 3:1-4, Paul goes further. He says,

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

When you look in the mirror, you probably don't see the new you that is seated with Christ – sitting at the right hand of the Father. You see the struggling sinner that you know you are. But Paul says that we have died and _have been_ raised with Christ, past tense, and that this new life we have in Christ is, for now, hidden. But when Christ appears, then we will appear with him as we really are, the way he has already made us to be in him.

This means that it is not up to us to get salvation, or even to get righteous or moral, or better. Throughout the New Testament, Paul admonishes us to behave righteously _because we already are_ in Christ. He never tells us to behave righteously in order to get Christ to accept us. Jesus Christ died for us while were still sinners, Paul says in Romans 5:6. We were reconciled to God while we were still his _enemies,_ he adds in verse 10.

To this end, the Holy Spirit works in us, leading us into the new life of love that God has given us in Christ — not to help us "measure up" or somehow "attain" salvation, but rather to help us learn how to be the new person that God has already made us to be in Christ. We are a new creation — already seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father.

So the next time you look in the mirror, take a moment to think about how God sees you. He sees you as his beloved child — forgiven, clean, reconciled and made new in Jesus Christ.

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## I Am a Rock

During the 1960s, Simon and Garfunkel came out with the song, "I Am a Rock." The lyrics went like this: "I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain, its laughter and its love I disdain. I am a rock, I am an island."

While most would disagree with the idea of not needing friendship or love, there is, in the Christian world, the idea, "All I need is Jesus." But is this really true?

God did not create us to be Christians in isolation. God is a relational being, and he made us in his image. So we were created for relationship and to live and work in community. The Bible uses several metaphors to make this clear.

Paul reminds us we are all part of one body. "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!'" (1 Corinthians 12:21). Then he goes on to say in verse 27, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." Each of us is placed into the body of Christ, making up a whole.

In another passage Paul asked the Corinthians, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own" (1 Corinthians 6:19). The "you" here is plural, and "the temple" is singular. Paul is saying, "All of you together are a singular temple for the Holy Spirit." God doesn't have millions of little temples running around, he has one temple – the body. Together we make the dwelling for the Holy Spirit.

And in 1 Peter 2:5, Peter calls believers "living stones" who "are being built together into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood." Again, the emphasis is not on the parts, but on the one spiritual house.

God has not called us to be rocks or islands. He has called us to be members of one body – Jesus Christ – who is _the_ rock.

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## I Am the Truth

Have you ever had to describe someone you know, and struggled to find the right words? I certainly have, and I know I'm not alone. We all have those friends or acquaintances who defy easy description. But Jesus wasn't like that. He was always clear and bold in his answers to the question, "Who are you?" One of my favorites is this answer he gives in John: "Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6 NLT).

This is what separates Jesus from every other leader of every other faith. Other leaders have said, "I'm looking for the truth" or "I'm teaching the truth" or "I point to the truth" or "I'm a prophet of truth." Jesus comes and says, "I am the truth. Truth is not a principle, or a vague idea. Truth is a person, and that person is me."

Here's the interesting part. A claim like that forces us to choose: if we believe Jesus, then we must believe everything he says. But if we don't, then it's all worthless, because if someone who claims to actually be the truth is wrong, then so is everything they've ever said. There's no watering it down. Either Jesus is the Truth, or he isn't.

That's why it's so wonderful to know that he is. Because knowing the truth means trusting and living by what he says next: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32 NLT). Paul reminds us again in Galatians, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1).

To know Christ is to know the truth that in him, we are free. Free from the judgment of our sin, and free to love others with the same radical love that he himself showed every day of his life here on earth. Free to hope in his sovereign rule and reign over all of history and all of creation.

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## The Impact of Obedience

Donald Carter was ordering dinner at a fast-food restaurant when he noticed that the young woman taking his order looked exhausted. He asked her if anything was wrong, and she told him she was working double shifts to pay for nursing school. However, it was clear from the desperation in her voice that it was a real struggle. So Donald decided to do something about it. He created a GoFundMe page, and within a few days people from around the world had raised the $7,000 that she needed. What stood out to me about this story was the impact a single act of kindness can have in the world. Because of Donald's generosity, this young woman's career as a nurse will positively affect the lives of thousands of patients in the years ahead.

As followers of Christ, we're commanded to obey him, though the results of our obedience are in God's hands, not ours. And that's a good thing, because God often works through our simple acts of obedience to bring abundance and incredible blessing to the world, all according to his good purpose.

The story of the loaves and fishes in the Gospel of Matthew illustrates this truth brilliantly. When Jesus asked his disciples for the food they had, they obeyed, probably with a lot of confusion. Five loaves of bread and two fish doesn't sound like enough to feed them! But they obeyed anyway, and the results were abundantly more than they could have ever expected! Matthew tells us, "They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children" (Matthew 14:20-21 NIV).

This overwhelming abundance is a clear example of the type of blessing God often brings about from the simple acts of obedience he asks of us. Sometimes it might be as small as a one-time donation to a worthy cause, or maybe an extra night of volunteering. And sometimes, it might be as simple as starting a GoFundMe page for a waiter who dreams of becoming a nurse. But whatever it is, when his Spirit prompts us to obey, we should do so with the faith that our God can bring abundant blessing through it, no matter how big or small the act.

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## In Christ

If you study the Bible regularly, you can become so familiar with its language that you don't stop and ask "But what does that mean?"

Take, for example, the simple phrase – "in Christ." You'll read that many, many times in the New Testament. Sometimes the meaning of 'in' is obvious, such as when we are exhorted to have faith "in Christ." That meaning is clear, because we are familiar with the idea of having faith or confidence "in" something.

But in other places, the use of that little word "in" is not so obvious. Look at Ephesians chapter 2:13 for example, Paul wrote, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

What does "in" mean in that context? How can you be "in" Christ Jesus?

Here is an analogy that helps me understand. One of my very good friends in England is a member of several very exclusive clubs. And when I say exclusive – I do mean exclusive. Membership is a rare privilege. These clubs do not just allow anyone in. You have to be proposed, and if even one existing member decides that you do not belong, you are not accepted.

On occasion, I've been invited to dine with him at one of these clubs, but I can't just walk in. A door attendant meets me, and unless I mention my friend's name, I am politely, but firmly refused entry. I am not one of the "in" crowd, and I must stay out. But of course, once I do mention my friend's name, I am accepted as a temporary member of the "in" crowd.

I will never be a member of these clubs in my own right. However, we are members of an even more prestigious club. That is what Paul is telling us in Ephesians 2:13. This message would have rung loudly to the Gentiles, who lived in Ephesus, to whom Paul was writing. They were considered to be unclean and separated from God by the religious "in" crowd of their time.

In his earthly ministry, Jesus totally undermined that idea. He made a point of including all who were not a part of the "in" crowd – Gentiles, tax collectors, slaves, women, lepers – he accepted any and all who were outcasts. That was hard for self-righteous religious people of the time to accept – and it still is.

Jesus was a member of the most exclusive club of all – the fellowship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, he came to open up the way for all of us to be included in that fellowship – to be allowed to participate in the life of the kingdom of God, and to share in God's own purposes, priorities and work.

No human being should ever worry about being left out of that "in" crowd. Jesus has "included" us, and invites us to join him in his kingdom – now and forever.

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## The Incarnation: All About Love

Jesus once told his disciples, "By this shall all people know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." It is no wonder that love should be the central focus of everything related to our Christian faith. After all, as John tells us in 1 John 4:8, God _is_ love. God is not only the origin and source of love; he has woven love tightly into the fabric of the universe. In a very real sense, as the song lyrics say, love _does_ make the world go 'round, and human life is all about God's love _for_ us and God's love _in_ us.

God's love _for_ us is supremely demonstrated by what we call the Incarnation, that is, in the Son of God becoming human to make us his own brothers and sisters. Our salvation springs from the Father's ever-faithful love and power. It is proven through Jesus Christ, the only name under heaven by which humans can be saved, and it is ministered to us abundantly by the Holy Spirit.

God's love _in_ us makes us a new creation. When the Father and the Son live in us through the Spirit, we love others. In Christ, we are freed from fear, from pride, and from the hatred that conspire to prevent us from enjoying the life of God. When we are in Christ, we are free to love others the way God loves us.

Jesus did not come just to forgiven our sins; he came to heal our sinful nature and make a new creation of us. He doesn't force us to accept his love, but because he loves us so dearly, his earnest desire is that we turn to him and find true life.

Jesus was born, lived, died, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father's right hand as Lord and Savior and Mediator, having purified the sins of humanity. But he did not stop being human. He is still fully God and fully human. He is our advocate, our representative, standing in for us and substituting for us at the Father's right hand. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:4-6, "For there is only one God, and only one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people..."

God has declared in Christ that you belong to him; that you are included; that you matter. Our salvation comes through the perfect will of the Father, who is unswervingly committed to including us in the joy and fellowship he shares with the Son and Spirit.

When you are in Christ, you are included in the fellowship and joy of the life of the Triune God. It means the Father receives you and has fellowship with you, as he does with Jesus. It means that the love that God once and for all demonstrated in the incarnation of Jesus Christ is no less than the love the Father has always had for you — and always will.

That's why the Christian life is all about love.

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## Incognito Royalty

Passengers on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines may be surprised to know that on any number of flights over the past few decades, they were flying with royalty. And I don't mean squeezing into a seat alongside them. In this case, this royal was in the cockpit, flying the plane. For the past 21 years, King Willem-Alexander has flown for KLM as a co-pilot, completing at least two flights each month. According to him, he was rarely recognized. After all, no one expects a king to be flying their plane. They expect him to be ruling his kingdom.

I think there's an interesting similarity here to our own expectations of our King, Jesus. Because the Gospels focus mainly on his three years of earthly ministry, it's easy to forget that for the first 30 years of his life our Lord worked as a carpenter. Carpentry isn't very glamorous work and it requires an incredible amount of patience and discipline. It must have been a struggle. But the writer of Hebrews tells us, "We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin" (Hebrews 4:15 NIV).

It isn't hard to imagine there were times where, after feeling the frustration of making a mistake while building something, Jesus was tempted to give in to that frustration and let it boil over into anger. Yet, as Hebrews says, he did not sin. While remaining King of the universe, Christ lived a human life, with all of its pain and shortcomings, and yet redeemed it by never giving in to temptation. This is why the next verse from that same passage in Hebrews is this: "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16 NIV).

As much as we might expect kings to be remote and inaccessible, our King Jesus is anything but. He lived here on earth, among us, experiencing the same things we do. So when we pray, asking for Christ's involvement or his mercy in our lives, we can do so knowing that everything we are feeling, thinking, and dreaming, from the smallest foible to the wildest ambition, is falling on the ears of someone who has been there, right where we are, living out those same things. He did it that so that we might share in his overcoming of temptation. We can now take part in his joyful obedience, which arose out of his faith in the Father. This fellowship with him is possible all by the Holy Spirit ministering to us and in us. Jesus Christ, God with us and one of us, is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

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## Independence Day

Every July, for the last 238 years, we Americans have celebrated Independence Day with fireworks and barbecues. We love spending time with our family and friends, playing games together and remembering the blessing of freedom. But while the concept of independence is one that we love and cherish here in the United States, we also know that freedom is not exclusively an American ideal.

Let me explain...

GCI is an international denomination made up of churches in over 50 countries around the world. We're part of a mosaic made up of citizens from many different governments and territories. But because of our shared faith, we are also part of another kingdom – the kingdom of God. Through Christ, we have all become the adopted sons and daughters of God, and by him we have access to a great and unending freedom.

Before the time of the Messiah, mankind lived under the heavy yoke of the law. For every sin committed, people would have to make an atoning sacrifice at the temple. God was separate from humanity – hidden behind a veil, deep within the Holy of Holies. But when Christ freely took on the sins of mankind and chose to atone for our sins on the cross, everything changed.

In his death and resurrection, all who chose to follow him were given a new identity and freedom in Christ. In his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul writes: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).

I know that our Independence Day might not hold the same significance to many of our brothers and sisters who don't experience the same freedom we have here in America. But I know that for me, this day serves as a reminder that all of us have been set free from the darkness of slavery to sin through our Lord Jesus Christ. And that's something to truly celebrate.

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## Independence Day (2)

Every 4th of July, Americans across this great nation of ours gather together in backyards, parks and beaches to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But as soon as the sun sets, we all turn our eyes to the night sky, because that's where the real show takes place.

I'm talking about the fireworks, of course. I've seen some great firework shows in my day. And what always amazes me about them is how each blast is able to turn darkness into light. Every spark works together to transform night into day. It was this metaphor of light transforming darkness that got me thinking.

Do you remember the opening passage in the Gospel of John? It goes like this:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of man. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, ESV)

That last verse is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Just like the fireworks on a 4th of July, Christ burst onto the scene in the middle of the night, and the light of his life transformed our darkness. In him, our pathway back to a loving relationship with God was illuminated.

This 4th of July, I pray that while those fireworks are lighting up the sky, we'll be reminded of the transformational incarnation of Christ. And unlike the fireworks that fade away after only a few seconds, our Lord's light is eternal.

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## Independence Day (3)

Almost two and half centuries ago, on July 4, 1776, our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. In the preamble, Thomas Jefferson enumerated three inalienable rights given to mankind by their Creator – "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Since then, Americans (and people all over the world) have struggled to define that last right – "the pursuit of happiness." What does it mean? If you look around at advertisements and media, we're bombarded with products and trinkets that are guaranteed to make us happy. But countless studies have shown that simply "consuming" things and experiences won't bring lasting happiness. So what gives?

Recently _Star Wars_ creator George Lucas attempted to wrestle with this very question. While speaking at an event, he explained that happiness is really made up of two different experiences: joy and pleasure. He defined pleasure as something that was fleeting, self-centered and focused solely on what a person can consume. He went on to say that pleasure alone was like a drug. You always needed a higher dose to achieve the same level of "happiness." But joy is different. Lucas said that: "Joy is compassion. Joy is giving yourself to someone else or something else... it's much more powerful than pleasure... And if you pursue joy, you will find everlasting happiness."

In general terms, Lucas isn't far from the kingdom, to echo Jesus. Identifying the serious limits and liabilities of pursuing pleasure is a message our society needs to hear. Joy is far more than what pleasure can deliver. But we need more than that. Notice Lucas doesn't give us any clues as to the nature of a self-giving that would lead to joy. But I think I might be able to pick up where he left off. You see, biblical revelation, providentially, gives us a fuller picture. Jesus himself tells us to seek first the kingdom of God, the kingdom over which he is king. He directs us to give ourselves to him and to his particular kind of self-giving. The rest of the New Testament fills out many of the details of what this looks like in real life.

To be sure, those seeking first the kingdom are not called to seek fulfillment by consuming things of this earth, nor to try to find our identity or happiness in the latest car or video game. Instead, Christ has called us to a better, more full and rich life—a life under the gracious management of the Lord Jesus Christ, which leads to faith, hope and love, and a life under the direction of his Word and Spirit, which leads to joy, peace and purpose in him. We have been set free from dependence on the things of this world in order to love and serve him and one another in gladness and singleness of heart. On Independence Day, both here and abroad, I pray that as we're exercising our God-given right to pursue happiness, we'll remember that in Christ our lives are bound up with him. It is only through pursuing him that we will find joy everlasting.

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## Independence Day 2017

I enjoy living in America, especially because of the freedoms we have in residing here. If you've ever been to my office you've probably seen this – [Joe motions to a life-size cutout of John Wayne].

I'm a big fan of John Wayne. He's an iron-jawed icon of American manhood. He was someone who transcended his time to become a legend and a symbol of freedom. He wasn't perfect, since he was the rugged individualist who rarely apologized because it might be interpreted as a sign of weakness. But to most of the world, John Wayne was the embodiment of America. By the time the 1970s rolled around, Duke felt that the nation around him was changing. Many of the things that he thought made America great were being forgotten. So he went into the studio and recorded this album.

It has a simple title – _America: Why I Love Her._ When you listen to it now, it can come off as a little sappy. But it's fun to hear the Duke calling it like he sees it. Here's a line from the back of the album – "I know most of you feel the same as I do about our country. Now and then we gripe about some of her imperfections, but sometimes that's good. Especially if it gets us working together to make things better. It seems to me we often take too much for granted, and have a tendency to forget "The Good Things About America."

"My hope and prayer is that everyone know and love our country for what she really is and what she stands for. May we nurture her strengths and strengthen her weaknesses so that she will be the "Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave." – John Wayne, _America: Why I Love Her._

I know it can feel like there are a lot of differences that separate us today in America. But there is still a lot of good left to give, especially as we follow the lead of Jesus in our lives. That's what John Wayne was writing about. So this Independence Day, as you see the American flag flying and the fireworks exploding in the air, I hope you'll remember Duke's words: "May we nurture her strengths and strengthen her weaknesses so that she will be the 'Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.'"

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## Intercessory Prayer

Most of us have had those times in our prayer lives when we aren't quite sure how to pray for a difficult situation.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote: "How can I pray? My mind wanders: I chatter like a crane; I roar like a beast in pain; I moan in the brokenness of my heart, but oh, my God, I know not what it is my inmost spirit needs; or if I know it, I know not how to frame my petition aright before thee."

It reminds me of the story of a little girl who got lost in a cornfield. The farmer heard her voice and found her talking and crying incessantly. As he approached her, he said, "Don't cry... I'll take you home!" The little girl looked up at him and smiled and then gave him a big hug and said, "I knew you would come, I was just waiting for you!"

The farmer said: "Waiting for me? What made you think I was coming?"

"I was praying you would come," she said.

"Praying? When I first heard you, you were saying A-B-C-D-E-F-G...what was that for?"

"I don't know how to pray. So I just prayed the alphabet and let God put the letters together for me."

The apostle Paul assures us God does just this.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Next time you are struggling with what to say in a difficult situation, trust the Holy Spirit to pray for you.

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## Into the Light

Have you ever noticed that it's easier to sleep when you're in the dark? That's true in both the physical and the spiritual realms. Even if you're in a lighted room, if you put on a blindfold so that the light doesn't make it to your eyelids, you're more likely to sleep.

In John 3:19-21, Jesus says:

Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.

It's easy to keep blinders on if we don't want to face our evil deeds. But even though we might be wearing a spiritual blindfold and hoping our deeds won't be exposed, there's really no place to be except in the light. That's because Jesus, the Light of the world, has already shined in the darkness and all our deeds are already exposed.

The interesting thing about light is, it does its work with or without us.

We can reject it, but it's still there. We can pretend we're in the darkness; we can live like we're in the darkness; we can even believe we're in the darkness, but wherever there is light, the darkness cannot withstand it. Light always wins over darkness.

Spiritually speaking, it's the same. We can walk in the darkness, but only in our own minds, because as John 1:5 says, the Light already shines in the darkness, and that Light is Jesus Christ.

When Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, and Jesus blazed with an intense, otherworldly light; Peter, James and John were terrified. Still, as the story in Matthew 17:1-3, says, Peter spoke up and suggested that he and his friends make three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But Moses and Elijah weren't there to stay. They represented the Law and the Prophets. But Jesus brought grace and truth. He was the Light that shines in the darkness.

The Light exposes all things; it cleanses and purifies all things. If you want to wake someone up, either from spiritual or physical sleep, flood the room with light. It might take a while to rouse the sleeper, but eventually light will win over darkness.

Here's the bottom line: We can't make or generate light ourselves. Jesus is the light, and he gives it freely to us. All we can do is open our eyes and walk in it. It's everywhere. That's how grace works.

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## Invitation to Mission

The subject of mission and outreach has sometimes been a source of passionate disagreement among Christian believers. Some Christians believe that they should focus all mission efforts locally. Others believe mission should have more of an international focus. Despite the disagreement, however, most would agree that mission is all about joining Jesus in his work of sharing God's love and life with others.

Most of us have found that if we want a job done right, we ought to do it ourselves. Yet when it comes to sharing his love with the world, God invites us to participate with him. And as we do, we can share in his joy of seeing others realize that God loves them, wants them and includes them. We can share in the excitement of people seeing the truth of who God is for them and who they are in him. And we can, as Jesus lives in us, give his encouragement, comfort and hope to others as we are able.

God doesn't need our help, of course, but he shares all of this with us as part of his love. In fact, in our weakness, we often do a poor job of making Jesus known, but the Holy Spirit is with us, and the real job of mission is done by God in spite of our shortcomings. Our imperfection should motivate us all the more, because in our brokenness we can feel the pain and need of others for the love, peace and rest of the gospel.

We don't have to look far to see where we reach out as the feet and hands of Jesus. We live in a world full of hurt, and therefore a world full of opportunities to show the kindness of God to others. God doesn't have to create special mission opportunities for us. By the very nature of this broken life, both the church and the world around us continually provide those opportunities. I believe this was what Paul was alluding to in Galatians 6:10 when he wrote, "as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially those who are of the household of faith."

Mission, then, is life. Wherever we go, everywhere we look, there are people in need. We can't do everything for everyone, and sometimes we're the ones who need someone else's kindness ourselves. But as we are able, as Jesus gives us strength and opportunity, the Holy Spirit will stand with us as we extend God's love to others.

Our service in Jesus might manifest itself in a variety of ways. Our focus might be specifically on a need within the local community. For others, it might mean being involved in an international mission. And for some, it might mean a bit of both. The point is, there is plenty to do for everyone.

It's always exciting to go where we see the need and where God opens the doors. There is no greater joy than the joy of extending kindness and good news to others. That's the way God is, and it's the way he made us.

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## Is God a Butterfingers?

Pastors have their hands full with the job of trying to motivate congregants to do good things. It's a tough job, and you can't blame pastors for sometimes being tempted to use the guilt trip angle to get people moving.

But some guilt trips are worse than others, and one of the worst is the unscriptural idea that some people are in hell precisely because you didn't get the gospel to them before they died. You might know someone who feels miserable and guilty about failing to present the gospel to someone who died, or maybe you feel that way yourself.

I am reminded of a college friend whose Christian youth leader told a group of teens a morbid story about how he met a person and talked to him, and felt an urge to present the gospel to him, but then didn't actually do it during their conversation. Then he learned that the man died, hit by a car, later that same day.

"That man is in hell right now suffering indescribable agony," he told the group. And then after a dramatic pause, he threw in, " _and all that's on my head_ _!_ " He told them how he suffers nightmares about it, how he lies in bed sobbing over the horrible truth that because of him, this poor wretch will suffer the torments of fiery hell forever.

The sad truth is that some Christian leaders routinely use stories like this to try to get people to do more witnessing. On one hand, they know and teach that God so loved the world that he sent _Jesus_ to save it, but on the other hand, they seem to believe that God sends people to hell based on _our_ incompetence at getting the gospel to them.

It's a form of what we call "cognitive dissonance" – believing two contradictory things at the same time. They believe in God's power and love with one part of their mind, but at the same time they act as through God's hands are tied to save people if _we_ fail to get to them in time.

Jesus said in John 6:40: "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."

Salvation is God's job, and the Father, the Son and the Spirit are really good at it. We're blessed to take part in that good work, but as we ought to realize, God often works in spite of us.

So if you're carrying a burden of guilt about someone _you_ didn't get the gospel to before he or she died, why not hand that burden over to Jesus? God is not a butterfingers. Nobody slips through his fingers, and nobody goes to hell because of you.

Our God is good and merciful and strong. And you can trust him to be that way for everybody, not just for you.

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## Is God Mad at Haiti?

The devastating earthquakes in Haiti evoked a massive outpouring of support from around the world. In the face of tragedy, many hearts opened, pouring out the love of God toward those in need. But there are others who use tragedy as an opportunity to condemn the victims.

For example, some think God deliberately sent the earthquakes to punish Haiti for its sins. The same kind of thinking led many Christian leaders to say that the disastrous Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was God's punishment on unbelievers and that the terrorist attacks on the United States on 9/11/2001 were God's punishment on abortionists, gay rights activists and the liberal filmmakers of Hollywood.

One problem with such thinking is that everybody is a sinner. Paul wrote, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." And even if the liberal filmmakers of Hollywood actually were worse sinners than anybody else, they were in Hollywood, not the World Trade Center when the towers fell. If God were trying to punish specific groups of people, why does he seem to have such poor aim? After all, according to the Bible, it is the righteous who seem to do most of the suffering.

Ecclesiastes 8:1, for example, decries the unfairness of life, mourning the fact that the righteous get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked get what the righteous deserve. The book of Psalms offers whole chapters lamenting why the wicked seem to thrive while the righteous suffer. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous," says Psalm 34:19.

Jesus is certainly well acquainted with suffering. The Son of God became a man like us and suffered like us. But suffering will not last forever. God loved the world so much, John 3:16 tells us, that he gave his Son that whoever believes in him would have new life. And verse 17 adds that Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it (see John 3:16-17). If Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, how much less is it our role to condemn the victims of a horrible disaster?

Death is part of life, and just as surely as we live, someday we will die. But the good news is that death is not the end of our story. God didn't make human beings for a life of tragedy and sorrow; he made us for his new creation of wholeness and joy. Lives racked by pain, oppression and deprivation now will be full, complete and whole in the life of the new creation.

Christians hold this hope in faith—faith in the Son of God who in love freely took up our human cause as his own, even to the point of a cruel and horrible death, and then was raised again, not only for himself, but for us.

It is in this hope and love that we extend compassion and help to others, and all the more in times of great need. As we do, we taste the deepest riches of the true life that is yet to come.

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## Is Keeping Christmas a Sin?

In my younger days, I believed that celebrating Christmas was a sin. I wanted to let the Bible guide me in everything I did, and since I couldn't find any command in the Bible to keep Christmas, I concluded that keeping it must be a sin.

Of course, it wasn't very good logic, and it kept me from enjoying one of the most meaningful and joyous celebrations of the year. After all, if we never did anything that isn't specifically commanded in the Bible, we wouldn't have Sunday school, children's church, English language Bibles, printing presses, public address systems, fire alarms or charcoal grills. None of these are specifically commanded in the Bible.

If we avoided everything not specifically commanded in the Bible, we'd have to avoid celebrating Thanksgiving Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, anniversaries, the dedication of a new church building and even memorials for departed members of our congregations.

When I look back on those days, I feel a little silly. I wanted to be faithful to God and to his Word, but I was interpreting it all wrong. The fact that the Bible doesn't command us to celebrate Christmas is not a valid argument against Christmas celebration.

In fact, what is more worthy of celebration than the arrival of our Savior to this world? Through Jesus, Paul wrote in Colossians 1:20, God reconciled the world to himself. It was only fitting that at his birth, people who loved God rejoiced in praise, and even the angels praised God.

In Luke 2:10-14, an angel of God described the birth of Jesus as "good tidings of great joy for all the people.'' The shepherds celebrated at the birth of Jesus. The wise men celebrated. Certainly, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zechariah celebrated. And the host of heaven celebrated. It is certainly in keeping with the message of Scripture for Christians to do so, too.

Of course, following the apostle Paul's instruction in Romans 14, it is important that Christians respect one another's views on this subject and not judge one another. Neither those believers who celebrate the birth of Jesus, nor those who don't, are more righteous or more evil than the other.

But it remains true that those who avoid any celebration of Jesus' birth are unnecessarily missing out on the opportunity to rejoice, give thanks and praise God for the greatest gift of all time.

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## It Isn't Fair

"It's not fair!" If we had a nickel for every time we've heard that said – or said it ourselves – we'd probably be wealthy. Fairness is one commodity that has been in very short supply from the beginning of human history.

Jesus was certainly no stranger to unfairness. When he entered Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion, the crowds were cheering for him and waving palm fronds to honor him him in the traditional manner of an anointed king. We can read the story in John 12:12-15:

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!" Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."

It was a glorious day. But a week later, the crowds were shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" It wasn't fair. He had never done anything to harm anyone. He did not deserve to be killed. But lying witnesses and corrupt officials had turned the crowds against him.

By the time most of us enter kindergarten, we have discovered the sad truth that life isn't always fair. So, as much as we hate it, we do our best to adjust to a life expecting to be deceived, lied to, scammed, or otherwise taken advantage of by self-serving people. And most of us, if we were really honest, would have to admit to being unfair to others a time or two ourselves. But we all have a deep sense that we deserve to be treated fairly, even if we aren't always fair ourselves.

Ironically, the gospel, which is by definition "good news," isn't fair, either. The fact is, we're all sinners, and by definition, we deserve punishment. But God doesn't give us what we deserve; he gives us exactly what we don't deserve – grace.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-11:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Grace isn't fair. With grace, we're getting what we don't deserve, and we're getting it because God loves and cherishes us in spite of our sins. He values us so much that he took our sins on himself, forgiving us and drawing us into fellowship with him and with one another.

It's backwards and upside down from the way we usually look at things. We might have discovered in kindergarten the bad news that life isn't fair. But when we meet Jesus, we find the good news that life isn't fair. He gives us exactly what we don't deserve. He forgives all our sins and gives us eternal life. It isn't fair, but it's the best news we could ever hear.

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## It's a Wonderful Life 1: Prayer

Chances are, you've seen _It's a Wonderful Life._ Since its premiere in 1946, the film has slowly but surely earned a top spot in the hearts of holiday movie fans all around the world (and rightfully so)! This uplifting Christmas tale celebrates the simple blessings that we might often overlook. As I settled in with my wife to watch it this year, I enjoyed discovering a handful of wonderful Christian themes woven into the story — themes like the reality of prayer, the significance of an individual life, and the benefits of living life connected to a community that knows you well.

Over the next few episodes of _Speaking of Life,_ I'll be examining these themes and unpacking how we can apply them to daily life. If you haven't seen the movie in a few years, I'd encourage you to check it out and be open to what the Holy Spirit might be teaching us this holiday season.

From the very start of the movie _It's a Wonderful Life,_ we're acutely aware of the reality of prayer. After the opening credits, the camera hovers over the little town of Bedford Falls, and the soundtrack fills with the voices of people praying for one man in particular, George Bailey. And while it takes the entire movie to learn about George and his troubles, from the very beginning we overhear a pair of angels already trying to figure out how they can help our hero. Later on, after we've spent some time getting to know George and his joys and struggles, we hear him joining the chorus of prayers, confessing that he's "at the end of his rope," asking God to show him the way.

In the next scene, George Bailey's prayers are answered in the form of the funny angel named Clarence Oddbody. And while this vision of how prayer works and is answered might not be biblically accurate, we can appreciate that it does shine a light on something that we know is biblically true: God does hear our prayers the second we offer them up. Even before we speak, he knows what we need, and he's working behind the scenes to perfect us according to his image.

Remember what the angel Michael said to Daniel when he arrived in Babylon:

Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. (Daniel 10:12)

Our heavenly Father has promised to hear our cry and is faithful to respond to our needs. He has given us so many great gifts, the greatest of all being his Son, who took on our humanity to bring us back into right relationship with him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even now, we are told he lives to make intercessions on our behalf. I hope and pray that you will hold onto this simple truth: that our God hears our prayers. He knows what we and those around us need before we even ask.

This Christmas season, let us take this spiritual truth as seriously as our Father does. And, pray without ceasing that Christ, our Triune God, will bring many sons and daughters to glory through us, his humble servants.

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## It's a Wonderful Life 2: Individual Impact

I'd like to continue looking at _It's a Wonderful Life_ and unpack what the film has to say about the impact an individual life can have on the world.

You remember George Bailey, the hero of the movie. He grew up in Bedford Falls, and based on his influence, you might even say he was one of the town pillars – somebody you could always rely on if you were ever in trouble. George knew everybody and everybody knew George.

While he lived a life that he never considered extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination, just by simply living, he managed to positively impact almost every single person in town. However, near the end of the movie, it's George who needs a little help. When Uncle Billy misplaces an $8,000 dollar deposit, George is held personally responsible – and if he can't come up with the missing money, it'll mean some very serious jail time for him.

Out of options, and with the darkness closing around him, George comes to the "realization" that he's worth more to his family dead than alive. He confesses all this to his guardian angel, the loveable Clarence Oddbody.

George finally gets to a place where he wishes that he'd never been born. He wants to throw away one of God's greatest gifts – he wants to end his life. That's when Clarence has an idea that changes everything. Through a supernatural twist, Clarence allows George to see what the world would be like without him in it, and what he experiences is truly terrifying. His family is shattered, his hometown is almost unrecognizable and his friends have been transformed into his enemies.

As he spirals out of control, Clarence reveals the true lesson behind the transformation: That each life is important to God and has a lasting impact on those around him.

For us, as Christians, we know everything can change with a single life. Through the miracle of the incarnation, Christ turned the entire world upside-down. His individual life changed the course of humanity once and for all. With every interaction, with every relationship formed while on his earthly ministry, Jesus impacted the lives of those he touched.

Later, with his death and resurrection, his single life and his single sacrifice, he changed everything again, atoning for our sins and bringing us back into right relationship with the Father. By the end of the movie, George comes to see how valuable his wonderful life really is. It's a lesson we can remember this Christmas season. As we move closer to celebrating our Savior's birth, let's remember that through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can all share in the wonderful and abundant life that he offers us.

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## It's a Wonderful Life 3: Meaningful Community

Last week we talked about the importance God places on each of our lives. To him we are a great creation, and in our fellowship with Christ he is well pleased. This week I'd like to continue our look at _It's a Wonderful Life_ and unpack how George Bailey's life became truly wonderful.

Throughout the film, George dreamed about building skyscrapers and bridges. He wanted to get out of Bedford Falls and change the world around him, but somehow, every time he tried to chase those goals, he hit a wall. After years and years of trying to get out of town, George started to feel like a failure. He had lost sight of the most important lesson we can ever learn: that we're created by God to live in relationship with him and with those around us.

That is what his name means: Emmanuel, God with us. Throughout his ministry, Christ lived among others, joining them in their struggles and triumphs. That's how we're called to live as well – not as solitary, isolated people dedicated to chasing goals that will fade after we're gone. Instead, God wants us to join with him in his redemptive ministry to this world, bringing many sons and daughters to his glory.

As the movie reaches its climax, the community of Bedford Falls gathers around George to help him in his time of need. With every familiar face, we remember how George impacted their life. We see Mr. Martini come forward, the man who George helped move into a beautiful house. We see Mr. Gower, George's first employer, and even brother Harry Bailey, whose life George saved at the very start of the movie.

That's the moment that we realize that George didn't need to build skyscrapers, bridges, or train stations to change the world. He'd impacted the living, breathing community around him just by being him. By his everyday actions, George Bailey made the world a better place.

The movie ends with a close-up on the book Clarence gifted to George. On the title page, Clarence sums up this lesson well: Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.

This Christmas season, I hope you'll join me in celebrating the miracle of God's relationship with us and with his people. I encourage you to invite others to join in this beautiful celebration sharing in the joy of our new life of grace in Christ.

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## It's Okay to Say Goodbye

80 years ago Julio Balde joined the Boy Scouts of America and fell in love with the Scouting life. Whether he was hiking in the wilderness, setting up a camp, or simply undertaking the tasks necessary to earn that next merit badge, Julio always felt at home with his troop. After earning top marks, he transitioned into leadership. And through the years, Julio's troop averaged more than 50 scouts per meeting and fielded an impressive drum corps and color guard unit. Now at the age of 92, Julio is stepping away from Troop 102. But his mentorship to generations of young scouts will never be forgotten.

I know that many of us in full-time ministry know exactly how Julio must feel. We've worked through good times and hard times, and we've seen just how much of an impact our efforts have made on those around us. As many of us are getting older, I know a we're thinking about transitioning out of our leadership roles and beginning to think about passing the baton to the next generation. But that's not always as easy as it sounds.

It can be difficult to think about our lives outside the four walls of our church. Often we can fall into the trap of anchoring our identity in our job. But we know that our true identity is in Christ — and that it isn't really our work that we've been doing all this time. Instead, we've been partnering with God to accomplish his great purpose of spreading the good news of the gospel. We can rest assured, come what may, Christ's work will continue as younger men and women within our denomination are equipped and mentored for the ministry. I'm encouraged by what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to his protégé Timothy:

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV).

I've talked with many of our pastors through the years and seen their dedication to Christ's mission of bringing many sons and daughters into communion with him. As we transition into this new season of mentorship, I pray that those among us with great experience will be able to pass along that wisdom, just like Paul did for Timothy. If we can do that, I know our future in Christ will be brighter than any of us could imagine!

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## Jesus Loves You More Than You Will Know

Anyone who grew up in the 1960s knows who these two are: It's Simon and Garfunkel!

Over a five-year period, they recorded a string of hits that defined a generation. They changed the music industry, and many of their songs are still being played on oldies stations around the world. Just the other day, I turned on the radio and there they were, singing about "Mrs. Robinson." I've probably heard that song a hundred times, but as I listened to it again, it was like I was hearing it with fresh ears.

The chorus goes like this: "And here's to you Mrs. Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know."

It's such a simple statement, but at its core I think there's a truth that we can sometimes forget. As children, we're told that Jesus loves us, and we accept that. But as we grow older and we become more and more aware of our fallen nature, we start to forget that. Instead, we fall prey to the lie that there is a point at which our sin will make God stop loving us.

From our perspective, that idea makes a lot of sense. We all have limits. There are lines that we draw in our relationships – "If you do this, it'll be the end of us." We set our relationships up in contractual or conditional arrangements. But in our covenantal relationship with God, there is nothing that we can do to make him stop loving us. This is because the truth of the matter is that God's nature is love.

That's why I think Simon and Garfunkel's song resonates so much with me. It highlights the truth that God's love for us is so much greater than anything we could ever imagine. He loved us so much that he sent his Son to bring us back into relationship with him and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, seeks to transform us into those who share the character of Christ.

So the next time you're listening to "Mrs. Robinson," remember, our Triune God really does love us more than we will ever know.

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## Johnny Cash and the Captive Audience

I want to tell you about a concert Johnny Cash gave in 1969. It was like any other he'd participated in except for one major difference – this time he wasn't playing in an auditorium filled with kids from the suburbs.

Instead, Cash and his band were locked deep inside the walls of San Quentin Prison, and the audience was made up of some pretty rough guys. But that didn't stop Johnny from giving the performance of a lifetime. He sang hits like "Ring of Fire," "A Boy Named Sue" and "Folsom Prison Blues" – riled up the guards, cussed with the prisoners and even shared the same bad-tasting water the inmates drank!

But near the end of the set, Johnny slowed everything down. He turned to the men and started talking about his faith. He didn't quote Bible verses out of context or attempt to shame them into a corner, He didn't moralize or give them a pep talk to hype them up with "optimism" – he just talked from the heart about how God was continuing to transform his life.

What I loved about this concert was the way that Johnny was able to minister to these inmates in a very specific way. He started by bringing them what they wanted to hear – hit songs played fast and loud. He connected with them, sharing his own struggles with drug abuse. Finally, after all that, he unpacked what the gospel had done for him. As far as Cash was concerned, he was living out this verse in Hebrews: "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" (Hebrews 13:3).

Cash performed over 30 prison shows during his career. He felt a real connection with those who had lost their way. But like Christ, he never gave up on them. He always held out hope that God's mercy was strong enough to break through the bondage that held them hostage. I hope that we can have a similar impact by living every second of our lives in complete participation with God.

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## The Joy of Christ

I recently found a video on YouTube of a 78-year-old grandmother riding a roller coaster for the first time in her life. I love how excited she gets as the coaster picks up speed. If there was ever a picture of pure and unfettered joy – this woman's expression is it. I think this is how it's supposed to look when we experience God's grace and mercy in our own lives. Let me explain...

It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you have to do something to get yourself "right with God." Since ancient times, mankind has turned to strict moral codes and works to prove their righteousness. But as Paul says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

The good news is that we're not without hope. Christ has broken our bondage to sin. Our old nature has been put to death with Christ, and for those who accept his gift of salvation, we are resurrected with him. Realizing that truth should fill us with true joy. Listen to how Paul writes about it in Romans: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Christ has already done all the work necessary for our salvation. He has opened the doorway leading back into a right relationship with God. That's the best news we could ever receive! We should be dancing in the streets. Our joy should be overflowing like that grandmother on the roller coaster. It's that expression of joy that will draw others to our merciful Father, who loves us as his own sons and daughters.

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## The Joy of Fulfillment

In 1995, Lena Paahlsson lost her wedding ring while doing some cooking in her kitchen. After months of searching, it appeared the ring was lost forever. But 16 years later, as Lena was working in her garden, she made an incredible discovery: her wedding ring hooked around a small carrot that she just pulled up from the ground! This truly incredible story reminds me that in relationship to God, hope is never truly lost. Why? Because there are no expiration dates on his promises. Even when we might grow frustrated and give up hope, our Triune God never does – his promises always come through, even though their fulfillment might take a little longer than we'd like.

We see this repeated again and again throughout the Bible, in particular with a man named Simeon. Luke describes him as "righteous and devout" (Luke 2:25), and tells us that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that God's promise of a Messiah would be fulfilled before he would die. When Mary and Joseph brought their newborn son to the temple in Jerusalem to be named, Luke tells us --

"Moved by the Spirit, [Simeon] went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus... Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the sight of all nations; a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel"" (Luke 2:27-32).

Israel had waited for many years and many generations for God's Messiah to arrive—hundreds of years. No doubt there were many who, over those centuries wondered if God's promise would ever come true. So imagine the joy Simeon must have felt that day in the temple, seeing Jesus with his own eyes and realizing that after all these years, God had remained faithful to his promise.

Proverbs tells us that, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). It can be difficult to wait for the fulfillment of God's promises in our life. But remember, they have no expiration date, and he is always faithful. So the next time you're getting impatient waiting on God, just remember the joy of Simeon at seeing Jesus in the Temple, and exclaiming that he was ready to die and enter into God's peace or shalom. That very same joy awaits us when we put our trust fully in our triune God to deliver all he has promised, whether in our lifetime or in the future he has reserved for us.

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## Just As You Are

It's summertime again! The dreaded final exams are over, grades are in, school is out and kids are home for the summer.

Exams are a big part of life in high school and in college. A lot hinges on them, and that can make them rather frightening, especially if you haven't studied, or if a teacher is known for being especially hard.

The trouble is, sometimes we transfer our worries about exams to our standing with God. We sometimes think of God as a rigid accountant who keeps a careful tab of everything we do wrong. And we dread the final judgment as the biggest and worst final exam in the world.

But nothing could be farther from the truth. God wants you _saved,_ not condemned! That is why he sent his Son. John 3:17 says, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

You might know the song, "Come Just As You Are." Those words, "come, just as you are," serve as a reminder that God sees everything: our best and our worst, and he loves us anyway. The apostle Paul wrote, "...God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

In her book, _The Rock That Is Higher,_ Madeleine L'Engle relates a story about an English household who had a famous actor to dinner. After the meal, the household custom was for everyone to give a recitation, sing, or offer whatever talent they might have to entertain the others. When it was the actor's turn, he chose to recite the beloved Psalm 23. _The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want._ His rendition was magnificent, and there was much applause.

At the end of the evening, someone noticed the little old great aunt, who had fallen asleep in a corner. Being deaf in her old age, she had missed most of what was going on, but she was urged to get up and recite something. She launched right into the 23rd psalm. When she finished, there was hardly a dry eye in the room. Later, someone approached the famous actor and said, "You recited that psalm absolutely superbly. So why were we so moved by that funny, little old lady?"

The actor replied, "I know the psalm. She knows the shepherd."

Because we know Jesus, we also know the Father. "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father," Jesus said (John 14:9). The Father loves us just like Jesus loves us.

"Come just as you are" means that God does not wait for us to get righteous before he includes us in Christ. He loves us already, despite what we have done, and he will never let us go. Through Christ, he has already removed every obstacle that could separate us from him _before_ we ever believed. All we need to do is trust him and accept his gracious gift of love and a new life in Christ.

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## Just Keep Listening

Have you ever heard of Sam Phillips? Probably not.

How about Elvis Presley? Of course you have. He's the King of Rock 'n' Roll. But without Sam Philips, Elvis would never have gotten his big break. Philips grew up obsessed with recording technology. He believed that the human voice was God's greatest creation, and he wanted to preserve it as much as he could. So he started recording everything he could – funerals, weddings and eventually bands. But his passion didn't pay off immediately. In fact, it was the other way around. After suffering a mental breakdown, he was about to turn his microphones off for good. That's when Elvis walked into his studio. The rest is history...

I know that the road of Christian life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes it can feel like God's got you in a holding pattern. Do you remember the apostle Paul? Many consider him to be one of the most successful church planters in history. Famously, Paul admitted that he faced adversity in his own way, writing about the "thorn in his flesh" that the Lord would not take away. He knew he wasn't perfect, but he didn't let that slow him down. He didn't give up. Instead, he pressed on, writing:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

No matter where we are on our walk with our Lord, we know that Christ has promised to never forsake us. He has taken hold of us at the very root of our being. Because of his grip on me, I take hold of him and count on him to blaze the trail for me, to lead me all the way. He is faithful to walk beside us, one step at a time, or in Sam Phillips's case – one record at a time – to complete his great purpose. All we need to do is never stop listening.

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## Keep Calm and Carry On

We've all seen the famous poster that says "Keep Calm and Carry On." It was released by the British government in 1939 to encourage the city of London during the Nazis' terrifying bombings. Since then it has been repurposed countless times to fit any variety of messages, everything from "Keep Calm and Have A Cookie" to "Keep Calm and Use The Force." Why is this idea so universally resonant? Because human beings are always afraid of something! The fear centers in our brains are a big reason our earliest ancestors survived on a tough and inhospitable planet.

But as Christians, we're told to have a very different response to fear. Just like the citizens of London, we're told to "keep calm." The most frequent command in the Bible is "do not be afraid," and it occurs 70 times in the New International Version.

We live in troubled times, and we might be tempted to think that, in the here and now, there are certainly times when we should be afraid! But listen to what the Psalmist says: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging" (Psalm 46:1-3 NIV).

Later in that same psalm, the author lets us know what God thinks of those big catastrophic-type events. "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God'" (Psalm 46:10 NIV).

In that stillness, we will find the peace that Jesus offers us, peace made available each and every day by the Holy Spirit. Because even when it seems like there's a new reason to be afraid everywhere we look, Jesus encourages us to look instead to him for our peace, and to "Keep Calm and Carry On."

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## Keeping Up With the Old Guys

A few months ago, Bill Del Monte passed away. He was 109 years old. But that's not what caught my attention. Bill was also a one-of-a-kind guy. He was the last surviving San Franciscan who lived through the 1906 earthquake that leveled his city. One could think that after living through that, Bill would have wanted to get as far away from the city as he could. But the opposite is true. Bill stayed with San Francisco, always showing up to the commemorative gathering at Lotta's Fountain before dawn. He was a link to the past, a living reminder of San Francisco's past and re-birth.

Bill's story reminded me of this passage in Proverbs: "Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31).

In this day and age, when so many people are trying to hide their age or try to act younger than they really are, it's good to read a verse like that in Proverbs. Don't get me wrong – I love seeing our younger generation of believers rising up and taking the lead on projects. But that doesn't mean that those of us with gray hair don't have anything to add to the conversation. The wisdom of the old has always been there to guide future generations into the righteous ways of God. In many ways, it's a great responsibility and also a great joy.

See how the Bible puts it in Psalms: "O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come" (Psalm 71:17-18, ESV).

I love the way the Psalmist puts that – "Do not forsake me until I proclaim your might to another generation." We serve a great God, one who has guided us out of darkness and into light. I know that he is faithful to continue his guidance as a new generation of leaders comes of age in our communion. I pray that those of us who have witnessed God's greatness will continue to testify for many years to come.

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## The King Lives

I can still remember the first time I saw Elvis on TV. It was instantly clear why he would go on to be crowned the "King of Rock 'n Roll." But just as quickly as he had taken the world by storm, Elvis had passed away. Years after his untimely death, rumors began to surface – the King was still alive, living down in Mexico with Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin. Recently, I read a poll that stated almost 10% of Americans believe Elvis is still alive! When I heard that, I started thinking about another King. Not the "King of Rock 'n Roll" – but the "King of kings."

In the book of Acts, Luke writes about the 40 days Christ spent with his disciples after the resurrection. "After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).

One of my favorite stories from this time takes place on the Emmaus road. Two disciples were discussing the crucifixion as they traveled from Jerusalem to a small village. Along their way, a mysterious stranger joined them. This traveler entered their discussion, using the scriptures and prophets to explain everything that had happened to Jesus.

When they reached the village, the disciples asked the stranger to share a meal with them. But as they began to break bread, they realized who he was... This stranger was Jesus!

Isn't that a great story? I love it for a couple reasons. First, our risen Lord chose to walk alongside these two disciples, empathizing with their sorrows and sharing a meal. Second, even though he'd already pointed to the Prophets many times before, Jesus took the time to patiently reveal how each passage of Scripture pointed to him as its fulfillment. That's just the type of Lord he is!

While it might be difficult to get an audience with the "King of Rock 'n Roll", for those who seek him, Jesus Christ, the "King of kings," is alive and never more than a prayer away.

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## Kingdom of God

As children, many of us played a game called 20 Questions, and usually the first question would be, "Is it animal, vegetable or mineral?" That was because, in days long ago, the natural world was classified as animal, vegetable, or mineral. As research and microscopic technology advanced, of course, this simple classification changed.

In the 1960s, a five-kingdom classification was proposed for living organisms alone. This classification placed most single-celled organisms into two kingdoms, either the prokaryotic Monera or the eukaryotic Protista. The third kingdom was Fungi, the fourth – Plantae. The fifth kingdom was Animalia. These are the classifications of biological kingdoms on planet earth.

But there is also another kingdom, not of this world. It is the kingdom of God. It is not a kingdom that can be studied with microscopes and calipers. The only way to know about this kingdom is by God's own revelation.

Jesus, who is the perfect revelation of the Father, is the king of this kingdom. And he is like no king of this world. He freely gave himself for the salvation of the world. He was the Creator of all, and he is the Redeemer of all he created. Through the humiliation of suffering and death, he conquered not mere territories and lands, which all belong to him anyway, but he conquered all sin and death.

His kingdom is not defined by lands and laws; it is defined by a relationship – union with Jesus Christ. In Jesus, humanity has been drawn into Jesus' own relationship with the Father.

The apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). In Galatians 6:15 he wrote, "Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation."

In Jesus, all things have been made new. All the pain and sorrow of life: dashed hopes, wrecked relationships, sudden tragedy, injustice, missed opportunities, ruined lives: everything will be made right in the fullness of his kingdom, in the new creation rooted in God's love – a new creation that is waiting for every one of us.

The kingdom of God is about a new you, a new me, and a new world – remade in Jesus Christ by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit. Salvation is not about us finding a way to enter this kingdom, but about trusting the One who has already done everything necessary to secure a place for us in it.

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## Knock Yourself Out

I read an interesting story about a boxer in the 1930s named C.D. "Bigboy" Blalock. Bigboy once took a fight against a boxer from Mississippi whose name has long since been forgotten. In fact, it seems the only reason Bigboy's name is remembered is because of what happened in that one fight.

Now Bigboy was a powerful man with a devastating roundhouse punch. He decided to try his big haymaker against the boxer from Mississippi, but at that very moment his opponent stepped in close.

The crook of Bigboy's elbow caught the man's head, causing Bigboy's massive fist to arc around squarely into his own jaw. Bigboy went down for the count – the only boxer we know of who literally knocked himself out.

Like Bigboy and his big roundhouse punch, some of us make the Christian life far harder than it needs to be. We knock ourselves out instead of trusting God to be our all in all.

We are God's beloved children because Jesus saves sinners, not because we are good at landing powerful punches against sin. We can stop worrying about whether we will "make it." We already have—not because we fought sin long and hard, but because Jesus is our righteousness. In Jesus, and in Jesus alone, God and humanity are one—reconciled. We are sinless only because we stand in Christ, not because of some spiritual right hook we might think we have.

God does not save righteous people. He only saves sinners who trust him. That is the only way you can be counted among the saved: by facing the truth that you are a sinner – no better than any sinner, and then trusting God to save you. Romans 5:8 tells us: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

You cannot be saved by being good. You cannot be saved by avoiding bad. You cannot be saved by being more good than bad. There's no need to knock yourself out – it won't save you. You cannot be saved by anything you do at all. You are saved only one way, by God's grace. The only way you can enter into and enjoy that salvation is by taking God at his word, that is, by believing the good news.

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## Knowing God

It's a crazy thing. We humans are still so messed up that there's nothing we can do about it. Like all the masses of people who have gone before us, we try and try in our puny little ways to straighten out our lives, but the bottom line is that we go right on being messed up, and mixed up.

And before we start to puff out our Christian chests, let's be clear that we believers are no better than anyone else. We sin just about as much after we become believers as we did before – sometimes in different ways from before, but we still sin nevertheless.

And we don't like to admit it. We usually try to pretend that we don't continue to struggle with sin, especially when we're at church or around other believers. Maybe with our closest friends we'll disclose some of our struggles, but most of us, deep down, knowing how messed up we really are, actually worry about whether we're even going to be in the kingdom of God at all.

And that's a shame, because none of us should be worrying about that. To worry about that means that we need to know who God is better than we do – and that we need to know who we are, better than we do.

We need to remember that the very reason God came to us – through Jesus Christ – was to do for us what we can't do for ourselves. We need to remember that Jesus took all of humanity, even you and me, into himself and presents us, in himself, to the Father as perfect in Jesus' own perfection.

We need to remember that God loves us so much that he made us one with Jesus, and he did that in such a way that we can never be outside Jesus. We need to remember that he will never stop loving us and that he will never let us go, even if we refuse his love and plant our feet in hell.

We need to remember that Jesus opened up the life of the Trinity to humanity and drew us into it through the Holy Spirit. That he stood in for us and did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves; that he reconciled us; that he secured our adoption as beloved children of the Father, and that he guaranteed our place in his life and his family.

We need to remember that he made us into a new creation in himself, and that we didn't decide any of it. We didn't earn any of it. We didn't qualify for any of it. It was a gift – God's gift, given to us out of his great kindness, mercy, and love – because he is love.

"I have been crucified with Christ," Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Jesus took our messed-up minds and ways on himself, becoming what we are in order to reconcile us to God. He cleansed us, healed us and sanctified us all. That's why we trust him, and not our faith or our good works, but him and only him – the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

Because of Jesus, and only because of Jesus, we can love God and love others. Remember, it is by grace that Jesus Christ is in us and we are in him.

Indeed, it is "amazing grace," and "how sweet the sound, to save a wretch like me!"

That's what Christmas is all about – knowing God and knowing ourselves. And it's done only in Jesus.

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## Laundry Love

These days there's a lot of discussion about what church ought to look like. Do you have to gather in a cathedral? Can you meet in a high-school gym? Or what about a coffee shop? Where do we draw the line? Well, a group in Ventura has started an outreach ministry that I think will re-define the concept of what "going to church" looks like.

When the 2008 recession hit, many families found it difficult to find the time and money to get their clothes washed. That's when a church in Ventura stepped in. For the last 12 years, they've been raising enough money to "take over" a local Laundromat once a month to wash people's clothes for free.

Isn't that great? They didn't hide behind church doors or lecture everybody about "right" theology. Instead, this church let their faith move them to action. They went out into the community and saw a need. Together, they figured out how to get involved in a way that signaled what Christ was already doing among them. Not only are they serving others as our Lord commanded, but they're also spending time in fellowship with a group of individuals who might not have been reached in a "normal church" setting.

What this ministry reminds me is that church is more than just a building. It's more than a place where you come every Sunday to worship. Church is a living and breathing extension of Christ's ministry. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells his disciples – "Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20). That's what church is to me: two or more believers gathering together in the name of our Savior, building one another up through corporate worship, prayer and studying the Word of God. This can take place in our work or school situations or in any place where we encounter others in our community or neighborhood.

I'm so grateful for those of you within our GCI family who are already modeling this type of missional church. Your updates continually inspire me. I want to encourage all of our churches to open up our doors, to band together in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and, in your own way, to participate in this great thing we call "church." I hope to see you out there!

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## Leading Our Friends to Christ

I have a Twitter account. I don't do any tweeting — I use it to follow a few craft breweries to see when they have new beers available and to "keep up to speed" on what some of our younger, more "tech savvy" pastors are doing. The other day while I was scrolling through my timeline, something popped out at me. It was an illustration of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. Listen to how Mark records this incident:

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven" Mark 2:1-5 (NIV).

Some theologians call the Gospel of Mark the "action gospel" because in it, Christ is always on the move, preforming miracles and casting out demons. But in this passage, it's not Christ who's doing the moving. Mark records that at least four friends of the paralyzed man struggled through the crowd. When they couldn't, they dug through the roof to get their friend an audience with our Lord. With that in mind, the tweet accompanying the illustration made a lot more sense. "It took his friends to get him to see Christ."

That caught me by surprise. What an interesting way to re-think that famous story. We know that it is only Christ who can perform his healing and redemptive work to bring mankind back into right relationship with our Father God. But we also know that as Christians, we have been called to participate with Christ in his work. That doesn't mean that all of us will be like this group of four friends who led someone into relationship with Christ, but we do know that each of us as members of the body of Christ have a part to play.

Some of us are like the sower who plants seeds in the relationships around us. Others are like the gardeners who faithfully water those seeds, and still others may be the ones who, like the friends in the Gospel of Mark, are able to be there with their brothers and sisters as they make a decision to follow Christ. It is Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who brings all creation into relationship with our Lord. In our participating, we, in our own small way, work alongside Christ to bring many sons and daughters to glory.

This has been the case in many of my relationships through the years, and I hope it will be an encouragement to you to know that, in Christ, our evangelism, small or large, is part of his great plan of redemption.

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## Let's Get Logical

Today's aggressive atheists like to point out that God cannot be found through science or conventional logic, or by looking for God in the deep recesses of the universe.

As believers, that doesn't bother us, because we know they're right. God _can't_ be found using those tools. God can only be known through God's own revelation of himself. The proof of God's existence is in the realm of faith, not in the realm of science. And the argument cuts both ways: Since God cannot be measured by scientific instruments, science can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God.

As believers, we have no need to waste time trying to use some kind of scientific method or conventional logic to prove the existence of God. We won't find God that way. If we argue, for example, that God exists because "life demands a life-giver," our argument falls apart when we have to admit that the very thing we're trying to prove, the living God, does not, himself, need a life-giver.

In the same way, to argue that everything has a cause, therefore God is the original or "uncaused" cause, is to simply state the very premise we are trying to prove. In other words, if God himself doesn't need a cause, then the premise that _everything_ has a cause is false, so our "logic" is not logical.

While the study and investigation of the _cosmos_ may enhance our faith, the natural cannot serve as proof of the supernatural. The bottom line is that belief in God is a matter of faith. We don't need to put it into the realm of "provable" things. It's a faith issue. We believe because God has revealed himself to us in the Person of Jesus Christ.

And that's just the point: we don't "find" God at all; God reveals himself to us.

So it should be no surprise that God can't be "found" or "reached" by looking into the physics and logic of the universe. Knowledge of God comes only by God's own revelation of himself, not by our supposed stack of "proofs." The existence of God is held in faith, not in scientific formulas or experiments.

Once we do believe, of course, then we know that God made everything, including, for example, whatever evolutionary processes might be at work in the world.

And if we really do believe, then we don't _have_ to argue about it with atheists from a scientific basis. Such an argument makes no sense, because we already know that we can only know God by _his_ spiritual revelation of himself, not by studying science.

Because we know God can't be proved on scientific or logical grounds, we have no argument with atheists over that; but we do want atheists to know one thing: that God loves them, and by the grace of God we're here for them at whatever point God begins to reveal himself to them. That won't come through science; it will come through the Holy Spirit.

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## Liar Liar

This year, the Czech Academy Awards got a big bump in star power when American comedy legend Jim Carrey showed up unannounced. The crowd erupted in applause as he opened the ceremony with confetti and his signature smile. It was only after the show that the truth came out — it wasn't Jim Carrey at all. Instead, a lookalike had pulled off an elaborate ruse, fooling the producers.

But Hollywood isn't the only place where everyone is not who they seem. In Matthew 5, Jesus warned his followers of the same thing:

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15, NASB)

Christ was offering a warning about a problem that would soon endanger the stability of the early church. Over the first few centuries of its existence, the newly formed faith would face countless battles over its beliefs about everything from the nature of God, to Christ himself, and what it meant to follow him. Heresies like Arianism, Modalism, or Gnosticism were fiercely debated and defeated as the early church leaders fought to establish a firm foundation of doctrine about what they believed, and why.

Now, like the faux-Jim Carrey, these false prophets weren't always obvious. Often they came from within the church itself. While they looked and sounded like Christ-followers, subtle differences in their beliefs about God were more than enough to put them at a dangerous distance from the teachings of Christ.

This is why we believe it's so imperative that every Christian devotes time and energy of their own, both individually and together with their community, to the exploration of what we believe and why. Doctrine forms the bedrock of our faith, and in order to keep that foundation solid, we must dedicate ourselves to deepening and preserving our understanding of it. Only then, along with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will we be able to correctly judge which teachings are true, and which are merely "lookalikes."

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## Light and Glory

In the days when Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, there was a devout old man called Simeon living in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Luke 2:27 tells us that the Spirit led Simeon into the temple courts on the very day that Jesus' parents brought in the infant Jesus to fulfill the requirements of the law of Moses. When Simeon saw the baby, he took it in his arms and praised God, saying:

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

Jesus came not only as the Messiah for the glory of Israel, but also to reveal the Father and his unconditional grace and love to all the people of the world. Isaiah had prophesied it long before:

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6; cf. 42:6-7)

Through Jesus salvation has come to the entire world, to all sinners everywhere, even to all the enemies of God. In Colossians 1:19-20, the apostle Paul wrote:

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

In Christ, we have peace. That's because our salvation isn't up to us. It's not our burden. It's his, and he carries it with ease and with joy because he loves us with a love that will never diminish or end.

He has not brought us to an impossible uphill struggle to prove ourselves worthy. He has given the unconditional grace of a new life. We can rest in him and give him all our burdens—our burdens of sin, our burdens of fear, our burdens of pain, disappointment, confusion and even doubt.

"Trust me," Jesus tells us. "Despite what you see, I am making everything new—even you."

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## Lighthouse Rescue

Jerry Matyiko has one of the most unusual jobs in the world: he rescues lighthouses. How does he do it? By moving them! Using his engineering skills, specialized equipment and some good old-fashioned elbow grease, he's able to save these buildings from destruction. The process is tedious – but it always pays off.

When I read about Jerry's work, I couldn't help but think about how we are called to a similar task. I'm talking about supporting and renewing our existing ministries within the church. Often, it's easy to neglect ministries that have worked well for a long time. We grow so comfortable with how things are done that we can be surprised to learn that maybe everything isn't working as well as we thought: that maybe the whole "building" is in danger of falling off a cliff. That's when the process of revitalization needs to begin.

Sometimes, this means recognizing that a church might need pruning. It could be that the organization as a whole might function in a healthier way with some correction. Other times, it might mean realizing that gathering in one location isn't advantageous, and realizing that maybe God is directing us somewhere else. And sometimes, we might just need to rest. It's easy to burn out when your whole life is lived in the service of others, so it's essential for us as the body of Christ to support one another and allow ourselves the space to rest and renew our passion for ministry.

No matter how we deal with these issues, what's most important to remember is that we do so with passion, wisdom, and a love for future generations. Because just like all those great lighthouses that Jerry rescued, we know that there are many of our churches and ministries that have shone their "light" faithfully for years. With discernment, adjustments and diligence, I know that they can continue to shine, spreading the joy and grace of God's kingdom for many more years to come.

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## Liturgy in Action

Many people who do not come from churches with a liturgical tradition tend to have a rather negative reaction to the idea of liturgy. They associate it with a very formal service, with rigid ritual and prescribed prayers. This kind of worship service can seem contrived and artificial to people who are used to less formal worship styles.

However, if we only consider liturgy in that context, we miss something important. Liturgy is not just something that the "high churches," like Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Christians do. Liturgy, whether we recognize it or not, is something we all do as part of our daily routine, the order or pattern of our lives.

Our English word, liturgy, comes from the Greek words _latreuo_ and _leitourgeo_. In the ancient Greek world, _leitourgeo_ was used to describe a public duty or a service to the state undertaken by a citizen. A _leitourgos_ was "a public servant." Any general service of a public kind could therefore be described as liturgy. Someone who did not accept this public duty was known as an _idiotes_ – an idiot!

In Romans 12:1, Paul wrote, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

The Greek word translated "worship" was _latreuo_ , and his readers would see the connection. As citizens of a community, they did not want to be thought of as idiots, so they accepted their responsibility for public service. In the same way, as Christians they should make themselves available to God for the work of the kingdom.

In Romans 12:2, Paul continues, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

We are to be conformed to Jesus Christ, whose whole life was one of self-giving service to lead others to the true worship of God. He is, then, as the author of Hebrews put it, our _Leitourgos_ , our Great Worship Leader (Hebrews 8:2).

Do you see then how "liturgy" is not just something "religious" that we do in church – it is part of the rhythm of our daily lives. For example, when, in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul admonished Christians to "pray without ceasing," he was not saying that we continually pray and never stop. The Greek word he chose is used outside the New Testament to describe a hacking cough. When you have a hacking cough, you do not cough all the time, but you feel like you are. That is what it means to pray without ceasing. It does not mean to pray without stopping, but we should have an attitude of prayer all the time. We "pray without ceasing" just as we "breathe without ceasing."

The temple in Jerusalem was a very liturgical place in the religious sense, with ceremonies going on all the time. At the dedication, Solomon prayed, "May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place" (2 Chronicles 6:20).

We no longer have a physical temple. Now God's people are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, where acts of sacrifice and service, or liturgy, continue day and night, "without ceasing" as we share God's love and life with those around us.

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## The Living Temple

In stadiums all over the country, Major League baseball teams are fighting for a shot at the World Series trophy. But this year, one of the league's landmark stadiums won't be seeing much action. After 54 years of memories, including several All Star games, Super Bowls and even the Beatles' final concert, San Francisco's Candlestick Park is going to be demolished. It was a favorite for fans and teams, but after all those years, it had simply been outgrown. It was time to move on.

The Israelites experienced something similar. They, too, had a beloved building that was left behind once it was time to move on: of course I'm talking about the Temple. It was a majestic symbol of God's habitation among his people, built to facilitate their connection with him. It stood for the original covenant, handed down to the Israelites through the Law and the Prophets, and carried out in part at the Temple through an intricate system of sacrifices. This system of worship foreshadowed how God would ultimately atone for their sins in the future. In this way Israel could enjoy a relationship with a holy God even before the promise of the covenant was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus spells this out in Matthew:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)

Jesus brought God and humanity together through the incarnation. Divinity and humanity were reconciled and brought into a deep personal communion in him. By the Holy Spirit we can share in that perfect fellowship between God and humanity forged in Jesus through his life, death, resurrection and ascension. He himself has become the one mediator between God and humanity. He did this not just for the chosen nation of Israel, but for all of humanity!

In doing so, he brought to completion _(telos)_ the old covenant. From that day forward we now enjoy access to God through a relationship with Christ. He himself is our meeting place, our temple, and our one true worship leader. Every time and place around the world where the members of his Body, his Church, gather, that truth and reality is made manifest.

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## The Logic of Grace

As rational beings, we humans don't trust things that don't make sense. When we come across something that doesn't seem to add up, we don't like it. We look for alternative explanations and possibilities. If we are going to believe something, we want it to be logical and rational.

Maybe that's why so many have a hard time with the gospel. When we take the gospel for what the Bible says it is, it doesn't make sense. It doesn't add up. The gospel declares that our sins have been forgiven and we have been made new in Christ without our lifting a finger to make it happen.

That isn't logical, so we look for other explanations. We tell ourselves that our sins will be forgiven only if we commit ourselves not to sin any more. We imagine a set of guidelines or rules that we must keep in order for God to apply his forgiveness to us. We try to make sense out of something that doesn't make sense to us.

In Romans 5, verses 8 and 10, we read that God loves us so much that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. But that doesn't add up. Why would God forgive us before we even repent? So we look for other explanations. Romans 5, verse 6 says that Christ died for the ungodly. But that doesn't make sense. Why would God want to forgive ungodly people before they even promise to stop being ungodly? So we look for other explanations. We want to see repentance come before forgiveness.

Ephesians 2, verses 1-10 says that God forgave us while we were still dead in our sins. It even says he made us alive with Christ and seated us with Christ in heavenly places while we were still dead in our sins. Verses 8 and 9 say, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

That makes no sense at all to us. But we can begin to see a pattern emerge. When it comes to God's grace, there is a new kind of logic. The logic of grace goes against the grain of everything that makes sense to us. But it makes sense to God. To God, love is everything, and only his grace generates love in human beings. Only his unconditional forgiveness and healing can raise the dead to life.

But that doesn't make sense. We just cannot imagine how unconditional love, unconditional forgiveness, and unconditional healing, can result in anything but more sin. Why should a person trust and follow Jesus if they've already been forgiven anyway?

Because that's how the logic of grace works. Titus 2:11-14 tells us that it is the grace of God that teaches us to say no to ungodliness. Not punishment. Not force or persuasion. But grace. Who would have guessed such a thing?

So we can simply believe the good news in faith that God loves us unconditionally and that he knows what he is doing, even if it doesn't make sense to us.

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## Long May He Reign

Queen Elizabeth recently became the longest-reigning British monarch ever. While this event might have once called for near-worldwide celebration, it passed largely unnoticed outside of England. Why? Well, over the years the relevance of kings and queens has faded. Most countries now use them as figureheads rather than rulers with any true political power. But this couldn't possibly be more different from the kingship of Christ. Before he was born, the angel declared, "The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:32-33).

Jesus was identified as a king throughout his ministry, and was even mocked as one at his death. Now, when we begin a relationship with him, we acknowledge him as the king of our lives — a precursor to our eternal identity as citizens in the kingdom of heaven. Clearly, we aren't living in the kingdom of heaven just yet. Death and disease, injustice and violence remind us that we live in a fallen world, and it can be easy to forget that Jesus is in control.

But unlike earthly kings, the relevance of his reign is never in question. Just remember that during his time on Earth, Jesus showed us exactly what kind of ruler he is by bringing his kingdom into our world through his miracles and ministry. Unlike other rulers who remain aloof and distant from their subjects, Christ dwelt among us, living and experiencing life alongside us, as one of us. In and through his resurrection, we have a final demonstration of his power over death itself and his victory over evil. Even now, the Holy Spirit continues to testify to the kingship of Christ, pointing countless hearts all around the world to him as our true ruler.

Regardless of how the world views modern-day monarchs, we can be confident in the fact that we serve a God who is no less the king of creation today than he was when he spoke creation into existence eons ago. And it is by our adoption through Christ that we as believers know our true identity – as sons and daughters of our Triune God.

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## Lose the Trinity and What Have You Got?

Noted theologian Karl Rahner once lamented that if you took the doctrine of the Trinity out of modern Christianity, most churches and religious literature would remain unchanged. That's a scary prediction, but it did get me thinking about how important this concept really is.

The doctrine of the Trinity proclaims the mystery that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are fully God and personally distinct from one another. The God of the universe, revealed through the incarnation, is really a communion in which there is a continual giving and receiving of holy love and glory to and from one another. While this doctrine can seem kind of "heady" at first, it's crucial to our understanding of every other core Christian concept – from creation to atonement and redemption.

But this doctrine should also have transformative effects on our daily lives. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we finally go to sleep, our Triune God is calling us into this fellowship. He's not an old man on the mountain who forces us to come to him. Instead, our relational God came down to us – the Father sending the Son, who remained in one being with the Father and Spirit, and took on our flesh to dwell among us. By his atoning sacrifice, the Son has redeemed humanity and brought us back into communion with God. And as the Holy Spirit continues to minister, our heavenly Father calls us to join with him. Accepting this mercy should transform us into living channels of his grace, inviting others into the fellowship and communion of our Triune God.

I know it can be hard to fully understand this doctrine. But I believe that we're called to wrestle with this mystery, continually seeking the face of our Father by our relationship with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. And I can tell you from experience, it's well worth the effort!

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## Lost in Translation

Have you ever seen one of these?

This is an original Edison Phonograph. It's a record player, but instead of playing discs it plays cylinders. You just wind it up and sit back and enjoy the music!

Well, that doesn't sound so great.

You know, when Edison was first trying to sell these things, he got a bunch of journalists together and recorded their voices. But when he played it back, one reporter wrote that he couldn't recognize what he heard. It sounded like someone else talking in the distance. Something had been lost in translation.

Sometimes the way we talk about Christianity can feel like that. The simple message of Christ's redemptive work can get lost in all the jargon. We use theological terms like "immanent Trinity," "economic Trinity," "Perichoresis," and the "Hypostatic Union" to help define certain core beliefs. While this terminology is very important to maturing believers, to someone on the outside, it can sound like we're speaking another language.

But that's not how it's supposed to be.

The good news of the gospel is simple enough that even a child can understand it. It tells us that God already loves you. He knows everything about you – the good and the bad – and he still wants to bring you into relationship with him. The good news of the gospel is that Christ has already done everything to accomplish that – he's paid the price, and we are already redeemed. There's no fine print, nothing we have to do except believe in him and accept his grace. The rest is up to our Lord. He's ready to give us peace and rest. Ready to turn our sorrow into joy. All we have to do is listen... and not let that good news get lost in translation.

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## Love by Any Other Name

As president of Grace Communion International, I hear about many inspiring outreach projects that our congregations are engaged in around the world. Some are simple acts of kindness and service to those in need. Others are quite extensive, with several congregations, sometimes across two or three countries, working together on such projects as providing education for disadvantaged children, vocational training for young adults, and employment support for poor but hardworking families. This is one of the great blessings that comes from being a relatively small, yet very interconnected worldwide denomination.

Christian service and outreach is motivated by God's love, which fills us, and which the Holy Spirit prompts us to share with others. But have you ever wondered about the many examples of genuine and generous love by people who are not Christians, some of whom might not even believe in God? Where does such love come from?

"Let us love one another, for love comes from God," 1 John 4:7 says. A few verses later we're told, "God is love." "Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them," verse 16 continues.

Do you see the implication? Because the Creator _is_ love, it is "hardwired" into the creation, and into every human. This means wherever and whenever we see the expression of love, regardless of the source, we are seeing God's love, because no other kind of love exists. "We love because he first loved us," says 1 John 4:19.

So what is so special about what we call "Christian love"?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-12)

Jesus was pointing to a love that goes far deeper than simply loving those who love us, those who are good to us, those we naturally care about. He was talking about a love that extends to those whom we don't like, and even to those who despise or hate us, who mistreat us, and might be our enemies.

Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:43-47)

This is how God loves us – Christ died for us while we were still God's enemies, Paul tells us in Romans 5:8. God loves his enemies, and it is _that_ love, a love without bounds or conditions, which turns enemies into friends.

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## Love Story

Some of the most powerful words in the Bible are found in the writings of the Old Testament prophets. Sadly, these words are often torn from their original context by modern so-called prophets, and are used to reinforce their own dire warnings about our modern society.

But that's the best way to miss the real message of the ancient prophets, and their message still applies to us today.

Let me show you what I mean. Look at the story of the prophet Hosea. God called Hosea to warn the ancient nation of Israel to turn from their sins and come back to him. To do this, he asked Hosea to make his family a living parable – that would illustrate God's feelings about his chosen people being unfaithful.

He had Hosea marry a common prostitute named Gomer, and this in itself would have raised eyebrows and not gone un-scrutinized – because Hosea was an influential figure. The next chapter tells how Hosea and Gomer had three children, but regardless, Gomer continued to live out her promiscuous lifestyle. She eventually abandoned her family, and as so often happens, her promiscuity left her destitute, a slave at the mercy of whoever wanted to use her.

We would have understood if Hosea had given up on the marriage at this point. His wife seemed incorrigible. But God urged Hosea to find Gomer and buy her back. In ransoming this faithless and ungrateful woman from degradation, Hosea showed Gomer that he still loved and wanted her.

God uses this story as a powerful illustration of how he felt about his chosen people and their behavior towards him. They had consistently rejected and betrayed him, but he still loved them, and ultimately paid the price to get them back.

It serves as the "back story" to this Old Testament book that has many historical details and specific prophecies. But it's a mistake to look through Hosea for clues to help us calculate the date of Jesus' return by comparing it to the events of news today.

The prophecy itself was written for ancient Israel in the 7th century BC, not for us. But the message of God's unconditional faithfulness to an unfaithful people was written for all people in all times.

Through Hosea and Gomer's one-sided relationship, God was showing that even though our love for him is often fickle and treacherous, he never stops loving us. His love is unconditional, no matter how far we sink into sin. He has paid the price to get us back, and make us his own.

The book of Hosea anticipates the good news of the gospel – how in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, God has proven his unconditional and sacrificial love for us all.

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## Magic Eye

This is a Magic Eye picture, and they used to be popular a while back. They're composed of countless tiny images, jumbled together in what looks like completely indecipherable, nonsensical patterns. But if you hold the picture close to your face, and then slowly move it away, the "magic" happens: at just the right distance, with the right focus, you can see a three-dimensional image "popping out" at you. These amazing images are hidden within the bigger picture, using tiny relations between the details to define the true hidden shape.

It's an astonishing effect that proves an equally surprising truth: we don't always see reality with our eyes – sometimes, we have to know it in our minds first. Initially, our eyes don't see the "real" image in a Magic Eye. It's only our mind that's able to pick it up by integrating the pattern that's hidden within the details. Then, only when our mind properly integrates all the myriad details into a whole, do we see the image. Until then, our eyes will see only a flat mass of detail without ever beholding the true image.

The Bible can feel the same way. It's an enormous text, compiled over hundreds of years by dozens of different authors, and it contains 66 books that fall into almost every genre of literature. Without knowing the triune God and having the right theological framework in place, the "real story" that is threaded through those pages can get lost in all the detail.

At the same time, Scripture is one of God's greatest gifts to us, and without it, we would never know God the way we do. For example, if someone here and now who didn't know anything about Scripture were to run into Jesus on the street and hear someone declare about him, as John the Baptist did: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 ESV), what do you think would happen? They'd think this person was crazy!

Without the background of the Old Testament – the story of humanity's creation and fall, the necessity of the Mosaic law and the Passover – John's words don't make sense. Much like the first time looking at a Magic Eye, they might seem like nonsense.

But once you've read the whole story and got the focus right, then your mind can discern the "reality" that was present in those words all the time. This is why developing a scripturally-sound theological framework and focus is essential: without it, the true story of our triune God and his love for us can get lost in the details, and we miss what can be hidden right in front of our eyes.

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## Make a Joyful Noise

The other day, I saw a video of an Uber driver and his passengers singing along with The Weeknd's hit song "I Can't Feel My Face." Every time they pulled up to a red light, the car would start shaking with all the dancing! It looked like a lot of fun, and it reminded me of these Psalms: "Shout for the joy of the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs... Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (Psalm 100:1-4). "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy" (Psalm 47:1).

Isn't that a wonderful way of thinking about our relationship with God? He wants us to engage with him through worship. He's not calling us to sit back and let someone else do the singing – God's calling us to get involved and not be afraid to bring our clapping, our joyful shouting and singing to him. We worship a God who has moved heaven and earth, who became man and conquered death to bring us back into communion with our Father. We've been lifted up out of the dunghill and washed clean by the blood of Christ. We have been renewed by his Spirit and given a share in the Son's resurrection life. And now, as co-heirs with Christ, we are able to call ourselves sons and daughters of God. If that's not something to sing and shout about, I don't know what is!

So the next time you're gathering together and participating in worship, remember what we're singing about: God's ultimate and free atoning grace and the life we have through Christ. We don't have to sit back and be afraid. As we are moved by his Spirit, we can clap our hands, stomp our feet, bang a drum and dance before the Lord like King David, because we know that the Lord has brought a new covenant of grace to the whole world!

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## Making Friends

Have you ever noticed how step-by-step programs for evangelism seem to come and go, much like the latest fads in business and management?

Programs might work for business endeavors, where advertising and manipulation of emotions is crucial to selling a product. But the gospel is not a product; it is a declaration of God's love, and love doesn't come by programs. Love comes in its own way in its own time. It's something you have to live out, not something you can evaluate on a scale of measurable outcomes. Love isn't predictable; it's messy. Sometimes it hurts; sometimes it thrills. But it never sits still long enough to figure it out.

When it comes to evangelism, the main reason most people come to church and keep coming to church is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago—they met people who liked them and accepted them and became their friends. In other words, programs didn't do it—love did it.

In John 13:34-35, we read that Jesus told his disciples: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Imagine for a moment what it would be like if Christians actually were well known for being the kind of people anybody would enjoy having for a friend. Suppose Christians were not thought of as being pushy and judgmental. Suppose they weren't known for well-rehearsed spiels designed to press people into a so-called "decision for Christ." Suppose Christians didn't make friends with non-believers as part of an evangelism program, but simply because faithful friendship is what Jesus Christ is all about.

Peter said we should always be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us. Paul said we should let our conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone. Neither Peter nor Paul said we should press people for a decision. Instead, we are told to live a life of love. We are to make no secret of our faith. But neither are we asked to push it on others.

It's the Holy Spirit who moves people to ask. And it's the Holy Spirit who works in us to give an answer that is "seasoned with salt" and full of "grace." As the apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:1-2, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us..."

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## Making the Unseen Seen

Last year, Dulles Airport hosted a microphotography exhibit that focused on cell imagery that was magnified 50,000 times the normal size. These wall-sized images included everything from the individual hairs that sense movement in the inner ear, to cross-sections of the brain's movement sensors. The exhibit provided a rare and beautiful glimpse into an unseen world, and it reminded me of an integral part of our daily lives as Christians: faith.

In Hebrews, we're told that, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, KJV). Just like those pictures, faith indicates our response to a reality that isn't always directly experienced by our five senses. Faith comes by hearing about the reality of God and, by the Spirit, results in a conviction of its truth. Hearing about God's nature and character as demonstrated in Jesus Christ invites us to place our trust in him and to rely on his promises, even if we haven't yet seen them all come to fruition. By faith in God and his Word to us, love for him is made visible. We become reminders one to another of the hope we have in God's ultimate rule and reign that will overcome evil with good, wipe away every tear and make everything right.

As much as we might know that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, we also know that this day hasn't arrived just yet. None of us has seen God's coming kingdom. So in the meantime, God asks for our faith: faith or trust in his promises, in his goodness, in his justice and in his love for us as his children. It's by faith that we obey him, and thus, it's by faith that we can make the "unseen" kingdom of God, seen.

By trusting God's promises and putting Christ's teachings into action through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, we can become living signs of God's coming rule and reign here and now – simply by what we do, what we say, and how we love those around us.

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## The Master Potter

A few years ago there was a sitcom called "Do Over." The main character had a freak accident that sent him back to his life as a 14-year old, but with all his adult memories intact. The show was about his attempt to right the wrongs of his past.

Over the last 30 years of ministry, I've heard many in their Christian lives wishing they could start over. The good news is that in our spiritual life, we can.

In Jeremiah 18, God orders the prophet to observe a potter shaping clay. As he watches, Jeremiah quickly realizes that whenever the vessel falls apart, the potter doesn't discard it. Instead, he pushes down the clay and starts over again. In the passage God says: "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?... Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand" (Jeremiah 18:6).

God is constantly reshaping us. Our failures don't disgust him or make God want to turn away. No matter what kind of mess we make of our lives, the master potter can always take our clay, remold it and ultimately make us into a beautiful vessel.

Taking this analogy a bit further, we can look at Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). The word _handiwork_ can also be translated "masterpiece."

We all make messes in our lives from time to time. But Scripture tells us to be confident, saying: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

That's good news for all of us.

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## The Masterpiece

I've heard that poetry is "the highest form of human expression." It's been called the "hieroglyphs of the heart" and an expression of "all that is beautiful, painful, real and imagined" – the stuff that makes life worth living. But I wonder if we ever think of God as a poet? The Bible tells us that: "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).

I've always loved that verse. But when I looked at it in the original Greek, something jumped out at me. The Greek word Paul uses here is "poiēma" (ποιημα), translated into English as "workmanship" or "a thing made." In Latin, the word is "poema," which is the root for our word "poem." While it's not exactly a literal translation, with a little imagination, we could read the verse like this – "We are God's 'poem,' created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has 'written' in advance for us to do." It's a small reminder that you and I aren't simply a collection of molecules. Neither are we mechanical tools, cogs in God's cosmic machine, used to simply get things done for God.

To God, each one of us is his poem. We are his masterpieces, his great triumph. And through Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father has written his name on our hearts, making us his beloved sons and daughters. He has done this so that we might grow up as his children, joining him in all his activities. In this way all that we do exhibits a joyful fellowship and communion with him in which we demonstrate more and more the family resemblance to our heavenly Father and Brother.

So the next time you're reading a great poem, stop and take a second to remember that in God's eyes, through Christ, you are the finest verse he has ever composed.

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## The Meaning of Christmas

Even though people around the world celebrate Christmas on December 25, that was probably not the actual day on which Jesus was born. Many scholars believe that Jesus was more likely to have been born in September.

But the Christian celebration of Christmas is not about getting the date right. No one really knows the actual date. The celebration is about the fact that God loved humanity so much that he sent his Son in the flesh as one of us for our salvation.

In Matthew 1:23, the child Jesus is called, "God with us."

In Mark 1:1, Jesus is called the Son of God.

In Luke 2:32, Jesus is called a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to the people of Israel.

In John 1:4, Jesus is called the life that was the light of men.

Christmas is about God's love for us. It is about God's undying commitment to us. It is about God becoming one of us and drawing us into himself. It is about Jesus sharing with us his perfect relationship with the Father, as the Father's beloved Son.

"For God so loved the world," John 3:16-17, tells us, "that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

And Christmas is about hope. John 1:9-13 says,

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:9-13)

May this Christmas season be a wonderful time of joy in which we remember and celebrate what the birth of Jesus Christ means for all the world.

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## The Meaning of the Incarnation

As we celebrate our Savior's birth, I wonder if we ever stop to consider what a great sacrifice Jesus made by becoming one of us? Here is how Paul describes it in his letter to the church at Philippi.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became _human!_ Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. (Philippians 2:5-8, _The Message_ )

When theologians refer to the second person of the Trinity becoming human, they sometimes use the word "incarnation." You've probably heard that word before, although most of us probably wouldn't use it in everyday conversation. But do you know what it really means? No – it doesn't have anything to do with pink flowers, corsages or graduation dances.

Incarnation comes from the word _incarn_ , which rarely gets use today. It's a medical term, used to describe the flesh that grows over a wound, allowing it to recover. Its archaic meaning is to heal, by covering with new flesh.

Do you see then, how incarnation is an ideal word to describe Jesus being born as one of us? It is how God fulfilled the original meaning of _incarn_. The Bible shows how we, the human race, have been mortally wounded by sin, and the wages – or what sin has earned us – is death. So Jesus came in the flesh, and his flesh covers our mortal wound. God comes among us in the form and in the weakness of humanity to bring healing to our weak and wounded bodies.

He did it willingly, but it was a sacrifice. Think about it. He had existed for all eternity as the Lord of Creation. But now he was a helpless baby, unable to talk, to stand. He who had had all power was now dependent on his mother for everything. He got cold, he got hungry, he had his diaper changed. His glorious, divine existence had been exchanged for the comparative squalor of life as a human being.

In his book _Mere Christianity_ , C.S. Lewis described it like this: "The Eternal being who knows everything and who created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside a woman's body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab."

Usually, when we think of Jesus' sacrifice, we think of his crucifixion, which we remember on Good Friday. But the whole experience of becoming human was a great sacrifice. Let us remember that as we celebrate his birth.

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## Memorial Day (1)

Memorial Day was first established near the end of the Civil War to remember the lives of the soldiers who died in the conflict. These men paid the ultimate price to ensure the freedom of not only the millions bound in slavery then, but also the countless millions of unborn generations yet to come. We still remember their sacrifice and the sacrifices of every man and woman who has given their lives to protect our nation.

When I think about Memorial Day, I can't help but think of another man who gave his life so that those in bondage could be free. His name was Jesus Christ. And his mission to this world was simple: break the hold of sin in our life and restore us to communion with our Triune God. When speaking to his disciples, Christ said: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13).

At the cross, Christ would show us how great his love for all humanity really was. He paid the ultimate price for our redemption and reunion with God. But unlike those soldiers who laid down their lives and were entombed, the grave had no hold over our Lord. He rose from the grave and dwelt among us, continuing to demonstrate his great love. This example is what prompted Paul to write:

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55–57)

That victory includes all who died in service to this country. So while we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and our freedom, let's also remember the One who gave us victory over death and truly set us free. That victory and freedom means that all those who have died in service to our country will live again. And that's something we all can remember and rejoice in.

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## Memorial Day (2)

During the second and third centuries A.D., the church would meet in the catacombs and bury the dead in a ritual of remembrance. The term to describe these ancient resting places is _coemeterium_ , from the Greek which translates to "dormitory." This designation stresses the fact that the graves were merely a temporary holding place until Christ's return and the final resurrection. In the Gospel of John Jesus says the following words:

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:40, ESV)

Here in the United States, we take a day to remember our country's armed forces. Memorial Day is distinct from Veteran's Day in that it's exclusively about those who have died while serving. Remembering the fallen fills us with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. It is through this act of remembrance that we maintain a connection with those who have given their lives to protect our freedom.

When we do this, these casualties of war remain present with us even though they have passed on. Isn't it also true how the martyrs of the Bible—everyone from the twelve apostles to Stephen and Paul and beyond—come back fresh and alive when we read the Scripture? Isn't it with joy that we as Christians remember that the death of the body is not the end of existence, but rather a gateway to eternal life, a truer life with the One who created us? That is the greatest encouragement of all: to know that through Christ's life, death and resurrection, we too can share the lifespan of our God.

So on Memorial Day, let's honor our fallen warriors by recollecting their sacrifices, remembering that their deaths kept us safe and alive. But let's also cling to the promises of Jesus, knowing that he has conquered death and shared that victory with those who believe. After all, when we think of what God has done for us, we do not just recall a grave, but an empty grave.

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## Messianic Secret

Jesus once healed a man of leprosy and then strongly warned him not to tell anyone about it. But instead of keeping it secret, the man went right out and began speaking freely, telling everyone who would listen.

Several questions come to mind in this story, but the biggest one is, Why didn't Jesus want the healed leper to tell anyone about his healing? "See that you don't tell this to anyone," Jesus had told him. But the former leper didn't obey Jesus; he immediately started spreading the news. And as a result of this man's disobedience, Mark 1:45 tells us, "Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere."

Today, we want everyone to know about Jesus. But in his own day, Jesus did not want everyone to know about him. Earlier in the chapter, in verse 34, we read that Jesus would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. And in chapter 8, when Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do people say I am?" and Peter replied, "You are the Christ," Jesus responded by warning the disciples not to tell anyone about him.

Why would Jesus want his disciples not to tell anyone about him? Here was the visible, flesh-and-blood Jesus, working miracles and preaching all over the country. What better time for his followers to lead people to him and tell them who he was? But according to Mark, Jesus was very clear, and even stern when he said, "Don't tell anyone who I am."

Jesus knew something that neither the crowds nor his own disciples knew: The Messiah was going to be very different from what they expected. We're told in Mark 11:8-10 that at the end of his ministry, when Jesus entered Jerusalem the week before he was crucified,

many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our Father David! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:8-10)

When people heard that Jesus was the Messiah, they were happy to receive the news. The problem lay in their definitions and expectations. The people expected a king who would rally the people, and with the blessing of God, lead them to victory over their Roman conquerors and restore the kingdom of David in all its glory. Their idea of Messiah was different from God's idea of Messiah. When they heard the term, they misunderstood it, because they had been conditioned to expect something else.

So Jesus did not want his disciples or those he healed to spread the news about him too soon. It was not yet the right time for the people to hear. The right time for the news to be spread was after Jesus had been executed and raised from the dead. Only then could the wonderful truth of Israel's Messiah being the Son of God and Savior of the world begin to be understood for what it was.

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## Mind of Christ

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul encouraged new believers to put on "the mind of Christ." When I read that, I had to stop and ask myself: "What does he mean?" I didn't have to look much further than the next verse. Paul wrote:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7)

During his earthly ministry, Jesus modeled a life of service for his disciples. Whether he was fishing with Peter, handing out lunch to five thousand hungry followers or simply washing the feet of his friends – you could almost always count on finding Jesus putting the needs of others before himself.

It was his freedom found in the knowledge of his heavenly Father serving him that allowed Christ to serve others. And it was this mindset that he wanted to pass on to his disciples.

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:14-15)

As we put on the mind of Christ, secure in our relationship with him as he was secure in his Father's love, we can join him in serving others. We can serve with joy and gladness even if it means getting our hands dirty for the good of the gospel. In this way we can join with Christ as he draws all people into communion with him and the Father by the Spirit.

This week, I'd like to challenge you to live each day with the complete "mind of Christ." He just might surprise you with how he serves you and the freedom you'll find to care for others.

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## Mixed-Up Prayers

For three hours last year, every email sent through a British Internet provider was re-routed to a single account. People started posting their "bounce back" messages on Twitter, wondering why their dinner reservation, business emails, and private digital correspondence were all being sent to somebody named Steve. After some investigation, the company realized that a programming glitch was responsible for the malfunction, and they quickly fixed the problem. However, all these emails inadvertently getting shuffled over to Steve got me thinking.

One of the questions I get from people when they find out I'm a pastor is, "How do I know I'm praying the right way?" It's a great question. While we know that Christ has given us a model for prayer in the Gospels, and other theologians like C.S. Lewis and James Torrance have written thoughtful responses on this subject, one of the things I think we want to stay away from is thinking that if we don't cross our "t's" and dot our "i's," that our prayers are stopped from getting to God. The opposite is true.

Our Father has promised to hear our prayers. We have been told that we should be bold to approach God's throne of grace. Listen to this Psalm: "God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" (Psalm 66:19-20 NIV).

We know that there is only one God and that when we pray, whether we've said the exact right words in the right order, he hears us. There's no glitch it in the system – our prayers are designed to reach God's throne. Jesus, our Great High Priest, lives now to make intercessions for the saints. When we don't have the right words, the Holy Spirit helps translate our prayerful communication. Puritan theologian Richard Sibbes explained it like this: "God can pick sense out of a confused prayer" (The Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes).

God understands us better than we understand ourselves, and he responds to us when we seek him – even in our bumbling words and confused thoughts. For God, in Christ, does not so much answer our prayers, but at a deeper level always answers us as we pray.

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## Mother's Day (1)

It can be said that mothers always have our best interests at heart. They love us and make untold sacrifices for us. The love a mother holds for her child is about as close to unconditional love that we humans can achieve. Of course, no human mother is perfect. But whatever their flaws and shortcomings might be, most mothers do love their children in a profoundly deep and unconditional way. Whether you see it – or receive it – remember that it is a reflection of the unconditional love our heavenly Father has for us.

Although the Bible generally portrays God with masculine imagery, it also uses maternal imagery. In Isaiah 66, verse 13, we are told that God says, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."

And in Luke 13:34 Jesus speaks from a maternal point of view as he laments Jerusalem's rejection of him, "... how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."

One of the last things Jesus did before he died on the cross was ask a friend to look after his mother. The Gospel of John tells the story in chapter 19, verses 25-27: "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, 'Woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."

In spite of his own agony, Jesus was concerned for his mother. He asked his close friend to see that his mother would not left with no one to provide for her. By doing this he set us an example. And let me encourage you to follow his example!

In the United States, as well as other countries, we celebrate Mother's Day. Here in the U.S., we owe its origins to the work of Ana Jarvis. After her own mother died, who she was very close to, she felt there should be a day to celebrate all mothers. In 1914 she organized a letter-writing campaign that resulted in President Woodrow Wilson proclaiming the second Sunday of May to be Mother's Day.

I realize that Mother's Day is not a God-ordained celebration, but 100 years later, for all its commercialism, Mothers' Day is still a good thing. This year, remember to let your mother know how special she really is.

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## Mother's Day (2)

I have seen many different portrayals of mothers on family sitcoms over the years. I remember the "perfect" mom played by June Cleaver in _Leave it to Beaver_. Then there's Claire Huxtable, the "have-it-all" mom from the _The Cosby Show_. Even today, there's the everyday mom, Debra Barone from _Everybody Loves Raymond_.

Television scriptwriters know that if you want a successful family sitcom, the mom had better play a prominent role. And we can find the same thing in the Bible.

Mothers almost always have our best interests at heart. They love us and make untold sacrifices for us. The love of a mother for a child is about as close to unconditional love that we humans can achieve. It is also a beautiful reflection of God's unconditional love for us.

In Isaiah 66, verse 13, God says, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."

And in Luke 13:34 Jesus actually likened himself to a mother hen, as he laments Jerusalem's rejection of him, "How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!"

One of the last things Jesus did before he died on the cross was ask a friend to look after his mother. "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, 'Woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home" (John 19:25-27). In spite of his own agony, Jesus was concerned for his mother. Let me encourage you to follow his example.

Mother's Day, or something like it, is celebrated in many countries around the world. Here in the USA it is [the second Sunday in May]. It isn't an official Christian celebration, but you'd think it was. LifeWay Research conducted a survey of 1000 Protestant pastors and discovered from them that Mother's Day was the third-most-attended church service, after Easter and Christmas.

The role of Mother is one of the greatest gifts God has given to us. Think about how you can show your appreciation – to God – and to your Mom – on Mother's Day.

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## Mother's Day (3)

Mother's Day is a time when we celebrate our moms for all the hard work they've done. We know being a mom isn't easy. It takes a lot of grace, courage and most of all, faith. This Mother's Day, I want to look back at a woman whose great act of faith God used to bless her and us.

After living as slaves in Egypt for over 400 years, the Hebrew population had grown so much that Pharaoh feared an uprising. So he ordered all newborn Hebrew males to be drowned in the Nile.

It was against this turbulent backdrop that Jochebed became pregnant with Moses, the child who would one day lead Israel to the Promised Land. But she didn't know that yet. All Jochebed knew was that she had to protect her baby at all costs. Fearlessly, she gave birth and over the next few months, by faith, hid Moses from Pharaoh's bloodthirsty soldiers.

By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. (Hebrews 11:23)

I like how the writer of Hebrews links Jochebed's faith with her fearlessness. We see it in action again as she placed Moses into the same river where Pharaoh's soldiers had drowned an entire generation of Hebrew children.

But this time, things would be different.

By her faith, Jochebed released Moses into the river. He drifted to Pharaoh's daughter. And through a series of providential events, God returned Moses to his mother. Because of her faith, she is remembered in the Hebrews' Hall of Fame.

This Mother's Day, remember to thank your mom for her faith and tell her she's in your Hall of Fame!

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## Mother's Day (4)

A mother's love is truly one of the strongest forces in the world. I was recently reminded of this when I heard an amazing story about a mother named Debby, whose son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The doctors told her that he would never walk, and discouraged his mother from even letting him crawl.

But Debby refused to believe her child's future would not include the joy of exploring the world around him, and the abundance of new life that it offered. So she took matters into her own hands. Through a process of trial and error, she modified a baby carrier into a standing harness, and fitted a pair of toddler's shoes alongside her own. Once she strapped her son in, this unique technology allowed him to walk upright with her, while leaving his hands free to play and explore as they both took his first steps together.

This story reminded me of another parent, and the lengths he went to for the children that he loved. I'm talking about our heavenly Father and his love for you and me. Seeing us immobilized by our fallen nature, he "strapped himself in" alongside us, taking on our human form and living life amongst his own children. His steps become our steps, leading us by example and through the indwelling of his Holy Spirit into the abundance of new life that he offers through salvation. See how the book of Hebrews puts it:

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV)

The love of our Triune God is not the love of a distant relative. It is the strong, wildly creative love of a parent who refused to let anything stand between us and the joy of exploring the new life he offered. So this Mother's Day, I pray that you would know the blessing of that love as it overflows into all of your relationships.

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## Mother's Day

You've probably heard the old saying, "Behind every great man is a great woman." That statement has never been truer than when you open up the Bible. Whether it was Moses's mother Jochebed, Samuel's mother Hannah or Jesus's mother Mary, you can see how God uses mothers to raise up the next generation of believers. They help us better understand God's covenant love, of his compassion, his discipline, his patience, his longsuffering!

In Timothy, we find an interesting statement that Paul makes about a mother and grandmother while addressing Timothy: "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (2 Timothy 1:5).

Christian moms everywhere should be encouraged by the example of Lois and Eunice, who raised Timothy to be a good man, full of the Holy Spirit. We know that Timothy turned out well, because Paul's letters set him apart as an important minister in the early church. The example of Eunice, Timothy's mother, is even more remarkable when you consider that Timothy's father was Greek, and therefore grew up in a pagan culture. No doubt she must have diligently and deliberately communicated to Timothy the truth of the gospel and life in Christ in what would have been a difficult environment.

Paul acknowledges how God was faithful to Timothy, not only through his own ministry, but also through these women in his own family heritage. Paul wants Timothy to recognize this truth and to count on God to use him to pass on the truth of the gospel to others even when there are obstacles in the way.

This Mother's Day, I want you to think of those remarkable women who have made an impact on you by living out their faith in Christ. Let's especially remember to be thankful for those mothers who remind us of God's grace and faithfulness.

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## Much to Be Thankful For

The Greek-speaking Christians had a word for the Lord's Supper. They called it _Eucharist,_ which means "thanksgiving." And no wonder, because the greatest gift of all is the gift of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus has washed away all our sins and become one with us in such a way that he will never let us go. He has raised us with him in his resurrection and included us in the fellowship he has with the Father.

None of us deserves God's favor, of course, but God loves us anyway. And because he loves us, he does not leave us in our sins. He not only _forgives_ all our sins, but he also lives in us by the Holy Spirit and _transforms us_ into people who do love him and love others. Titus 2:11-14 says,

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Isn't that interesting? It isn't the threat of punishment that teaches us to say _no_ to ungodliness. It isn't fear that motivates us to love God and love others. It's God's grace, his mercy, his love, that bring salvation and teach us to live upright and godly lives.

Notice again how the apostle Paul says it: "For the _grace of God that brings salvation_ has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."

Grace is the starting place. Grace is what brings salvation and what teaches us to live godly lives. God loves us, and he not only saves us, but also transforms us by his Spirit so that we can experience a life of love with him and with our fellow human beings. He doesn't just forgive our sins and then leave us to continue to be slaves to our sinful nature. The Holy Spirit won't allow that.

James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James wants us to know that God is completely dependable and trustworthy, not unpredictable or capricious. In our world of uncertainty and danger, we can always count on God to be good, to love us unfailingly, no matter what else happens, even when we are failing to live as we know we should.

Can there be any greater comfort than to know that God is faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to him? Like the father of the prodigal son, God never gives up on us, and always runs to meet us in joy when he sees us coming down the path toward home.

That's what repentance is all about – coming home, returning to God. We don't repent in order to get God to forgive us. We repent, that is, we turn back to God, because God is our home. And it's there, with the Lord, that we share the Lord's Supper, the _Eucharist,_ with thanksgiving.

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## Mulholland and the Grace of God

If you've ever seen a picture of Los Angeles before 1913, then you know just how dry this city really is. It was a desert, a place where nothing really grew. And until William Mulholland came along, that's all it was ever going to be. But on the morning of November 5, 1913, something happened that changed Los Angeles forever.

By eleven o'clock, 40,000 people had gathered at the base of the newly finished Los Angeles Aqueduct. They had journeyed almost two hours along dusty roads to witness a miracle. A marching band played, a cannon fired, and finally the floodgates opened, unleashing a torrent of crystal-clear water down the channel built into the hillside. As it flowed past the crowd, Mulholland shouted – "There it is! Take it!"

But for me, that same phrase so perfectly represents how I feel about the grace and mercy of our Triune God. You see, for the longest time I lived under a very rigid code of legalism. I tried to hit all the right marks, make sure I ate the right food and showed up to the right holidays. But then, my eyes were opened to the miracle of grace.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no on can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

You see – God's grace is readily available to us. Through Jesus, we have been brought back into communion with God, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The floodgates are open! God's mercy is overwhelming in the best possible way! And just like Mulholland said, "There it is! Take it!" – That's the exact way God's grace is made available to us. It's always new, always flowing – a new source of life that changes us from the ground up forever. All we need to do is turn around and take it!

I know we've had a few draughts over the years here in Los Angeles, but I am so thankful that in Christ, God's mercy is made new every day. There it is. All we need to do is take it!

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## The Mystery of the Pigeon Code

In our modern age of smart bombs and unmanned drones, it may seem hard to believe that once the most effective unmanned flying machine was the humble pigeon. Because these birds could find their way home over long distances, they were used during the World War II as a highly accurate way of carrying coded messages.

Last year, one of these messages was discovered in a canister attached to the leg of a dead pigeon that had become stuck in a chimney. The message, which has 27 five-letter code groups, is said to be impossible to crack without its codebook.

There is something fascinating about messages, isn't there? Some people seem to think the Bible is just as mysterious as the code found in the chimney, containing top-secret information that must somehow be unraveled so the real truth may be known.

Ever since the Scriptures were written, scholars have pored over them, in search of a better understanding of God's will. These studies left them with many unanswered questions. This is what Paul was referring to when he wrote to the church at Colosse that the word of God was to some extent "a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations." However, he says, it is no secret anymore. "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness" (Colossians 1:25-26).

The mystery has been revealed – God has come to us through Jesus. Jesus himself told the biblical scholars of his day, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of me; and you are unwilling to come to me, that you may have life" (John 5:39-40).

Experts may never decipher the mystery of the pigeon code, but with Christ as our key, there's no mystery left in the message of the Bible.

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## Napoleon, Nails, and the Value of "Little Things"

Many people know that Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo. However, what most people don't know is that he lost it because of nails. That's right, nails. You see, an essential element of winning a battle in those days was eliminating your enemy's artillery. To do this, soldiers would drive long nails through the firing holes of their enemy's cannons to render them useless. But at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon's men forgot the nails, and they paid the ultimate price for their mistake.

Whether the outcome is positive or negative, the importance of little things can't be underestimated. When it comes to our spiritual lives in particular, little things can often have big results. Even the smallest foothold for sin can lead to much larger, more far-reaching results. Consider the story of King David: a "little thing," the simple choice to stay at home in the palace while his army was away, led to his disastrous adultery with Bathsheba. The same thing can be true in our lives, too. How many times has something small — an annoyance, a doubt, a miscommunication — taken root and grown into something much bigger over time?

But the reverse is also true. The "little things" of God can also become much bigger over time. Simple habits like prayer, scripture memorization, or even adjusting our attitude in moments of difficulty to more closely reflect the character of Jesus, can – by the grace of God and the ministry of the Spirit – add up over time to deliver a huge difference in our lives. God can use even the smallest of gestures from us to serve as channels of his blessing and reminders of his ultimate redemption. Remember, Jesus started with only twelve disciples!

I want to encourage you this week to look at your life through the lens of the "little things." Are there any "nails" you're forgetting? If there are, don't overlook them, no matter how insignificant they might seem. Give them to God – because we know that in the care of our Lord and Savior, whatever we do, in word or deed, we can do all in a way that God can use for his holy, just and loving purposes in the world.

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## Never Lost

It's one of our worst nightmares. You sit down to work at your computer, but you can't find your file. You are sure you saved it – but where? You frantically look through your directories, but the file has disappeared.

Hoping against hope, you call in a computer expert. They sit down at your machine, and begin to key in commands. The screen starts showing information you have never seen before as they probe deeper and deeper into the memory. And finally they look up and say, "I have good news for you." And, to your intense relief, your lost file is once more displayed. It wasn't lost – it had only been hiding away somewhere in cyberspace.

It is actually quite hard to totally eliminate a file from your computer. Technically, files that are "lost" don't get erased; they're only unlinked. They are still stored somewhere until something else is written over them. Removing a file so that it can never be retrieved again usually requires some conscious effort and deliberate action from a specialized program.

Maybe there's an even worse nightmare than fearing that we've lost an important file in our computer – the fear that maybe God has stopped loving us because of our continued sins.

But there's good news. We can rest assured that such a thing will never happen. Regardless of how we might feel, or what we might fear, God never stops loving us. You will never fall through the cracks, or get swept aside in God's heart.

In Luke 15, Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son to reassure us of God's unfailing love. Even after the selfish son had taken his inheritance and squandered it in sin, his father never stopped loving him. He longed for the day that his son would come home, and when the wretched young man finally did, hoping he might only be treated as a hired servant, he found that his father immediately embraced him in love and honored him as his beloved son.

When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: "Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again." But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, "Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!" And they began to have a wonderful time. (Luke 15:20-24, _The Message_ )

Jesus wanted us to know that God feels that same way about us. We might think we're lost to God, but the truth is that we never are. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:39, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

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## Never Obsolete

Have you ever noticed that your cell phone seems to start malfunctioning right around the time a new model rolls out? This is called "forced obsolescence," and it is the policy of planning or designing a product with an artificially limited useful life, so it will become obsolete after a certain period of time. This is a devious practice, but it is also very effective. It keeps the world clamoring for what is new and next, instead of focused on what works best and longest. While this is easy to see in everything from cars to technology, it has also affected religion as well.

The "old fashioned" religion of previous generations can seem like a bad fit sometimes for today's throw-away society. So we see churches introduce up-to-date programs and hip worship formats to attract members, hoping to stay relevant instead of becoming obsolete. But some worry that catering in this way won't succeed without serious compromises.

I think this challenge is a good thing. Why? First, we don't have to worry. The Christian faith is 2000+ years old, and it's been through much worse challenges than changing music styles and attention spans. And second, I think that the fickle and faddish nature of the current culture doesn't undercut the need for the Christian faith, but actually emphasizes it instead. Jesus promised his disciples that "heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away" (Mark 13:31 NIV).

When Jesus spoke those words in first-century Israel, he already knew that 2,000 years later, humanity would need his love, forgiveness, grace and eternal life just as badly as they did then. He knew that the world would change radically when it came to culture and technology. But he also knew that there was one thing that would never become obsolete: humanity's need for a Savior.

As long as humanity exists in our fallen state, we will always need Christ. We will always need what Christianity has to offer. Styles of worship, sanctuaries, or different preaching can come and go like new models of technology, but as long as the words of God are taught, they will remain as relevant and fresh as ever. God's Word, Living and Written, will always bring renewed life as the Spirit speaks in and through it to bring us back into right relationship with our Triune God.

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## New Birth

Christmas is not just about the birth of Jesus. It's also about new birth for all humanity. Considering the mess we humans manage to make of our lives, who wouldn't want a fresh start? Well, a new beginning, in fact, a new birth, is exactly what Jesus came to give us.

Jesus once told a member of the Jewish high council named Nicodemus, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Nicodemus knew Jesus wasn't speaking literally, so he asked, "How can a man be born when he is old?... Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" (John 3:4).

Jesus explained: "No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (verse 6). Physical life requires a physical birth. Spiritual life requires a spiritual birth.

This new birth Jesus is describing is God's gift to us. In John 3:16-18, Jesus said,

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

When we are "born of the Spirit" we enter a new life, a life in Jesus. It is a life led by the Holy Spirit and in fellowship with the God the Father. If we trust Christ, we have fellowship with him and the Father. But if we do not trust Jesus, then we "stand condemned," as John 3:18 puts it, because we haven't accepted the only rescue that there is – God's own Son.

First John 2:2 tells us that the atoning and reconciling work has already been done, and it already applies to everybody. That means God already loves you before and apart from your ever believing. But God won't force the benefits of that atoning work on anyone who doesn't want them, and a person can't enjoy salvation if he or she doesn't want it or doesn't believe God has given it to them.

But God earnestly wants every person to come to faith. Jesus said in John 6:40, "My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

The Son of God came in the flesh so that we might enter life in the Spirit. Jesus became one of us and took our lives into his so that we can share the joy of his unity and fellowship with the Father. Call it glad tidings of great joy or call it good news. Any way you slice it, it's the gospel truth.

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## A New Thing

At least once a week, Christians meet together for worship. We gather at particular places, at particular times, and we worship in particular ways. But whatever our own place, time and way, the essence of Christian worship is always the same. It's our response, as believers, to what God has done.

In worship, we recall what God has done in the past. We take joy in what he is doing now. And we look forward to what he will yet do in the future. We rehearse, re-enact, participate, proclaim and celebrate. We listen to his Word. We confess, repent and intercede. We praise, rejoice and give thanks!

The ancient Israelites worshipped God as a response to the miraculous things that he had done for them—saving them from Egypt, bringing them into the Promised Land and making them his own people. It was a specific system of worship that God gave them, and it was temporary, designed to last until the coming of the promised Messiah – Jesus.

From the very beginning, God planned to use Jesus to do something amazingly new and transcendent, not just for Israel, but for all people, everywhere. As a result, the worship practices of God's people demanded something new, in response to the new thing God had done.

The content and form of worship is a direct reflection of the fundamental beliefs of God's people. Jesus summarized the essence of Christian belief in Luke 24:44-48:

This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Likewise, Paul recorded the heart of the Christian faith in his letter to the church at Corinth:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

Christian worship centers on the new thing that God has done in his own Son, for the salvation of the whole world. That's what everything written in the Old Testament was for. That's what it pointed to. It is what we are witnesses to, and that's why we worship.

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## New Year

How time flies!

It's another new year already, with all the hopes, possibilities, and opportunities that the future might bring. Many people like to make New Year's resolutions, hoping that this year will be different – better than all the years that have gone before. Of course, most New Year's resolutions are broken before the first week of the new year is over.

Here's a suggestion. Why not try something new this year? Instead of making New Year's resolutions about things not to do or things to do, why not make a resolution to have a guilt-free year? Wouldn't it be nice to go a whole year without any guilt? With no sense of foreboding that God is going to dole out some kind of punishment against you for sins you have committed, whether knowingly or unknowingly?

Well, there's good news. The gospel of Jesus Christ does not simply tell you a set of facts about Jesus; it lets you in on an entirely new kind of life – a life free from a guilty conscience. That's because Jesus Christ has already done absolutely everything necessary for your salvation. He has already forgiven all your sins – past, present and future. He has already presented you perfect and sin-free to God the Father.

Jesus is your righteousness. He is your perfect sacrifice for sin. In him, you are both forgiven of all your sins and made perfect and sinless. Jesus stands in for you in every way before the Father as the perfect Son who has kept all his Father's commandments. He has paid your penalty and he has made you righteous in himself. He both substitutes for you and represents you.

That's why Hebrews 10:22 says that he cleanses you from a guilty conscience.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19-22)

When you put your trust in Jesus, you are placing yourself in the hands of the God who loves you, wants you, and will never let you go. Not only does he cleanse your guilty conscience, he begins to change you from the inside out, transforming you into the person he has already made you to be in Christ.

That's why this could be the best year you've ever had.

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## A New Year, A New Heart

John Bell had a chance to do something most of us will hopefully never be able to do: he held his own heart in his hands. Bell had undergone a successful heart transplant two years earlier, and now, through a program called Heart-to-Heart at Dallas's Baylor University Medical Center, he was able to hold the organ that had kept him alive for 70 years before it was replaced. This amazing story reminded me of another heart transplant: my own. While I haven't undergone a "physical" heart transplant, all of us who follow Christ have experienced a spiritual version of this process. The cruel reality of our sinful nature is that it can only end in spiritual death. The prophet Jeremiah puts it clearly: "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure" (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV).

When faced with the reality of our spiritual "heart condition," it can be hard to have hope. Because on our own, the chance of survival is zero. But amazingly for us, Jesus Christ offers us the only possible chance at spiritual life: a heart transplant at the core of our very being. The apostle Paul refers to this freely given gift of Christ as the regeneration of our humanity, the renewal our human natures, the transformation of our minds and the liberation of our wills.

All this is involved in God's saving work through the eternal Son through the Holy Spirit. Through that all-encompassing salvation, we're offered the miraculous opportunity to exchange our old, dead heart for his new, healthy one — a heart overflowing with his love and everlasting life. Paul says: "Our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him" (Romans 6:6-8 NIV).

God has accomplished a miraculous exchange in Christ so that we might live a new life in him, sharing in his own fellowship and communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. As we enter a new year, let's remember that each day we live is only by the grace and mercy of the One who has called us to him – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

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## Newtown

Words failed me when I first heard about the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Even now, a few days later, it's hard to know what to say.

Sadly, for the last several decades, the numbers of mass shootings in America have escalated. And we ought to note that this is not just an American phenomenon. Such tragedies happen in other countries, and in some tragic places, these incidents have become a daily occurrence.

Every time this happens, the same questions are raised: What about modern-day America provokes such random violence? Is it the decline of traditional morals? The depiction of violence in entertainment? Is it the availability of lethal firepower?

In an exhaustive study of mass murders taking place in the 20th century, Grant Duwe, a criminologist with the Minnesota State Department of Corrections, said the availability of guns was not a factor. Duwe found that the prevalence of mass murders tends to mirror that of homicide. The increase in mass killings during the 1960s was accompanied by a doubling in the overall murder rate after the relatively peaceful 1940s and '50s. It ought to be clear that guns by themselves aren't the problem.

It is people who are mentally unwell and angry, people overcome with evil that kill. Shooters tend to blame society for their failures, sometimes singling out members of a particular ethnic or socio-economic group.

Others point to a lack of adequate mental health care, as well as a glorification of violence. Personally, I would add to this list the devaluation of life. When we depict the universe as purposeless, populated by people whose lives have no real meaning except to feel good, it can trigger a terrible reaction in people who are mentally ill. Ultimately, it is impossible to attribute the rise in mass shootings to any single cause other than just plain evil.

In moments like this, we need to have an eternal perspective, not another political debate. What can we say that will bring some comfort for those who have lost loved ones in this tragic event?

Perhaps we can find comfort in reminding ourselves that this life on earth is not all there is. A life can be temporarily taken away, but let's remember Jesus' promise of an afterlife, a time when all earthly wrongs are made right and God wipes away all tears. I am reminded of Jesus words: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

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## Night and Day

During Jesus's earthly ministry, he attracted a lot of attention from important people. One of the most memorable was Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, the same group of men who, in alliance with the Romans, eventually had Jesus crucified. But Nicodemus had a very different relationship with our Savior – one that totally transformed him. When he first met with Jesus, Nicodemus insisted they do so at night. Why? Because he had a lot to lose by being seen with this man whose teaching stood so strongly at odds with the teachings of his peers. He was ashamed to be seen with him.

But this couldn't be any more different from the Nicodemus we read about just a short time later. The Bible tells us that not only did he defend Jesus to his fellow Sanhedrin members, Nicodemus was also one of the two men who asked Pilate in person to care for the body of Jesus after his death. This difference between Nicodemus before and after he met Christ is the difference between night and day. So what changed? Well, it's the same change that takes place in all of us after we meet and are transformed by a relationship with Jesus.

Just like Nicodemus, before we meet our Savior many of us have put our trust in ourselves for our own spiritual welfare. Unfortunately, as Nicodemus knew, this doesn't quite work out. As fallen human beings, we're incapable of saving ourselves. Thankfully, there's hope. As Jesus told him, "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned..." (John 3:17-18 NIV).

After meeting the Son of God in person and putting his trust in him for eternal life, Nicodemus knew that before God, he stood spotless and pure in Christ. He had nothing to be ashamed of. He had experienced exactly what Jesus told him would happen: "Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God" (John 3:21 NIV).

After we've entered a relationship with Jesus, we exchange trust in our selves for trust in Jesus, who has set us free to live a life of grace. And just like Nicodemus, that difference can be as big as the difference between night and day.

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## No Fear

God is so high you can't get over him;  
So wide you can't get around him;

So low you can't get under him.

Do you happen to remember this traditional Gospel song?

Little children enjoy singing along to it because they can act along with the words. They sing "So high"...and stretch their hands high above their heads; "So wide"... and they spread their arms wide; "So low"...as they crouch down as low as they can.

It's a cute song, fun to sing, and it can teach children an important truth about the being of God. But, as we get older, how many of us really believe that message? A few years ago, _Emerging Trends_ – a publication of the Princeton Religion Research Center – reported that 56 percent of Americans, "with most describing themselves as Christians, say that when they think about their death, they worry 'a great deal' or 'somewhat' that they will 'not be forgiven by God.'"

The report, based on a Gallup Institute survey, goes on to say, "Such findings raise the question of whether Christians in the U.S. have an understanding of the Christian meaning of 'grace' and suggest the need for more effective biblical teaching in Christian churches in this country."

Why is it that we humans, even those of us who profess to be Christians, seem to find the idea of simple grace so impossible to believe? The touchstone of the Protestant Reformation was the biblical teaching that salvation—complete forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God—comes solely and only by God's grace.

Yet, the prevailing view among Christians today seems to be that when all is said and done, salvation depends on what we have done or not done. It is as though a great divine scale will weigh all our good deeds on one side and all our bad deeds on the other side, and our salvation will be determined by which side is heaviest. No wonder we are afraid! Will we find, at that moment of judgment, that our sins have piled up "so high" that even the Father can't see over them, "so wide" that Jesus blood can't cover them, and we have sunk "so low" that the Holy Spirit could not reach us?

The truth is, we don't have to worry about whether God will forgive us – he already has: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us," the Bible tells us in Romans 5:8.

We are judged righteous only because Jesus died for us and rose again. It doesn't depend on the quality of our obedience. It doesn't even depend on the quality of our faith. It is Jesus' faith that matters. All we have to do is trust him and accept his good gift. Jesus said:

All whom the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:37-40, TNIV)

That is God's will for you. You don't have to fear. You don't have to worry. You can accept the gift of God.

Grace, by definition, is undeserved. It is unearned. It is God's free gift of love. It is given to every person who will simply accept it. We need to think of God in a fresh way, the way the Bible actually presents him. God is our Redeemer, not our condemner. He is our Savior, not our destroyer. He is our Friend, not our enemy. God is on our side.

That's the message of the Bible. It's the message of God's grace. The Judge has already done everything that needs to be done to make our salvation secure.

That is the good news that Jesus brought to us. Some versions of that old Gospel song have a last line of the chorus that says, "You gotta come in at the door." But the door is not some obscure opening that only a few can find. In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus told us: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

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## No Free Lunch

"There's no such thing as a free lunch," and "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." These are well-known facts of life that personal experience drills into every one of us again and again. But the Christian gospel runs counter to them. The gospel does sound too good to be true. It does offer a free lunch.

The late Trinitarian theologian Thomas Torrance put it this way:

Jesus Christ died for you precisely because you are sinful and utterly unworthy of him, and has thereby already made you his own before and apart from your ever believing in him. He has bound you to himself by his love in such a way that he will never let you go, for even if you refuse him and damn yourself in hell his love will never cease. ( _The Mediation of Christ,_ page 94).

That definitely sounds too good to be true! Maybe that's why most Christians don't really believe it. Maybe that's why most Christians have the idea that salvation only comes to those who earn it through faith and a moral life.

But the Bible says that God has already given us everything — grace, righteousness, and salvation — through Jesus Christ. We can add nothing to that. Such complete commitment to us, such indescribable love, such unconditional grace, is not something we could ever hope to earn in a thousand lifetimes. All we can do is trust him to be true to his word.

Still, most of us have the idea that the gospel is primarily about getting us to improve our behavior. We think that God only loves those who "straighten up and fly right." But according to the Bible, the gospel isn't about us improving our behavior. 1 John 4:19 tells us that the gospel is about love— not that we love God, but that he loves us.

We all know that love cannot be coerced or forced or enforced by any law or contract. It can only be given freely and freely received. God freely gives it, and he wants us to freely receive it so that we, as Christ lives in us, can then love him and love one another.

1 Corinthians 1:30 says Jesus Christ is our righteousness, our holiness and our redemption. We have no righteousness to offer him. Instead, we trust him to be everything we are powerless to be for ourselves, in our place. It is because he first loved us that we are freed from our selfish hearts to love him and to love one another.

God loved you before you were even born. He loves you even though you are a sinner. He will never stop loving you, even though you fall short of his righteous and godly behavior every day. That is good news — gospel truth.

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## O Holy Night

On Christmas Eve 1906, a former Edison engineer named Reginald Fessenden broadcast the first music ever played on the radio. The song he chose was "Oh Holy Night." He played the opening on his violin, and then sang the rest – though he later admitted his singing wasn't very good.

But good or not, the words of the song rang true:

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Those words describe the incredibly important goal of Christ's ministry: to break mankind free from our bondage to sin and to bring us back into God's freedom through him. This new life was one that only Christ could fulfill. And he offers it to us, breaking the chains of our guilt in a way that religious rules and regulations never could. By his life, death, resurrection and ascension, Christ bought us out of the slavery of sin. Through his precious atonement, he has given us the gift of abundant life with him.

See how Paul phrases it in Romans: "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2, ESV).

We come to Christ with empty hands in order to receive him as our Savior. We welcome the promised gift of his Holy Spirit to unite us to him. And by the transforming power of the Spirit we share in the Son's life and eternal fellowship and communion with God our heavenly Father.

This Christmas, we will celebrate God's grace toward us through the incarnation of his Son. But as you celebrate, remember the greatest gift ever given was the one given to all of humanity: the gift of God's free grace, through Christ. So, from all of us here at Grace Communion International, I want to wish you and yours a very happy and blessed Christmas.

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## O Little Town of Bethlehem

In 1865, a young American minister named Phillips Brooks was traveling in the Holy Land. On Christmas Eve, he arrived in Bethlehem. As the sun set and the stars came out, he passed through a field where, two thousand years earlier, angels alerted the local shepherds to the good news of Christ's birth. Struck by these humble surroundings, Brooks wrote these lines:

We hear the Christmas angels,

The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Immanuel.

Those words make up the closing stanza of Brooks' now-famous Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem." What I love so much about that particular song is the way he speaks to the yearning of mankind for the miracle of the incarnation. You see, the name "Immanuel" is an ancient name for the Messiah and it literally means "God with us."

For thousands of years, God spoke in dramatic and powerful ways – through prophets, earthquakes and from the Holy of Holies in his Temple. But all of that changed when Jesus was born. Now, he related to us in person, as a fellow human being. Think about how incredible that is! The Son of God, who, with the Father and the Spirit, created the entire universe, now inhabited a human body made of bones, muscle, nerves, and skin. The same God who through the eternal Word smashed atoms together and spun galaxies from stardust, now used a human mind and will to lift a hammer and chisel to shape wood – and in doing so, he reshaped human nature itself.

Last week we spoke about how amazing it is to know a God who offers us his grace through a relationship with Jesus. But that relationship wouldn't accomplish as much if it weren't with another human being. That's why Christ came as a man. He came to be "God with us," to share the pain, love, temptation and joy of the human experience, with us – sanctifying and redeeming it all.

So the next time you hear or sing "O little town of Bethlehem," remember that same good news the angels announced so long ago: that we know a God who is with us and for us.

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## Old Trinitarian Doctrine

The other day I came across a story about an extinct palm tree growing from a 2,000-year-old seed. Archeologists found the seed while excavating ruins near the Dead Sea. It sat for another few years in a researcher's desk drawer until finally someone decided to plant it. While this type of palm hasn't grown in Israel since the sixth century, the tree (nicknamed Methuselah by the gardeners) has really taken root.

When I read about that, I started thinking about our belief in the Trinity. You know, the Trinity has been part of Judeo-Christian belief since the beginning. We know from the writings of Paul that indeed God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that these three co-equal and co-personal members of the Godhead are intertwined in a relationship that has been extended to all humanity through our Lord Jesus Christ. All the first summaries of the Church's faith as well as its worship addressed the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. While the formalized wording of the doctrine of the Trinity took a little while to work out (church fathers had to balance two different languages and three different cultures) biblical, orthodox Christianity has officially embraced it since the fourth century.

However, we also know that as time went on, the proper understanding of the Trinity as a central undergirding and transformational doctrine, at least in the modern West, fell into the background – just like the palm seed. But during the 20th century, with efforts by theologians like Barth, Torrance and Rahner, Trinitarian theology went through a renaissance of reexamination and a re-embrace.

Since being replanted, the Methuselah palm has thrived, producing fantastic dates while also seeding a small family of other trees, ensuring that what was once lost will never be forgotten again. I hope we here at GCI can be like that old tree and help others experience God's love and mercy through the transformational understanding of Trinitarian theology.

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## Once Blind, Now I See

There's a painter working in Laguna Beach named Andrew Meyers and he's approaching his art in a totally fresh way. Instead of layering oil paints to produce texture and depth like Van Gogh, Andrew "paints" with thousands of screws. He drills each one into a wood canvas at different levels to create a portrait that's three-dimensional. Unlike the paintings you'll find hanging in a museum, Andrew's work is actually meant to be touched. In fact, he encourages it! I found out about all this when I watched a video of a blind man reaching out and touching his own portrait that Andrew had made. The expression that was on that blind man's face when he saw it was one in a million. It was like he could see himself for the first time.

Many of us move through this life thinking that we know who we are. We think we have a clear view of ourselves. We're fathers or mothers. We're accountants and steel workers. We vote this way or that way. We cheer for the home team on the weekends. But all of these things aren't really who we are. At our most core level of being, we know from Scripture that we are God's beloved. We are his son or his daughter. We are adopted and justified before him through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are his children, and our identity is in Christ Jesus.

I think if I could have had a video made of my face the first time I found that out, I probably would have looked like that blind man reaching out and touching the painting and "seeing" for the first time. Once we know our identity is rooted in Christ alone, there's no going back. Our eyes have been opened and we've finally seen ourselves for the first time.

Paul seems to have thought along these lines expressed here in this passage from his letter to the Ephesians: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people" (Ephesians 1:18 NIV).

I pray that as you're continuing through this life that we'll be able to show others the joy of seeing themselves for the first time in Christ Jesus.

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## Once in a Blue Moon

A friend recently sent me a picture of the 2009 New Year's Eve blue moon he took on his phone camera from his home in Southern California. The moon wasn't actually blue, of course, but it was certainly a rare sight. A blue moon, which is a second full moon in one month, is a rare occurrence in itself, occurring only once every two-and-a-half years.

But a New Year's Eve blue moon occurs only once every 19 years. That's why the expression "once in a blue moon" refers to something that is rare, special, uncommon or strange, but not impossible.

Sometimes our faith can seem like a blue moon, appearing only rarely, then disappearing again. And as a result, we can feel afraid that God has abandoned us.

But salvation is not about the quality of our faith. It is about the power and love of God ministered to us from the Father by Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. It isn't our faith that saves us; it is Jesus who saves us.

In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Going to Jesus for rest is something we can do even when our feelings tell us that God has forsaken us. We can't trust our feelings, but we can trust God.

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:33-35, "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"

It is God's faithfulness that makes us who we are, and God's faithfulness that saves us. It doesn't depend on us; it depends on him. Knowing Jesus is faithful, we can rest in his arms regardless of how faithful or unfaithful we are. How _we_ are doesn't change the truth that God loves us.

Despite our weak and wavering faith, the Faithful One forgives us, cleans us, and works in us through his Spirit to become more like Jesus, even when we feel alone and forsaken.

We won't be sinless this side of heaven. But no matter how many times we fall down, no matter how many times we fail, we can always trust Jesus to pick us up and help us move on. He is and will ever be our faithful Savior, even if we only feel it once in a blue moon.

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## Once in a Lifetime

In late November, American families will converge at airports, brave the holiday traffic and travel halfway across the country to celebrate Thanksgiving with their loved ones. It's a time when we gather together to share our favorite foods, remember all the blessings we've experienced over the last year, and it's an opportunity for us to cheer for our favorite football teams (Go Chargers!)

But this particular holiday season is special...

You may not have realized that this year [2013] Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlap. Because of the differences between the Jewish calendar and our Gregorian calendar, this occurrence is actually a "once in a lifetime event." It won't happen again until 79,043 AD. (By then, I hope to be celebrating Thanksgiving in heaven!) This overlap is actually such a rare occasion that the media has given it a cool name: "Thanksgivukkuh!"

All joking aside, that title got me thinking about the similarities between these two holidays. We all know that William Bradford declared the first Thanksgiving in 1621 as a feast thanking God for the Pilgrims' survival through a harsh winter and the blessing of a bountiful harvest. But what you might not know is that Hanukkah is also a celebration of God's divine intervention.

In 165 BC, after retaking the temple, the Hebrews realized that they only had enough oil to light the menorah for a single night. However, this lamp miraculously burned for a whole eight days! Again, a holiday was declared to commemorate God's singular intervention on behalf of his people...

But unlike Thanksgivukkuh, God's presence in our lives isn't just a "once in a lifetime" event. He has promised to always be with us. In the Gospel of Matthew, just before Jesus ascended into heaven, Christ told his disciples: "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 16:20, NASB). Now that's really something to be thankful for.

This holiday season, we here at GCI headquarters wish you and your family a joy-filled Thanksgiving.

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## One in Christ

Grace Communion International recently held a worldwide conference in Orlando, Florida. More than 1100 members and elders from around the world spent four days together seeing old friends, renewing acquaintances, making new friends and learning more about our faithful heavenly Father and our new life in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

It reminded me that God is in the business of building community – bringing us into a life of communion with himself and one another. That is what the gospel is all about. God is love, and love implies a communion between persons.

As James B. Torrance has written, God has his being in communion – the Father loves the Son in the communion of the Spirit, and the Son loves the Father in the communion of the Spirit – and he has made us to be in communion with himself and with one another in Jesus.

By God's indescribable grace and love, the Son of God became human, one of us, sharing our humanity, to take away our sins and unite us in him with the Father. In Jesus, we are the beloved sons and daughters of the Father in the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Our international conference was a small but blessed reflection of that God-given unity in diversity that characterizes believers. Only in Christ can people from nations, cultures, and races grow together in the love, unity and peace of the Holy Spirit.

During the conference, we were able to interview several of our international mission directors, national directors and others for new segments of _GCI Together_ and for an all-new video program, _GCI Reflections,_ that will explore a wide variety of topics related to the Christian life. [<http://www.gci.org/media/gci-together> and <http://www.gci.org/gcir>]

We plan to begin posting the new program on our website at gci.org in October.

Our guest conference speakers included Dr. Elmer Colyer and Dr. Gary Deddo. You can see their interviews on our _You're Included_ video series available on our website. [<http://www.gci.org/yi>]

Because of the generous support of viewers like you, all our literature, educational resources and video and audio programming are available on our website to anyone, free of charge. Thank you for that support, and for your part in helping us share the good news of Jesus Christ.

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## The Only Clock That Matters

Physicists have engineered the most accurate clock in the universe. It's called the "optical single-ion clock," and it measures time according to the movements of individual ytterbium ions. It's so accurate it won't gain or lose a single second for a few billion years. While this invention is a stunning technological marvel, it's also a sobering reminder of the reality of physical time. We are mortal beings, trapped within finite time, living our lives at the rate of 86,400 seconds every day. Scripture is filled with reminders of this, but it also reminds us that we're created for something beyond mortality: eternity. "'All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.' And this is the word that was preached to you" (1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV).

Long after even that single-ion clock stops ticking, God's word will remain. And his word tells us what our place in eternity will be: life with him, redeemed and set free from all boundaries of physical time. Our life in Christ is one of perpetual invitation to participate in his great redemptive work. That means making the most of the time we've been given. Another way to put it would be a term we like to use here at GCI – stewardship. It means wisely using the talents we've been given to glorify God and forward his mission.

You see, we can either be sobered and intimidated by the reality of time, or we can be inspired by it to live a life that is meaningfully invested in things and activities that will further God's kingdom — like a life that bears fruit for God and is lived out with the meaning and beauty that Christ brought to his own limited physical time here on earth. Remember what the prophet says in Ecclesiastes: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV).

We may not be able to fathom it, but God has beautiful designs and desires for every single one of the 86,400 seconds we get to live out each day. Let's be encouraged to use them wisely, and gratefully, in ways that point to our hope in the coming kingdom of our triune God!

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## Our Divine Heritage

Last year, America's National Park Service celebrated its 100th birthday. Back when Congress created it, its purpose was to protect and preserve the places of wild beauty in America. This mission was originally championed by Teddy Roosevelt, who said, "We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune."

So too, we as Christians receive an incredible spiritual heritage when we become members of the family of God. In Ephesians, Paul tells us, "In [Christ] we have obtained an inheritance... In him you also, when you heard the word of truth... and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:11, 13-14 ESV).

The inheritance Paul is talking about here is the limitless wealth of life in God, secured for us by the saving work of Jesus through his life, death on the cross, resurrection and ascension. Our eternal future is settled, and we are assured that an inheritance beyond our most glorious imagination awaits us in heaven.

But that doesn't mean our heritage is some wistful daydream. Rather, it's a living hope we can count on. And because it is secure already in Christ, it's also a present reality that we can take part in each and every day. How? Part of our heritage is a relationship with the Holy Spirit, who joins us to Jesus. Through the Spirit we can begin to taste the spiritual riches of eternity even in the here and now, and we can act now as we count on God's faithfulness to deliver on his promises.

We can live now in a way that points to what we hope in – that God will, in the end, put everything right. God's kingdom will come and his gracious and good will, will be done in the new heavens and new earth. We will be his glorified children sharing in the same love the Father has for the Son and the Son has for the Father in the Spirit. By that same Spirit, we are renewed, transformed, and empowered to act on the hope we're already assured of in Christ for eternity. Living in hope of such an inheritance from God is a powerful, life-changing process.

As much as I like our national parks, I think I'll take my heritage in Christ over that one any day!

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## Out of the Muck

Eddie Fogarty was driving his bulldozer through a peat field in Ireland when his life changed forever. Without meaning to, his tractor had unearthed an old leather-bound book. Eddie leaped into the muck and started calling for help, realizing that this was an incredible find.

But what had he found?

When the experts finished their examination, they concluded the book was actually a 1200-year-old Psalter, and it's one of the rarest samples ever found to date. For many years, academics assumed the Irish had Christian texts dating far in the past. Now they had proof!

When I first heard this story, I was struck with a sense of irony. One of my favorite Psalms of all time is Psalm 40 verse 2. "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (Psalm 40:2).

This book of Psalms containing this passage about being lifted out of the muck was found buried in a dirty peat bog. And it was a miracle that the elements hadn't destroyed this ancient text. But there is a similar irony in Christ's involvement with us that leads to truly unexpected, even miraculous, results in our lives.

Christ, our King of Kings, is willing to get his hands dirty with our messes. There's nothing too dark in our lives that he cannot work through or redeem. He's not afraid of digging through the muck to meet us where we are. That's why he came to us – to find and perfect his beloved. There's really nothing too difficult, too hopeless or too complicated for Jesus. When we call out for help, he is faithful to answer and ready to join us in our struggle and strong enough to lift us out of the pit. He has come to undo what evil has done and bring us back into communion with our Father as his cleansed, renewed and one day even glorious children.

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## Out on the Edge

The other day I saw an interview with the lead guitarist for U2 – the Edge. He was at his studio doing some guitar tests. While he was tuning up, he talked about the difference between a "showboating" guitarist who tries to steal the spotlight from everyone else and a guy who's just trying to be part of the team. He said he likes to approach his role in the band by taking the latter approach, trying to find places where he can serve best. That got me thinking...

As a culture, we can sometimes reward dynamic leaders who enjoy being the center of attention. I know from experience that these types of "lead guitarists" can be difficult to share the stage with. They have a tendency to hold the spotlight squarely on themselves. But that's not how it's supposed to be. As Christians, we're called to have a servant's heart. See how Paul put it when writing to the church in Philippi:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:3-7).

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus would embody Paul's advice, serving his disciples. On more than one occasion, Christ made an extra effort to direct the attention away from himself and instead placed it on his heavenly Father or the Holy Spirit. In preaching, he told his audience that he was seeking to bring worshippers to the Father and that his Father loves and desired a relationship with them. Even in teaching his disciples to pray, he turned the spotlight on our heavenly Father, revealing to them that the very source and substance of his life was to complete his Father's will and not his own. He was certain of his role and identity as Son of God, and that's why he could serve those around him with joy.

If we can follow his cue and seek to receive from the Father through him, and then turn to serve one another with humility and love, we'll really begin making some great music together!

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## The Patience of God

You might not know who Ray Harryhausen is, but I'm sure you've seen some of his movies. He was the driving creative force behind such films as _Clash of the Titans, Mighty Joe Young_ and _Jason & the Argonauts._ With the magic of stop-motion animation, Harryhausen brought Greek mythology to life, allowed people to fly and always helped the hero defeat the monster.

But stop-motion animation isn't as easy as it looks. In fact, it's a pretty grueling process. It works like this – to create the illusion of movement, an animator must move the limbs of a character a fraction of an inch before snapping a single frame. Then, they make another adjustment and snap another picture. This process repeats until, slowly but surely, the little character moves across the room. As happens from time to time, if the character falls over, the animator will have to back up and start the scene over again.

That image of incremental movement and starting over reminded me of a concept that we sometimes lose sight of: God's patience. We know there are times when all of us fail. And when we sin, we can think that we've let God down one too many times. But that's not what we see in the Bible.

"The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (Psalm 145:8).

The life that Christ has called us into is one of "becoming." We're in motion (even if that motion can seem very, very slow at times). Our life in Christ is one of continuing transformation. I like how Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV).

God's purpose is to perfect the beloved – his children. And while it might feel like we're only moving a fraction of an inch (like those clay characters in the movies), from God's perspective, he is being faithful, committed to seeing us through to the end. He has the ultimate plan for our lives and knows that his will for us has been perfected in Christ our Savior.

So start up the projector! Let's turn on a Harryhausen movie, knowing that with Christ, there's no monster big enough to stop us!

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## Pay What You Want

I was at my favorite coffee shop last week, when I noticed something a little out of the ordinary. It was an old cigar box next to the cash register. Inside, I saw a lot of different things – a few keys, some coins from a couple different countries, and even an old harmonica. As I reached for my wallet the cashier stopped me. He said that the shop had adopted a new payment structure. I could pay whatever I wanted for my drink.

This policy had unleashed a flood of creativity and allowed customers to not just pay for their drinks, but to give little pieces of themselves in the process.

It reminded me of a principle we often talk about in the church: tithing. What struck me is that while we're quick to point to money as the currency of the offering plate, the kingdom of God is much more creative than that. So often, we simply give what's expected instead of giving what we actually value. We reach for our wallets when what God really wants is a tithe from what we truly value most, whether that's our time, our talent, or our possessions.

In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon offers the following advice: "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops" (Proverbs 3:9).

In Hebrew that word "firstfruits" actually meant "the first of the first fruits." In that culture, it specifically related to agriculture, as the ancient Hebrews would offer the best of their yearly crop yield to God as their offering. But today, this principle can take many different forms. There are many different ways to give at your church. What do you have an abundance of?

I want to encourage you to think deeply about what you value and where that might be needed in the kingdom of God. We have so much more to give than money, and when we truly offer God the first of our firstfruits, we don't just bless those around us, we bless him as well.

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## Peace on Mother's Day

For most of us, Mother's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the love between a parent and their children. But for Deborah Cotton, Mother's Day will always be the story of a different kind of love. Deborah is a journalist and longtime advocate for nonviolence and social action who sacrificed years of her career to help disadvantaged neighborhoods in her beloved New Orleans. But on Mother's Day in 2013, that all changed when she was one of 20 people injured in a mass shooting during a parade in the 7th Ward. When two gang members opened fire into the crowd of innocent bystanders, Deborah was hit in the abdomen, and the bullet tore through several vital organs.

30 surgeries later, she survived. But she would forever carry the scars, a reminder of the high cost of her service to her community. She now also faced a choice about what Mother's Day would mean to her moving forward. Would it mean reliving the horrific memory of that day and the pain that came with it? Or would she choose to turn her tragedy into something positive through forgiveness and love?

Amazingly, Deborah chose love. She reached out to the man who shot her and visited him in prison. She wanted to hear his story and understand why he would do something so violent. Since her first visit, Deborah has helped her shooter turn his life around, focusing specifically on his spiritual transformation in relationship to our Triune God.

When I heard about this incredible story, I couldn't help but think of the life-changing love of our own amazing Savior. Like Deborah, he too carries the scars of love: eternal reminders of the high cost of his work to redeem humankind. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that "he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5 NIV).

And the amazing thing? Jesus did this willingly. He knew before his death the pain he was about to enter into. But instead of turning away, the sinless Son of God voluntarily assumed the entire cost to judge and bring to an end all of humanity's sin, to reconcile us to God and deliver us from evil and eternal death. He even prayed for his Father to forgive the very men who were crucifying him! His love truly knows no bounds!

It's heartening to see signs of his reconciling and transforming love spread through the world today by people like Deborah, who chose love over condemnation, forgiveness rather than retribution. This Mother's Day, we can all be inspired by her example as she depended upon and followed Jesus Christ, to go out and do likewise.

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## Peace That Passes Understanding

Did you know Jimmy Carter has been teaching Sunday school in the same church since he was 18 years old? He may be a former U.S. president, but at Maranatha Baptist, he is simply known as "a mighty fine teacher." But in August of 2015, Carter was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer. He was told he had only weeks to live. But that didn't keep him from getting up and teaching one more Sunday school class. Carter brought his A-game to the pulpit, teaching with humor, humility and above all – peace. You see, when you're someone who knows and trusts the God of the Bible, no matter what bad news comes your way, the Lord has promised to give us a peace that passes understanding.

See how Jesus puts it: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

Jimmy Carter's story hasn't ended yet. In fact, something remarkable happened. While teaching Sunday school last December, Jimmy revealed that he was cancer free. A series of immunotherapies had helped erase the lesions in his brain. No doubt these amazing new drugs were key to his recovery, but Christians also know that prayer had something to do with it. We know that ultimately, it's God who gives and takes away. But I think we can say with confidence that, in Jimmy's case, God still has some work for him to do.

While we don't see eye-to-eye on every political issue, I appreciate this man's dedication to his faith and particularly his clinging to Christ in times of trouble. I don't know about you, but from one President to another, I'd like to say thanks, Jimmy, for being a faithful witness to the grace of God available to all of us through Jesus Christ.

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## Peace Through Suffering

Some Christians wrongfully believe that if their faith is strong enough, they will never suffer. But that idea distorts the gospel. Jesus did not promise to airlift us out of life's troubles. Jesus promised that when we suffer, we could experience God's gift of peace. Even when we feel alone, God is right there with us. There's no situation beyond his reach. This assurance allows us to have a peace that passes all understanding.

One of the ways God gives us this peace is by reassuring us that he understands exactly what we're going through. During the incarnation, Jesus experienced fear, pain, suffering and death. Knowing that he was about to be tortured and then crucified, Jesus prayed with great emotion. And on the next day, hanging from the cross, in one of his final tortured breaths, Jesus shared in our despair when he cried out: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).

This anguished cry from the cross tells us that Jesus fully enters into our pain, our suffering and death. Jesus is right by our side throughout all our trials. His assurance isn't just a "get well soon" tweet from the comfort and safety of heaven. He is personally and actively at work here and now – suffering along with us through each heartache.

And he not only meets us in our sufferings but also promises to raise us up with him on the other side. He guarantees that all our sufferings will be made redemptive like Christ's. God has not allowed anything to happen, including the crucifixion of the Son of God, which he will not redeem.

His presence, though invisible, is real. He cries with us; he aches with us. He is so close to us that Paul could say that our suffering somehow is a sharing in Jesus' own suffering. Paul declares that because he shares in our sufferings, we will share in his redemption, and that we will see that it was worth it all. Paul proclaims: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

We can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus is willing and fully able to "empathize with our weaknesses" and share with us his hope in God's redemptive purposes. That's a truth that gives us true peace.

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## Peanuts and Grace

Anyone who has been on a domestic airline flight in recent years knows that our cash-strapped airlines rarely serve meals. These days, all you are likely to get is a small bag of peanuts. The peanuts come in small plastic packets, which can be really hard to open. You can't tear them, and since you aren't allowed to carry knives on board, you can't cut them either. Sometimes these bags have a little nick in the edge, which allows you to get a start.

But until you find that nick, it's as if those peanuts are locked up in Fort Knox...or for a biblical reference, as if they were behind the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Jerusalem Temple in Jesus' day.

The Temple was designed to remind people that their sins had cut them off from God. The part of the Temple called the Holy of Holies was a forbidden inner sanctum, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat, representing the throne of God. The Holy of Holies was veiled from public view by a thick curtain that stretched from floor to ceiling.

Only once a year was anyone allowed behind that veil. Even then, only the high priest was allowed to enter, in order to perform a set of prescribed rituals. If the high priest, or anyone else, went in for any other reason or at any other time, they were struck dead. It sounds harsh, but God was making a point in those old covenant days – sinners were _personae non grata_ in the presence of the Holy One.

But the Gospels tell us that at the precise moment Jesus died, the veil in the Temple was miraculously torn apart, from top to bottom. The Holy of Holies then lay exposed with the Mercy Seat in full view. I'm sure horrified priests rushed to repair the veil, but the point had been made – Jesus Christ, the Son of God and great High Priest of our salvation, had sacrificed himself for humanity and thereby cleared the way for all to have access to the Mercy Seat of God.

We know that, but somehow we have a lot of trouble believing it. We still think we must try to be good enough, or must do something to earn God's grace. It is as if Jesus, through his death and resurrection, only put a nick in the edge of the curtain, to get us started, but we still have to go to the effort of pulling it apart. So we go through all sorts of spiritual calisthenics, hoping to build up the strength to rip open the curtain the rest of the way.

But we can't. Nothing we can do will break down the spiritual barrier. Even the most noble among us are not good enough. But the good news is that there is nothing we have to do. When Jesus gave himself for us, everything that needed to be done – everything that could possibly be done – was done, was finished, to open up the throne of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. The curtain that separated the Mercy Seat from the people was not just nicked, or a corner lifted; it was ripped violently apart from top to bottom.

The priests of Jesus' day, blind to the meaning behind what had happened, sealed off the Holy of Holies again. But they could not close off the permanent access given to the real throne of God. That's why the epistle to the Hebrews reminds us in chapter 4, verse 16, "Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."

Any other approach gets us precisely what a battle with a tough, little tear-resistant bag gets us: nothing but peanuts.

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## The Photoshop Gospel

Have you ever seen this picture of President Grant?

A friend sent it to me. He wanted to know if I saw anything strange. As I looked closer, a couple things jumped out. Grant's face looked familiar, almost like I'd seen it before in another picture. Then I noticed that all the soldiers were seated – something they'd never do around a general. I could tell right away that something was wrong. So I started doing some research. That's when I discovered that this picture was one of the first examples of "photoshopping." Someone had pulled elements from different pictures to create an image that had never existed.

But that concept of picking and choosing isn't just something that happens in the lab. Unfortunately, we see it all the time in modern-day Christianity as well. The pastor will preach that if you have faith and obey God's commandments, then you'll be wealthy. Or maybe you've attended a church that measures belief by how long you can stay away from a doctor. They can point to specific verses in the Bible to support their position, but when you look at it from another point of view, you start to see that their conclusions are just like the photo of President Grant.

Because of our limited perspective, we can sometimes emphasize certain biblical texts over others. But we know that's not what we're called to do. The central message of the Bible regarding God's character has been revealed through Christ Jesus. When we lose sight of that, we can find ourselves in a photoshopped version of the gospel that doesn't have an anchor in reality.

We have a saying here at GCI: "Whether you're preaching from the Old Testament or the New, make sure you're preaching Jesus." That means that in addition to looking at how Scripture has been interpreted by theologians who came before us, we want to anchor ourselves in the understanding that Christ is the ultimate revelation of our Triune God. In him we meet God face to face. He is the Word made flesh. And with Christ as our lens, I know that the spiritual picture we're part of won't need to be photoshopped at all.

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## A Piece of the Picture

I'm sure almost all of you have used Microsoft Excel at some point during your professional career. It's a computer program that helps you manage large amounts of information. The data is entered into a "cell" and then organized across a spreadsheet and highlighted according to the user's preference. Sounds kind of boring, right?

Well, one Japanese man figured out a way to make Excel really fun. His name is Tatsuo Horiuchi. And at 73 years old, he decided to finally pursue his dream of creating digital art. Horiuchi discovered that by coloring individual cells in a spreadsheet, he was able to create beautiful artwork. His paintings of Kegon Falls and Cherry Blossoms at Jogo Castle look like a master artist had painted them.

But when I heard about Horiuchi's paintings and how he was making them, I couldn't help but think about how his focus on each individual cell is similar to how God works in our lives.

There are so many different moments in each of our lives where we interact with one another. We may brighten our favorite barista's day with an encouraging word or offer a ray of hope to our neighbor by helping them with their groceries. We don't always see the effects our actions can have on another person. And we're not really meant to. It's not on our shoulders to control the responses of others.

Instead, we should see these simple interactions as individual cells in God's majestic painting. Christ is actively working to show signs of his redeeming work here and now in this fallen world. And he does so by enabling us to be channels of his grace in our relationships and working through the Spirit to bring our world into deeper communion with our heavenly Father. See how Paul puts it in Romans: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

We won't know until the end what effect we've had on other people. But we can trust in our Savior to redeem all things for his glory. Each of our actions, small or large, is like a single cell shining brightly on the grand canvas that God is painting with his transforming love.

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## The Pinocchio Effect

Do you remember the character Pinocchio? The wooden puppet whose nose would grow longer every time he told a lie? Well, that story may not actually be as far-fetched as it may seem.

Researchers from the University of Granada, Spain, Department of Experimental Psychology, have discovered that when a person tells a lie, there is an increase in the temperature around their nose and in the orbital muscle in the inner corner of their eyes. They are, of course, calling it the Pinocchio effect. Also, researchers at the University of Notre Dame performed a 10-week study and found that telling fewer lies can literally improve your health.

This new research shows that when people managed to reduce their lies, they reported significantly improved physical and mental health. Notre Dame Psychology professor and lead author Anita Kelly says, "Participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health. Those who reduced their lying suffered less from physical complaints such as sore throats and headaches, as well as feeling tense or melancholy."

According to a "Science of Honesty," recent evidence indicates that Americans average about 11 lies per person, per week. Frankly, that seems a bit conservative. With my tongue buried deep in my cheek, I wonder if they included politicians in their research. Regardless, it does seem to be a scientific fact that lying is a health hazard. The old saying that honesty really is the best policy, especially when it comes to your overall health and well-being, holds up in this case.

I always find it fascinating when scientific advances are touted as if some new truth has been discovered, only to find it has been revealed in the Bible many centuries ago. I like the way _The Living Bible_ renders what the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:25: "Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves."

Paul also boldly stated in a letter he wrote to Titus that it is impossible for God to lie. Our triune God is not restricted by time, space, or any physical force. As other scriptures show, with God _anything_ is possible. But perhaps we should say _nearly_ anything. His very character has determined that he will never do some things, because to do them would be to contradict the nature of his core being. Since he created us, it follows that he really does know what is best for us. That includes telling the truth.

You may remember that Pinocchio's great dream is to be transformed from being a wooden puppet into a real boy. Eventually this happens, and he becomes a real son to the man who made him. Again, it's an interesting analogy, because God – who, remember, cannot lie – has told us that he will transform us, restoring us to who we were meant to. That is the truth, and I tell you this with confidence. My nose is not getting any longer.

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## Prayer

Do you sometimes feel that your prayers go no farther than the ceiling? Do you wonder whether God is even listening?

The truth is, God hears and treasures every word of your prayers, and he answers them all in his perfect wisdom and his perfect love for you.

The apostle James wanted us to know that our prayers are just as effective as any of the great heroes of faithfulness in the Bible. He wrote in James 5:17 and 18, "Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Well, honestly, it's a little hard to believe that Elijah was really just a human being like us. He was the most renowned prophet in the Bible. God used him in some of greatest and most well-known miracles in the entire Bible! Elijah called down fire from heaven, multiplied oil and flour, and even raised the dead.

How could our prayers possibly match up to those of powerful man of God like Elijah? Elijah even had a conversation with God on Mount Moriah.

The truth is, Elijah really _was_ a man just like us. Remember, in between some of those astounding miracles. Elijah could also be frustrated, lonely, depressed, angry, plagued with self-doubt and even wishing he were dead.

Let's read 1 Kings 19:3 and 4: "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life... He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.'"

Sounds pretty close to home, doesn't it?

This episode in Elijah's life ended on Mount Horeb, where God sent a wind, an earthquake and a fire. But God didn't meet Elijah in any of those. God met him instead in a still, small, voice.

We often think that God is not with us unless we are doing so-called "great" things for God. We worry that God won't hear our prayers unless they are strong enough, loud enough, and convincing enough. But here's what we need to remember: We are not alone. When we pray, it isn't just us praying, it's Jesus praying in us, with and for us. Let's read this passage in John 14:20 together: "Jesus said, 'On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.'"

We are never alone. Jesus is in us and we are in him and he is in the Father.

In fact, Paul said in Colossians 3:4 that Jesus is our life. He represents us before the Father. He substitutes for us before the Father. He is our all in all, our beginning and our end. Jesus takes our weak and puny and often misguided prayers and redeems them, offering up to God in our place and on our behalf his perfect prayers. He never leaves nor forsakes us, he said.

Yes, Elijah was a man just like us, and God heard his prayers, not because of some supposed righteousness of Elijah's, but because God is in the business of redemption and salvation. He hears your prayers because Christ is in you and you are in Christ, and that does not depend on you.

It's something he did because he loves you. It isn't about so-called great and powerful things, it's about love, and God loves you with a love that will never end. You can count on it.

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## Presentation

The gospel is good news. It promises a new life beyond death; rich in joy, peace, love and friendship. It's the good news of a life in communion with God, who loves you and wants you with him no matter who you are, where you've been or what you've done.

But the gospel is not always presented that way. Sometimes it's presented as a way to get big houses, expensive cars and fancy clothes right now. Just "name it and claim it," people are told.

Sometimes it's presented as an austere set of rules and regulations, overseen by a temperamental God who'll roast you forever if you don't measure up.

Sometimes it's presented as a desperate pyramid scheme in which the more people you fast-talk into joining up, the greater your eternal income will be.

Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Instead, some believers let their pushy, memorized spiels turn people off to the gospel, causing them to thank heaven when they can avoid Christians. Polls have shown that most people would rather live next door to a used-car salesman than to a Bible-thumping evangelical Christian.

But imagine if we could all share the gospel the way Jesus said to – by letting our light shine in such a way that people are won over instead of put off. Imagine what a positive reputation the good news could have. That would present the gospel the way it really is – as a new life in Christ, a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – the way Galatians 5:22-23 describes it.

Jesus made it pretty simple. He said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).

What if we did that? Wouldn't that win more people over to the real power of the gospel? Testimonies certainly have their place, but it's God's love that overthrows death and hell. And people can warm up to genuine, godly love a whole lot easier than religious talk, pushy questions and judgmental frowns.

You might say, the proof is in the pudding, not in reciting the recipe.

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## Priceless Heirlooms

Have you ever been to a garage sale hoping to find that perfect bargain? Or scoured the swap meet for an amazing deal? A Midwestern scrap dealer succeeded beyond his wildest dreams when he purchased a golden egg that turned out to be a missing relic from Russia's royal family. Imagine his surprise when this modest investment yielded a Faberge egg valued at 33 million dollars. In its day, it was considered a masterpiece of craftsmanship, yet by the time it reached the U.S. more than a century later, it had lost some of its regal luster. The scrap dealer thought it was pretty, but never imagined that it once dazzled the empress herself.

When we first receive the good news of the gospel, we have some idea of its value. We enter into its promise with the excitement of receiving a gift from our heavenly Father. But like all precious things, we tend to lose sight of its true worth. And as time goes on, it may become tarnished in our hearts. But this should never be! Salvation is a living thing, a process in which Christ, by the Spirit, is working to perfect in us. Paul proclaims in his letter to the Philippians: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

God's gift of salvation is greater than any heirloom that anyone could ever hope to create. But sometimes we need to be reminded that we, too, are God's craftsmanship, a work he is completing so that one day our glory—a reflection of his own—will shine forth.

These days, when people encounter the good news, there is a chance that its true meaning will be lost, like the famous Russian egg. But, as children of God, we have become keenly aware of its value, and we have been given the happy and privileged commission to help others become aware of it, too. So let's rest in the promise of the gift of salvation as we continue to be perfected by our loving Father. The world knows no greater treasure than that!

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## Protect Me From Your Followers

Someone gave me this refrigerator magnet. You can also get it on a bumper sticker or a T-shirt. I don't think I would display it quite as publicly as that, but I do identify with what is expressed.

In the last two decades, I and the denomination I am privileged to lead have made some sweeping changes in our beliefs and practices. Our church had been bound up in legalism, and we needed to embrace the gospel of grace. I realized that not everyone could accept these changes, and that some would even strongly resent them.

What I did not expect was the level of hate that was directed at me personally. People who claimed to be Christians did not extend much Christianity. Some actually wrote to me to tell me that they were praying for me to die quickly. Others went as far as to let me know they wanted to be involved in my execution. It gave me a deeper understanding of Jesus' statement that there would be some who would want to kill you, thinking they were offering a service to God (John 16:2).

I tried not to let this outpouring of hate affect me, but of course it did. How could it not? Words hurt, especially if they come from those who have been friends and colleagues.

However, as the years have gone by, the angry words and hate mail do not affect me like they did at first. It is not that I have grown tougher skin, or have become calloused and indifferent to the personal attacks. But I see that people who vent their anger on me are struggling with their own feelings of inadequacy, guilt and worry. This is the effect that legalism has on us. The strict keeping of the law becomes a security blanket, although it is an inadequate one, rooted as it is in fear.

When we are confronted with the real security of the gospel of grace, some joyfully cast away the old blanket, but others hold on to it desperately and wrap themselves in it even more tightly. They regard anyone who wants to take it away as an enemy. That is why the Pharisees and other religious leaders of Jesus' time saw him as a threat to their security and desperately wanted him to be destroyed.

Jesus did not hate the Pharisees. He loved them and wanted to help them, recognizing they were their own worst enemy. It is the same today, although now the threats and hatred come from those who claim to be followers of Jesus. Sadly, they have given the idea of being a "Follower of Jesus" a bad name, as my magnet warns.

The Bible tells us that "there is no fear in love." On the contrary, "perfect love casts out fear" says 1 John 4:18. But, it seems that perfect fear casts out love! When I remember this, personal attacks just don't bother me so much. I can love those who hate me, because Jesus loves them, even though they are not fully aware of the dynamics of his love. It helps me cut them some slack.

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## Real News

It seems like everywhere we look these days, we're hearing about fake news. While the idea of "fake news" may not be surprising to younger generations who grew up with the Internet, it sure is to a Baby Boomer like me! I grew up watching Walter Cronkite pass on Edward R. Murrow's legacy of unflinching journalistic integrity to my generation of anchors. For decades, journalism as a profession has been trusted to deliver the truth. So the idea that not only does fake news exist, but that it's so widely available and so easily believed, is a bit of a shock to me. But as I was thinking about it the other day, it reminded me of something: the opposite of fake news – real news. I immediately thought of the one piece of real news that matters most: the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As followers of Christ, I think that we hear the gospel so often that sometimes we can forget its impact. But in case we have forgotten, here is how this good news is described in the book of Matthew: "...the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Matthew 4:16 NIV).

Think about that for a second. Those who haven't yet heard the good news of Christ's life, death, and resurrection are described as "living in the land of the shadow of death." It doesn't get much worse than that! But the good news of Jesus is that this death sentence has been lifted—there's new life available in a restored relationship with God through Christ and by his Word and Spirit. And not just for an extra day, an extra week, or even an extra year. Forever! As Jesus himself said, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die" (John 11:25-26 NIV).

This is why the gospel is described as good news: it means life! In a world where "fake news" is something we might worry about, I'm happy that the best piece of news I've ever heard is also the one I can put my absolute faith in. Aren't you?

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##  Reconciliation

My grandparents came to the USA from Karpathos, Russia, sometime early in the last century to escape the Communist Revolution. That was a good move – no one knows for certain how many people lost their lives during that revolution and the reign of Stalin that followed. Families were torn apart, their loved ones tortured, murdered or lost forever in the concentration camps. It is not the kind of thing I like to think about. But when I hear the talk of revolution in modern America by youthful protestors, I wonder if they know what they are asking for?

Because my grandparents emigrated, I grew up in freedom and relative safety. Others have not been so fortunate. Do you remember Pol Pot and the Cambodian Holocaust? Pol Pot was a Maoist revolutionary who served as the prime minister and undisputed leader of Cambodia from 1976 to 1979. He imposed radical Communism, ruthlessly deporting urban dwellers to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labor projects. Overwork, malnutrition, poor medical care, and executions resulted in the deaths of approximately 21% of the Cambodian population under his three-year premiership.

How can we forget the incredible events of four months in 1994 in the small African nation of Rwanda? The poorer Hutu majority, armed with knives, bayonets, and machetes, began to systematically kill the wealthier Tutsi minority. They had slaughtered nearly a million of the Tutsis before the bloodshed was stopped. Rwanda's prisons are still bulging with prisoners awaiting judgment for the genocide. The backlogged court system has sent some of the accused back to their homes and neighborhoods, The people who had destroyed so many lives and families now live beside the few surviving relatives of the very men, women, and children they killed.

Genocide is a monumental crime, and the effects linger on for generations. How do you heal communities and whole nations that have suffered like this? Is there an example to follow that can provide a model for forgiveness and the restoration of peace and harmony? Is there a power strong enough to really establish a new start after such atrocities?

The answer is yes! This is precisely what Jesus had in mind when he was being nailed to the cross, and uttered these remarkable words: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Out of his trust in the power of his heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit to make all things new (Rev. 21:5), he overcame the evil by absorbing it into himself, allowing God's judgment to condemn it to death, and opened the way for us to enter into new life in him—reconciled to God and to each other.

Christian writer Miroslav Volf, himself familiar with horrendous violence in Croatia and Serbia, describes forgiveness as the exchange of one form of suffering for another. This is what we see in the life of Jesus. Volf writes in his book _Exclusion and Embrace,_ "More than just the passive suffering of an innocent person, the passion of Christ is the agony of a tortured soul and a wrecked body offered as a prayer for the forgiveness of the torturers."

Jesus showed us that the way to life lies in taking up his forgiveness and his work of reconciliation, not in executing our revenge and retribution. God is not some distant cosmic sheriff waiting for a moment to exact more suffering upon the world he created. Jesus summed it up in what is perhaps the most famous sentence in the Bible. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:17). And by the Spirit of Jesus, we are given the privilege to share in his very own ongoing ministry of saving reconciliation.

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## Reconciliation and Redemption

We preachers have a habit of using terms that many people, especially new Christians or visitors to our churches, simply don't understand. I was reminded of this recently when someone approached me after a sermon and asked what the difference is between "reconciliation" and "redemption."

It's a good question. These two words can be used to describe aspects of God's work of salvation for the world through Jesus Christ. To reconcile means to patch up a quarrel, or to make a relationship that has become strained right again. To redeem means to buy back, or to claim ownership.

Christ has accomplished both for us, since there is but one whole and single work of his. But what he inaugurates is a healed, restored relationship making us his very own brothers and sisters. This relationship of belonging to him calls for our involvement in it, our participation. His provision for us includes enabling us to receive and respond and so live in that restored relationship. So, we can say that the fruit of Christ's reconciliation is our redemption in Christ.

Through most of history, humans have been in a state of alienation from God. That is, they have been unreconciled. We can see this by the record of the collective human failure to get along with each other. This is simply a reflection of alienation from God.

As the apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 1:21-22: "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight" (NKJV).

First, we should note that it was never God who needed to be reconciled to us, but we who needed to be reconciled to God. As Paul said, the alienation was in the human mind, not in God's mind. God's response to human alienation was his forgiving and cleansing love, fulfilled in Christ.

Second, notice also that according to Paul reconciliation leads to a further development of that restored relationship. It leads to a fullness of life that is characterized by holiness, blamelessness and being above reproach, because face to face ("in his sight") we freely and gladly enter into the healed relationship, and so receive all that God has to give us through Christ.

Getting at the same point, Paul wrote to the church in Rome to say: "For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" (Romans 5:10).

God has turned to us before we ever made a move in his direction. So God reconciles us even while we were enemies and alienated. But note that the restoration of right relationship with us leads to greater fruit that unfolds as the fullness of life, joyfully receiving the fullness of salvation itself.

And Paul tells us that it does not stop there. "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them" (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

In his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul explained how in Christ, God reconciled the whole world to himself, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:19-20).

God has _reconciled_ all humans to himself through Jesus. No one is excluded from the love and power of God. Everyone who has ever lived has a place reserved for them at God's banquet table. But all have not yet believed God's word of love and forgiveness for them, or embraced their new life in Jesus. They have not donned the wedding garments Jesus has prepared for them and taken their seat at the table. In other words, we could say that although they have been _reconciled_ , they have not yet entered into their _redemption_. Some have yet to share in or participate in their redemption accomplished for them in Christ. Consequently they are not yet experiencing the full benefits of Christ's work set out for them at his wedding feast.

And that's what the ministry of reconciliation is all about – we announce the good news that God has already reconciled the world to himself – through the blood of Christ – and invite all people to trust in, receive, believe in just this good news. All of what God has for us in Christ calls for a response to receive it and enjoy it— turning to God in repentance, taking up the way of Jesus' reconciling cross and following him daily. What wonderful news we have to proclaim. May God bless us all as we share in his reconciling work so that others may, even now, receive all the benefits of their redemption.

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## Religion vs. the Gospel

There's a big difference between religion and the gospel. Religion is designed to give people a list of things to do in order to stay on good terms with whatever deity(s) they profess to worship. The trouble is, no one has ever kept their particular list of rules well enough to be absolutely sure their deity isn't angry with them. Religion simply isn't enough. All religion can do is make people feel worse every time they fail. What people really need is good news, not a lot of religious talk about how bad they are.

And that's what the gospel is – good news. The gospel removed the guilty conscience altogether. It declares you clean and forgiven, and even lets you know that the Holy Spirit is at work healing your mind. Sadly, though, we often try to turn even the gospel into religion, imagining falsely that the good news is just another condemnation of evil instead of God's declaration of a new creation.

Most of us are so used to having a guilty conscience that when we start believing the gospel about our complete cleansing from sin, we start feeling guilty for not feeling guilty. It's as though we think God will like us better if we refuse to feel forgiven and clean.

Hebrews 10:19-22 says, "Therefore...since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience."

Those are words of confidence — confidence to be at home in the presence of God, not crushed down with a load of guilt. It's confidence in God himself – who loves us so much that he sent his Son to remove our guilt and give us all the privileges of beloved children. It has nothing to do with how good we are or think we are, but instead with having faith in what God has done.

The gospel, thank God, is not religion. It is the end of religion. It's good news, the good news that God loves you so much that he sent his Son to bear the curse of your sinfulness and rise from the dead so you can be forever at peace with him.

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## The Rest of the Story

Paul Harvey used to host a radio program called _The Rest of the Story._ It worked like this: he hooked the audience with a great opening, and then, when he had them on the edge of their seats, he'd reveal the identity of the famous person at the heart of the tale. But the show wasn't over until you heard him deliver that famous catchphrase: "And now you know... the rest of the story!"

Every year on Good Friday, I can't help but think about those words. I start to imagine what it must have felt like to be there with the disciples as they watched the man they knew to be the Messiah be crucified right there in front of them. As the Roman soldiers lowered Christ's lifeless body from the cross, I'm almost positive that every single one of them must have been thinking that this is where the story ends.

But we know better...

The Bible tells us that when the sun rose on Easter Sunday, two women were already on their way to the tomb. They believed that they were going to anoint a dead man. But what they found instead was an empty grave and an angel who told them, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said" (Matthew 28:5-6).

"He has risen" – those three words turned "the end of the story" into the beginning of "the rest of the story." The bodily resurrection of our Lord is what gives our lives as believers true meaning. Through his incarnate life and atoning sacrifice, Christ has turned "our story" on its head. In communion with the Father and Holy Spirit, he exercised his mighty and gracious Lordship over all things, conquering death and evil, redeeming us, restoring us, and bringing us back into communion with our Triune God. And by doing all this, he gave us hope, hope that God will one day set right all that is broken and bring joy to all who know him, trust him, turn to him to forgive and to be the source of their life.

As we remember the suffering and death of our Lord, I pray that we'll remember that this wasn't the end. It was just the beginning of... "The rest of the story!"

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## Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus stands at the heart of Christian faith. We believe in Jesus because he did something no other human being has ever done: he rose from the dead.

It's funny how we sometimes believe things that don't make sense or that have no supporting evidence whatever. The tabloids carry a multimillion-dollar business by tantalizing believing readers with a steady diet of the sensational, if not the ridiculous. You've seen the headlines: Elvis is still alive. JFK was abducted by aliens. Miners discover an opening to hell.

And then there are the facts we simply take for granted in our modern scientific world: The earth is a sphere, not flat like a pancake, and it revolves around the sun, not vice versa. A virus causes measles. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

Most of us believe these things, not because we have personally proven them, but because we trust the authorities who tell us they are true. We use the phone; who invented it doesn't really matter to us. We go to the doctor when we get sick; it doesn't matter to us who discovered a given vaccine. And we can enjoy a beautiful sunset without giving much thought to Galileo, telescopes or star charts.

We live in a world of facts, but most of the facts we know have little, if anything, to do with who we are and how we live. The resurrection of Jesus is different. It might be easy to believe Jesus rose from the dead as though it were just another fact for a history exam. But this fact is not like other facts. It's the one fact that changes everything.

If Jesus Christ really rose from the dead, then he is far more than just another great figure in history. He is who he claimed to be — the Son of God. And if that's so, then he, and everything he said, has to be taken seriously. The resurrection of Jesus stands at the heart of Christian faith. We believe in Jesus because he rose from the dead. He told his disciples he would be raised on the third day after his crucifixion — and he was!

The fact of his resurrection verifies that what he said about himself was true: He was indeed the Son of God and God was acting decisively through him to deal with human sin. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24).

Greater words of comfort have never been spoken! It doesn't matter how far from God we have been. It doesn't matter how dark and vile our sins have been when we believe the word of God, the good news that God is redeeming sinners through his Son. God forgives us, accepts us and gives us fresh, new life in his eternal kingdom.

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## Revelation

The name of the book of Revelation is taken from its first verse, which reads: "The revelation of Jesus Christ." The word _revelation_ here is translated from the Greek word _apokalypsis,_ which means "unveiling" or "revealing."

John wrote Revelation in a special literary style well known to Jews and early Christians called "apocalyptic." Apocalyptic uses fantastic images and symbols to describe God's judgment and victory over the oppressors of his people and all evil. It was popular during the last two centuries B.C. and the first century A.D. The symbols and figures in apocalyptic writing were not to be taken literally, but were to be understood in the context of the apocalyptic style, similar to the way we might understand the symbolism of a political cartoon today.

The symbols found in Revelation might appear strange to Christians of later centuries, and they have certainly been the subject of great debate and mystery. But John used them because they were understood by the Christians of his day. Revelation was not a secret code book to enable Christians of future generations to decipher when Jesus would return. It was a book of hope and encouragement to Christians of the first century, written to assure them that in spite of all evidence to the contrary, Jesus Christ had already won the final victory over all tyrants and tyranny.

Even if the faithful saints must face martyrdom at the hands of the enemies of God, in time they will be vindicated, raised from the dead, and reign with Christ. Revelation urges the faithful to trust Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and resist any temptation to give their allegiance to those who stand against him.

That message has the same striking force for Christians today. Whatever despots arise, wherever tyranny takes hold, Christians are assured by the message of Revelation that the day of their deliverance and vindication is coming. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes," Revelation 21:4 tells us. "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Whenever throughout history Christians have faced persecution and oppression, even as many do today in various parts of the world, they have found John's apocalyptic book a source of great faith-building joy. Because Jesus reigns, every believer's story, no matter how dismal it might be in the present, will end triumphantly.

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##  Righteousness

How righteous do you have to be to please God? Would you be surprised to know that it is not even possible for you to be righteous enough to please God? No one has ever been righteous enough. God demands perfection – sinlessness – and no human being has ever been perfectly sinless – except One, and that One was God in the flesh, Jesus Christ.

And that's the good news. Jesus came not only to be the atonement for our sins, but also to be our righteousness. The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome: "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22).

Because we are in Christ, God not only forgives our sins, he also provides the righteousness believers need—his own righteousness. It is a God-given righteousness—the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We receive it by God's grace, simply because God loves us and is full of mercy and rich in kindness. And we participate in it only through faith – the faith of Jesus, which itself is God's gift to us.

In short, we are saved because God is righteous, not because we are righteous. God's righteousness, his faithfulness to humanity, has been made fully manifest in Jesus' death and resurrection. God's righteousness, Paul is telling us, is displayed in his act of transforming us sinners into his own forgiven and redeemed children in Jesus Christ – something we experience only through faith.

Christ alone is our righteousness—he is our wisdom, our holiness, our redemption and our righteousness, 1 Corinthians 1:30 tells us.

We are not made righteous by keeping the Law. We are made righteous only by God, and we live out that righteousness, which is the righteousness of Christ and not our own, by trusting him – that is, by faith. "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes," Paul wrote in Romans 10:4.

Jesus does it all, start to finish. He's the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Trust him.

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## Rock and a Hard Place

Sometimes doing the right thing can be hard. We know we shouldn't act out in anger or rev our engine and cut someone off. But we tend to do it anyway. But as Christians, weren't we "saved" from these things when we accepted Christ's saving grace? Why do we keep messing up? Paul dealt with this question in his letter to the Romans:

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:21-23)

As fallen human beings, it can feel like we're living life between a rock and a hard place. By nature, we're slaves to sin, seemingly drawn back into sin again and again and again. Even as redeemed Christians, it can feel like we're living in an unending cycle. Theologian Karl Barth offers some validation, clarity and hope about this confusing state: ****

Both the old man of yesterday and the new man of tomorrow... is still the old and yet already the new, in complete and utter antithesis... the _vita christiana_ [the life of the Christian] in conversion is the event, the act, the history, in which at one and the same time man is still wholly the old man and already wholly the new – so powerful in the sin by which he is determined from behind, and so powerful the grace by which he is determined from before... the old and the new man are simultaneously present.

In Christ we have been placed into a whole new situation so that the "old man" or humanity is passing away. One day we will see it no more. Christ has made it so that our true selves are not determined by the past, but by our future in him. So while we live between the times, between the old and the new, we live in hope of Christ's already accomplished victory. Our transformation and sanctification are in his hand, and even our ultimate glorification. For Christ himself is our wisdom about God, our justification, our sanctification and our glorification as his children. As John Calvin used to say, our whole salvation is complete in him. We can count on him for everything we need, from beginning to end. We live in hope each and every day for ourselves and for all because God is faithful.

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## Royal Heirs

A few months ago, I read a story on my iPad about a 60-year-old Japanese man who discovered that he'd been switched at birth. Born into a noble family, this would-be prince was accidentally mixed up in the hospital and raised by a single mother living on welfare. The other boy, who was brought up in his place, became a successful realtor, while the actual son struggled through various jobs and eventually became a truck driver. "I wish I could turn back the clock," he said. "I wish I'd been raised by my real parents."

We can't help but feel sorrow for a life marked by missed opportunities and roads not taken. After all, the real son was denied a birthright that was his due. But this story should also remind us of another— one that runs in the opposite direction. It's a story about those who are born with no inheritance and don't deserve one, but are given a gift beyond imagination.

In Christ, the eternal Son of God, we have become heirs to an inheritance we don't deserve—and could never attain. It's a spiritual inheritance – one of eternal life with God.

In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:11-12, ESV)

Sometimes when we hear the word "inheritance" we tend to think of money or property handed down from generation to generation. But the New Testament offers another perspective. As we trust in Christ as our Savior, we become co-heirs with him. We get to share in his inheritance! That inheritance doesn't involve houses or bank accounts, but eternal communion with God. Unlike earthly goods, it can't be frittered away or depleted, and it doesn't depend on biological ancestry.

I am so grateful that, through Christ, we are all sons and daughters of the one true King – our Father God – and by the power of the Holy Spirit, our identity and inheritance will never be lost.

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## Russell Brand

The other night, I watched a documentary by comedian and former drug addict Russell Brand. The film follows his attempt to understand the British government's drug enforcement policy. It opens up with him riding along with a group of police officers on a drug raid. As they break down the door, Russell turns to the camera and remembers how a decade ago, he would have been on the other side of that door.

But it doesn't end there. After the police take an addict into custody, Russell joins her in the holding cell, asking her about why she chooses to take drugs and what her future looks like if she keeps heading down that path. At that point, the addict breaks down and starts crying. But instead of fleeing the emotionally intense scene, Russell did something incredible. He sat next to her, put his arm around her and repeated again and again, "I understand that feeling."

It was an incredible moment of genuine connection – one that highlighted the truth that Russell Brand has been in that exact position – he knows how it feels and is actively hoping for this addict's recovery.

Those four words – "I understand that feeling" – reminded me of the truth that we are taught in Scripture – that we have a sympathetic high priest in the form of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. See how the writer of Hebrews puts it:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 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. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16, ESV)

I think sometimes it can be a little easier for us to remember Jesus' divinity. We can recite the list of miracles that he performed, but we can sometimes forget that he was Emmanuel – God with us. He was also fully human. He was tempted in every way, overcame those temptations and remained faithful and righteous for us and for our salvation. He is still incarnate in heaven, seated at the right hand of our Father, drawing us near and speaking those same words that Russell Brand spoke – "I understand that feeling."

Through the Holy Spirit, he adds more to that sentence, telling us that we are forgiven, we are saved by his grace and that we are welcomed back into communion with our loving and merciful Triune God. He tells us that he will not give up on us, but will continue to work with us and in us so that one day, we will be so transformed from the inside out, that we will not be captive of anyone or anything, but be free to live as his glorified children in his very presence.

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## Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the music. Whether it's Bing Crosby, Alvin and the Chipmunks or the Choir at Kings College – holiday music holds a special place in my heart. And these days, it's almost impossible to miss it on the radio. Let's see what they're playing now...

You better watch out, you better not cry,

You better not pout I'm telling you why,

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list, checking it twice,

Gonna find out who's naughty and nice,

Santa Claus is coming to town.

Wait a second – "He's keeping a list?" I don't like the sound of this Santa very much. And unfortunately, a lot of people confuse the way he's portrayed in the song with the character of God. They see God as a type of eternal scorekeeper who's got a list of all the bad stuff you've ever done and is holding a grudge against you. But we know that's just not true.

God is nothing like Santa Claus! In fact, he's the exact opposite. He loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to bring us back into communion with him. And it was by our Lord's perfect relationship with the Father and Spirit, as well as his perfect relationship with all of humanity, that satisfied the requirements of God on our behalf. That life of perfect relationship is exactly what he offers each of us, every day.

See how Paul puts it in Romans: "All are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24).

That gift of free grace and mercy through Christ sounds so much better than living under the constant fear and anxiety of legalism. So the next time you hear Gene Autry singing about Santa making his list and checking it twice, remember that thankfully, we know a God who cares less about lists than about having a full and right relationship with us through his Son, Jesus Christ.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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## School Prayer: It's Not Illegal

Have you seen the bumper sticker that says "Get Prayer Back into the Public Schools?"

This catchy little phrase might cause someone to think either that there is no prayer in [U.S.] public schools, or that prayer is not allowed in public schools. Indeed, a good many people seem to think that prayer in public schools is illegal.

But guess what? It isn't, and it never was. The law allows students and faculty to pray at school all they want, but it also prevents them from making others listen to their prayers if they don't want to.

And that's a good thing. We need freedom of religion, but we also need freedom _from_ religion, that is, freedom from any religion that we don't believe in, imposing itself on us.

Public school officials are not allowed to promote or initiate student prayer, but they _can_ assist students in organizing their own prayer meetings. School officials are not allowed to require unwilling students to participate in prayer, but they can give official support to student-organized prayer activities.

Think about it. Do you want your child to be required to listen to the prayers of people whose religion you don't agree with? Of course not. The law protects your child from that. But the law also protects your child's right to pray silently at school, and your child's right to meet with others of like faith to pray openly together. The only thing the law won't let your child or a school official do is require people to listen to their prayers who don't want to.

It's a good law. It protects your child's right to pray, and it protects your child from having to listen to the prayers of people whose religion you disagree with. That's freedom, and we can thank God for it, because there are many places in the world where no such freedom exists.

It's a shame that so many Christians have been told that prayer in public schools is illegal, when it's just not so. It's true that the football crowd can't be required to listen to a game-opening Christian prayer. But it's also true that the football crowd can't be required to listen to a game-opening Zoroastrian, Druid, Wicca, Voodoo or Santeria prayer. Yet students of any faith can meet and pray together in settings where others aren't required to listen.

It was to obtain freedom from religious oppression that many people originally came to America, a place where they could practice religion as they wished without a state church oppressing them. Let's thank God for the blessings of freedom afforded in our Constitution, especially the freedom to worship as our consciences tell us.

God bless the United States of America!

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## Science and Faith

The very last sentence of Stephen Hawking's book, _A Brief History of Time_ says: "If we find the answer [to why the universe exists], it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we would know the mind of God."

This does not mean that Hawking is looking for God. He uses the term "God" as a metaphor for what science does not yet understand. Hawking, along with many of the world's leading physicists, are investigating what they call the Grand Unified Theory – the underlying principle that links all forces in the universe.

Although I am not a scientist, I find what is happening at the leading edge of science very fascinating. And why shouldn't it be? As the first verse of the 19th Psalm says: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." That was written about 3,000 years ago, in a time when we had a very rudimentary understanding of the workings of the cosmos. How much more fascinating is today when we have an even greater grasp of the nature of our universe?

Even scientists who are atheists admit that the magnificence of the creation fills them with awe, even if it does not lead them to acknowledge its Creator. But what it should do, at the very least, is to make them think twice before making bold statements about there being no God. And their reflections may even lead them to a more profound discovery about what, or who, transcends nature.

There is an active paradox in scientific investigation and achievement today. As we push the frontiers of scientific knowledge further into outer space and deeper into inner space, we begin to realize the limits of what we currently know. Things we thought to have nailed down, may no longer be the case. We discovered the universe was expanding, but believed the rate of expansion was slowing down. Now, scientists believe it is actually speeding up.

The scientists working at the Hadron Super Collider in Geneva may be on the verge of discovering things that could turn our understanding of physics on its head. The creation does seem to be, as various astronomers and physicists have observed, not only stranger than we had imagined, but stranger than we could ever imagine. There is a mystery even to creation itself that transcends human knowing.

Of course, this, of itself, neither proves nor disproves that God exists. That is a question beyond science. God cannot be measured by scientific instruments. There is no microscope, no telescope, no micrometer, no measuring device that can measure God. God transcends his creation. God is not a created thing, and creation is not an extension of God's being. Real knowledge of God himself depends upon God's own self-revelation.

Long before the scientific age, the writer of the Book of Job shrewdly observed "We'll never comprehend all the great things he does; his miracle-surprises can't be counted" (Job 9:10, _The Message_ ).

To those who know him, like the Psalmist, even God's actions in creation remain a mystery beyond human comprehension. However, that does not mean we should not try to understand the mysteries of creation.

It is sad that many Christians see scientific discovery as a threat. But why should we regard it as a danger? Yes, some may use certain selective bits of scientific information about creation to counter Christian beliefs about God. But God, by his Spirit, may use someone's desire to look into the mysteries of creation to open them up to searching for the mystery behind creation. And for those who know God in Christ, appreciating the wonders of creation will help us, like Job, recall the wisdom, power and creativity of our Lord. Truth is truth, and something that is true about creation cannot ultimately contradict something that is true about its Creator.

Scientific discovery, when properly interpreted, can show us more of God's handiwork. And faith in that God, when properly understood, can show us that the Creator is not only powerful beyond our imagination, but has a love for us that is not only greater than we understand, but greater than we can even imagine.

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## Secrets

Everybody has secrets. Some secrets remain hidden for centuries. For example, it wasn't until 1922 when an archeologist discovered the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen that evidence showed his parents, Akhenaton and Nefertiti, had tried to abolish the worship of Egypt's traditional gods during their reign. When Akhenaton and Nefertiti died, priests removed all records and inscriptions about their attempt. No one was ever to know about their plans and actions to banish the pantheon of gods from Egypt's belief system. It was thought that knowledge of the godless dynasty would be lost forever. But the priests forgot to destroy King Tut's tomb and the evidence it contained. When the tomb was rediscovered, the long-buried secret came to light.

There is no doubt that many other historical secrets remain to be uncovered. In the USA, there are over 50 million files classified as "top-secret." In many cases, these files remain classified to protect people who were informants. Meanwhile, not having the hard facts about these files drives some to generate conspiracy theories about those secrets. It would seem that human history, as we know it, may be more half-truth than full truth.

However, there is someone who knows all of it – the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And he has secrets, too. Proverbs 25, verse 2 in _The Message Bible_ sums it up rather well: "God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things."

Human beings are naturally curious. Physicists have worked entire lifetimes, only to uncover small bits behind the secrets of what makes the universe work. And it seems the more that is discovered, the more we find there is to learn. It is humbling to know that in spite of tremendous advances in knowledge, we still know very little about the cosmos. And we may never know – most of the universe is made of what scientists call dark matter and dark energy, which are beyond our resources to measure. It's quite possible that how it all works may always remain a secret.

Human beings also have areas of "dark matter" within their own _personal_ universe. All of us have done things or thought things that we wouldn't want anyone else to know about. We even live in denial, often refusing to admit our faults to ourselves. However, while we may be successful in hiding our sins from others, and even from ourselves, no amount of denial can hide them from God. He tells us that he "knows the heart's secrets."

However, God holds the secrets of our sins in the most secure and classified of files. He even withholds our records from himself. In Psalm 103, verses 11-12, he tells us, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

I am reminded of the wonderful words in the famous old hymn, _To God be the Glory:_

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,

To every believer, the promise of God;  
The vilest offender who truly believes,  
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

This is knowledge that should bring us great comfort. It stands at the heart and core of the gospel and should never remain a secret.

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## Seeing in Color

When Bill Reed's family celebrated his 66th birthday, they gave him something very special: a new pair of eyes. You see, Bill was colorblind. To him, the world around him existed in shades of gray and muddy brown. But thanks to a company called EnChroma, that was about to change. EnChroma manufactures glasses that use a special technology that filters out small slices of the light spectrum in their lenses, effectively correcting colorblindness.

While that might sound too good to be true, Bill's reaction is all the proof you need that it works. A large, gruff man who was once a competitive bodybuilder, he fell silent the instant he began to see what he'd been missing, and slowly started to cry tears of joy as he looked at the colors of the trees, flowers, and sky around him for the first time. As he marveled, his daughter said something that summed up the whole scene quite well: "Papa, now you can see with our eyes."

It's a touching story. But as remarkable as it is, it's nothing compared to the gift of "new eyes" that we're offered in Christ. Jesus began his earthly ministry by quoting from the prophet Isaiah:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to proclaims good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free" (Luke 4:18 NIV).

While Jesus did restore sight to the blind during his earthly ministry, there's another meaning at work here as well. Christ came to enable us to "see" God clearly and truly in him so that we might come to love his ways, and long to see his rule and reign come in fullness over all the earth. As we come to know and put our faith in God and his coming kingdom, we are given new sight, spiritual sight to see the world through the eyes of Christ.

When we do, it reveals beauty where we never would have noticed it before. We also come to see the desperate need of all to receive forgiveness and hope and put our lives in his hands and come under his new management. We'll see the need to live by the hope that the merciful judge of the universe will bring about his righteousness and in the end make all things right.

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## Seeing Is Hearing

You've probably heard about Derrick Coleman, the 23-year-old running back for the Seattle Seahawks. Derrick made history when he became the first legally deaf player to compete in the NFL. He wasn't born with this disability. But when he was about three years old, his hearing began to disappear, until finally, the only sounds he could make out were vague noises and tones.

Undaunted, Derrick taught himself to read lips, and continued to pursue his passion for football. His big breakthrough came when the Seahawks signed him in 2012. Only two years later, his team won the Super Bowl in a decisive, 43-8 blowout victory. When the final whistle blew, a great roar exploded across from the sold-out stadium. Derrick, however, could only hear the muffled applause of his thousands of fans as he celebrated on the field with his teammates.

But it didn't matter, because even though he couldn't hear them, he knew they were cheering him on.

It's easy to see a parallel in Derrick's story to the way we as Christians perceive the voice of God. Often, we have trouble listening to the voice of the Spirit calling us to repentance or encouraging us during hard times. The Gospel of John compares us with sheep who have a good shepherd who knows how to get through to the dumb sheep! Jesus did speak audibly and he did appoint his official interpreters, the apostles, who by the Spirit received, preached and wrote what he would have them say on his behalf.

But his Spirit doesn't speak to us audibly as he did with many of the apostles. He speaks to us most directly and assuredly through the Scriptures. And he does provide the Body of Christ with the Holy Spirit and gifted teachers now and down through the ages, helping us hear and better understand his voice. Amazingly, we can also be indirectly reminded of certain aspects of his character by our considering the wonder of the created order.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

So when we are having difficulty hearing the voice of God in our lives, we need to remind ourselves that, sometimes, seeing is hearing. Derrick Coleman didn't have to hear the Seahawks fans to know that they were cheering for him. He only had to lift his head to observe the ovation. May we have the same quality of faith as we continue to listen for the Voice of God in his Word.

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## Seeing What's Right in Front of You

Recognize this?

It's the iconic hat made famous by the greatest detective of all time, the one and only Sherlock Holmes of 221B Baker Street. He is a fictional character, but to millions of fans and readers, he's as real as it gets. His formidable intellect, unbeatable powers of observation and dogged pursuit of the truth never failed to uncover the answers. Sherlock was the world's greatest detective because he was always able to see what no one else could. During the finale of each story, he would inevitably put together pieces of information, no matter how seemingly disconnected, to unmask the villain and solve the case. The reason this was always so satisfying as a reader was because in some way, the answer was always in front of you the whole time.

Amazingly, the same thing can be true for us when we read the Bible. For those of us who've been Christians for a significant amount of time, we can start to forget the point of the whole thing. The point of reading Scripture isn't just to follow Scripture: it's to follow Jesus. From the first words to the last, the Bible is the story of God and his love for humanity after their rejection of him in the Garden of Eden.

Like any great mystery, the clues to "how's it all going to end?" are scattered throughout — sometimes in the background, sometimes right there in front of us. Everything from the Mosaic Law, to Israel's nationhood and longing for a king, to the prophets' promise of a coming Messiah — all of it, every detail, is answered in the person of Jesus Christ. Everything after — Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation — tells the story of how he changed it all, and where the story goes from there.

The Bible provides essential principles for godly living, the tenets of our theology, some amazing adventure stories, and beautiful poetry, but every page of it is scattered with clues that point to the fulfillment of God's purposes and promises in Christ Jesus. When we read back through the Bible with this in mind, it can feel an awful lot like having reached the end of a Sherlock Holmes mystery that we now know the answer to: everything makes so much more sense!

So the next time you're re-reading a verse, chapter or book and you realize you're just reading Scripture to follow Scripture, remember — you're reading it to follow Christ and living out of a trusting relationship with the Father and Spirit through him—now and for all eternity. If you need a little reminder, maybe one of these [a picture of Sherlock's hat] will help.

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## Self-Portrait of God

What might be a self-portrait of Rembrandt has been discovered hidden under another one of the Dutch master's paintings. By using advanced scanning techniques, scientists investigated a Rembrandt painting titled "Old Man with a Beard," and much to their surprise, the scan revealed that another painting was underneath – one that might well be an early, unfinished self-portrait of the artist himself. It seems as if Rembrandt had begun a self-portrait, then later used the canvas to paint the "Old Man with a Beard."

The story reminded me of the way most of us think about God. We often think of him like the second painting – an old man with a beard. After all, that's how religious artists usually portray him. So we grow up thinking of God as an old, distant, and rather threatening figure – stern and quick to anger if we fail to live up to his impossible standards. But, this way of thinking about God obscures what God is really like, just as the painting of the old man obscures the self-portrait beneath it.

To get a true idea of what God is really like, we need to look beneath the layers of the popular concepts about God, by looking to the God revealed in Jesus Christ. When we do that, a true and undistorted understanding of God emerges.

"If you have seen me, you have seen the Father," Jesus explained [John 14:9]. Only Jesus shows us what God is really like. Our God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – loves us unconditionally and will never let us go. God is not out there, somewhere in the sky scowling at us, ready to pounce and punish. The Bible tells us that it is the Father's "good pleasure to give us the kingdom," and that God is not "willing that any should perish." It tells us that God sent Jesus into the world because he loves the world – not to condemn humanity but to save it (John 3:16-17).

Once you get past the layers of misunderstanding, the true picture of God is one of love – much greater than we can possibly imagine. Through Jesus, we are shown God's true heart toward us – we see him as he really is, not as a distant figure who is mad at us and unconcerned about us. In fact, he is right here with us, ready for us to turn to him and receive his loving embrace.

Don't let other images get in the way of who God is or how God feels about you. Look to Jesus, who alone is the self-portrait of God.

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## September 11th

There's a building in lower Manhattan that has weathered the fires of the Revolutionary War and watched the greatest city in the world grow up around it. It's called St. Paul's Chapel. But you might know it by another name – the Little Chapel That Stood. Located less than 100 yards away from the World Trade Center, it was given that nickname after it survived the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

During the hours and days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, St. Paul's was used as an operating base for first responders. It became a place where thousands of volunteers from all different faiths came together in a desperate attempt to work through the tragedy. Members served hot meals and aided in the clean-up efforts. They offered comfort to those who had lost loved ones.

During times of darkness and tragedy, we can ask the question: "Where is God?" But I think the Little Church might point us toward part of the answer. We know that even in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, God is with us. Christ has joined himself to our humanity, becoming one of us, a light shining into our darkness. He suffers with us, his heart breaks with our hearts, and it is by his Spirit that we are comforted and healed.

The Little Church That Stood continues to remind us that even in times of great tragedy, God is there – and there is hope in him, through Christ our Lord. The church as a whole stands as a witness, reminding us that God does not allow anything in this life to occur that he will not completely redeem in the fullness of time. As we remember those who lost their lives on September 11, I pray that we will also remember that our Lord was, is and will forever be there with them and with us.

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## Serenity

"GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

It's called the "Serenity Prayer." You've probably seen it numerous times on a plaque or a refrigerator magnet. It's actually part of a longer prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. It goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as he did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that he will make all things right if I surrender to his will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with him forever in the next. Amen.

— Reinhold Niebuhr, 1926

We Christians believe that just as Jesus trusted himself to God when he was betrayed and killed, so he stands with us in our suffering. Did you know that Jesus trusts God for us, even when we are paralyzed with doubt? Jesus is our Intercessor even when we are so hurt that we wish God would just leave us alone and get out of our lives. Jesus is our Intercessor even when we blame God for what we know he could have stopped from happening, but didn't. And Jesus is our Intercessor – full of faith on our behalf – even when we are so scared and worried that we've hardly thought of God in weeks or months.

The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 that things got so bad for him that he "despaired of life." But through it all, he learned this: to rely not on himself, but on God who raises the dead — the God who raised Jesus, our Intercessor.

The gospel is good news. It calls us to throw all our cares on the one who loves us, to rest our fear and anxiety in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we can indeed accept what we cannot change, find the courage to change what we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

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## Service Users

A friend of mine told me about a visit he made to a home for people diagnosed with disabilities. The staff at that home doesn't describe the residents in terms of their condition. Instead, they refer to them as "service users." This is done out of sensitivity for the feelings of everyone involved, and that is understandable.

But there comes a time when we have to face the facts before us – however inconvenient or politically incorrect they may be. That's why, when the Bible describes us in our unredeemed state, it tells it like it is – we're "sinners."

We don't like that term today. It's not "politically correct." It sounds judgmental and condemning. To suggest that we are "sinners" implies we're to blame for our mistakes. We prefer not to be confronted with that reality. We're like the people of ancient Israel, who refused to listen to the prophets God sent to warn them of national ruin.

Listen to their reaction in Isaiah 30:

They tell their spiritual leaders, "Don't bother us with irrelevancies." They tell their preachers, "Don't waste our time on impracticalities. Tell us what makes us feel better. Don't bore us with obsolete religion. That stuff means nothing to us" (Isaiah 30:10-11, _The Message_ ).

Before sin can be forgiven, it must be recognized. Paul confessed that he was a chief among sinners. He admitted his past and present sins. He didn't minimize them, or make them sound "politically correct." He knew that his only hope was to accept the gracious sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Jesus came to make God's eternal love visible. He came among us "as one who serves" (Luke 22:27). He was and is the demonstration of God's love and mercy for all humanity. And his sacrificial death was his crowning act of service for men and women everywhere. Like Paul, we should be willing to accept what we are – sinners.

And in facing that fact, we're able to take advantage of the "service" Christ offers. Don't be afraid to admit you are a sinner, and receive God's grace.

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## Setting the Stage

When John the Baptist began his work, something new was happening. John was not only calling gentile proselytes to baptism, but also the chosen people, the Jews. John sounded much like the Old Testament prophets. He called the people to repentance. He condemned the corruption of the leaders. He warned of coming judgment, and he foretold the arrival of the Messiah.

That didn't set well with the priests, Levites and Pharisees. So a delegation traveled out to the desert to confront John. In the first chapter of John we see,

They said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.''' Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." (John 1:22-27)

John told his inquisitors that he was only a messenger. His job was to prepare the way for the one who had real authority, the one who was coming soon, and whose sandals John was unworthy to loosen.

The baptism of John was the same – a sign of the reality to come, a symbol of the cleansing of sins and turning away from sin and death. But there was another, far greater baptism to come, John said. The one who would come after him – Jesus – that would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

We are not made righteous by water or by committing ourselves to good works. Only Jesus takes away our sins, and only Jesus makes us righteous.

We all know what we repent _from._ But the greater question is _who_ we repent _toward._ The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:10, "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"

Jesus didn't just do half the job by cleansing our sins and then leave the job of becoming righteous to us. In Jesus, God _both_ forgives our sins _and_ he makes us righteous!

Truly, our Redeemer lives, and he lives for us!

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## Show Your Work

Do you remember being asked to "show your work" in math tests? I do. I remember how frustrated I would get that I could get the answer to a problem correct, but I might still lose points if I didn't show my work!

Years later, I now understand the principle. Showing your work is a way to display your understanding of the underlying principles that guide mathematics, and confirm to the teacher that your answers are based on the correct foundational elements.

It reminds me of a verse in Ephesians: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

During times of doubt or personal struggle with sin, it is comforting and reassuring to know that our salvation is not based on us — on how well we behave, or how strong our faith is. It can be easy to think otherwise, unfortunately. We may know in our minds that our eternal salvation is secure in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf, but sometimes that may not feel like enough. Instead, we might feel like a test-taker being asked to "show our work," to somehow prove that we have earned the outcome we know to be true. The voice of the accuser can enter our thoughts, asking, "What is your salvation really based on, though?"

If our salvation were based on anything we've accomplished, we would certainly be in trouble! But thankfully, we know that the opposite is true. Our salvation is solely by God, of God, and through God, from beginning to end. The "work" of our salvation has already been shown, on the cross, when Jesus redeemed us for all time. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18 NIV).

That verse says, "not by works, so that no one can boast," but to me it might as well say, "not by works, so that no one can worry." Our faith does not save us. God saves us, which means that no matter how good or bad a test taker you might be, the answer is already a passing grade.

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## Simple Truth

For more than two years a friend of mine was perplexed because he kept finding water in the middle of his basement floor. It seemed logical to him that it was coming from equipment in his basement, so he did everything he could to fix the problem – looking for leaks, checking every valve and drain. Still, every few days, he'd find the same puddle of water on the floor.

Finally my friend called the city engineer, who agreed to come and check things out. After looking around for just a few minutes he asked, "What's that hose?" pointing to a gap between the furnace and the water heater. It was the discharge valve for the water softener. The overflow tube was in the drain, but the discharge hose was not. Every time the softener cycled, a stream of water ended up in the middle of the basement floor. My friend felt foolish that the solution was so simple, yet he was relieved at the same time.

Now, how often do we make things more difficult than they really are? Take the idea of being saved, for example. Many people believe that in order to be saved one needs to say the right prayer, study or memorize the correct scriptures, go to a good church faithfully and serve others regularly. While these are good things to do, they don't earn us salvation.

When Paul and Silas were miraculously released from their prison chains, their prison guard realized that what had happened was an act of God. In Acts 16:30 he asked: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Their response? "Believe in the Lord Jesus."

In other words, believe in what Jesus has already done for you. He has already saved you; he has already made you right with God. The reality of who Jesus is and what he has done calls for a response of trust, adoration, obedience and love for others.

Prayer, Bible study and church attendance are all wonderfully appropriate behaviors to have and pursue. But we receive the gift of our salvation by our belief, our faith, our trust in Jesus himself – for he himself is our salvation. It's as profound and as simple a truth as that.

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## Sin Boldly

In an extraordinary letter from Martin Luther to his friend Philip Melanchthon, Luther admonishes him, "Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world."

At first glance, that advice doesn't seem to ring true. But in order to understand Luther's advice, we need to look more closely at the context of what he's saying. Luther wasn't prescribing sinning as an action. Instead, he was owning up to the fact that we should be courageous in spite of our sins, setting aside the fear that God will withdraw his grace from you. His letter amounts to a reminder: No matter what you've done, if you are in Christ, grace is always stronger than sin. Even if you sin 10,000 times a day, our sins would be powerless in the face of God's overwhelming mercy.

This isn't to say that living rightly doesn't matter. Paul was quick to address this when he asked. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it" (Romans 6:1).

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to imitate Christ, to love God and love our neighbor. But let's face it, as long as we're alive in the world, we're going to fall into sin. But we shouldn't let the fear of this eventuality overwhelm us so that we lose sight of God's faithfulness. Instead, confess your sin to God, and believe in his grace all the more. Karl Barth put it this way: "Scripture prohibits us from taking sin more seriously or even as seriously as grace."

Every Christian knows that it's not good to sin. But many believers need to be reminded of how to deal with sin once we fall into it. What's the answer? Confess your sins fully before God, ask earnestly for forgiveness, approach the throne of grace with confidence, and trust boldly that his grace is ready, waiting and will be more than enough.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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## Sinners at the Feet of Jesus

A Pharisee once invited Jesus to dinner. During the meal, a woman, well known as a sinner, entered and began to anoint Jesus' feet with perfume. In those days people ate by reclining on a padded bench at the table so that their feet were directed away from the table.

So, kneeling behind Jesus, the woman wet his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. The Pharisee didn't like this intrusion, but he didn't say anything. He just thought to himself, "This Jesus is obviously no prophet. If he were, he would know what kind of sinner this woman is." The Pharisee assumed, of course, that truly righteous men had nothing to do with sinners, especially female sinners.

But what the Pharisee didn't know was that Jesus knew what he was thinking. He must have been surprised when Jesus told him a pointed story. Jesus said,

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. (Luke 7:41-43)

Then Jesus gestured toward the woman and said, "Simon, you didn't show me any particular love when I got here, but this woman certainly did. Do you know why? Because she is a big sinner who knows she needs her sins forgiven, and she trusts me to do it. That's why she loves me so much.

But you, Simon, you don't think you need much forgiveness, at least not from me, so you don't show me much love. It's like that with people who think they are righteous. They don't love much. But people who know they are sinners and want my forgiveness are different. My grace inspires them to great love."

Jesus was saying that the more we understand how much we've been forgiven, the more we love God, who forgives us. And the more we love God who forgives us, the more we forgive our neighbor who wrongs us. Forgiveness generates love, and love generates forgiveness.

God is the source of love, and he loved us even while we were still sinners, Romans 5:6-8 tells us. It doesn't matter how big or well known your sins are. Jesus receives all sinners and forgives all sinners. That's why he came. That's why he became one of us: to forgive and heal you and me and that woman and every other sinner.

The best place for sinners to be is at the feet of Jesus.

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## Solitude

Someone once said that life is what happens while you're busy making other plans. And it's so often true. Life does have a way of flying by so fast we hardly notice it. One moment we're young, the next we're old. And everyone finally wonders, "Where did the time go?"

That's why, from time to time, we all need a break from the mad rush to "stop and smell the roses," as some people put it.

Life sends plenty of stress our way from every direction, it seems. And, if we let it, that stress can take control of every minute of the day. But we don't have to let it. We can all take a moment to breathe... to reflect... to rest.

Jesus was no different. He needed time to rest, too. Time to be alone, to reflect, to pray – time away from the crowd and the hectic pace.

In Mark 7:24, for example, Mark wrote, "Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret." Jesus often went up onto a mountain to escape the crowds so he would have time to be alone and pray.

Luke tells us, "Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles" (Luke 6:12-13). Jesus took time to be alone with God before making these important decisions about choosing the 12 apostles.

When do you take a moment to recharge your batteries? Or do you? Like a sluggish computer that needs a reboot, you and I need to "reboot" once in a while, too.

Why not take a lesson from Jesus and find a discreet, pleasant place, away from the crowd and the incessant clamor of the day, where you might be able to spend a few minutes each day in quiet conversation with God? That might not be possible during the workday itself, but what about afterward? Maybe in place of TV shows and loud commercials for a half hour or so.

Just some time when you and God can be alone together: time to listen to him, rest in him, and let him refresh you and recharge you. "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him" says Psalm 62:1.

You won't realize how good that rest can be until you try it.

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## Spare Change for Change

Have you ever heard of Spare Change for Change? It's a program that the city of Pasadena rolled out to help combat homelessness. It works like this. As you're walking through Old Town, if you pass a special parking meter, you can donate whatever change you have – a few pennies, maybe a couple of quarters. The philosophy is that they can use anything.

That thinking reminded me of the story in the Bible. Do you remember when the disciples believed that the Pharisee who donated more money was holier than the widow who only was able to give a little? Jesus reminded them that it wasn't how much each person gave, but instead it was what was in their heart that really counted.

We know that God looks past the external and sees into each of our hearts. When we put our trust wholly in him, he can accomplish incredible things! He is glorified by those who act out of their wholehearted trust in him. It is his strength and faithfulness that makes these victories possible.

Remember the parable of the mustard seed? Christ tells his followers, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

No matter how large or how small our contribution is, we can all participate in the work that Christ is doing. And no matter how tiny our faith, Christ will be there as we work alongside of him, strengthening us as we join with him. For it is not the amount or intensity of our faith, but the object of our faith—who we put our faith in—that makes all the difference.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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## Speaking of Death

You probably know the old hymn, "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" To answer that question, "Yes – you were there," in a way you may not have thought about before.

Not long after Jesus was crucified, one of the first Christian leaders, Stephen, was hauled before the religious court for blasphemy and heresy. In a bold speech, he told his accusers who Jesus was, and then said, "you have betrayed and murdered him" (Acts 7:52).

Stephen wasn't only referring to that particular group of men. He realized that everyone, because of the guilt of their sins, had a responsibility for Jesus' crucifixion. The priests and religious leaders of the time accused him and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, may have signed the death warrant, but we were all accomplices to the murder of our Lord and Savior.

But our involvement in the death of Jesus is much more than being an "accomplice" to his murder. We were also included in his sentence of death. When Pontius Pilate gave the order for Jesus to be crucified, he sentenced himself and everyone else to death as well.

The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14, "We are convinced, that one died for all, and therefore all died." Your nosy neighbor, your nearest and dearest, your enemy in battle, your loved one locked in suffering, the hungry child in famine, those caught up in the tragedies of earthquakes and tsunamis, your boss at work, those trapped in false religion, the worst of terrorists, the best of heroes: they all died in Christ Jesus.

A couple of verses later, in 2 Corinthians 5:19, Paul tells us that on the cross, God "was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." Jesus died for everyone who has ever lived and who shall live. No one was excluded from the effectiveness of his sacrifice. Everyone was involved in his death. There were no exceptions.

It means that our past, no matter how desperate or depraved, was nailed to the cross. It means that through Jesus' sacrifice we have all been forgiven – whether we accept it or not. It means that everyone, irrespective of race or religion, was crucified with Christ.

And it means even more than that. It means that there is hope for us all because, as Paul wrote in Romans 6:8, "now, if we all died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." That's why Christians are so committed to spreading the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. It's a call to believe in the one who loves and gave himself for us – the one who, as Revelation 1:5, puts it, "has freed us from our sins by his own blood."

Jesus not only died for us, he rose for us as well. Were we there when they crucified our Lord? Yes, we were there.

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## The Spirit of Truth

The night Jesus was arrested, one of the things he talked about with his disciples was the Holy Spirit. He referred to the Holy Spirit with a word that was translated into Greek as _parakletos,_ a word that conveyed the sense of "advocate," "friend" or "supporter." _Parakletos_ was the word used for a person who would stand beside you in court to support you and your cause, to speak up for you, to hearten you.

"When he comes," Jesus said in John 16:8-11,

he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted. (John 16:8-11, _The Message_ )

The godless world is wrong about three things, Jesus said: sin, righteousness, and judgment. But the Holy Spirit would expose those errors.

So how is the godless world wrong about sin? The world thinks sinners can atone for their own sins by doing works of goodness. But now that Jesus has come to forgive all sin and reconcile all things to God, the only kind of sin that can remain is the sin of not trusting in him who takes away all sin. There is no sin Jesus hasn't forgiven. But if we don't believe that, we'll keep carrying the burden of guilt even though we don't need to.

And how is the world wrong about righteousness? The world thinks righteousness is human virtue and goodness. But now that the Son of God has lived a perfect, obedient life in our place and as one of us, human righteousness can only be defined as the gift of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus himself is our righteousness, not our good works.

How is the world wrong about judgment? The world thinks that people who suffer in this world are sinners under God's curse, and that people who are healthy and wealthy are the only ones under God's favor. But now that the Son of God has destroyed the works of the devil, judgment can only be defined only as condemnation of the evil god of this world, not as condemnation of those Jesus came to save.

Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would bring the truth about sin, righteousness and judgment. To be forgiven of sin, to be judged righteous, and to be freed from condemnation are all gifts of the Father through Jesus Christ. They are not something we earn, or something we deserve. We experience them only by trusting the One who gives them to us.

In Jesus Christ and only in Jesus Christ, we are reconciled to the Father and share in Christ's righteousness and Christ's relationship with the Father. In Jesus, we are the Father's beloved children. The gospel is indeed good news.

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## The Spiritual Aging Suit

How much does aging affect your day-to-day life? During a recent exhibit at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey, volunteers got the opportunity to find out. They could wear an augmented "aging suit" that used a combination of weighted attachments, a virtual reality headset, and audio equipment to simulate the effects of various age-related conditions, everything from a hip replacement to macular degeneration and hearing loss. The experience had a great impact on the younger volunteers. Things as simple as walking up a flight of stairs, reading a book, or listening to a conversation became an enormous task that left them exhausted both physically and mentally.

When I heard this, I couldn't help but think of how sin has the same effect on our spiritual lives: it makes everything exponentially more difficult. Have you ever noticed the snowball effect it can have? One sin opens the door to another, and then another. So what may have begun as a momentary lapse in patience during your morning commute can later build to a big argument with your spouse in the evening, or to your giving in to some temptation you normally wouldn't give a second thought to. You find yourself wondering, "How on earth did I get here?"

But that's how sin works. It hold us back from the spiritual life we were created to live, one of complete freedom and grace in Jesus Christ. Think about the moments where you've felt the power of Christ's love most intensely: you felt pretty free, didn't you?

That's exactly how grace should feel! The weight of shame, guilt, judgment, and pain that comes from sin is gone. In its place, we experience the incredible spiritual 'lightness' of the freedom Christ offers. As Christians who trust in him, we are already justified through him, and offered a life that is free from the bonds of sin. As Romans says: "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:22, 24 NIV).

Being right with our triune God allows us to then do right for and with him, as we live the life of grace and freedom that he intended for us. Without the weight of sin holding us back, it's a life that feels spiritually young!

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## Spiritual Breath

Meditation experts have long believed in the power of the breath for lasting calm and longevity, and now there's some science behind it. A new study at Stanford recently identified 175 specific neurons located deep in the brainstem that form the relay between our autonomic breathing center and the areas of the brain responsible for attention, arousal, and panic. These neurons tell our brain whether or not to be anxious or calm, depending on the quality of our breaths. Shallow, fast breaths mean excitement or anxiety, while long, deep ones translate to calm and peace.

So if our breath forms such a crucial foundation for our physical life, what role does it play in our spiritual life? Breath is crucial there, too. Or more accurately, the Holy Spirit — in Greek, "pneuma" is translated "Spirit," which is sometimes read as "breath." Paul talks about the role of the Spirit in our lives: "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:5-6).

Paul makes it clear that a direct effect of the Holy Spirit's presence in us is to be a source of life and peace. If we desire a life in tune with God, the only source of life, we need the Holy Spirit. It's through the work of the Spirit that the process of sanctification takes place in us. The Spirit leads us away from the temptation to distrust and disobey our God and towards healing and transforming us to receive true life from God. That life frees us to share with others around us the fruit of the Spirit that Paul mentions later in the book of Galatians: "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..." (Galatians 6:22).

As a believer, we know that God's Spirit is within us, and is undertaking our spiritual sanctification in Christ. And knowing that, we can take a breath and rest easy in his promises.

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## Spiritual Mirror Neurons

One of the things that most "makes us human" is emotional empathy, or the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. However, there's another kind of empathy we all know equally well: involuntary empathy. This is what happens when we see someone else experiencing something painful, like placing their hand on a hot stove, or stubbing their toe – and we feel the same thing!

This phenomenon is caused by "mirror neurons," a distinctive class of brain cells that fire when we perform an action, and when we see someone else perform that action. They explain why we're able to understand another person's thoughts, feelings, and reactions so immediately and instinctively – because those thoughts, feelings, and reactions are mirrored within us.

Reading about these amazing cells reminded me of another set of "mirror neurons" we have: our spiritual ones. We are each created in God's image, which means that everyone we meet is, in their own unique way, a mirror image of their Creator.

The difficult part about this is that we each reflect this image to greater or lesser degrees. It can be extremely difficult to believe that God's image is being reflected within people who commit overtly evil acts, or are living within difficult or questionable circumstances.

And yet, we see in Christ's life and words that the circumstances or actions of those around him were never enough to stop him from seeing the image of God within them, and activating his own "spiritual mirror neurons" to extend to them the love and redemption of the triune God. In the Sermon on the Mount, he puts it like this:

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?' ... "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'" (Matthew 25:37-40 NIV).

This was how Christ lived: as if everyone around him bore the image of God. That's the example he calls us to follow: one where we pray for our enemies, turn the other cheek, and go the extra mile. By seeing God's image in others and responding in selfless love, as he did, a beautiful process takes place: sanctification, through which we each begin to mirror God more fully and clearly ourselves.

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## St. Andrews, Scotland

Hello from St. Andrews, Scotland.

This ancient Scottish city is best known as the birthplace of golf. The game had its origins here in the 15th century, and St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club remains the definitive rules-making body of golf to this day.

Over the centuries, these ancient greens have witnessed many intense sporting dramas.

But St. Andrews has also been at the center of a different kind of conflict – one that has been far from sporting. I am talking about the often bloody struggle between the major factions of Christianity.

St. Andrews was one of the hubs of the Protestant Reformation. Here John Knox would preach, often haranguing the young Mary, Queen of Scots, for not rejecting Catholicism and allegiance to the Pope, in favor of the new Reformed Christianity as expounded by John Calvin.

The struggle between Catholics and Protestants was intense, as one side and then the other gained temporary advantage – and the losers often paying with their lives. The Martyr's memorial that overlooks the famous golf course is a grim reminder that Christians have often failed to reflect the life of their Savior in their passionate defense of their beliefs.

Today, with the benefit of hindsight, it's easy for us to condemn the bloodshed and cruelty spawned by the conflicting ideas surrounding the Reformation. Throughout Europe, religious wars raged in the name of Christ for well over a hundred years, with atrocity heaped upon atrocity.

No wonder some are turned off by the very idea of Christianity. How can people claim to walk in Christian love and yet kill other believers just because they have a different doctrinal viewpoint?

One thing we know is that God is more merciful than any of us could ever be. The Bible tells us that his throne of judgment is a throne of grace for those who need forgiveness. Those who tortured and executed fellow believers over doctrine during the Reformation do need forgiveness.

Those who do similar things today, though perhaps more subtly and less violently, need forgiveness also. The truth is, we all – every one of us – needs forgiveness.

The good news is that we have already _been_ forgiven. That's the Christian message. Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins. Not for the _possibility_ of the forgiveness of sins. His atoning work is effective for all humanity, and that work is already finished. What God is asking us to do is NOT to _earn_ his forgiveness, but simply to _accept_ the forgiveness he's already given us.

Salvation depends from start to finish on _him,_ not on us. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast."

Sometimes I like to think that if I had lived at the time of Knox or Luther or Calvin, I would have made a difference. Maybe I could have stopped the madness. Maybe I could have stood up for tolerance and been listened to. Of course, it's pretty unlikely, isn't it? If I had tried to do that, I probably would have been one of the first to go to the purifying flames. More likely, I would have been quiet and not said a word in order to avoid the inquisitors.

Or, as horrible as it is to think, maybe I too would have been caught up in the ugly fever of trying to purify the land of supposed heretics.

In the end, it's only God who makes a difference. He's the great Judge of all, who for the sake of Jesus has taken away our sins and declared us righteous and forgiven. But he didn't leave it there – he also sent the Holy Spirit to stand with us, encourage us, and transform us into the image of Christ – so that we might, at long last, come to truly love one another.

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## The Statues That Walked

We've all seen the monumental stone heads of the famous half-buried statues on Easter Island. But have you ever seen them move? It seems impossible, doesn't it? Yet they didn't arrive at their final destinations by magic. So how did they get there?

As it turns out, they got there by walking.

That's right, archaeologists have arrived at a consensus theory that the islanders actually "walked" these massive edifices from the quarries where they were carved to their final destination by using ropes and teams of workers to rock them from side to side, slowly moving them inch by inch across the island. All it took was a few ropes and a few dozen people working together, and something that seems impossible was made possible.

That got me thinking. There are so many tasks in our churches today that can seem the same way. To one person, they're overwhelming. Taking on the planning, coordination, and execution of events and programs can seem like staring at a massive, Easter Island-sized statue, and being told to move it. That can seem impossible! Yet Paul reminds us in the book of Galatians: "Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

More than anyone, Paul understood the persistence it often takes in ministry to see any results. He knew that it is imperative to keep going through the setbacks that are often inevitable in carrying out the work of Christ. But he knows and trusts in the continuing ministry of Jesus by his Spirit. He understands that the ministry of the church is really "joining in with Jesus" in what Jesus is doing. And so, out of faith in Christ's faithfulness, he follows the lead of the Spirit and remains faithful to the task set before him—preaching the gospel of Jesus for all to hear.

As a member of the Body of Christ, he also knew that we can't "go it alone" when it comes to sharing in the ongoing ministry of Christ. The weariness he talks about kicks in much more quickly if we do. That's why it's such a blessing that we are all members of one Body. Just like moving a statue across Easter Island, the impossible becomes possible through the teamwork and cooperation of many helping hands. That's how the Body of Christ works, and it's how our churches should work, too.

So the next time you're facing an "immovable statue" of a task, don't just stand there staring at it. Grab some ropes and a few friends, and make that statue walk!

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## Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

2017 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of U2's classic Joshua Tree album. If people hadn't heard of Bono, Edge and the rest of the band in early 1987, by March 9th you couldn't escape them. With hits like "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" – the garage band from Ireland invaded the United States and rocketed their way up the charts and started their journey to becoming the most popular rock band in the world.

There was one song on this album that caught my attention. It's titled "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and it was written like a modern-day gospel hymn. In it, lead singer Bono laments that he's searched far and wide for something or someone to believe in, but he still hasn't found what he's looking for.

For many of us, that sentiment can feel familiar.

Many times it can feel like the burden is on us to go out and search for God. We see this emphasis reflected in many religions and denominations around the world. Somehow, we're the ones who have to go find God. While we know we are called to pray to the Lord and seek his face, what's really great about the character of our God is that he seeks us out. He's the one who is moving heaven and earth to connect and dwell among us. The famous Swiss Protestant theologian and contemporary of Karl Barth, Emil Brunner, put it like this: "In the Bible it is not we who find a way to God; it is God who comes to us."

A lot of us know that even when we think we're pursuing God, we can sometimes find ourselves on the wrong track. We might have made a wrong turn somewhere, and we're lost. But we don't worship a God who just sits back and waits for us to find us – our Triune God is actively scaling the city walls, checking every mountain path, and leading the search-and-rescue team to find us where we are – and to bring us back to safety in him.

So the next time you hear Bono singing that he "still hasn't found what he's looking for," remind yourself that from God's perspective, he knows exactly where to find us, and that we, his beautifully created children, are exactly who he's looking for. Only in our relationship with him will we ever find what we are looking for.

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## Stillness

During a trip through Arizona in 1903, Teddy Roosevelt stopped off at the Grand Canyon. As he addressed the crowd, his voice boomed: "In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world." He continued, reflecting on the need to preserve this natural wonder for generations to come.

But why? What's so important about the Grand Canyon? I think the answer can be summed up in a single word: "stillness."

Let me explain.

Whether we like it or not, we live in the "digital age." People walk around listening to iPods; conversations have been replaced with Facebook status updates; and there's always some new show on Netflix that we "need" to watch. Now don't get me wrong – I love listening to music, getting text messages from friends and streaming _Downton Abbey_ with my wife and daughter. But at the same time, that is a lot of man-made noise. And sometimes we can get lost in it all.

In Psalm 46:10, God speaks through the Psalmist, telling us to: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalms 46:10).

Isn't that great? We're actually commanded to slow down, unplug for a moment and "know" that he is God. So often in this day and age we're bombarded with so much noise, movement and pressure that we forget to take a moment and slow down and be still in the presence of God.

If you've ever been to the Grand Canyon, you know what stillness and silence can feel like. I think in his own way, this was one of the aspects that Teddy Roosevelt was trying to protect – a refuge away from all the hustle and bustle and pressure of our "modern" lives.

This week, I encourage you to take a moment, close your eyes and "still your soul" before God. Turn down the "noise" and listen for his voice.

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## Stillness (2)

In 1988, Rosemary Johnson was a violinist for the Welsh National Opera. Her future looked bright - until a car accident changed everything. After waking up from a coma, doctors informed her that she would never be able to move again. For the next thirty years, Rosemary's violin remained silent. But now, almost thirty years later, thanks to some cutting-edge technology, Rosemary is beginning to make music again. Working with specially designed software, she can alter notes and musical phrases by simply focusing her eyes on different colored lights on a computer. When I read about this, I was reminded of a principle that we sometimes forget – the stillness of God.

Sometimes it can feel like we're stuck, that no matter how many prayers we offer to change our circumstances, God remains unmoved – silenced. But does that mean he's stopped working? Does that mean he is absent? No, far from it! At the end of his earthly ministry, Christ reminds the church – "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20 NIV).

The last words were a reminder that while Christ's visible presence was about to depart, his spiritual presence by the Holy Spirit would remain close. Jesus gives us both a promise and a descriptor of his character: God's presence and activity in our lives is constant, and it will never be withdrawn from us.

And yet, throughout history he has used stillness to shape the character and stories of those through whom he's worked powerfully. People like Job, Abraham, Joseph and John the Baptist experienced it. Even Christ experienced it in the garden of Gethsemane. In that moment, I'm sure Jesus experienced the doubt and confusion we so often feel when confronted with the stillness of God. But did that mean God had stopped working? Of course not! In fact, God was about to accomplish our salvation – his most important work in all of history!

So while at times we might feel anxious as we enter into the stillness with God, we should remember that like Rosemary, outward stillness doesn't mean that nothing is happening. His silence can be a sign of his closeness and love! The beautiful music of God's work in our lives is always playing. We may not be hearing it yet. But one day we will hear it in all its glory – forever.

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## Stuck in a Block of Stone

When Michelangelo talked about his sculpting process, he said that he believed that the figure was stuck in the block of stone, and his job was just to remove what didn't belong. I think this is an interesting way to view our spiritual formation, the process in which we're transformed to look more like our Lord Jesus. So often we think this process is about what we're adding: more fruits of the Spirit, more prayer, more service, more giving, more heightened spiritual experiences. But what if becoming like Jesus is just as much about what we're taking away? In Hebrews, we're encouraged to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1).

What hinders the process of becoming more like Jesus? The answer can be anything from willful actions to unconscious habits, from possessions to relationships. Other times, it may even be our own involvement in "godly" activities like church or service commitments that may fill our schedules, but don't feed our souls. It's not always easy to tell what doesn't belong, but a good way to start is to use the "fruit" test. In Matthew, Jesus said that "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit...Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:17, 20).

What's happening in our hearts and souls tends to find its way into the world through our actions. So if we're ever in doubt about whether a habit, possession, or even a relationship is helping or hurting our spiritual formation, all we have to do is look at its fruit in our lives. Does it make us look more, or less, like Jesus? Once we've answered that question, the process of removing it isn't always easy. In fact, it's a lifelong struggle. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have all we need to persevere, so that day by day, bit by bit, we can "throw off" whatever doesn't belong. In his time and in his way, as he shares with us his new life, he will free us to look more and more like the wonderful image of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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## Superhero

You've probably noticed that a lot of the big Hollywood blockbusters recently are superhero films. Everyone from Batman and Superman, to Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Wolverine, all have big-screen adventures that dazzle audiences across the world. As I've watched these films, I've noticed a theme that resonates through every story: each hero faces a choice, at some point in their journey, about how to use their superpowers. They can either walk away from the world and live a peaceful life in anonymity, or they can fight the evil that exists in the world, even if the world itself misunderstands and fears them for the very powers they use to protect it.

A great example of this is Superman. Despite being feared by the world's governments, he is encouraged by his father to serve and protect even those who don't understand him. In a memorable speech, he tells Superman...

"You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive toward. They will race behind you, they will stumble. But in time... they will join you... In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."

While that's a great bit of screenwriting, it's hardly original. Jesus spoke the original version 2,000 years before that movie came out! Here it is: "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..." (John 15:18-20).

Jesus was reminding his disciples of two important truths here: first, that they were essentially aliens to the world around them. Second, that they would be resisted, misunderstood, and even feared.

Why? Like Superman, the disciples had been given a set of superpowers. In their case, though, these powers were spiritual. Their hearts had already been changed by Christ, and their lives were about to be transformed even further by the power of God's Holy Spirit, through whom they would go on to perform miracles and wonders that even Superman could never dream of. They would boldly proclaim a gospel that was an offense and stumbling block to Jews and Gentiles alike, since it confronted them with their pride and convicted them of their need for the costly grace of our Triune God.

Like all heroes, the disciples also faced a choice—to put their total trust in God and live under his grace and lordship and for his honor and glory, or to continue to live for themselves. But they weren't alone. They could look to the example that Christ gave them. In Christ, they saw a life of total dedication to his heavenly Father's glory and in complete trust in his faithfulness. So great was his love for the Father, he sought to bring others into a worshipping relationship of love and trust in him. His love and trust was so great he willingly and even joyfully obeyed the gracious will and purpose of his Father to the point of his death on the cross with hope in his resurrection.

We know that many of the disciples made their choice to follow Christ's path. We, too, are offered that choice. Thankfully, through our Lord and Savior, we have the ability to live for the glory of God and not for ourselves. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be joyful witnesses in the world and find peace knowing that in Christ, our salvation is made perfect in him.

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## Superlative Water

Bottled water has become a multi-billion dollar business. The average consumption of bottled water in the US averages 30 gallons per-person per-year. My local supermarket offers at least 12 varieties, each promising to be superior to the others, although most would argue that none of them are any better than plain old tap water. That might be true, but I wouldn't know – I'm not an expert on water.

But Jesus was. He walked on it and he turned it into wine. In the beginning he created it, and if you remember the account in John's Gospel, he met a Samaritan woman who was drawing it from a well. He said he could supply her with a never-ending water. He called it "living water."

During that time, the phrase "living water" usually meant moving, flowing water. The woman knew there was no flowing water nearby. In fact, good clean drinking water was hard to come by. The only water available locally was in that well. So, of course the woman naturally asked him how she could get this exceptional water. Jesus told her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).

When we become physically thirsty, water satisfies us, but we are more than just physical creatures. As the physical body needs water to continue living, so does the spirit. We are made in God's image and we have a spiritual appetite. We can become spiritually hungry and thirsty too. Jesus explained that he was the source of that spiritual "living water" and by drinking of it, one can never thirst again.

The woman was astonished by his extraordinary offer. In fact, she may have not fully understood it at the time, but what astonished her was that Jesus spoke to her in the first place. She was a Gentile, a woman and had a somewhat dubious reputation. She was used to being shunned by her own people. A Jewish man would have gone to great lengths to avoid her. Nevertheless, Jesus accepted her – offering hope and encouragement.

Jesus offers new life, and he offers it to all humanity. By reaching out to an outcast Samaritan woman, Jesus showed that his kingdom is for everybody from every nation, every tribe and every culture, no matter how many sins one has committed.

"Living water" is just one of the metaphors Jesus used to teach us about his kingdom. Think about it next time you see an array of rather expensive and "superior" bottled waters on the supermarket shelf. Remember that the best water of all is even cheaper than the water from your tap, and you can have an endless supply – the gift of grace, free of charge. You just have to know where to get it.

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## Syrian Jesus

Recently, Syria has been torn apart by civil war. Peaceful communities have been transformed into combat zones, and many have sought refuge in other countries.

But from all the chaos, something unexpected has emerged...

High up on Cherubim mountain, overlooking an ancient pilgrim road that once linked Jerusalem to Constantinople, a massive 105-foot statue of Christ has risen into being. Assembled over the span of three days, the statue stands on the edge of a Greek Orthodox monastery and serves as a reminder of Christ's continuing work in this world.

When I read this, I thought: "Oh no! What if a bomb destroys Jesus? We should get him to safety!" And then I stopped and shook my head, as I realized: this is exactly where Jesus belongs.

Let me explain...

From the very beginning of his life, Jesus never played it safe. He was born into the middle of a chaotic political background. And during his ministry, he was continually going against the status quo so that he could join the outcasts and share life with them. That's just who Jesus is. He doesn't hang back and let us deal with our problems alone. Instead, he is always with us – in the midst of our classrooms, out on our highways, here in our government – and even in our warzones. There's no place Christ won't go for his beloved.

I know that this statue won't solve the problems in Syria, but my hope and prayer is that it will remind those in conflict of Christ's words to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane. I pray that it will inspire combatants on both sides of the war to strive for peace.

Please join me in praying for a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria.

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## Take a Good Look

When Smokey Robinson and the Miracles recorded their smash hit, _The Tracks of My Tears_ , I'm sure none of them had ever heard the word "Selfie." And to be honest, until last year, I hadn't either. But all that changed when the _Oxford English Dictionary_ chose the term as 2013's "Word of the Year." For those of you who still don't know what it is, maybe this will help.

A "Selfie" is defined as: "A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a Smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website."

Even though I don't Tweet, the concept got me thinking: "Could you do a spiritual "Selfie – a snapshot of our souls?" What would it reveal? I think this verse in Proverbs hints at what we might find:

"As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart" (Proverbs 27:19).

In other words, our soul, our spirit, who we really are inside, is reflected in the external life we lead. What we do and what we say does matter. And for some of us, that can be a scary thought. But it doesn't have to be.

With our adoption through Christ, we don't have to stand before God alone. Now, when he looks at us, God smiles because he doesn't see what we used to be – he sees what we can be in Christ. With Jesus, we all have a chance to start again.

So the next time you take a "Selfie," "take a good look at your face" and know it's one God loves.

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## Take Up Your Cross

Recently, filmmakers gathered with a cast of hundreds to create a fully immersive virtual reality experience called _JESUS VR_. They're trying to do something that's never been done before – put the viewer right next to Christ during his ministry, passion and resurrection. Now, with the right technology, audience members will be able to follow our Incarnate Lord and digitally "take up your cross." But what does that mean?

We know that in the Bible, Christ instructs his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him. It's interesting that he chose the metaphor of the cross, a symbol of pain and suffering, to paint a picture of what a life following him actually looks like. But it shouldn't come as a surprise. We know that the disciples who heard and received this message were transformed. But even in that transformation, they lived a life in this present evil age. Today as Christians, we face some of the same hardships. But sometimes that difficult truth can get lost in the shuffle. Listen to how Christian author Flannery O'Connor puts it: "What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross" (O'Connor, _The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor_ ).

Now don't get me wrong – I'm not saying that God's grace isn't freely given. It absolutely is. We can't earn it and we never could. Instead, Christ calls us to receive his grace, love and forgiveness and share in his peace, joy and hope. As we receive his grace, we enter into a lifetime of sanctification. Through our ongoing relationship with him, we leave things behind, we repent and turn to him in trust, in faith to receive more of his life. We die to ourselves and come alive in Christ. So while God's grace is freely given, it will "cost" us to leave behind what hinders us from receiving his grace and following him wherever he leads.

Christ has offered us a totally immersive divine relationship with him, one that doesn't require virtual reality. I hope you'll join me in faith and hope as we walk in this divine life with our faithful Savior.

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## Taking Prayer Seriously

Recently, I read an article about the rise of something called "hash tag prayer." It works like this: people on social media create a "hash tag" as a way to remind people to pray. Log onto Twitter and you'll see things like #PrayForBaltimore, #PrayForKorea and #PrayForParis. While some people might label this type of activity as "slacktivism," I started thinking differently when I heard about Brandon Ambrosino.

Brandon is a journalist who was feeling helpless after his father suffered from a stroke. So he logged onto Facebook to ask for prayers from his friends. Before long, hundreds of people were reading and commenting on his post, pledging to pray for him and his family. Two days later, Brandon's father was released from the hospital with no side effects from the stroke.

As Christians, we believe that God hears and answers our prayers – whether it's on social media, in our churches or just before bed. We know that we have a heavenly Father who desires to connect with us, through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. When we pray, we're actively practicing this spiritual discipline. And that communion and fellowship with God sanctifies us, transforms us, even if our particular prayers aren't answered the exact way we want them to be. As we pray, Jesus is our personal advocate, praying with us – joining our prayers with his, bringing us into the very presence of the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

So whether we're silently praying at home or pledging our prayers on Twitter or Facebook, let's continue to take prayer seriously—because prayer is a powerful part of the Christian life in communion with our listening and speaking Triune God, even when there's a "hash tag" on it.

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## A Tale of Two Teachers

I grew up as a grandson of immigrants. Both of my grandfathers had journeyed to America as adults, one fleeing a revolution and the other seeking his fortune. But both of them shared a similarity – they both hoped to see their culture passed down to their grandchildren. So I endured many an afternoon of "tutoring."

My Russian grandfather would recite the Russian alphabet like he was announcing a cattle auction. I tried hard to keep up, but always fell behind. When he finished, he would say, "Okay, now you try." I'd start at the beginning and maybe make it a few letters in, but sooner or later, I'd always fail. And with each failure, my Russian grandfather would threaten to spank me if I didn't do better next time.

On the other hand, my Greek grandfather wanted me to learn Greek. But he took a different approach. Rather than threatening punishment and zooming ahead, this grandfather would start slow, saying the first five letters of the Greek alphabet before pausing, and giving me the chance to actually learn. When I needed help, he graciously stepped in, prompting me. And when I succeeded, he always rewarded me with a slice of baklava.

This is my Tale of the Two Teachers. Both wanted me to learn their language (for good reasons!). But one worked as a taskmaster of the Law, prodding me on, disappointed whenever I made a mistake, and trying to motivate me mainly by threats. The other worked under the code of grace, gently and patiently working with me, step by step – forgiving a misstep and rewarding a success with love.

But let me be clear, when I make this contrast, I don't mean for anyone to conclude that I loved one grandfather more than the other. That's just not true. In fact, I love them both – just as I love both the law and grace.

What I want to show is that grace is more powerful than the law to bring about God's good purposes. See how Paul writes about it in Romans:

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned in sin the flesh, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)

God made a covenant of grace with Israel, to be their God and to enable them to be a channel of blessing to the future generations of all the families of the earth. The law was added in 430 years later to give them clear instruction about how to live within that covenant and serve notice as to when they were departing from it. It was never meant to give them righteous loving hearts. It could not protect them from temptation to sin. It was weak and could never bring about God's covenant purposes for his people. It mostly was simply demanding and condemning.

But by the working of God's grace in us, we are given new natures. The Holy Spirit gives us a share in Christ's own mind and heart and we are transformed from the inside out and enabled to live a Christ-centered life as his beloved children. Our Triune God has wonderfully worked out a way for us to share in his "culture," to learn his language of faith, hope and love and to be channels of his blessing to others. Now that's a reward that far surpasses even baklava! I pray that we all come to know God's covenant love and grace ever more powerfully in our daily life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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## The Temple That Cannot Be Demolished

I had mixed feelings when I learned that the library building at our original headquarters in Pasadena, California had been demolished. Though I knew it was just a building, this particular location held historical value for our denomination and to me personally.

It's funny how we get attached to things like buildings. Most of us have seen old homes, churches, or schools that hold significant memories in our lives torn down. We have to conclude these places have served their purpose and it's time to move on.

It makes me think about how Jesus' disciples felt when they went with him to the temple. They were "country boys" and were overawed by the Temple's magnificent architecture and by its meaning in their lives. Imagine their surprise when Jesus himself said the following in Matthew 24:2, "Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."

What Jesus was predicting was unthinkable. The Temple was their headquarters, the center of their religious life, and it was physical evidence that God dwells with his people. It was where the Shekinah – the holy fire that symbolized God's approval and acceptance – had entered into and come down onto the altar when the temple was dedicated. How could God allow such a holy building to be demolished?

What the disciples did not yet understand was that God was now dwelling with his people in a different way – through the person of Jesus. This would change the way people viewed God, the way they worshipped, and the whole structure of their religious practices.

The disciples began to understand on the day of Pentecost when the shekinah came again to Jerusalem. This time, however, it passed over the temple and came to an ordinary house. There the fire divided and hovered over the individuals gathered in an upper room. By doing this, God was showing that through the Holy Spirit, he would begin to build a new Temple – a temple not made of hands, but made of people who believed and followed Jesus.

The apostle Peter said the following: "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:4-5).

The new temple is being built by God and doesn't consist of stones or metal or other building materials. The new temple consists of people – people who don't need a special place in which to worship, but people who worship in spirit and in truth wherever they are.

This new temple is the temple you and I are part of; this is a temple that can never be demolished.

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## Tension and Stress

I think I am reasonably mechanically minded. I can usually figure out how to use the various devices and gadgets that seem to be so much a part of life today. But there is one machine that defeats me. I have no idea how it works or how to use it: my wife's sewing machine.

The last time I watched her using it I had to ask what one of the controls was for. She said, "That is the tension release button." I thought, "I could do with one of those. If only I had a tension release button!"

In one sense I do. When everything is getting to me, which it does more often than I care to admit, I try to find a quiet moment. Sometimes I need to create it in my mind. At other times I find a place away from the immediate hustle and bustle, and I pray. I pray that God would give me some peace and help me face whatever the issue is, without feeling so stressed. In that way, for a brief period of time, I rest in the Lord, and it relaxes me. The problem might not go away, but the tension is released.

It reminds me of a scripture in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. The prophet wrote to the Israelite captives, wanting to give them hope in their desperate situation. Don't worry, he explained to them: let go of the weight of your concerns. "You've carried those burdens long enough" (Zephaniah 3:18, _The Message_ ).

When we take our burdensome problems to the Lord, he helps us feel less stressed. Jesus invites those who are weary and heavy burdened to come to him, and he will give them rest.

The next time you're feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin, take a moment and turn to Christ. Say a prayer – and let him take the tension away.

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## Thanksgiving (1)

Most Americans have begun preparations for this year's Thanksgiving holiday, looking forward to this special time with family and friends over good food. As believers, of course, we don't limit giving thanks to God to a single day, because giving thanks is the keynote of our lives and our worship.

In Ephesians 5:19-20, the apostle Paul wrote: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Greek-speaking Christians called the Lord's Supper _Eucharist,_ which means "thanksgiving." And no wonder, because the greatest gift of all is the gift of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus has washed away all our sins, become one with us in such a way that he will never let us go, raised us with him in his resurrection and included us in the fellowship he has with the Father.

In Jesus, we find that the Father loves us unconditionally, and that the Father sent his Son not out of anger or a need to punish someone, but out of his immeasurable love and his unbending commitment to our redemption. We see this in Ephesians 2:1-10.

And even though none of us deserves God's favor, he loves us anyway. He not only forgives all our sins, but also lives in us by the Holy Spirit and transforms us into people who love him and love others just as he loves us. Titus 2:11-14 says,

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

There is no greater comfort than to know that God is faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to him. Like the father of the prodigal son, God never gives up on us, and always runs to meet us in joy when he sees us coming down the path toward home.

That's the gospel – the good news of God's love for every one of us – good news that we have the blessing to spread. And I want all of our viewers and listeners to know that it is your faithfulness in prayer and in financial support, and the faithfulness of others like you, that makes us able to spread this good news.

So again, let me thank you for all you do in Christ's service and for being who you are in him. May God bless you with a joyous Thanksgiving celebration!

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## Thanksgiving (2)

While traveling through Dana Point, California, I stopped into a pizza shop hoping to get a bite to eat. As I placed my order and made my way to an empty booth, I started looking around the room. The walls were covered with old surfboards and vintage beach photographs. But one decoration caught my eye: a small "Thank You" card mounted in an elegant frame. As I looked closer, I realized why so much care had gone into this tiny decoration.

It was a "Thank you" card from former president George H.W. Bush.

The message was simple, acknowledging how much he enjoyed his visit to Dana Point and particularly pointing out how good the pizza was at this restaurant. But as I read it, I could see how this very small gesture was received by the owners of this shop. They'd taken it and placed it in a frame for everyone to appreciate.

That simple phrase "Thank you" is one of the most powerful sentiments in the human language. It's one that transcends every culture and language. It's a way of recognizing what another person has done for you, acknowledging that in some way, big or small – they've made your life better. But more than that, it's an invitation to relationship. Nine times out of ten, the response you get from saying "Thank you" is "You're welcome."

For many of us, this holiday season means the stress of traveling long distances, cooking for a large number of relatives and friends and trying to make the budget stretch through to Christmas. But I think there's one thing that we can all do this Thanksgiving that will have a lasting impact on our relationships, and it's very simple: We can live a life of gratitude, and make the most out of every opportunity that we're given. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:18.

From all of us here at GCI, I want to wish you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving.

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## The Third Man

Orson Welles used to say that the role he played in _The Third Man_ movie was one of the best "star-parts" he'd ever had. He went on to explain that a star part is one of those roles where everybody talks about a character until the audience is on the edge of their seats. And then, finally – the star arrives, plays the scene and leaves. And with their departure, everything in the story changes and all of the characters are left to wrestle with the new situation.

When I read that, I realized that while Orson played such larger-than-life characters as Citizen Kane, King Lear and the great Jack Falstaff, there is one "star part" that he was never able to fill. I'm talking about the role of Jesus Christ in the greatest story ever told.

Long before the birth of our Lord in Bethlehem, Christ was woven into the fabric of mankind. He is the creator who was there "in the beginning." Paul tells us "all things us were created through him and in him." In fact, all things were created "for him," to be his inheritance. The entire universe is upheld in existence through him (Heb. 1). And for thousands of years, the prophets looked forward to that very time when God's Christ, the Messiah, would be born and deliver the world out of sin and darkness. See how the prophet Isaiah puts it:

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

During his life and ministry, Christ changed everything. He came to fulfill the law and the covenant purposes of God. Through his incarnation and blessed atonement, he brought mankind back into right relationship with our Triune God. He brought near the rule and reign of his kingdom. And by his Spirit, he continues to give us hope of the "age to come," when all things will be made right. Just like any great star part, as soon as he ascended into heaven, there was nothing else the disciples could do but to go out to live and share the good news of our God's transformational love.

From the beginning, Christ was prophesied and looked for. When he came, he redeemed all things by his powerful love. After he left, his followers continue to live out and share what he had accomplished with the world. Luckily for us, when we get to heaven, we'll all have a front seat to commune with our favorite star of all – the Lord our God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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## This Is the Day

Have you ever felt like you woke up on the wrong day? Maybe it was a day where everything around you seemed to be going wrong, and you wished you could just press fast-forward until the sun went down. It can be easy to feel this way. We all have bad days sometimes. But the next time you do, I want you to pause and ask yourself something. Whatever day that day is, ask yourself: "Will there ever be another one like this?" The answer is no. Time moves on, and we move on with it. The sun sets, and the page is turned. We don't get any do-overs.

While that might be a sobering reminder of the weight of each day, there's another way to look at it. In Psalm 118, the psalmist reminds us that, "This is the day that the Lord has made..." and then goes on to tell us what to do about that: "...let us rejoice, and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118: 24, NASB).

While our eternal life is hid with Christ on high, we aren't guaranteed any exact number of days here on earth. Each day we wake up is an incredible gift from our heavenly Father, and we ought to always treat it as such. We must take advantage of each day as its own unique opportunity to glorify our triune God and join with him in being witnesses in words and deeds to his eternal work of the renewal of all things.

Some days will bring trouble. Jesus promises as much in John 16:33, when he says, "in this world you will have trouble." But then he goes on, explaining, "...take heart! I have overcome the world."

Whatever each day brings, it's a gift to be embraced with all of the other gifts God has given us — our time, talents, energy, and resources. We are called to engage each day with gratefulness and joy, remembering what the psalmist said: this is the day the Lord has made. Not tomorrow. Not yesterday. Today. Will you rejoice, be glad in it, and gratefully jump into it with excitement at the opportunity God has given you? I hope so, because if there's one thing I can promise you, it's that whatever day this is for you... there will never be another one like it!

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## Tips for Jesus

When Tammy and I go out for a nice dinner, if the service is good, I like to leave a large tip. I love to see the look of surprise the waiter or waitress has when they see something they weren't expecting. But when I heard about something called Tips for Jesus, I was the one who was surprised.

Over the last few months, an anonymous patron has been leaving enormous tips across the United States – $5,000 in Washington, $1,000 in San Francisco – the list goes on and on. Over the last six months, this anonymous tipster has left over $130,000 in gratuity. And at the bottom of each receipt, the words "Tips for Jesus" are stamped in bright red ink.

Isn't that amazing?

I think the mystery tipster may have been onto something when he made an explicit link between overwhelming generosity and the Christian faith. It's as if he recognized the power of God's amazing blessings in his own life and actively sought to make that power knowable to as many people as he could. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes: "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).

We are blessed every day by God's mercy and grace in ordinary and sometimes extraordinary ways. And just like this mystery tipster realized, there will be opportunities to pass some of God's bounty on to others. By being channels of his blessings we join with Jesus in reminding others of the good news of God's overwhelming love for all.

Perhaps in this next week or so you might look for opportunities to pass on some of God's blessings with a smile, a helping hand or even a donation. Who knows, it might be the waiter or waitress serving you who could use a reminder of the free grace of God with a generous tip.

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## To the Glory of God

Several years ago, the monks of Saint Sixtus Abbey in Belgium received a special honor: their Trappist ale was declared the Best Beer in the World. As word got out, the beer – and thus, the monastery that brewed it – exploded in popularity. Thousands of people drove hours to get there, while thousands more flooded the brewery's phone line with orders; as many as 85,000 calls per hour! The demand for product became so great that it was almost impossible to get a case of the ale. I received this one from Girard and Claire Claude, our pastoral team on the French/Belgian border.

But here's the interesting part: instead of using their newfound fame to increase production or raise prices, the monks continued to make exactly the same amount of beer, and sell it for exactly the same price, as before. Why?

The answer is simple: they brew beer not as a business, but to support the operation of the monastery. Or, as their Abbot said, "We brew beer to be able to afford to be monks." In other words, they never set out to brew the best beer in the world. They simply set out to honor God, and everything else just followed after that.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul reminds us that, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Think about that for a second: whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. For his first thirty years on Earth, Christ worked with wood: shaping it into tables, chairs, or maybe even a doorframe or two. Like brewing beer, carpentry is hard work. It's exacting and takes many hours of concentrated effort to master. But he pushed through, making each chair to his Father's glory, and he taught us a valuable lesson by doing so: God's glory isn't limited to great actions or moments. Sometimes, it's found in the small and mundane details of our daily lives.

So the next time you're facing a task you don't appreciate, remember the monks of Saint Sixtus. Remember that if their efforts at things as simple as brewing beer can be used to reflect something of God's creative, good, wise, skillful, perfecting work, whatever you're facing certainly can too.

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## Tootsie Pop

In 1896, a candy store owner in New York named Leo Hirshfield developed an oblong piece of chewy chocolate candy that he individually wrapped. He called it a "Tootsie Roll" after his five-year-old daughter. He sold the candy for a penny and it became a favorite with his customers.

Then he had the idea of putting the Tootsie Roll inside another of his customer's favorites – a round lollipop. And so was born the Tootsie Roll Pop. There were originally five flavors – chocolate, orange, cherry, raspberry and grape. Some people – who must have nothing better to do – have calculated how many licks it takes to get to the center. The average is 285.

That is hardly the most important piece of information you will hear today. Well, here is another – it has been calculated that there are 31,174 verses in the Bible. That being the case, then the 15,587th and the 15,588th are the middle verses. They are found in Psalm 118, which makes it the middle of the Bible.

Wait – there's more! It so happens that the Psalm before, 117, is the shortest chapter in the Bible – it is only 2 verses. And the following Psalm, 119, with 176 verses, is the longest. So, the middle of the Bible is flanked by the shortest and longest chapters in the Bible. That is an interesting coincidence – but that is all it is. Because whether this is actually the middle of the Bible depends upon which version of the Bible you are using. And, so what?

Sadly, this kind of thing causes some people to spend years searching Scripture for coded messages buried within the text. They use what is called "equal distant interval" letter searches. This amounts to nothing more than superstition. To study the Bible for this kind of information is about as relevant to understanding its real message as knowing how many licks it takes to reach the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop.

It causes you to totally miss the point – like those Pharisees who were warned by Jesus, "You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about _me_ _!_ And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want" (John 5:39-40 _Message Bible_ ).

Don't lose sight of the fact that Jesus is the ultimate, final, definitive word of God. He is the _living Bible_ , and its true center. Don't waste your time licking around the edges.

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## Top of the Charts

If you tuned in for the Olympic ice-skating in Russia earlier this year, you probably heard a piece of music written by Japanese composer Mamoru Samuragochi. Over the last 20 years, Samuragochi has worked his way to the top of the charts, composing for both symphony orchestra and video games alike. And he did it all while being completely deaf!

But his meteoric rise came to a halt when a man stepped forward claiming that not only was Samuragochi not deaf – but he, not the famed composer, had been ghostwriting his work for the last 18 years. This revelation sent shockwaves through the classical music community. And people who had looked to Samuragochi for inspiration were left shaken and ashamed.

Now, I know that we all probably look to athletes, politicians and theologians as models for how to live our life. But just because they're famous doesn't mean that they're somehow immune to stumbling. We are all human and we live in a fallen world. When people fall, it shouldn't come as a surprise. Instead, it should point us back to the one who never stumbled. His name was Jesus and he said this: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Jesus faced ridicule, hostility, deceit, threats, abandonment, betrayal and finally an unjust and torturous execution. He also withstood internal temptation from evil itself and endured unimaginable mental anguish. Yet, for all this, he never gave in to sin – remaining pure not only for himself, but also for us. Through our union with Christ, his non-stumbling will stand in the place of our stumbling and we can trust in him wholly – without fear or doubt.

It truly is disappointing to find out one of your heroes has fallen. And for those who held Samuragochi in high regard, I hope they won't be turned away from the artistic beauty found in classical music. But more than that, I hope all of us in our stumbling will remember to turn to the One who has promised never to lie to us and by his truth has brought us back into communion with our loving Father God.

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## Total Forgiveness

At the height of World War II, Japanese forces attacked Singapore and captured British Officer Eric Lomax. Over the next few months, he was forced to work on the deadly Burma-Siam railway. Every night Lomax and his fellow prisoners planned their escape: creating maps, building a radio and storing food. But before they could make their attempt, they were discovered.

As punishment, the Japanese soldiers brutally tortured Lomax. At each session, a translator was present – his name: Nagase Takashi. For Lomax, this man became the voice of the enemy. And in his heart, he swore that one day, he would make him pay.

Fifty years later, Lomax got his chance.

Nagase had published a book recounting the atrocities he had committed during the war. It was the first step in a journey that would ultimately lead Lomax back to Japan, where he would come face-to-face with his torturer.

As the two met, Nagase bowed. He had tears streaming down his face and was only able to speak these words: "I'm sorry." Over the next few days, the men talked and listened to one another. And before Lomax returned home, he gave Nagase a letter. This is what it said: "Although I can't forget the ill treatment – taking into account your change of heart, your apologies, the work you are doing, please accept my total forgiveness."

Isn't that a powerful concept? Total forgiveness? It's one of the things that we all need. But it's also one of the most difficult virtues to foster. It seems to go against our fallen nature. We hold onto our wounds – hoping that by doing this, somehow justice will be done. But clinging to these emotions isn't how we're called to live as Christians.

Paul wrote this in Ephesians: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31-32).

While it can be difficult to let go of our hurts and pains, we know that in Christ, we have a sympathetic high priest who has suffered alongside us. He knows each of our wounds and is willing to take them from us – if we only let him. And he not only takes them but also undoes them, so that they are made to contribute to our eternal benefit—by sharing in Christ's own crucifixion and resurrection. Although Eric Lomax might not have known it, when he forgave Nagase Takashi, he was actively participating in Christ's divine mission, extending the healing grace of our Creator God to the world.

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## Transformed Letters

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail? In this day of e-mails, Twitter, and Facebook, most of us don't receive as many letters as we used to. But in the days before electronics, nearly all of our communication with the people who didn't live near us was by letter. It was, and still is, a fairly easy process: some paper, something to write with, an envelope and a stamp.

However, in the days of the apostle Paul, writing a letter was not nearly as easy. Letters had to be written on papyrus, which was expensive and not available to most people. But papyrus is durable – it can survive indefinitely – as long as it doesn't get moist or wet. That made it perfect for writing important letters and documents.

Archaeologists have unearthed ancient trash heaps containing hundreds of documents that were written on papyrus – many written some 2000 years ago, during the time the apostle Paul and other epistle writers of the New Testament lived.

Among these documents are many private letters. These letters conform to a written style, exactly like what the apostle Paul used in his writing. Letters of that day always began with a greeting, followed by a prayer for the health of the recipients. Next, there was always a giving of thanks to the gods. Next came the particular contents of the letter with all the news and instructions, and finally a closing salutation and personal greetings to individuals.

If you look at any of Paul's letters, you will find that very pattern. The point is, Paul did not intend for his letters to be theological treatises or scientific essays. He was simply writing letters, like friends would write to each other. He wrote most of them to deal with an immediate problem occurring in the particular church he was writing to. Also, he didn't have a nice quiet office or study where he could sit down and ponder over each word, to say everything just right. He would hear of a crisis in one of the churches and write or dictate a letter to deal with it.

He was not thinking about us or about our problems when he wrote; he was thinking about the people he was writing to and their immediate problems or questions. He was not trying to go down in history as a great writer of theology; he was just writing letters to help a group of people he loved and cared about. Paul never had a thought that someday people would look at his letters as Holy Scripture.

Yet, God took Paul's very human letters and redeemed them; using them to speak to Christians everywhere, including us today, about the very same kinds of troubles and crises that have faced the church throughout the centuries.

Consider this: Just as God can take ordinary pastoral letters and gloriously transform them to convey the good news of the gospel – both to the church and to the world – so God can take ordinary people like you and me and gloriously transform them, so that they might, in the power of Christ and through the Holy Spirit, be living testimonies to the Lord who has saved them.

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## Translations

My text today is Mark chapter 16, verse 15:

'ej chaHvaD jatlh:  
peghoS 'ej qo' naQDaq De' QaQ yImaq.  
chenpu'bogh Hoch yImaq.

Don't worry – I'm not speaking in tongues. I'm just reading this well-known passage where Jesus tells his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel – in Klingon, the language of a warrior race from the Star Trek universe. They don't really exist, of course. But you'd better not say that to dedicated Trekkers. They take these things pretty seriously, seriously enough to have invented an entire language for the Klingons. Not just a few words, but a complete language with grammar and syntax. And yes, someone has even begun to translate the Bible into Klingon. I just read from it – although I doubt I pronounced everything correctly, so my apologies to any Trekkers watching.

Of course, it's not likely that many people will become students of the Klingon translation of the Bible, but translating the ancient text of the Bible into spoken languages has long been important work. 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, so it's an appropriate time to talk about Bible translations.

I know the King James Version seems old fashioned to us now, but when it was originally published, it was intended to be a translation that could be easily understood by ordinary people.

As you probably know, what we call the Old Testament originates from a text, written in the Hebrew language and other parts in Aramaic. The New Testament originates from Greek. The Old Testament itself had also been translated from Hebrew to Greek long before Jesus was born, and it was the Greek translation of the Old Testament that was most common in Jesus' day.

To translate these ancient languages into English – or any other language for that matter – is a complex task. The men who labored to produce the King James Version 400 years ago did a pretty good job – considering the limited number of ancient texts they had available.

Today, we have older and more reliable ancient texts to work from. In addition, archeological discoveries and research have allowed us to know so much more about how those ancient languages were used than was known 400 years ago. As a result, modern versions of the Scriptures are more accurate in comparison. There are literally dozens of versions easily available now. We are almost spoiled for choice, and I'm often asked which is the "best" translation. But, I must say I am hesitant to answer that question. It often depends on personal preference or your intended use. Say you're serious about Bible study; well, you're probably going to make use of several different versions – although I'm not sure where the Klingon version might fit in your studies.

It's a blessing to have such a variety of good translations, and to have the freedom of choice between them. It hasn't always been that way. There have been times when to even possess a Bible in your native language would have meant a death sentence. Tragically, there are places in the world where that is still true.

And of the world's 6900 known languages, there are still 2100 that don't have a Bible translation. There are also millions of people living in poverty that would find it a rare treasure to own a Bible.

For us, this book may no longer be rare, but it is still a treasure, and we can thank God for the expertise and devotion of all those who have labored so hard through the centuries, often risking their lives, to make it possible for us to read the Bible in our own languages.

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## The Trinity Revealed

A few weeks ago I attended a friend's church. As the service began, the choir began to sing an old hymn. It was a paraphrase of Martin Luther's theological work, and it went like this:

When Jesus went to Jordan's stream his Father's will obeying,

And was baptized by John, there came a voice from heaven saying:

"This is my dear beloved Son upon whom rests my favor."

And till God's will is fully done he will not bend or waver, for he is Christ the Savior.

The Holy Spirit then was shown, a dove on him descending;

The Triune God is thus made known in Christ as love unending."

Sometimes we forget that the word "trinity" isn't in the Bible. But the actual Trinity is all over the place – especially when we read the account of Christ's baptism! Luke writes, "As he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased'" (Luke 3:21-22).

In that moment all three persons of the Trinity are revealed at once. God the Father is heard through the opening of heaven and by the sound of his voice. The Holy Spirit descends to Christ in a form like a dove. And Christ is firmly planted in the waters of the Jordan River.

What I enjoy about this account is that it illustrates our access to the whole Triune God. We, like the others who were there that day, are baptized into Christ because of his incarnation and atonement. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are comforted and counseled. That same Spirit, with Christ as our brother/advocate, invites us back into communion with our heavenly Father, who says to us, through his Son: "You are my child, whom I love. With you I am well pleased."

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## Trinity Sunday

Most of us are familiar with the Abbott and Costello routine, "Who's on First?" It's a hilarious attempt by Abbott to tell Costello the names of the players on his baseball team. "Who's on first, What's on second and I Don't Know's on third." As the routine unfolds, Costello grows frustrated because he believes Abbott isn't answering his questions.

To some, explaining the Trinity may sound like a "Who's on First?" routine. "God is one, but God is three, comprising of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." But the truth of the matter is, the Bible clearly reveals that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and these three share perfect love, joy, unity, peace and fellowship.

The doctrine of the Trinity helps us understand how God is in relationship as one divine Being. This is important to us because, as Jesus teaches and we find echoed throughout the New Testament, we are all included in that relationship. We're not outsiders or strangers. Through Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, we become children of God, sharing in his union and communion with the Father and the Spirit. Through him we become part of what Christians call the family of God.

The reason God teaches us through Scripture that he is Father, Son and Spirit, and not just a great being "out there somewhere," is so we would know his true nature and character. We discover that he is not merely loving at times, but that he is love in his own eternal being. This God, who is a fellowship of triune love, really does love us, and we can be in relationship with him. But how do we know? Because Jesus, who is Emmanuel, which means "God with us," is also the eternal Son of God "in the flesh," the one the Father sent not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17).

Jesus is the Father's Son, who came to reconcile us to God and teach us that his Father is our Father and he has become our Brother. Further, he said as he is united with the Father, he is also united with us and we with him. In other words, we are connected to the Trinity through Jesus. He includes us in himself. So in prayer he says, "I ask...that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us... I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one... so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them" (John 17:20-26).

This was his plan from the very beginning – to share his life with us, the life the Son has shared eternally with the Father and the Spirit. Understanding God as Trinity is understanding God's plan to bring us into union and communion with himself through the Son and by the Spirit.

This is why many in the Christian church set aside a day every year to celebrate Trinity Sunday. That day acts as a reminder that God lives in relationship as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and we are included in that relationship of holy love.

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## Triune Prayer

At Grace Communion International, we boldly affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. Our study of Trinitarian theology shapes every aspect of who we are and how we understand our relationship to God through Christ.

While reading C.S. Lewis's _Mere Christianity,_ I came across an interesting passage. While working to define our God in light of the Trinity, Lewis illustrated how God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit plays out in our daily prayer life:

An ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say his prayers... is trying to get into touch with God. But if he is a Christian he knows that what is prompting him to pray is also God: God, so to speak, inside him. But he also knows that all his real knowledge of God comes through Christ, the Man who was God – that Christ is standing beside him, helping him to pray, praying for him. You see what is happening. God is the thing to which he is praying, the goal he is trying to reach. God is also the thing inside him which is pushing him on – the motive power. God is also the road or bridge along which he is being pushed to that goal. So that the whole threefold life of the three-personal Being is actually going on in that ordinary little bedroom where an ordinary man is saying his prayers. ( _Mere Christianity,_ chapter 24)

As Christians, we have been given the Holy Spirit, our "advocate." It is by his conviction in our hearts and minds that we are prompted, or as Lewis puts it, "motivated" to pray. At the same time, through Christ, we have been given a bridge to cross the divide separating us from our loving Father God. Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, teaching us how to pray, and interceding for us when we're not sure what to pray. He leads us, as one of us, into God's very presence, drawing us into closer communion and communication with our heavenly Father. In short, we can say we pray to the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit.

As we continue to wrestle with the mystery of the Trinity, I hope we will continue to be drawn deeper into relationship with our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

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## Triune Spinner

There's a craze sweeping the youth of the nation. If you've been out to the mall or interacted with anyone under the age of 20, you probably know what I'm talking about. It's this... It's called a "Fidget Spinner," and it's pretty simple. There are three spokes spanning off of a ring of ball bearings, so that when you put your thumb and forefinger in place, you flick one of the spokes and watch the device spin. Suddenly the three distinct spinner tips form a single unified motion. Isn't that nice?

When I first saw this, my mind immediately jumped to the Trinity. Through the centuries, people have struggled to explain this central mystery of our Christian faith. In Ireland, St. Patrick used a shamrock or three-leaf clover to explain how God was three distinct persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — while also being one God being. Others have used scientific descriptions to explain how something could be water, ice, and vapor all at one time. Even on our show, You're Included, Professor of Theology at Duke University, Jeremy Begbie compared the distinctness and oneness of the Trinity to three different notes on a piano that, when struck at the same time, would form a unified and single sound.

What we're doing here is simply a crude signpost pointing toward the true mystery of the doctrine of the Trinity. As Paul says, "We see through a glass darkly." Each person of the Trinity is not three parts of a single object or being that can be made to visually appear as one "God." Something like that would be heretical and would fall into the categories of Partialism, Modalism, or Sabellianism — heresies that have been corrected through church councils over the life of the church. But what it can do is, by the grace of God, point us toward the truth and get the conversation started.

We are called to be in the world but not of the world. That means interacting with culture, finding places to meet it. It might be that a fidget spinner could be a place to start with someone who has a sneaking suspicion that they need a lot more than a three-pronged toy to give them abundant life.

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## A Triune Tune

At one point during my studies at Azusa Pacific University, I took a class in which we were asked to describe the Trinity. And I'll tell you, that was a hard assignment. The Trinity is one of those doctrines that we all are familiar with, but when it comes to "talking about" it – well, that can be more than a little difficult. There's not really a great model in our world to do it justice. But after doing a lot of thinking, this is what I came up with.

We're all familiar with a basic piano chord, right? It consists of three distinct keys, which are played at the same time to form a unified "note." And while most models that try to "explain" the Trinity fall short, I think this is a nice starting point. We have the Father... [note]... the Son... [note]... and the Holy Spirit [note]. And they work together in unity. The three notes are so entwined in each other that they give us one beautiful and harmonious sound. [chord]

Now sometimes it can be hard to spot the Trinity in the Bible. You know, the word Trinity isn't actually in the Bible. But that doesn't mean that the Father, Son and Spirit aren't there in the text. Sometimes, what I like to do is sit down and read through a few passages of Scripture and every time I read the word Father, Son or Spirit, I like to hit one of the keys. Let me show you. "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of GOD – the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his SON... and who through the SPIRIT of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:1-4).

Did you hear it? Father, Son and Spirit? They're all right there. Let me do another passage from the Gospel of Matthew. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of THE HOLY SPIRIT" (Matthew 28:19). Our Father God has sent his Son to bring us back into communion with him, and that sanctifying work is continued by and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, the next time you're reading through your Bible, keep your eyes, and maybe, more importantly your ears, open. Listen for the FATHER... the SON... and HOLY SPIRIT... knowing that all of them are working together now and forever to bring you into the deeper knowledge of God.

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## True Riches

In these tough economic times, most of us would like to get our hands on some real money. Well, how about one hundred trillion dollars?

That would last us for a while, wouldn't it?

Well, I'm afraid not. The Bank of Zimbabwe issued this note a few years ago, just before their economy completely collapsed. At that time, the value of their currency was shrinking daily. By the time this note was printed it could barely buy a loaf of bread!

It just goes to show the danger of trusting in physical wealth for your security. In a hyperinflation situation like this, even millionaires saw their wealth eaten up. They learned by painful experience the wisdom of this scripture from the Book of Proverbs:

"Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself! Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder" (Proverbs 23:4-5, _The Message_ ).

There is nothing wrong with wealth if it is come by honestly and used for good. But when we begin to trust in our wealth for physical security, or social status and privilege, we place ourselves at risk. Notice what Paul said to Timothy, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Timothy 6:10).

The problem with money, or what it can buy, comes when we put the emphasis on it rather than on what is eternal and truly life-giving: Jesus Christ. Our greatest wealth is knowing who we are in Christ and living in close relationship with him.

Likewise, the greatest poverty is not the absence of physical wealth, but a spiritual poverty that comes with living apart from a loving and faithful relationship with Christ by the Spirit. This is why Jesus tells us to store up treasures in heaven, where we will enjoy being the beloved children of our Creator God. When we make a relationship with Christ our treasure, even when we are poor, we are rich.

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## Trust in the Lord

Have you ever been to camp? Or maybe a work retreat? Or just played on a sports team in high school? If you've done any of these things, odds are you've participated in something called a "trust building exercise." Let me explain. The trust exercise is when a team gathers behind one member, while – at the same time, that single member is blindfolded and told to fall backwards, trusting that the rest of the team will catch them. Sounds kind of scary, right? Usually it takes a few tries before the blindfolded person is able to fall backwards and not stop themselves. Sometimes it feels like we're just as hesitant when we're trying to put our trust in God.

God has called us into a relationship with him. Through his Son, Jesus Christ, he has revealed himself to us. Through his Holy Word, he has made a covenant with mankind. And yet, we still can have a hard time putting our trust in him. I know it can be difficult. Fear gets in the way and undermines our faith – and we find ourselves "stopping ourselves." But when we live our lives trusting daily in God and his Living Word, we know that we're on the right track. See how Solomon puts it: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Our essential relationship with God through Christ is one of faith or trust in him to be faithful. Often in difficult situations we want more. We want to know how it will all work out. Or how and why God allows certain things. But God hasn't promised that we'll be able to understand all the "how's" and "why's" of life. Instead, he has made known his nature, his character, his ultimate purposes and ends through our Lord, Jesus Christ. God has given us what we need to trust him to be faithful. Knowing his faithfulness calls for our faith even and especially when we don't understand much else about a particular situation.

I pray that as we're growing in Christ, trusting in him will become more and more like second nature, and we'll stop trying to catch ourselves – and fall into our Triune God's open arms.

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## Truth in Advertising

Have you ever watched a TV advertisement for a product that appears SO AMAZING and the price SO CHEAP that it seems just too good to be true? At first you're probably skeptical, but as you listen to testimonial after testimonial, you begin to believe that this might indeed be a miracle product – the very thing you've been waiting for, whether you knew it or not.

And it gets better – the price is just a fraction of what you would spend on similar products that don't work as well. But wait – there's more! If you call within the next five minutes you'll get not one – not two – but three bonus gifts that alone, are worth the purchase price. Operators are standing by, but supplies are limited, so you MUST ACT NOW!

So you succumb and place your order, but when the item arrives, you are deeply disappointed. It looks and works very differently from what you saw displayed under the bright lights of a TV studio. With a sigh you realize you have been tricked by slick advertising that greatly oversold the item. It leaves you feeling foolish and betrayed, and you resolve never to fall for that kind of deception again.

It's bad enough if that happens with a vacuum cleaner or a piece of jewelry. But it is tragic if untruthful advertising misrepresents something as important as the gospel. But sadly, it does happen.

The gospel is good news, the best possible news anyone can hear. It promises a new life beyond death, a life rich in joy, peace, friendship and real love. It's the good news of a life in communion with God, who loves you and wants you with him no matter who you are, where you've been or what you've done.

The gospel is the best and only hope for humanity. It is the best and only hope for you, for me, and everyone we care about. That is why we preach it, calling on all people everywhere, as far as the Spirit gives us opportunity, to turn to Jesus in faith so all can truthfully know him and know the Father – and so they can come to know for themselves that they are beloved children of the Father, in Jesus.

It's not slick advertising for a product that can't measure up. It's the gospel truth. And it means God knows your name and your sins and loves you anyway. In Jesus, the Father has already done everything necessary for your salvation and redemption. You are included. He loves you and will never let you go. The Holy Spirit will heal your mind and heart and set you on a new path with Jesus – a path of rest, peace and hope. Trust your Savior. You won't be disappointed.

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## Two Are Better Than One

Recently, a photograph surfaced online that showed an early version of Sony's PlayStation game system. To me, it just looked like an old cable box. But when I looked closer, I saw that this version had both a cartridge slot as well as a CD-ROM. But what really caught my eye was Nintendo's logo prominently displayed across the controllers. I had to stop and ask – how could these two video-game titans have worked together? Wouldn't this collaboration give one an advantage over the other? It was that thought that led me back to the Scriptures.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes,

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.... Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12)

We know that from the beginning we were created for relationship with God and the rest of his creation. But sometimes we fear that cooperation might undermine our success. Whatever we accomplish should be achieved on our own. But we know this isn't right.

Over the last few years, I've seen some amazing growth in our churches around the world. I've also observed that often this growth has been due in large part to the spirit of collaboration our members have. It has been said more than once that we give "relational theology" a whole new definition! I can't agree more. Many of our churches have found that thoughtful partnering with other churches, service groups or community organizations has enabled them to participate more fully in the work that Christ is doing around them. I think they're finding out that, as the Bible also says, "iron sharpens iron."

Nintendo and PlayStation haven't engaged in much collaboration lately. Both are still vying for dominance in the multi-billion-dollar video-game marketplace. But I know at GCI, we're ready, willing and able to seek out Christ and join with those he has woven into his divine life to accomplish his redemptive work.

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## Two Kinds of Life

Have you ever chased something in life, only to be disappointed when you finally get it? I know I have — and I know I'm not alone. This seems to be the experience of many people. We see a new toy, a different job, another lifestyle, and we fool ourselves by thinking that, "If I only had that!" then things would be so much different. If we only had that new grill, or that promotion, or that bigger house, then we would be happy, then we could really enjoy life. But the problem is, that "new car smell" only lasts so long, and we're inevitably faced with the fact that changes in our circumstances don't seem to satisfy us.

Jesus knew this, and he addressed it in the Gospel of John. He told his followers: "Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity" (John 12:25, NLT).

The interesting part here is that Jesus is talking about two different kinds of life. There are only two Greek words used for "life" in the New Testament: psyche and zoe. "Psyche" refers to physical life, the kind that's consumed with our circumstances (our job, living situation, daily stresses, etc). But "zoe" refers to something deeper and more long-lasting: the eternal life that we're welcomed into as Christians. We're invited to share in Jesus' own life, and in his relationship of faith, hope and love for the Father and the Holy Spirit. We're invited into the circle of the triune life of the Eternal, and to begin to share in their fellowship and communion with one another. By the miracle of grace, we can begin to enter in while still remaining human and while we're still living in what Paul calls "this present evil age."

Jesus knew that a transformation of circumstances cannot satisfy us. Only a transformation of being, our being in relationship with God, can do that, and that's exactly what he offers us: being at peace with God, receiving daily his forgiveness, his love and hope in his coming kingdom. By his Holy Spirit we have the opportunity to serve as channels of his grace and pointers to his coming kingdom. Jesus asks us to stop chasing psyche, and instead accept the wealth of zoe that he offers us freely.

So the next time you're tempted to think, "If only I had..." about something that might only satisfy you temporarily, remember that Jesus offers us a better kind of life: the kind that lasts forever.

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## Unclaimed Baggage

Have you ever seen that one last bag circling an otherwise empty track at an airport baggage claim and wondered what happens if no one claims it? Well, here's one possibility: it could end up going to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama. This unique museum buys unclaimed bags from airlines, who sell them after the expiration of a mandatory claim period where they search for the bag's owners before declaring it officially "unclaimed."

The Center then displays, donates, or sells the contents of each bag in a massive building the size of a city block. This can lead to some amazing stories. One of my favorites was of a customer who bought a pair of ski boots for his wife, only to discover that they were the very same favorite pair of ski boots she had lost on a ski trip two years before. When he brought them home, she found her own maiden name written on the tag!

That story reminded me of a parable from the gospel of Luke, where Jesus talked about a shepherd who loses just one member of his flock, and rejoices when he finds it, calling all his friends to help him celebrate the return of his one lost sheep:

"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep." In the same way there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!" (Luke 15:4-7 NLT)

This woman who found her lost ski boots could have just purchased new ones. But what do you think she was more happy about: a new pair, or rediscovering the old ones that she knew and loved that had her own name written on them? In a much more powerful way, God too has claimed us as his own. He even tells us, "I have engraved you on the palms of my hands" (Isaiah 49:16 NIV).

But it seems that many people go through their lives resisting that love, turning away from God at every opportunity, or simply ignoring him whenever possible. Many are deceived about the nature and character of God, having heard lies about him or misunderstood what God is doing in the world—or even in their own lives.

So is it any surprise that all of heaven throws a party for even one man or woman who repents and turns back to Jesus? Jesus' whole life and ministry was to seek and find the lost and make a way for them to return to their heavenly Father by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As members of Christ's flock, whose names have been engraved on his hands, we're assured that this is our eternal reality as well. We will never be "unclaimed." If you ask me, that's a pretty great reason to celebrate as well!

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## Undercover Boss

Last week, I was watching TV when a reality show caught my attention. It was called Undercover Boss and the concept is pretty straightforward: a CEO wears a disguise and works a few different low-level jobs in order to get an unfiltered view of what goes on behind the scenes.

This episode centered on the University of California at Riverside. The chancellor donned a mustache and new haircut before working alongside a number of students. While on the job, he learned about their personal hardships, the challenges they faced and the daily struggle of living under the crippling yoke of student debt.

At the end of the episode, the chancellor removed his disguise and came clean. But more than that, he revealed the great news that a handful of generous donors had offered to pay off each worker's student debt. Can you even imagine hearing that news?

The thing is, we already have heard something very similar. Look at what Paul writes in Colossians:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)

Isn't that great news? Our Undercover Boss, Jesus Christ, wore no disguise. He came to work for those who had worked against him and who were enslaved to fallen and sinful natures. He forgave us for all the damage we had done to our relationship with God and to those he loves. Through his abundant grace and mercy, he held nothing against us. Instead, at his own expense, he covered all our losses and more. Our slate is wiped clean! Our debts are forgiven! And because of that, we're free to join in with his continuing ministry of reconciliation.

So this week, as we all return to the workplace, keep an eye out for those around you who may be working undercover for God. And don't be surprised if you come across unexpected opportunities to pass along the same grace and peace that you've been given.

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## Understanding Our Heavenly Reward

How do you explain things that are beyond human comprehension, things that we have never even imagined? Well, God does it the way we would for a child – he uses illustrations.

That's why Jesus so often described the kingdom of God with parables. We shouldn't make the mistake of thinking these stories are an exact description – they are illustrations to help us understand some aspect of what is otherwise beyond our comprehension.

For example, Peter once reminded Jesus that the disciples had given up a lot to follow him. So Jesus answered, "Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30).

What Jesus was giving them is comfort and encouragement. But we would misunderstand it if we were to take these words in a literal manner. Jesus did not mean that we would be blessed literally with 100 mothers or 100 new farms. What he meant is that the things we give up for the gospel aren't in vain and that we stand to gain more than we gave up.

In several parables, Jesus indicated that the eternal reward would be like rulership. Once again, this should not be interpreted as a position of power and prestige. Rather, it refers to receiving a greater opportunity to serve and to help others. That really is – or at least should be – the greatest reward for a position of leadership.

These analogies are given to help us understand, and we should be careful not to miss the real point by interpreting them in ways Jesus did not intend. Jesus used them because we do not have the ability, or even the vocabulary, to fully understand, let alone describe, an existence that we have never experienced. But Jesus wants us to know that our spiritual blessing will be far better than any physical things that we can have in this life.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived,—the things God has prepared for those who love him."

All physical things, no matter how beautiful, enjoyable or valuable, are in comparison like weak shadows of heavenly rewards. Whatever we value the most is in this physical world cannot compare with God's rewards in heaven. As Paul said, we "see through a glass darkly" as we "declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began" (1 Corinthians 2:7).

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## The Ultimate Love Story

If the word "princess" appears in a book title, I know my wife and daughter are going to buy it. They love princess stories. My son claims he is burned out on princess stories, but he still enjoyed the movie _Princess Bride_. It had everything; pirates, monsters, sword fights, as well as a love story.

We all love stories. It's an easy way to learn and a very effective way to teach. Princeton University researchers have discovered that storytellers cause the brains of their listeners to operate in sync with their own. Groups of specialized neurons called "mirror neurons" exist opposite each other in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This makes it possible for us to participate vicariously in what someone else is experiencing. These neurons also enable human empathy, allowing us to tune into each other's feelings. In effect, mirror neurons allow us to live "inside" the minds of others. A good story provides a point of entry—a portal—that allows the listener to join in the adventure. This is why hearing a story of adventure can be almost as exciting as having the adventure for yourself.

Every human being's life is a unique story. Just think of it: over seven billion different stories going on all at once, intertwining, and overlapping, as we love each other, hate each other, struggle and laugh together. Every minute, new human stories are beginning in birth and old ones are winding down in death.

Eugene Peterson, author of _The Message,_ says, "We live in a narrative, we live in a story. We have a beginning and an end, we have a plot, we have character." It would seem that story is the language of the heart. Our lives are not just a series of impersonal calculations. Rather, we experience the images and emotions of a dramatic narrative.

And each of our stories has its own context, culture and time in history. No matter when we live, or where we live, we are all part of a bigger story. The Bible introduces us to that story. God is the ultimate author and the ultimate storyteller. In the books of the Bible, he tells us, in many different ways, of the relationship he has had with us – a relationship that actually began before the creation and was consummated in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

It is sad that so many use the Bible as a rulebook, or even as a weapon, to instill fear and lay guilt on themselves and others. The Bible is a love story. God gives us the plot and shows us how we all have a part in it. It is the story of God's love for us individually and collectively. A love that has to deal with rebellious and distrustful people who can be full of pride and evil desires – all too often even carrying out those sinful desires.

We are given an overview of the entire plot in John 3:16-18. These verses have been called the story of the Bible in a nutshell. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him."

The God of the universe has made our story his story, by entering into it himself, reconciling us to himself that we might receive from him life eternal. Truly, no greater love story has ever been told.

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## Unlimited Mercy

Jesus once told a parable about two kinds of people who went to the temple to pray. One of them was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. Most Christians are familiar with the parable, but without re-reading it, very few would likely remember the reason Luke gave for Jesus telling it. We find the story in Luke 18:9-14:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Today, some 2000 years after Jesus told this parable, we might be tempted to look down on the Pharisees as self-righteous hypocrites. But in Jesus' day, Pharisees were not thought of as hypocrites at all. Quite the contrary, Pharisees were the devoted religious minority of the Jews who were standing against the growing tide of liberalism and compromise with the pagan Greek culture of the Roman world. The Pharisees were the ones who were calling the people back to the law, the ones who earnestly committed themselves to faithfulness in obedience.

When the Pharisee in the story prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people," he was not bragging. It was true. He was not like other men, and he was not even taking the credit for that—he was thanking God that it was so.

Tax collectors, on the other hand, were notorious cheats and swindlers—Jews who worked for the Roman occupation forces collecting taxes from their own people, and who routinely inflated the bills for their own profit.

Those listening to Jesus' parable would have instantly sized up the Pharisee as the righteous man of the story and the tax collector as the wicked man. But as usual, Jesus was making an entirely unexpected point, and this is the point that speaks so loudly to us: God isn't helped or hindered by who we are or what we have done; he forgives everybody, even the worst sinners.

But those who think they are more righteous than others, even when their behavior supports their belief, remain in their sins, not because God hasn't forgiven them, but because they can't receive what they don't believe they need. And that includes those, like us modern-day Christians, who might be tempted to think we are more righteous than the Pharisees Jesus gave the parable to.

The good news is that when we trust Christ, we can freely give ourselves to him, sins and all, because he won't ever stop loving us, forgiving us and changing us.

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## The Upside-Down King

Powerful kings have always been known for their great pomp, ceremony and privilege, both at home and abroad. When they travel, large retinues of servants, clothes, special foods, and sometimes, even items of their personal furniture, go with them. All to make sure their royal environment is preserved even in foreign territory. Kings and queens have to look like kings and queens if their royal majesties are to be recognized and honored in the ways they are used to.

But when the greatest king of all, God himself, came to earth as a human being, he did not come in mighty power and with all the attendant pomp and ceremony of human kings. He came in simplicity, in humble surroundings, identifying with the kind of people that most kings and queens never have a conversation with their entire lives.

Jesus could have arrived with powerful thunder and lightning, great displays of glory in the sky, endless parades of brilliantly arrayed angels, or some other kind of glorious celebration and fanfare unlike anything humanity had ever witnessed.

But he didn't arrive that way. Instead, he came into the world just like most of us do, with ordinary parents doing the best they could to provide food and shelter and pay the bills.

There was an angelic choir, but it appeared only to one group of average shepherds in one field. There were foreign dignitaries bringing gifts, but they had to be given special directions to even find the baby and his parents, and then sneak in and back out, without telling anybody they'd been there.

For most people, power and prestige are the highest goals of life. But in Jesus, God has given us what really matters – love, joy and hope – not an endless struggle for the outward glory that the world values so much.

Jesus turns our lives and values upside down. In him, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." He brings us true life, life rooted in knowing God for who he really is – as the One who not only made us, but who loves us and never stops loving us; as the One who redeems our lives and seats us with Christ at the right hand of the Father.

Jesus brought a new kingdom, a kingdom in which everybody matters, not just the nobility. He died and rose for all – rich and poor, noble and peasant, and everyone in between. Even you and me.

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## Valentine's Day (1)

This week, many around the world will celebrate Valentine's Day by giving a gift to show their appreciation to someone special. The origin of Valentine's Day is not exactly known, though many believe Valentine was one of three saints who were martyred for their beliefs. Others say that the church used the day of Saint Valentine's martyrdom to Christianize an old Roman festival.

But it was not until the Middle Ages that February 14 became associated with love. In fact, the oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.)

While the history of the day proves interesting, the real focus should be on what the day is about: letting those closest to you know how much they mean to you. It's good to have one day that brings this to our attention. But Valentine's Day should be a special reminder of what should be done daily, not just once a year.

Sincere affirmation and appreciation are becoming a lost art among many today (including Christians). We are quick to sing songs of praise during our worship services, but neglect to give honor and praise to those we love – our spouses, children and extended family.

Our Father in heaven sets a good example of affirming his love for us through the words of his apostle Paul.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Can you imagine the response if you shared a similar Valentine's Day message with those you love on a much more frequent basis? Enjoy the holiday with those closest to you by doing something special, but more importantly, reassure them of your love daily. And also remind them of God's great love for them. They may be your "Valentine," but first and foremost, they are God's.

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## Valentine's Day (2)

Every year on Valentine's Day I get my wife a card and a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Then we head out to a special restaurant for a great lunch. We don't do these things just because it's expected or because we're going through the motions. Instead, we make the extra effort because it's a great opportunity to make our love tangible to each other.

One of the ways Jesus did just that can be found in John chapter 21, where, after the Resurrection, the disciples were out fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They had been working all night, and they hadn't had much luck. Tired and hungry, they were about to give up. But Jesus did two things. He directed them to a huge shoal of fish. Then he called out to them from the beach – "Come and have breakfast" (John 21:12).

As they gathered around the fire and began to eat, Jesus asked Peter three times: "Do you love me?" Three times in a row, Peter replied: "Yes, Lord." Jesus then gave him a mission: "Feed my lambs – take care of my sheep – feed my sheep."

What I really enjoy about this scene is the way Christ makes love tangible to his disciples. He extends to them his and his Father's love by seeking them out and calling them to himself. He blesses their work, telling them where to catch the most fish. And finally, he even makes them breakfast!

But, further, with his repeated questions and his accompanying missional "assignments," Christ gives Peter a way to transform his love from something he "says" into something he "does." He is given a way to express to others the love he has received from Jesus.

This year I want to remind us of the way Christ received love from his heavenly Father, and lived out his perfect love for us – by showing us the Father and sending the Spirit – through patient, humble service to others. I want to wish you a very happy Valentine's Day and pray that the Lord continues to bless all your relationships.

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## Visiting or Belonging

We Christians often say things like "Jesus is in my life," or "Jesus is my life." But do we stop to ask ourselves what, exactly, do those expressions mean? There is a subtle, but vital distinction between Jesus being "in" our lives and Jesus "being" our lives.

The typical understanding of the Christian religion is that it is a system of things to do and to believe, in order to receive eternal life. Although most Christians would agree that they are saved by grace, some think that they must then maintain their salvation through good works. It is as if Jesus "jump-starts" them, but then it is up to them to "stay saved." But, this misunderstanding completely misses the point about the nature of salvation and is not authentic Christianity.

Authentic Christianity is not another religion. It's about becoming who Jesus created us to be – not a matter of prioritizing our life to make Jesus number one on our to-do list. The vital distinction is that he does not just come _into_ our lives. Rather, he _becomes_ our life. He has given us a new life in him.

Rather than the emphasis being on our works, or what we _do_ , this new life focuses us on our ongoing fellowship and communion with God, in Christ, or who we _are_. We _belong_ to Christ and have a bond that is far stronger than one based on "staying ahead of the game" through good works.

I get a glimpse of this when I reenter the United States after a trip abroad. At the airport there are two lines. One is for visitors, who have often had to go through a lengthy process to get their visas. The immigration officials are courteous, but they scrutinize every document and often conduct long interviews. It sometimes takes hours of anxious waiting, and if everything is not 100% in order, the hapless visitors may find they are denied entry. If they are allowed in, they have to be careful to obey all the conditions of their visitor's visa. Sadly, that is the way many Christians feel about their relationship with God.

As an American citizen, I do not have to go through all that. The line for citizens moves much faster. The immigration officer quickly scans my passport and welcomes me home. I have no anxiety. I belong. That is the kind of relationship God offers us.

And of course, this is the kind of relationship all Christians yearn for. However, because it sounds too good to be true, many of us pull back and accept a lesser form of relationship – one that depends on our good behavior. But, you don't need to live as if you only have a conditional visa to the kingdom of God.

Paul reminds us, in his epistle to the Romans, "All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons and daughters. You didn't receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:14-15, Common English Bible).

In other words, we belong, and there is no need to settle for anything less.

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## Waiting for God?

C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite religious authors. His wit and intelligent defense of Christianity have always encouraged me in my faith. But when I read through _Mere Christianity_ last week, I was challenged by this quote: "I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless he sees that it is good for him to wait." Now when I read that, I had to stop and think, "What does he mean?" Let me take a stab at unpacking it.

So often, I try to set the pace in my own life. I like to think I'm in control of where I'm going – I have my master plan already drawn up. But when I do that, as the old adage goes, God laughs. Why? Because he has a plan for me that is so much better than what I could have ever imagined.

Living within our limited perspective, it can sometimes feel like we're not moving fast enough. Like we're wasting our time. But I think we need to see these moments not as a spiritual "red light," but as an invitation to a deeper connection and knowledge of God. These times aren't meant to be camping trips where we sit around hoping that something will change. These times are perfect opportunities to practice the spiritual discipline of prayer.

When we pray like Jesus taught his disciples, we say to God "Thy will be done" – not my will, but _thy_ will. And I think it's this process of supplication that God uses to refine and shape us into what he wants us to be. And when we're ready, according to his wise and compassionate timing, then this period of waiting will be over, and we'll be ready to actively and outwardly join in participating with the will of God.

So the next time you feel like you're stopped at a spiritual "red light," remember the words of C.S. Lewis – and be comforted, knowing that you're not stuck; God is working with you and in you to accomplish his great purposes!

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## Walking in Circles

Want to try something interesting? Take a friend to an open space, blindfold them and instruct them to walk as far as they can in a straight line. You'll be surprised to see what happens. For some reason, when people can't see their goal, they cannot walk in a straight line. And it's not just when blindfolded. When it is cloudy and visibility is low, the same phenomenon occurs; people slip into walking in circles, and sometimes they end up right back where they started.

No one seems to know why this happens, but I find it fascinating that the phenomenon occurs. I also find it interesting that many use the phrase, "I feel like I'm walking in circles" to describe their personal or spiritual life at times. This feeling of walking in circles and getting nowhere happens when we lose sight of our goals.

The Bible calls this walking in darkness. When we walk in darkness, we are like the blindfolded friend who simply cannot walk in a straight line. It is because we've lost sight of Jesus. He is the light that enables us to walk straight. Notice what Jesus said about himself in John 8:12. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

This "light of life" is also referred to in the first chapter of John, where we read about the Word, Jesus, becoming flesh. It says in verse 4-5: "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

This is good news for all who feel they've been walking in circles. When you walk with Christ, you no longer walk in darkness, because the light has overcome it. Jesus illuminates the path, enabling you to walk in the light. He is also the goal you stay focused on enabling you to walk to the light. And he is the friend who accompanies you, enabling you to walk with the light. If you start to meander or walk in a circle – which we all do from time to time – he is there to lovingly guide you back to the right path.

He does this because he loves you and doesn't want you to be frustrated walking in circles and going nowhere. He wants you to have the light of life.

It may be fun to take your friend to an open space, blindfold them and have them try to walk in a straight line. But that's nothing compared to the joy of seeing your friend walk from darkness into the light of Christ.

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## Walking on Water

Most of us know the story of Peter walking on the water toward Jesus. The disciples are in a boat being tossed by wind and waves. And then they see someone walking across the water toward them. They're frightened until they realize it's Jesus. He tells them to not be afraid. Then Peter says, "If it is you, Lord, tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus says, "Come" and Peter gets out of the boat and starts heading towards Jesus.

But as he is walking, Peter begins to think about what he is doing and becomes afraid. He then starts to sink into the water, crying out to Jesus, who immediately reaches out his hand – taking a hold of him – lifting him back onto his feet. Then they continue back to the boat.

There are many lessons we can learn from this account, but I'd like to put it back in the perspective of the first-century Christians and share what they would have heard in this story.

To the disciples and the early church, the sea was a symbol of the unpredictable disorder of the world – a world contrary to God's original purpose and design. We see this imagery in Job and in the Psalms. It is especially noticeable in the story of Israel's exodus from Egypt, where God opened up the Red Sea and later part of the Jordan River for people to pass through. It's no wonder the disciples were so frightened.

In sharing this story, the Gospel writers were identifying Jesus as having the power to deliver people, just as God did with ancient Israel. The Son of Man is portrayed as having control over chaos. When Jesus got back in the boat, the disciples acknowledged just that, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."

Not only did Jesus save Peter from drowning, he saved the disciples from the storm. He did what they could not do – he brought them peace in the midst of chaos.

Many will say the lesson of this story is to keep your eyes on Christ. And that's not bad advice, but let's be honest. None of us can do that perfectly. It is the ultimate comfort to know God keeps his eye on us. So when we get ourselves trapped in the unpredictable disorder of life, we can know that Jesus is with us. He has already saved us from the stormy seas, lifting us into his eternal kingdom, and it's only though his faithfulness that we will continue to find true safety.

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## Wanted: Christ and Us

Yesterday, I saw a "Wanted" poster for a 33-year-old man with long hair and a beard. The poster said he was wanted for leading an underground liberation movement. They listed a couple of aliases – "Prince of Peace," "Son of God" and "Messiah" – and warned that he's still at large. See if you recognize him...

It's Jesus. But you probably don't think of him as someone who would end up on a "Wanted" poster. But to many during his time on earth, that's exactly who he was – an outlaw, someone shaking up the traditional norms. But to many more who saw him for who he really was, he was the answer to a prayer. To those who had studied the Scriptures and searched the text for clues to the Messiah's identity, Christ was the World's Most Wanted Man.

But there's another "Wanted" poster that I wanted to share with you. See if you recognize this person:...

Not a bad looking guy. But what am I "wanted" for? And who "Wants" me? It turns out, to our Triune God, we're all on his most "wanted" list. I don't mean that God is some kind of old Western sheriff in the sky. Instead, his love is what is behind his wanted posters. Our Lord of grace loves us and wants us so much that he has sent out notices in the Scriptures. His purpose to bring many sons and daughters to glory led the Father to send the Son to come after us in time and space, in flesh and blood. Far beyond what any bounty hunter has ever done, he joined himself to us, becoming one of us, fully human. Because his desire for our good is so great, he has broken the chains of pride, distrust and death to bring us back into communion with him.

As strange as it may sound, remember that you are "Wanted" – by a loving God who will, is, and has done everything to bring us into right relationship with him through our Savior Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. That's a "Wanted" list I don't mind saying that I'm on.

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## The Water Hyacinth

The water hyacinth is an amazing plant: it can double itself each day. So on day one, you have just one plant — but the next day, you have two — the next day, four, and then sixteen. It's both incredible, and frightening: if it's not stopped, the water hyacinth will take over any amount of fresh water it finds itself in, often killing entire ecosystems. That's a lot like sin. If left unchecked, sin will spread to every part of us, choking out all life. It will leave no part of us untouched. So Peter encourages us to "be sober mind; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 ESV).

While this doesn't mean we need to see the devil behind every shadow, it's a good reminder that our lives are not neutral territory. Where we resist Christ's reign, we expose ourselves to temptations we have no hope of resisting on our own.

So how do we defeat this ruthless enemy? Peter tells us, "Resist (the devil), standing firm in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:9 NIV). In fighting sin in our lives, faith is our most important weapon. But it isn't faith in anything we can accomplish on our own. Instead, it's faith in what already has been accomplished. Remember, this battle has already been won and Jesus Christ is the clear victor!

This doesn't mean each day will be easy for us. But through our union with Christ and by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can partake of the same power that has already broken the hold of sin and death once and for all. As Paul says in Galatians: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NIV).

When we stand firm in our faith, we stand with Christ. In fellowship with him, we can share by the Spirit in his eternal victory. Day by day, we can count on his Spirit to be at work within us, and act on that basis. As we do, the sanctification he worked out for us throughout his whole life, culminating on Calvary, will become more and more complete in our lives, spreading life to every part of us — just like the water hyacinth — but thankfully, with a very different result.

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## We Are God's Garden

The other day I visited a friend who was working on his garden. He's trying to get his rose bushes back into fighting shape, but he's not having much luck. In fact, he's resorted to using a product called "weed and feed" designed specifically to help kill the weeds around the plant while at the same time helping nourish the rose bush's ability to grow. And that idea reminded me of this Bible verse: "For we are co-workers in God's service; you are God's field" (1 Corinthians 3:9).

I've read other translations that put it like this – "You are God's garden." In the letters to the Colossians and the Ephesians, Paul calls us to be "grounded" in Christ. Now, on the surface, thinking of ourselves as gardens or plants might not be the most flattering way to illustrate our relationship with God. But I started thinking about it differently when I realized that gardens don't grow if they're left alone. They need to be tended. A garden needs a Gardener. And in our case, that Gardener is our Triune God.

You see, the gardener plants the bushes, flowers and grass where it should be. The gardener makes sure to give the garden the right amount of sunlight and perfect amount of water. And it is the gardener who ends up down on his hands and knees pulling out the weeds and making sure that each seed has been properly planted.

It's the same in our own lives. God our Father is always eager to provide the nourishment we need so that we can mature into healthy and strong Christians. And just like a garden's plant life reflects the effort of the gardener, we reflect and magnify the glory of our gracious and merciful creator God.

My friend is still working on his garden. Maybe the next time I see him, I'll remind him that God will never stop working on all of us – nourishing us and bringing all creation into his presence.

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## Weak and Strong Theology

When we hear the word "theology," many of us think of dreamy old men, out of touch with reality, looking for answers to questions most people would never ask. That is unfortunate, because theology definitely has its place in the life of a Christian.

One of the best definitions of theology is the one ascribed to St. Anselm, who called it "faith seeking understanding." Pursued properly, theology can lead us to dig deeper, and come to appreciate the simple but profound statement that "God is love."

But just digging deeper does not guarantee that your conclusions will be good. You need to dig in the right direction. 2 Timothy 3:7 reminds us that it is possible to be "always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." When I first heard this, I thought it was referring to correct and incorrect doctrine. However, the more I think about it, I realize it's more than that.

Doctrine is only one ingredient of authentic Christianity. It's important, and essential that the church teach right doctrines. However, doctrine does not save us. No matter how much we know – Paul reminds us – it doesn't do us any good if we don't have love (1 Corinthians 13:2).

Our theology defines how we understand God's nature, character, heart, mind and purpose. It helps us understand how God views us as humans and what kind of relationship he wants with us. Strong theology has a clear and coherent grasp of who God is and what he wants for us. Weak theology, however, presents God in bits and pieces, often leaving us with a God who is of two minds, or who has two different wills, or even two different sides to his character.

Sometimes Jesus is presented as one "side" of God who wants to save us by grace, and the Father as the other "side," who wants to condemn us under the Law. This leaves us thinking God has two wills, two purposes, two attitudes toward his creation, and leads us to believe that he carries on two different relationships with us.

Weak theology can lead to an "us vs. them" elitist mentality, and causes us to erect barriers between people. It excludes some from coming under God's reconciling work based upon their performance. Strong theology understands that God, who is no respecter of persons, "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

To sum it up, weak theology begins with bad news, hoping to convince or sometimes frighten you into hoping there is good news. Strong theology starts with the good news that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).

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## Wealth and Power

Most humans are impressed by wealth and power. The most popular people in the world, the ones people want to know about and emulate, are the rich and famous, not the simple and ordinary.

But when God himself came to earth as one of us, he didn't come with grand pomp and glorious ceremony like the Roman emperors or the Persian kings. He arrived in simplicity, in the humblest of surroundings.

Jesus Christ could have arrived amid spectacular displays of heavenly signs, maybe skies filled with lightning or breathtaking meteor showers. His birth could have been accompanied by a worldwide angelic musical crescendo, or marked by magnificent parades of exotic creatures, by sumptuous banquets, and glorious fanfare unlike anything humanity had ever witnessed.

But he didn't. Instead, he came into the world in the ordinary way with ordinary parents doing the best they could to provide a dry shelter and decent food.

Yes, there was an angelic choir, but it appeared only to a single group of average shepherds in one field. Yes, there were foreign dignitaries bringing gifts, but they had to be given special directions to even find the baby and his parents, and then sneak in and out, without telling anybody they'd been there.

In Jesus, God came to help us, to suffer for us, not to lord it over us in grand style. 1 Peter 2:21-25 tells us:

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

In Jesus, God has not given us fanfare, fame and fortune, but instead, he has given us true life, life rooted in knowing God for who he really is – as the One who not only made us, but redeems and renews our lives and never stops loving us.

In Jesus, we experience what really matters in life – not an endless struggle for the power and prestige that the world values so much, but true love, joy and peace.

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## Wearing the Word

If you've been a Christian for a long time, you're probably familiar with the Armor of God. If you aren't, here's a quick refresher:

"Take up the whole armor of God... having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the... gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:13-17 NKJV).

The imagery Paul is using here is of a relationship to God's Word and character that is so close and intimate, that we can wear it like a garment. Pretty cool, right?

While "wearing words" might seem like a strange idea, there is historical precedent for it. In the 15th century, the nuns of a convent in northern Germany sewed old leftover parchment manuscripts into their robes. When I heard about that, I couldn't help but think of the Armor of God, and the close relationship between God's Word and ourselves that is implied by it.

Throughout Scripture, we see this relationship in the lives of people like David, who described God's word as "a lamp for my feet, and a light for my path" (Psalms 119:105), or the apostle Paul, who used his encyclopedic knowledge of the Old Testament to aid in sharing the gospel with the Jews. Or even Christ himself, who used Scripture to resist temptation from the Devil in the desert. For the giants of our faith, knowing and loving the words of God was as necessary for daily life as their own clothing – a companion they kept close through constant prayer, meditation, and memorization.

And for good reason, too. When stresses, frustrations, and pain begin to add up, the word of God is a refuge that's always waiting to provide solace, peace, and direction for us. It can be a compass that gets us through the storms of life, reminding us of the character, love, and will of our heavenly Father.

So the next time life's storms have you turned around and wondering which way is up, do like those giants of the faith did, and turn to God's Word!

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## What About Hell?

If God is full of grace and mercy, where does hell fit in?

Surely a God of love would not torture people forever and ever, many say. After all, the Bible reveals God to be compassionate, but the traditional doctrine of eternal excruciating torture in hell seems to portray God as a vengeful sadist who is crueler than any human sinner.

But rebellion against God is infinitely terrible, say some theologians, so it demands the worst punishment.

The truth is, we humans don't have a very good handle on either justice or mercy. Humans aren't qualified to judge such matters of eternal consequence – but Jesus Christ is.

If we take Jesus seriously when he teaches about mercy, we should also take him seriously when he teaches about punishment. After all, mercy only has meaning if we are escaping a real punishment.

Jesus used a variety of word-pictures for the punishment of those who refuse the mercy of God: fire, darkness, torture and destruction. Whatever hell is, it is a state of alienation from God for those who refuse his unconditional love, grace and mercy.

Second Peter 2:9 tells us: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

But those who persist in refusing such wonderful grace have no other escape. Jesus is the escape, and the only escape, so to refuse him is to choose the natural consequences of sin. It is their choice, not God's.

At the final judgment, everything will be brought under the control of Christ, for he has redeemed all creation. And everything will be set right. In Acts 3:21, Peter preached: "He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:21).

We don't know all the answers, but we do know that we can simply trust God, who is full of righteousness and mercy. The most important thing Jesus taught about hell is that he is the solution to the problem. In him, there is no condemnation. He is the way, the truth and the life eternal.

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## What Are You Afraid of?

What are you afraid of? Most of us are afraid of something, and some of us are afraid of many things.

Fear can be a very good thing. It can save our lives by making us alert and careful. For example, I'm afraid of drunk drivers. In fact, I'm afraid of most all drivers. That fear makes me more careful in traffic than I would otherwise be. I watch out for other drivers and even expect them to do dangerous and unusual things. My fear of careless drivers helps me drive more cautiously and to try to anticipate potential danger.

I'm also afraid of rocketing down ski slopes at speeds in excess of my capability to maneuver or stop safely. I think that threshold of speed is about 20 mph, so I have chosen to stay off the ski slopes. Again, my fear of moving faster than I can handle helps keep me safe.

Fear of putting our hand in a fire, touching an electrical circuit, or being careless with sharp-bladed knives are positive, healthy fears. Fear of breaking the law can keep us out of trouble. Fear of heights can keep us safely close to the ground and away from dangerous precipices.

Fear is natural, and it can be a lifesaver.

But sometimes fear can get out of hand and even become a life-crippling burden. Excessive fear can keep us from doing normal and natural things. Fear of heights, for example, can keep us from getting into dangerous situations, but excessive fear of heights can paralyze us on a ladder. Excessive fear of traffic can prevent us from driving at all.

There are many things in the world to be afraid of, but fear of being rejected by God is not one of them. That is one fear that we can cross off our list of the things we worry about. In John 14:16-17, Jesus told his disciples, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

In verse 26, Jesus added, "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you... Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus and points us to Jesus as our source of righteousness and the solution to all our fear and guilt. The Spirit reveals to us our true identity as children of God in union with Jesus Christ, and it is by the Spirit that Jesus and the Father make their dwelling within us.

Whatever else you might be afraid of, know this: God loves you and will never stop loving you. That's the one thing you never have to fear.

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## What Are You Worth?

Two years ago, a lock of Elvis Presley's hair that had been preserved by a fan was sold at auction for 15,000 dollars. And last year, someone paid more than $20,000 for a set of Winston Churchill's false teeth. And Emperor Napoleon's toothbrush sold for $21,000.

You and I are not so famous, and no one would pay anything like that for something that belonged to us. But have you ever asked yourself, "What exactly am I worth?"

Well, I am afraid that in terms of the actual value of the constituents of our bodies, the answer is not much. Our bodies are mainly common chemicals, such as oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and calcium, which are not really expensive. There are also trace elements, which raise the value a little, but not by much. When you add it all up, the total value of the chemicals we're made of, at today's prices, is only about 4 dollars and 50 cents.

Humbling, isn't it? It's something to think about the next time we start to get the big head. Chemically, we are only about as valuable as a Big Mac combo or a Starbucks Frappuccino. But, of course, that's not the whole story. There is much more to a human being than just the price of the chemicals that make up his or her body.

The monetary value of anything depends on what people are prepared to pay for it. Obviously someone put immense value on owning Elvis' hair or Sir Winston's teeth, and they were willing to invest a large sum for those items. But the Bible tells us that Someone has put a far greater value on every human, and that Person paid the highest possible price for us. I'm talking, of course, about God, who loves us all and wants to spend eternity with us.

But in the way the gospel is often presented, you'd think God has to be convinced to love us by good works and obedience. Nothing could be further from the truth! Jesus said in Luke 12:32 that it is his Father's "good pleasure to give us the kingdom."

In John 3:16-17 he said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

So many people think they're condemned until they can be good enough to save. They think God doesn't want them unless they can measure up. But Jesus said otherwise. God wants us. He wants every person, including you. He said in John 17:24, "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

God doesn't have to be convinced to want us. He doesn't have to be persuaded to save us. He wants us so much that he gladly paid for us with his life. It was a heavy price to pay, but he obviously thought we were worth it.

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## What Good Shall I Do This Day?

As a young man, Ben Franklin developed and kept a rigorous schedule in an attempt at self-improvement. Every day he rose at five in the morning and asked himself a single question: "What good shall I do this day?" That's an intriguing question, but as Christians, we could modify it to read something like this: "What good is God already doing and how can I join in?"

It's easy to be overwhelmed by daily life. We have so much going on around us: paying bills, taking our children to school, and going to work. Then factor in making meals, keeping up with your favorite TV shows or reading another book, and it's tough to find the time to do good. However, participation and involvement with our living Lord on mission is a crucial part of our growing in faith. Joining with him as he "does good" is one way that we become refined and perfected in his image. See what James writes:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says... For whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:22, 25)

Now, don't get me wrong. The work of salvation has already been accomplished. But just because we've been reconciled doesn't mean we're called to sit back on our laurels. Instead, we're able to participate in the redemption that he is continually working out. Our cooperation with our Lord is part of that abundant life.

Let me encourage you to look for opportunities in your life to joyfully and freely go to work alongside our generous and great God. You'll be amazed at what he can do in you – and through you – as you partner with him.

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## What Grace Teaches

The greatest difference between the Christian faith and all the other religions of the world can be summed up in a single word: grace. Christ died for us while we were still sinners, the apostle Paul tells us in Romans 5, verse 8. God did not wait for us to become good or righteous before he acted to save us from our sins. God loves us, and his forgiveness, his grace, comes before our ever believing the gospel.

Our faith is in something that was already true before we even knew about it – before we ever believed. That's what grace is: forgiveness that is undeserved, unearned.

When I was a boy, I learned a lesson about grace that I've never forgotten. I was about 11 years old, and I was playing with a baseball behind our house in Chicago. One thing led to another, and before long the baseball found its way through one of our windows.

Now my dad was the kind of old country disciplinarian who believed firmly in the proverb, "spare the rod and spoil the child." I'm sure I was pale with fear when he called me into the house to face the consequences of my carelessness.

But then something amazing happened. When I walked in and looked up at him, towering over me as he did at that time, I saw something different in his face. He didn't look furious – as I fully expected him to look. Instead, he looked deep in thought, like he was studying me. After what seemed like forever, he finally said, "You deserve a spanking, but I'm going to give you grace instead. You know what that means? It means don't be so careless next time."

I like to call that "the spanking I didn't get." I remember it more clearly, and it had a greater impact on me than any punishment I ever got. It not only taught me to be more careful where I threw balls around, it taught me the joy of extending grace to others. And in time it also made it plain to me what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote in Titus 2:11-14,

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

No, God didn't wait for us to become righteous before he acted in love, mercy and grace to save us. Experience is indeed a great teacher, but grace is an even better one.

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## What If

Have you ever felt like your life trajectory has been re-written by God? You're not alone. Paul and Silas experienced a similar type of divine re-write when they were thrown into a Roman jail. But they didn't let that stop them from ministering. Instead, Paul and Silas doubled their efforts, singing hymns and praying for their fellow inmates.

And you know what? God showed up in a major way. The Bible tells us that a violent earthquake shook the jail to its foundation, tearing open the prison doors and shattering the shackles that held the inmates in bondage. This unexpected miracle resulted in a prison guard asking Paul, "What must I do to be saved?"

"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house" (Acts 16:30-32).

This story is one of those great "what if" moments. What if Paul and Silas hadn't been thrown into jail? What if they hadn't prayed? What if they'd just given up and thrown in the towel? Maybe this prison guard might never have come to know the loving mercy of our Triune God.

But with God, we don't have to ask "What if." We know that he is always working to bring all things back into communion with him, and that nothing in this world is wasted. God was faithful to turn Paul and Silas's jail time to bring not only this prison guard to Christ, but also his entire family into relationship with God. I pray that the next time our lives are re-written, we take a moment and pray for God to allow us to participate in the marvelous things he is bringing together by his grace to contribute to his good purpose.

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## What If the Sky Should Fall?

I have some good news and bad news. NASA has predicted that the Andromeda Galaxy, which is hurtling towards us at 250,000 miles an hour, will collide with our Milky Way galaxy, scattering stars, including our sun, in all directions. The good news is that it won't happen for about 4 billion years. Even so, it will probably give the end-of-the-world doomsayers something else to worry us with.

So how should we Christians view world events in the light of prophecy? Matthew 24:6-8 says, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

So, what does Bible prophecy tell us about world events? It says that lots of bad stuff is going to happen, and some people are going to be led astray by those events, concluding that the end is near, but that we shouldn't follow their lead and believe it. "If they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is [coming in the year 2014], do not believe it" (Matthew 24:26).

Matthew 24, verse 36 says, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

So, yes, the Bible predicts that bad stuff will happen, and we are seeing that being fulfilled all around us. However, these words of Jesus have been in the process of being fulfilled for nearly 2,000 years now. We might want to know just how much longer. But the Bible specifically avoids answering the question of how long that is going to continue. Apparently we, and even Jesus in his earthly life, don't need to know. So we should approach world events in the light of that prophecy.

Bible prophecy also tells us that people will make some erroneous claims about the timing of the return of Christ, and we see that being fulfilled around us, too.

The real point of Bible prophecy is not that we should watch world events, but that we should watch ourselves. When the end does come, we want to be found faithful. Just knowing the date will not earn us a ticket into salvation. The point of the prophecies is not to enable prediction, but to foster faithfulness, and our faith should not be based on speculation but on the character of the one who promises and prophesies.

We live in an unstable world, and we will see ups and downs. We are to live in the same way regardless of whether the end is near or far. Jesus told one of his parables to people who thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away; he told other parables about people who thought it was going to be a long way off. We are not supposed to base our behavior, or our faith, on whether it is near or far – the Christian life remains the same no matter which it is because we place our faith in the Faithful One whose word we live by.

So, in the light of Bible prophecy, we'll take note of world events – watching them go up and down, getting better and worse – but don't base your Christian life on them. In Acts 1:6, just before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples asked Jesus if he was going to bring the kingdom right away. Jesus responded in verses 7-8, "He told them, 'You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world'" ( _The Message_ paraphrase).

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## What Time Is It?

Have you ever heard Chicago's hit song "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" I love it. In fact, even though it doesn't have anything to do with the resurrection, it's my favorite Easter song. During a lunch conversation with my dear friend, John McKenna, he explained that "the resurrection and ascension of Jesus changed all time!" He went on to explain that God has existed from before the creation of time itself, and therefore he is eternal. But we, as created beings, are tied to this temporal experience of space and time.

Through Christ's death and resurrection, eternity was brought into connection with us and with our time. And through his life, death, and resurrection and ascension, Jesus forged a new relationship between God and humanity, linking our eternal Father with our temporal existence. You could think of it like this – as God's "eternal" Son, the pre-incarnate Lord preexisted the creation of time. And with his incarnation, he entered time, becoming the contemporary of all humanity, taking on life as a mortal, subject to death. He is the one who was, and is and is to come – but he died on our behalf and was raised to eternal life in our place and on our behalf.

Theologian Karl Barth noted, though we live "in time" in Jesus, we also live outside of time. In his ascension, Jesus took us with him into the future. And as he said on the cross, "It is finished." From the standpoint of the present, we see our existence in time as our past, our present and our future. We aren't always sure of the future because, from the perspective of our experience, we realize we cannot secure our own existence in time – it's just beyond our control.

But there's good news: Time is never beyond God's control. He gave us life both in space-time and also outside that dimension – "eternal life." In Christ's resurrection, Jesus has destroyed the sting of death, showing us that death is only the end of the temporal; it does not alter the eternal.

As we celebrate Easter, I think we've got a great answer to that Chicago song – if we are in Christ we know exactly what time it is! We know that Christ, the Creator of space-time, has penetrated our dimension – joining our humanity to him, living, dying, and being resurrected – and that this has happened in the reality of our space and time. Let's remember that, in Christ, our eternal destiny is assured for all time.

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## What Would God Not Do?

We're all familiar with the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" It's a question many people ask themselves on a daily basis, hoping that the answer will help them make the right decision at the right time. But I'd like to ask you something a little different: "What Would God _NOT_ Do?" It's a question you don't hear very often, but I think it's an interesting way for us to think about some of the eternal truths that make up God's character.

In the book of Deuteronomy we see that God cannot abandon us. He's faithful to see his work in us through to the end. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified... for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

I know that in times of trial and tribulation it can sometimes seem like God is far away. But that's not the truth – God has promised to never forsake us.

In the Psalms, we see that God cannot break his covenant with his beloved people. "I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered" (Psalm 89:34).

A covenant is an agreement between two parties. In the case of God's covenant with his people, God makes a unilateral promise to be their God and for them to be his people. But unlike a contract that can be breached and torn up if either party steps out of line – God's covenant with us is based on his eternal nature of love and mercy. He will never go back on his promise. He is truly a God of his Word.

One last thing God will never do – he'll never stop loving you. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Our Triune God's love and kindness are unfailing, his covenant of mercy is unending and he has promised to never forsake us. I'm glad I was reminded of these eternal truths. They're ones I like to live by each and every day.

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## What Would Jesus Tweet?

Have you ever heard of Twitter? It's a social networking platform that launched in 2006 to give computer and smart-phone users the ability to instantly post very short messages that are limited to 140 characters or less. Almost everyone tweets—from people like Kanye West and Britney Spears, all the way up to the President of the United States. But as Solomon wrote: "There is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

But social media isn't as "cutting edge" as we think. Before the Tweet deck or the somewhat older Facebook wall, there was the local tavern. Romans used to write brief comments on stone walls – posting greetings, proclaiming their love and even grumbling about the media content of the day. Here are a couple of their ancient "Tweets" that I found pretty amusing:

• "Secondus sends many and perpetual greetings to Onesimus."

• "Oh wall, I am amazed you haven't fallen down, since you bear tedious scribbling of so many writers."

And if you thought chat rooms were an invention of the modern digital age, think again. During the 19th century, telegraph operators used to go "on-line" to tell jokes, play chess and even fall in love.

These types of social media have been around in one form or another since the time of Christ. And that got me thinking: if Jesus was online today, what would he tweet? Could he fit the good news of the gospel into a single 140-character message? Many theologians have actually wrestled with this very issue. And time and time again they come back with the same answer: Yes.

It looks like this: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

John 3:16 is probably one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. And on top of that, it's been translated into over 1,200 different languages. Martin Luther called it "the gospel in miniature" because it perfectly illustrates the loving nature of our Creator God. He loved us so much that no matter who we were, where we were or what sin we'd already committed, he sent his only Son to save us.

It's a verse that gives us hope in Christ, and affirms God's ultimate purpose for us all: not to perish – but to live in communion with him.

Now that's a message we can all re-Tweet!

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## What Would Martin Luther King, Jr., Tweet?

A few months ago I stumbled across an article entitled "What Would Martin Luther King Jr. Tweet?" written by Alveda King, Dr. King's niece. I'm sure that many of us remember the great speeches Dr. King gave during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. But sometimes we can forget that he was first and foremost a preacher, and we can overlook that much of his rhetorical power came from his tenure in the pulpit and immersion in God's word. He understood that the fight for Civil Rights was tied to his eternal faith in our Lord. It was this understanding of the gospel that allowed him to look past the obstacles standing in his way and keep pressing on.

As I was wondering what Martin Luther King would tweet now, I couldn't help but think of a sermon he gave in 1957 entitled "Love Your Enemies." In this message he examined Christ's commandment in the Gospel of Matthew and unpacked the meaning behind the Greek word our Lord used for "love" – agape.

"Agape love is a love that seeks nothing in return. It is an overflowing love. It's what theologians would call the love of God working in the lives of men. And when you rise to love on this level you begin to love men not because they are likable but because God loves them. You look at every man and you love him because you know God loves them. And he might be the worst person you've ever seen. And this is what Jesus means, I think in this very passage, when he says "love your enemy" — and it's significant that he does not say "like" your enemy." (Love Your Enemies, Sermon, MLK Jr., 1957)

He then went on to remind his congregation that you don't have to like what someone says or agree with the actions that they take – but Jesus does command us to love them. It was this revolutionary idea of love that seeks nothing in return that we find at the heart of Christ's message. And it was his understanding of this gospel that enabled Dr. King and those who worked alongside him to transform our nation for the better. It is extremely difficult to condense someone's entire life message down into a 140-character tweet. But I think we can see from his life lived out that he tried to love the way Christ loved. And he encouraged all those he preached to live out this kind of love. So in that light, I think Dr. King would tweet something like this – "Have faith in the God of the gospel. God is love. Love never fails."

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## What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar?

Have you ever had one of these?

It's a Klondike Bar. It's one of the best-selling treats in the world. And I bet right now you're thinking about their jingle – "What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar?" People all around the world have answered that question in a lot of different ways – "I'd swim the English channel"; "I'd walk 5,000 miles"; and "I'd act like a chimpanzee for a Klondike Bar."

The responses are always funny. But did you notice how the questions and responses were phrased? What would you do to earn this reward? Unfortunately, I've known people who put the same type of regulations on God's gift of abundant life. But we know that that's just not true.

See how Paul addresses this error in his letter to the Ephesians: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Paul turned the Klondike Bar jingle on its head. Instead of "What Would You Do to be Saved," he's telling us that it's actually "What Would God Do to Save Us" – and I'm glad to say the answer is _everything._ Our merciful Father God has moved heaven and earth to bring us back into communion with him through the incarnation and atoning sacrifice of his Son Jesus. He gave himself entirely for us that we might have life in him.

It is through him that the work of our salvation has been accomplished. And it is through Christ alone that we are freely justified – put in right relationship with God. It is by his Spirit that we turn to him to acknowledge him for who he is, our Lord and Savior, and surrender to him our whole lives in order to receive from him the complete life he has for us.

And while I like the crunch of a Klondike Bar, I like knowing that Christ has already completed his redeeming work and brought me back into communion with our Triune God even more.

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## What's Barth Got to Do With It?

You might not expect to see a theologian on the cover of _TIME_ magazine, but in April 1962, that's exactly where you could find Karl Barth. For anyone who doesn't know, Barth was lauded by many as the most important theologian of the last century. And for us here at GCI, his work was instrumental in helping us grow in our knowledge of the loving Triune God.

But what was so great about Barth?

Like John the Baptist, he pointed us back to Christ. His life's work, _The Church Dogmatics,_ gives us a comprehensive and cohesive theology that aims to synthesize all of biblical revelation – and to assist the church today as it more faithfully understands, articulates and lives out its faith. Barth also rightly believed that Christ was the ultimate expression of God. And it was in him that mankind could come to know and trust their Savior and Redeemer.

But more than that, he pointed us back to an understanding of Christ as more than just the Son of God, a divine ruler who came to Earth to be crucified before returning to heaven. Instead, Barth argued that Jesus in the New Testament was really and actually one with us in our humanity. Remaining the divine Son of God, he also was fully human. He didn't remain superior and apart. Instead, through Christ, he joined with us – and is with us still, rooting for us and with us in our human condition.

And that connection didn't stop at the end of his earthly ministry. Barth grasped the profound mystery proclaimed in the book of Hebrews, that Christ was and is, and will always be, an advocate, a brother, a high priest and the pursuer of mankind. As the church has always recognized, Jesus was resurrected and ascended with our humanity. He didn't leave it behind. He ascended bodily and will return as he promised bodily, as one of us – one with us. He is cheering for us – leading, transforming and living alongside us for all eternity. He is our Lord and Savior from inside our humanity, as one of us.

See how Barth puts it in his work _The Humanity of God:_

In his oneness Jesus Christ is the Mediator, the Reconciler, between God and man. Thus He comes forward to man on behalf of God calling for and awakening faith, love and hope, and to God on behalf of man, representing man, making satisfaction and interceding. Thus He attests and guarantees to God's free grace and at the same time attests and guarantees to god man's free gratitude.

Barth's theology can be incredibly useful for the maturing believer. But like Barth, we should always remember that in all we do, let us point back to our brother, our Savior and our Lord – Christ Jesus, the one who has sought us out to fully reveal our loving Triune God to mankind—that we might live daily in union and communion with him.

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## When Were You Saved?

Before Christ was crucified, Peter was with him, eating, living, and interacting with him for at least three years. Yet, when crunch time came, Peter vigorously denied his Lord three times. Along with all the other disciples, he fled into the night, leaving Jesus to face crucifixion alone.

Three days later, the risen Christ appeared to these very disciples; those who had denied him and run away. Several days later he appeared to Peter, James, and John while they were casting nets from their fishing boat, inviting them to breakfast on the shore. Despite the faithlessness of Peter and the disciples, Jesus never stopped being faithful to them.

Here's a question. If we had to identify the precise moment when Peter was saved, what would we say? Was he saved when Jesus first chose him as a disciple? Was it when Jesus said, "On this rock I will build my church"? Or when Peter said to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"?

Was he saved at the moment when he was convinced of Jesus' resurrection? Was it when Jesus appeared to the disciples on the shore and then asked Peter, "Do you love me?" and then told him, "Feed my sheep"? Or was it at Pentecost when the assembled group was filled with the Holy Spirit?

Or was it none of the above?

One thing we know: The Peter we see in Acts is definitely a believer—a bold and uncompromising one at that. But precisely when conversion happened, whether for Peter, or in comparison, ourselves, is not easy to pin down. We can't say it happened at baptism. We get baptized _because_ we believe, not _before_ we believe. We can't even say it happens at the _moment_ of belief, because it is not our belief that saves us, it's Jesus who saves us.

Paul says it this way in Ephesians 2:4-9: "Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

The truth is, our salvation was secured by Jesus 2,000 years ago—in fact, from the foundation of the world—long before we ever made any decision. Our faith doesn't save us, or cause God to change his mind about us. God always loved us and he will never stop loving us. We are saved by his grace, and for one reason only—because he loves us. When we believe, we are simply seeing for the first time the way things really are. We're finding out the truth that God loves us, wants us and includes us in Jesus Christ. We're finally walking in the Light, following the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Author of eternal salvation.

And that's good news.

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## Who Do You Say I Am?

When Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?" (Matthew 16:13), each replied with a different answer. "Some say John the Baptist; others Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets" (verse 14). It's one of the most profound questions we followers of Christ have ever been asked, and we're still wrestling with our answer 2,000 years later.

In the centuries following Jesus' death, a variety of conflicting views regarding the nature of Christ threatened to undermine one of the most fundamental Christian beliefs – that Jesus was the Savior of humanity. The situation needed to be clarified. Early theologians reviewed the biblical data. What emerged was a coherent view of Christ's nature.

In order to be our Savior, Jesus must be fully God, since only God can save. No created creature can spiritually save another. Only the Creator can redeem his creation. But Jesus also had to be fully human, since only a human being could stand in our place and pay the penalty for our sins. Therefore, in order for Jesus to be the Savior, he has to be fully God and fully man. Any other view, no matter how sincerely held, is contrary to the biblical evidence.

However, there are still people who find this hard to accept. They may acknowledge that Jesus was a great teacher. But God? No – that's going too far. C.S. Lewis addressed this line of thinking in his classic book _Mere Christianity_.

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic... or the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. (C.S. Lewis, _Mere Christianity_ )

I choose to fall at his feet and call him Lord. I hope and pray that you do, too.

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## Who Was That Jesus, Anyway?

When I was younger, I loved running home from school and turning on the TV to watch the Lone Ranger round up the bad guys. At the end of every show, as the Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding off into the sunset, one of the townsfolk would ask: "Who was that masked man, anyway?"

Throughout the years, people have asked that same question about Jesus. Many continue searching for the "historical Jesus," even while distrusting the only historical sources we have, the biblical witness. I'd rather take Christ at his word and the words of those whom he personally entrusted to be his spokesmen and the accounts of eyewitnesses reported by them. Let's take a look at just a few of the many ways Jesus indicated just who he was.

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die" (John 11:25).

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

From the very beginning, it's clear that Jesus knew who he was. When Mary and Joseph found him in the Temple, he told him he was in his "Father's house," indicating awareness of his divine sonship. And later, when John baptized him in the river, the heavens opened up and the voice of God was heard saying: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

Of course, there is much, much more that Jesus said and did to fill out and confirm his unique mission and identity. The Jesus of the biblical witness, by all reliable accounts, is truly the Son of God, the one and only Messiah who came to this world through the miracle of the incarnation. He came to bring us back into communion with our heavenly Father. And we can trust in him to faithfully continue that work of reconciliation in us, through us and in the world.

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## Who's to Blame?

A few years ago the movie _The Passion of the Christ_ sparked renewed debate over whether Jews should be held responsible for the death of Jesus. Sadly, from the days of the first century, there have been professing Christians who have promoted the idea that Jews should be punished for Jesus' crucifixion. That idea has been responsible for much anti-Semitism and persecution of Jews through the centuries. And it is based on utter ignorance of who Jesus was and why he came, and it is totally contrary to everything Jesus taught and stood for.

Jesus said of his life in John 10:18: "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

Jesus' crucifixion was God's will. It was Jesus' will. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world—Jews and gentiles alike—so much, that he sent his Son to save the world by dying and rising from the dead.

The Jesus who cried out from the cross, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they are doing," is the same Jesus who rose in glory and is our Advocate with the Father. He is the same Jesus whose Spirit moves us to love one another as he commanded.

Blame the Jews, or blame anyone, for killing Jesus? Nothing could be farther from the heart of Jesus than setting blame, because all humanity is to blame, but in Jesus, all humanity is forever forgiven for all sin.

God chose the Jews to do what had to be done for the sake of all humanity. All humans are sinners and rebels against God. All humans would have done away with Jesus, given the opportunity. But God chose Israel to be his people – the people through whom the Messiah would come, and the people to whom the Messiah would come. And God did it for the sake of the whole world, so that through Israel, all humanity would come to know him.

Would Christians who "blame" Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus prefer that Jesus not have been crucified? Would they prefer that he not have shed his blood for the sins of humanity and been raised from the dead?

Every human is to "blame" for the crucifixion of Jesus, because every human has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Paul tells us in Romans 3:23. But Jesus gave himself freely, not because anyone made him, or because he had to. He did it because he loves humanity. For this purpose he came, and for this purpose he lives that we all, Jews and gentiles alike, might live in him, blameless before God.

It was God's free grace toward undeserving sinners that led to Jesus' crucifixion—undeserving sinners like you and me. The crowd that shouted, "Crucify him!" were no bigger sinners than those of us who sing "That Old Rugged Cross" on Easter morning.

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them..." And the Father did.

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## Why Wait?

We all know about the Great Commission given by Jesus to his disciples, in which he directs them with taking the gospel to the world. He explained that they were to be his witnesses, working alongside him in his ongoing ministry "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). But before ascending to heaven, he told his disciples: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about" (Acts 1:4).

But why wait? Why not tell them to get on with it?

Those first apostles had to understand something very important about their commission, and it is a lesson we should remember too: This is not _our_ ministry. The work of taking the good news of salvation to the world was, is, and always will be the ministry of Christ. He invites us to join him. And if we are to do that effectively, God knew that we would need help.

Obediently, the disciples returned to Jerusalem, and waited. Then, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them" (Acts 2:1-3).

This was the dramatic birth of the New Testament church. We have some details of how that took place.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?" (Acts 2:4-8)

God showed them, in a very dramatic way, that the preaching of the gospel message would not be constrained or limited by the disciples' ability and resources. Jesus had not retreated to heaven, leaving them to figure out how to spread the gospel to the world by themselves. He knew that even with the best communication skills and enthusiasm, they could not do it on their own.

So often we put the full weight of evangelism on ourselves. It's good to know that we are not alone. We are on mission with Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit works in and through us, making the good news of salvation known to the world.

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## Wings of Desire

The other day, a friend of mine gave me a copy of the Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire. If you haven't heard of it, don't worry — neither had I. The story centers on a group of angels who move through the streets of Berlin, unseen by people around them. These angels, and the audience, are able to hear an almost endless stream of prayers from the citizens of Berlin. The angels experience the hopes, the dreams, and the pain and loneliness of each individual. Whether it's the wish of an old poet at the end of his life or the dreams of a young mother, or the last moments before a suicide — the angels are there, experiencing every moment, and actively rooting for humanity's ultimate good.

While the concept of "guardian angels" has more rooting in legend than in biblical exegesis, the film is a profound and spiritually intriguing look through the curtain of this present reality. In some ways, it gives us a creative understanding of what a heavenly perspective might feel like.

I was struck by just how close the experiences of these angels were to that of Christ Jesus. Our Lord became one of us, taking on our nature, becoming fully human while remaining fully divine and one with God. Jesus walked alongside mankind. He suffered blisters on his feet. He was cold when the night came, and he was hungry when he went without food. He experienced evil in the world and its consequences. He encountered those sinning and those being sinned against. He felt the wrenching pangs of compassion for the lost.

Because of his incarnation, we know that he has experienced what is at the root of every pain, every hurt, and every joy that is humanly possible. Jesus has endured all things to bring us into right relationship with our Triune God. And through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we know that Christ is with us still.

It can be difficult to picture what that looks like. Wim Wenders's Wings of Desire isn't a bad place to start. What we see there is a deeply empathetic understanding of humanity and a hoping and encouraging and cheering for the best that mankind can be. But through Christ, there is more than hoping. By his Word and Spirit, our Prophet, Priest and King is actively working to bring us and all things into their fullness of being. He is putting all authorities and powers under his subjection. He has conquered evil and death. In Christ we have a sympathetic high priest who is the Maker and Creator of all things — and who is remaking us and perfecting us, his beloved.

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## Wooden Nickels

Have you ever seen one of these? It's a wooden nickel. During the American Civil War, the government issued something like this in place of traditional coins. But unlike the nickels we know, these wooden ones had no intrinsic value. So when the troubled American economy recovered, these coins lost their worth. Even though they had the same seal and shape of a normal nickel, anyone who touched one of these knew it was worthless.

Unfortunately, I think that's how we can view God's grace. We know the feel and value of the real thing, but we can sometimes find ourselves settling for a version that is just a cheap, worthless knockoff. The grace we're offered through Christ means complete freedom from the judgment we deserve. But Peter warns us, "Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil" (1 Peter 2:16 NIV).

He's talking about "wooden nickel grace." It's a version of grace that's used as an excuse to justify consistent sin while neither offering it up to God in confession in order to receive the gift of forgiveness nor, in repentance, looking to God for ways to resist temptation and discovering a transformation and new freedom through his power. God's grace is a relationship that both accepts and transforms us into Christ's image by the working of the Holy Spirit. God extends this grace to us freely. We pay him nothing for his forgiveness. But our receiving his grace will be costly to us. Most especially, receiving it will cost us our pride.

Our sin will always have some consequence in our lives and the lives of those around us, and we ignore that to our detriment. Sin always disrupts from our "side" enjoying a joyous and peaceful fellowship and communion with God. It results in our making rationalizations and leads to self-justification. Presuming upon grace is not receiving and living in God's gracious relationship he has established for us in Christ. Rather, it amounts to rejecting God's grace.

But worst of all, cheap "grace" degrades the true value of grace, which is the costliest thing in this universe. The grace that we're offered through new life in Christ Jesus was so costly that God offered his own life to pay for it. It cost him everything, and when we use it as an excuse to sin, we might as well walk around with a pocket full of wooden nickels and call ourselves millionaires.

So whatever you do, don't take any wooden nickels. True grace is worth so much more.

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## Would Have Been Enough

In the USA, we have just celebrated the holiday of Thanksgiving. The traditions observed on Thanksgiving don't have associations with the Bible or Christianity, but "giving thanks" is most certainly a biblical idea. In fact most Christians, whether or not they live in America, celebrate a form of "thanksgiving" more often than they realize.

A Christian celebration that most of us are familiar with is Communion, or the Lord's Supper. Some churches call this "The Eucharist," which comes from the Greek word _eucharistia,_ meaning – you guessed it – "thanksgiving." So wherever and whoever we are, when we take the symbols of the blood and body of Jesus, we are truly giving thanks and celebrating our life in Christ.

Here is something else you may find interesting. As you probably know, the ceremony of Communion has its roots in the Jewish Passover. Part of the traditional Passover celebration is a hymn called _Dayenu._ Essentially, the Hebrew word _Dayenu_ means, "It would have been enough for us." It is sung as a response after merciful and saving acts of God are recalled from the Hebrew Bible – events like the parting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Sabbath, or the completion of the temple. There are 15 stanzas sang in all. The idea behind the hymn is that if God gave Israel just one of these blessings, "it would have been enough."

Those physical interventions in the history of ancient Israel are not part of our modern history, but they do give us a wonderful reminder of God's saving actions in our lives today. Just as God saved Israel in the parting of the Red Sea, he has saved us from drowning in sinfulness. Just as he gave Israel the Sabbath, he has given us rest in a new life in Christ. And just as he completed the temple by taking up residence in it, he now lives in us. We too can say, "If he had only given us one of these blessings, it would have been enough."

Our national day of Thanksgiving is a good time for us to stop and think about how often we should say "Dayenu" when we think of what God has done for us.

Jesus went to the cross, where he was crucified, died, and buried. But, he then rose from the grave, defeating death – inviting us to follow and do the same. He ascended to the Father and is taking us with him.

And God continues to do more! It did not stop with the Incarnation of Jesus, or the miracles Jesus performed while on Earth. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God did not just do what needed to be done for us, he continues to do _all that can possibly be done_ to secure our salvation.

I believe God is always moving, and moves beyond our imaginations. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, God does "more than we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). So just as Israel sang a rising crescendo of thanksgiving with " _Dayenu,"_ let gratitude be our crescendo for the one who is worthy of our praise.

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## The Wrath of God

Have you ever heard the phrase: The wrath of God? It's the kind of saying that sends shivers down your spine and conjures up imagery from Dante's _Inferno._ But when you really think about it, what does "the wrath of God" actually mean? How can God be fully love and also pour out wrath? It's a question that has baffled many scholars for thousands of years.

I want to tell you a story...

More than 20 years ago, my family and I joined another family for a camping trip to the Arizona desert. And as you know, out there you need to remember to check your shoes for scorpions. You usually come up with nothing, but it's good to be safe. However, one morning, when my friend's son picked up his shoe to put it on, we all saw a scorpion crawling up onto the little boy's hand. The father jumped up and slapped the scorpion into the dirt before it could strike – saving the boy. But the child started crying. Why?

Because from his perspective, his father had run over and slapped his hand – not the scorpion. He thought his dad was mad at him. But nothing could be further from the truth. My friend had acted out of a deep emotion of love. Like every father, he wanted to protect his child from harm. And you know what? I think we can see God's wrath in the same way.

In the Bible, the apostle John tells us that God is love. "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16b). Since the essence of God's being is love, it's inherently contradictory to view his divine anger as an equal and separate attribute. And there is no place in Scripture that speaks in the same way, declaring that God is wrath. Rather, God's anger is an aspect of his love. His anger arises when the object of his love is being harmed in some way. In fact, if God were not opposed to what is destructive to us and our relationship with him, God would not really be loving. The vehemence of his wrath is proportional to the strength of his love.

So the next time you're reading your Bible and you come across a passage about God's wrath, remember to keep things in perspective – his perspective.

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## Written on His Hands

The oldest existing human that we know of is the 5,300-year-old body of a man, frozen in ice, that was uncovered by climbers in the Italian Alps in 1991. His name is Otzi the Iceman, and aside from being extremely well-preserved, he was remarkable for another reason: the 61 tattoos that adorned his body.

For as long as we've been on the planet, humankind has marked their bodies to commemorate important events, imply meaning, or signify value. Everything from a sailor's inscription of a lost lover's name, to the tribal markings of indigenous peoples denoting a ceremony or achievement, reminds us that using permanent markings can be one of the clearest ways to show what's most meaningful to us. As it turns out, we aren't the only ones who do this. God does, too. Listen to this powerful verse from Isaiah: "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..." (Isaiah 49:16 NIV).

That verse is part of a passage where God reminds his people that he has not forgotten them, even during an extended period of captivity. While the most important part may seem to be the fact that God has "engraved" or tattooed the name of his people on his body, it's worth considering where that engraving occurs: his hands.

A lot has changed in the lives of human beings over the years, but we still use our hands for nearly every daily task imaginable. We look at them hundreds, maybe even thousands, of times each day. The implication here is powerful: our names are never out of God's sight.

I want us to think about that. If your own life's commitments were to be "written on your hands," what would they be? Work? School? Your career? Or would they be the names of people in your life? Family members, friends, those inside or outside of your church community?

It's often easy to lose sight of what matters amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives, but I think this verse and the principle it embodies ought to be a powerful reminder to us of two things – to "put first things first" in our lives, and remind us of our heavenly Father's love for us. I want you to picture his hands right now, the same hands that knit galaxies together, and then picture your own name, tattooed into his skin. Powerful, isn't it? Our God has marked us into his heart as permanently as ink sets into skin. We are always in his mind, always in his eyes, and always in his heart.

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## Yellow Pages and the Bible

I think everyone watching knows what this is. The Yellow Pages have been a familiar feature of homes and businesses for well over a hundred years. Even in this age of online directories, you have probably got one of these around somewhere.

We all know how to use them. They provide an alphabetical listing of businesses and services. So, if I want to find a plumber, someone to fix my computer, or make a reservation at a certain kind of restaurant, all I have to do is look in my Yellow pages.

But suppose I want to know – for example – the favorite color of my city mayor. Well, I just look up the mayor's office in the section on local government, and check under "favorite color" and... well, of course, I don't find it.

Have the Yellow Pages failed me? Of course not – it would be ridiculous to think that. We all know that kind of information isn't in the Yellow Pages.

So why, then, don't we have the same approach to another old book you most likely have in your home? [the Bible] This one has been around a lot longer than the Yellow Pages.

And yet it is surprising how many people do not really know what the Bible is for. It's brought out for weddings and funerals and for "swearing in" ceremonies. But many of us don't touch it at other times. It is known as the "good book," but we don't seem to know exactly what it's good for.

Some believers seem to think they can find the answer to any question imaginable somewhere within its pages. They regard it as the final authority on matters of diet, what to wear, what entertainment is appropriate, what hobbies to have, and so on. Some claim it gives us advance information about the major world events of our time. Some even claim that embedded in the text of the Bible is coded information that allows them to predict when the world will end.

And even though their end-time predictions are always wrong, it doesn't deter them. They plunge back in, searching the Scriptures carefully until they come up with another secret, scripture-based interpretation.

The second epistle to Timothy tells us that the Scriptures are "able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 3:15.) Verse 16 says that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."

That, then, is what the Bible is for. And that is how we should use it – as a reliable guide to salvation. It teaches us about Jesus, and how we can look to him and always rely on him.

The Bible answers the really important questions of life. But we shouldn't expect it to answer every question. That's not what it's for, and to use it that way makes about as much sense as, well, looking in the Yellow Pages to find out the mayor's favorite color.

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## Yesterday, Today, Forever

Have you heard of the smartphone app Postmates? It lets you to order food from almost any restaurant in your city and have it delivered right to your door. It's amazing! These days, it feels like the world is changing faster than ever. But in the midst of all the change, the writer of Hebrews tells us that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

What does that mean? It's hard to grasp the reality of God's timelessness for us, because we exist within time and are subject to its natural laws, which really means that we're subject to change. Over the course of our lives, there is very little that will not change. Our memories, appearance, preferences, opinions, and even — whether we like it or not — our bodies.

As much as we might like to believe otherwise, our faith isn't immune to this, either. Events in our lives have a huge impact on what we believe and why, and can lead to us changing our minds or hearts about God. Some of us may even know friends or family members who, over time, have stopped believing in him entirely. But thankfully, God isn't like us. He exists outside of time, and the Bible reminds us that he doesn't change like we do. For example: "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind" (1 Samuel 15:29).

God doesn't change his mind about anything, but most importantly, he doesn't change his mind about us, his beloved children. No matter how our views, opinions or feelings about our heavenly Father might shift, his love toward us never wavers. As the apostle Paul reminds us, "If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself" (2 Timothy 2:13). This means that no matter what, our triune God is and will always be exactly who he is and always has been: righteous, holy, all-powerful and all-loving. No matter how much the world around us might change, that will always be true.

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## You Were There

You probably know the old hymn "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" Obviously, no one alive today could have been physically present at the crucifixion. Never the less, the answer is 'Yes – you were there."

Let me explain. In the seventh chapter of the book of Acts, verse 52 – we read of an event that happened a few weeks after Jesus had been crucified, resurrected and ascended to heaven. One of the first Christian leaders, Stephen, was hauled before the religious court for blasphemy and heresy. In a bold speech, he told his accusers who Jesus was, and then said, "you have betrayed and murdered him."

He wasn't referring only to that particular group of men, although it is quite likely that some of them had been among those who conspired to have Jesus killed. But that was not Stephen's point. The priests and religious leaders of Jesus' day, along with the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who signed Jesus' death warrant, may have been directly responsible. But, Stephen told them they were all accomplices to the murder of Jesus, and so are we.

Our involvement in the death of Jesus is important to understand. When Pontius Pilate gave the order for Jesus to be crucified, even while attempting to wash his hands of it, he represented what is in all of us, that would lead us, sooner or later, to betray the Son of God and attempt to wash our hands of it all the while. It was just this deeply rooted propensity in us to reject the grace of God and justify ourselves that required Christ's coming, dying and being raised for us. For the only way our corrupt and mercy-hating nature could be put right, was for it to be put to death and raised to new life in and with him. He has done for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

"We are convinced," the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14, "that one died for all, and therefore all died." All means all – you, your obnoxious neighbor, your nearest and dearest relatives, your enemy in battle, your loved one locked in suffering, the hungry child in famine, those caught up in the tragedies of earthquakes and tsunamis, your boss at work, those trapped in false religion, the worst of terrorists, the best of heroes. This is a great mystery: Christ died for us all so that all that is corrupt in us has been condemned, put to death in him.

A few verses later, in 2 Corinthians 5:19, Paul tells us that on the cross, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them." Jesus died for everyone who has ever lived and who shall live. No one was excluded from the effectiveness of his sacrifice. Everyone was involved in his death. There were no exceptions.

That means that our past, no matter how desperate or depraved, was nailed to the cross. It means that through Jesus' sacrifice we have all been forgiven, whether we have accepted it or not. It means that everyone, irrespective of race or religion, was crucified with Christ so that everyone might live with Christ as new persons with renewed natures. Having seized on to all of humanity as its Lord and Savior, he took upon himself all that is corrupt and rebellious in us, so that he could share with us all that is in him. That's the mystery of the Great Exchange that took place on the cross.

Do you see what this means? It means that there is hope for us all because, as Paul wrote in Romans 6:8, "Now, if we all died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him."

It is the announcement of forgiveness and new life for all, not just a select few. It's a call to believe or trust in the one who loves us and gave himself for us – the one who, as Revelation 1:5 puts it, "has freed us from our sins by his blood."

So, "Were we there when they crucified our Lord?" Yes we were, by the wonderful grace of God. Let's be thankful for that. Because we were included in his death, we are now included in his life. He gave his life so that we might share in his – now and forever.

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## You're Included

Grace Communion International launched the video series you are viewing right now, _Speaking of Life,_ on September 8, 2006. Since then, more than 2,000 people a week watch or listen to the latest episode of the program. Some watch or listen online and others download the program to their own computer or digital player for later use. Some download it and create DVDs to share the program with others who might not have Internet access. _Speaking of Life_ programs are accessed more than 20,000 times a month, and many pastors play the program in church each week.

Another video program _, You're Included,_ is devoted to exploring Trinitarian theology – the biblically rooted self-revelation of our loving and merciful God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. _You're Included_ is aptly named, as it explores the healing and transforming love of God revealed in the Bible for all humanity, which includes you and me.

Since March 2007, Dr. J. Michael Feazell has conducted over 100 half-hour interviews with leading theologians for _You're Included._ Each week, more than a thousand people watch, listen or read the transcript for one of these interviews. Some of them are burned to a DVD and played in churches or in small group settings. Even some seminary professors direct their students to our website so they can watch the program.

Guests on the program have included the late Ray S. Anderson, senior professor of theology and ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of more than a dozen books on ministry and theology. Among many others, the program has also featured such notable theologians and Christian leaders as Alan Torrance, Douglas Campbell, Elmer Colyer, Gary Deddo, Gordon Fee, Trevor Hart, Baxter Kruger, and Paul Young, author of the best-selling novel _The Shack._

The surprising thing about these high-quality video programs is that all the work – set design, lighting, sound, shooting, and editing, as well as contacting and arranging all logistics for interview guests – is done by our highly talented and dedicated staff of one – Nathan Smith – and a part-time helper. Nathan literally does the work of many highly skilled people, and I do hope you will keep him in your prayers as he works hard to stay on top of such a demanding schedule.

Through it all, and most importantly, the good news of God's abiding love made manifest in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit is being shared with others – and not just though our media efforts, videos and publications, of course – but especially through the devoted work being done by all of you, the many viewers of these various gospel tools on our website.

To all of you, I want to say thank you for all you do in Jesus! And I want you to know that your prayerful support – and your generous contributions – are deeply appreciated, and so vital to this gospel work that we all share.

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## You're Never Too Young

Have you heard about the boy from England who became the youngest computer specialist in the world? Ayan Qureshi was only five years old when he passed a complicated tech exam and became a Microsoft Certified Professional. He currently spends around two hours a day learning different operating systems and installing programs.

Ayan's story reminded me of a passage in Scripture about another child prodigy: a boy named Samuel. He was chosen by God to serve in Israel before he was even born. Around the age of thirteen, Samuel was living in the temple when the Lord called him by name. Originally mistaking the Lord's voice for Eli the high priest, he couldn't believe that God would select someone like him – someone so young and inexperienced. But God knew better. He knew that Samuel was the very servant he needed to be a prophet and judge to Israel during a time of crisis.

The Bible says the following of Samuel: "The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground" (1 Samuel 3:19). Israel came to know Samuel as a powerful spiritual leader, and God allowed him the privilege of anointing the first two kings of Israel: Saul and David.

We know that God uses the young and old, the wise and foolish, to accomplish his will. Maybe you know a few young people in your own church who have already accepted their calling as servants of the Most High. Whether you're young or simply young at heart, it's never too soon or too late to do what Samuel did and say "Yes" to the work God has prepared for you. Remember your age will never disqualify you from serving alongside God. All you have to do is be ready to answer his call as he provides a place for you to serve.

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## Your First Job

A friend and I were talking about first jobs the other day. For him, it was mowing lawns for his uncle's landscaping company. That experience completely changed his life. He told me that he started seeing the world differently. Being given responsibility caused him to rethink how he used his time and resources: instead of wasting it, he wanted to make sure to use the time he'd been entrusted with to enrich the new boss's business. That got me thinking about humanity's "first job."

When God created Adam and Eve, he didn't do it in a vacuum: he did it in the context of creation. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, and given a job — to be fruitful, multiply, and "have dominion over" the earth. We've been given responsibility to care for it, protect it, and act in its best interests. In a word, it's the job of stewardship — the job of caring for assets and multiplying them. Even to this day, that same divine mandate holds true.

But here's where it's different from how most of us remember our first jobs: we're not working for God, as if he's some divine boss looking over our shoulder. Instead, we get to work with him – rolling up our sleeves and joining him in the stewardship of his creation — created through Christ, for Christ, and to be inherited by Christ. Out of his love, God invites, empowers, and enables us to join him in this incredible life. He entrusts us with resources beyond even those surrounding us in creation — our minds, bodies, talents, relationships, and time — and swings the door wide open, welcoming us alongside him into his ongoing care-taking and ultimate "renewal of all things."

I don't know about you, but I've never heard of any "first job" that could be more exciting than that!

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## Your Own Twin

Most of us know our bodies pretty well. But what if something happened that made you feel like your body wasn't actually yours? That's what happened to a woman named Taylor Muhl. She was born with a strange birthmark running down the center of her stomach that divided her body into perfect halves. As a teenager, she developed mysterious auto-immune issues, and a variety of strange allergies. For example, she would react to bug bites or body piercings on one side of her body, but not the other. It was as if two people were living in her body.

Doctors couldn't solve the mystery, so for years Taylor lived with her unique and frustrating condition, succeeding as a dancer and model despite it. Then, after years of testing, one doctor solved the mystery: Taylor is her own twin. She possesses an extremely rare genetic condition called chimerism: during pregnancy, two fertilized eggs fuse into one, creating one baby with two genetic codes. So, Taylor actually possesses two immune systems, two bloodstreams, and two sets of DNA, which explains her autoimmune issues: her body was fighting itself.

This story is one where the truth seems stranger than fiction. But it wasn't the first time I've heard of a body fighting itself. Paul talks about it in Romans: "I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:18-19 NIV).

What Paul describes is something we've all experienced: our sinful nature. The reality of living with this nature day-to-day might even make us feel like Taylor did – as if there are two different people at war inside of us. In a world where we're surrounded by sin, it can be difficult to remember this eternal reality: "For we know that our old self was crucified with [Christ] so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6 NIV).

In Christ, this war is settled. The mystery is solved. It is no longer we who live, but as Paul says, "Christ who lives in [us]" (Galatians 2:20). For Taylor, solving the mystery of her "other self" led to freedom and strength that were truly life-giving. How much more so for us, who are offered freedom and strength to live in Christ, unifying ourselves with his eternal resurrection life, for all of eternity!

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## About the Publisher...

Grace Communion International is a Christian denomination with about 50,000 members, worshiping in about 900 congregations in almost 100 nations and territories. We began in 1934 and our main office is in North Carolina. In the United States, we are members of the National Association of Evangelicals and similar organizations in other nations. We welcome you to visit our website at www.gci.org.

If you want to know more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, we offer help. First, we offer weekly worship services in hundreds of congregations worldwide. Perhaps you'd like to visit us. A typical worship service includes songs of praise, a message based on the Bible, and opportunity to meet people who have found Jesus Christ to be the answer to their spiritual quest. We try to be friendly, but without putting you on the spot. We do not expect visitors to give offerings—there's no obligation. You are a guest.

To find a congregation, write to one of our offices, phone us or visit our website. If we do not have a congregation near you, we encourage you to find another Christian church that teaches the gospel of grace.

We also offer personal counsel. If you have questions about the Bible, salvation or Christian living, we are happy to talk. If you want to discuss faith, baptism or other matters, a pastor near you can discuss these on the phone or set up an appointment for a longer discussion. We are convinced that Jesus offers what people need most, and we are happy to share the good news of what he has done for all humanity. We like to help people find new life in Christ, and to grow in that life. Come and see why we believe it's the best news there could be!

Our work is funded by members of the church who donate part of their income to support the gospel. Jesus told his disciples to share the good news, and that is what we strive to do in our literature, in our worship services, and in our day-to-day lives.

If this e-book has helped you and you want to pay some expenses, all donations are gratefully welcomed, and in several nations, are tax-deductible. If you can't afford to give anything, don't worry about it. It is our gift to you. To make a donation online, go to <https://www.gci.org/online-giving/>.

Thank you for letting us share what we value most — Jesus Christ. The good news is too good to keep it to ourselves.

See our website for hundreds of articles, locations of our churches, addresses in various nations, audio and video messages, and much more.

Grace Communion International  
3129 Whitehall Park Dr.

Charlotte, NC 28273-3335

1-800-423-4444

www.gci.org

### You're Included...

We talk with leading Trinitarian theologians about the good news that God loves you, wants you, and includes you in Jesus Christ. Most programs are about 28 minutes long. Our guests have included:

Ray Anderson, Fuller Theological Seminary

Douglas A. Campbell, Duke Divinity School

Elmer Colyer, U. of Dubuque Theological Seminary

Gordon Fee, Regent College

Trevor Hart, University of St. Andrews

George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary

Jeff McSwain, Reality Ministries

Paul Louis Metzger, Multnomah University

Paul Molnar, St. John's University

Cherith Fee Nordling, Antioch Leadership Network

Andrew Root, Luther Seminary

Alan Torrance, University of St. Andrews

Robert T. Walker, Edinburgh University

N.T. Wright, University of St. Andrews

William P. Young, author of _The Shack_

Programs are available free for viewing and downloading at www.youreincluded.org.

### Speaking of Life...

Dr. Joseph Tkach, president of Grace Communion International, comments each week, giving a biblical perspective on how we live in the light of God's love. Most programs are about three minutes long – available in video, audio, and text. Go to www.speakingoflife.org.

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##

Grace Communion Seminary

Ministry based on the life and love of the Father, Son, and Spirit.

Grace Communion Seminary serves the needs of people engaged in Christian service who want to grow deeper in relationship with our Triune God and to be able to more effectively serve in the church.

Why study at Grace Communion Seminary?

 Worship: to love God with all your mind.

 Service: to help others apply truth to life.

 Practical: a balanced range of useful topics for ministry.

 Trinitarian theology: a survey of theology with the merits of a Trinitarian perspective. We begin with the question, "Who is God?" Then, "Who are we in relationship to God?" In this context, "How then do we serve?"

 Part-time study: designed to help people who are already serving in local congregations. There is no need to leave your current ministry. Full-time students are also welcome.

 Flexibility: your choice of master's level continuing education courses or pursuit of a degree: Master of Pastoral Studies or Master of Theological Studies.

 Affordable, accredited study: Everything can be done online.

For more information, go to www.gcs.edu. Grace Communion Seminary is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, www.deac.org. The Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

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## Ambassador College of Christian Ministry

Want to better understand God's Word? Want to know the Triune God more deeply? Want to share more joyously in the life of the Father, Son and Spirit? Want to be better equipped to serve others?

Among the many resources that Grace Communion International offers are the training and learning opportunities provided by ACCM. This quality, well-structured Christian Ministry curriculum has the advantage of being very practical and flexible. Students may study at their own pace, without having to leave home to undertake full-time study.

This denominationally recognized program is available for both credit and audit study. At minimum cost, this online Diploma program will help students gain important insights and training in effective ministry service. Students will also enjoy a rich resource for personal study that will enhance their understanding and relationship with the Triune God.

Diploma of Christian Ministry classes provide an excellent introductory course for new and lay pastors. Pastor General Dr. Joseph Tkach said, "We believe we have achieved the goal of designing Christian ministry training that is practical, accessible, interesting, and doctrinally and theologically mature and sound. This program provides an ideal foundation for effective Christian ministry."

For more information, go to www.ambascol.org

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