HALLOWEEN, MASKS AND THE ELECTION

Here we are at the Halloween
season once again and I don’t aim to promote or condemn it as such just to make
some observations. It’s a time for what we call “trick or treat,” which used to
mean you pass out treats to those who visited because you wanted to do
something nice for the children in you neighborhood. The visitors dress up in
strange costumes, wear masks, wigs, face paint, etc. You passed out some treat
or you might have your widows smeared with soap or something else as relatively
mild as a consequence. It really was (and sometime still is) a community
activity meant to be enjoyed.

Times have changed through the
years though, for some, what had been a fun time has become a dark and
dangerous time. Kids can’t go out unattended any longer, it’s not safe, there
are human predators stalking our streets seeking to do harm to folks and
property. That doesn’t speak well for our society does it? Many of the “Trick
or Treaters,” have changed also. For some It’s no longer about just having fun
it’s about “what you can get for yourself,” and what kind of destruction you
can cause and the masks and costumes are just a way to hide your identity.

Of course as I was thinking about
this, the current elections came to mind and how much they mirror the
“Halloween Mentality”. It seems that all of those running for some office wear
mask and costumes, trying to hide who they truly are and it seems also more
interested in how holding some office can benefit them and not others. Now, I
imagine that there are some politicians somewhere (I know one personally), who
truly does seek only to help folks and not benefit themselves, but seems a rare
thing. What comforts me in these troubled times is that if God can use ungodly
men like king Nebuchadnezzar, and
the Pharaoh of Egypt to serve his purposes he can still do it today.

Now here is the difficult thing; we don’t know God’s
purpose or his reason for doing things in a certain way. What we do know is
that God is in control and no matter who wins the earthly election, we have
already won the eternal election if we are Christians. 2 Peter 1:5-8, “For this very reason, make
every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to
knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to
perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual
affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they
will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ.” Then
in verse 10 & 11 he adds, “Therefore, my brothers
and sisters, make every effort to confirm
your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never
stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

The bottom line is that if we
serve God faithfully, out Election to the eternal kingdom is assured. It’s an
office for life, with no term limits. No masks, no costumes, only the real us
revealed before God. I’m tired already of the earth elections, but excited
about the eternal one, how about you?

I WANT A NEW ONE

I was doing some work at our
house the other day and I kind of over did it. I worked on different projects
for probably about 5 hours and I was so tired that I really didn’t feel like
doing anything else the rest of the day. You probably know how that feels, just
worn out.

The other day I saw an “older
gentleman,” with a tee shirt that had a caption with which I could identify. It
said, “This Body… One owner, High Mileage, Needs work!” Simple,
straight forward, to the point! That describes me at times… and perhaps you
also.

Folks often say that it would be
great to “turn back the clock,” to a time when we were younger, with the
addition of keeping the knowledge we have now. Yes, that is very appealing; a
younger body, no aches, no pains, smooth skin, strong muscles, but at this
point even with all of our medical technology it is just not possible; at least
not possible here on earth.

I heard a story about a little
boy who came running to his father and said, “Dad, I just figured what the
Bible is about.” His days, said, “Really, what is it about?” The son answered,
“It’s on the front, “B.I.B.L.E. and it means, Basic Instructions Before Leaving
Earth.” I guess he got it right didn’t he, that just about sums it up. That is
what the Bible is all about, because we for sure are not going to stay here on
earth forever.

At times I’m ready for that change, the older I get the
more I understand the power of the promise. That’s the promise the Apostle Paul
was trying to help us understand in 1
Corinthians 15:51-53 where he said: “But let me reveal to you a
wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!  It will happen in a moment, in the blink of
an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have
died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be
transformed.  For our dying bodies must
be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be
transformed into immortal bodies.”(NLT)

Yes, I’m ready for a new one, a
new body, one like Jesus, no more pain, no more weariness; no more parts that
sometimes refuse to cooperate. There is a time coming when my ‘High mileage” body will be traded in for
a new one. That’s what I planning for, that what I’m looking forward to! How
about you?

Rejected but loving anyway

I don't know about you, but
sometimes I'm not very smart regarding relationships. There are times when I
need to focus on what I am doing just a little more, perhaps be a little more
aware than I am. Most likely all of us at sometime uses our time poorly and
perhaps relate to others in less than appreciated ways.

A friend, Tom, told me that
recently they had one of their young grand daughters visiting. She got a Barbie
Doll and was playing with it on the floor. He being a good grandfather, got
down on the floor with her and tried to show some interest in what she was
doing. After a few minutes she looked at him and said, “Grandpa, don't you have
somewhere else you can play?” Wow! That's pretty blunt, but she made it clear
that she knew what she intended to do and didn't want him interfering.

How do you help someone who
doesn't want to be helped? How do you share with someone who doesn't want your
input? How do you love someone who doesn't want to be loved? Jesus had that
problem though he understood exactly what people needed. Yet even he couldn't
force them to want or except his company, his teaching or his love.

Jesus understood this completely
and warned his followers in Luke
9:22, “The Son of Man must suffer a great deal and be rejected by the
elders, the high priests and the scribes. Then he must be killed, but on the
third day he will be raised.”

In Matthew 23:37 Jesus said, “O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones to death those who have been sent
to her! How often I wanted to gather your
children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were
unwilling.”

Rejected! How do you deal with
being rejected? That's one of our greatest fears isn't it? Why don't we get
more involved in people's lives? Why aren’t we more open in telling others
about the Gospel message? It's not that we fear folks will harm or kill us (for
the most part), it's that we fear they may reject us and our message isn't it?
Should that stop us from sharing, from trying to be involved in the lives of
other folks? Of course not… It didn't stop Tom from loving that grand daughter
and it didn't stop Jesus from loving this world. What about you?

The Egg

In a land beyond the ocean in a country far, far away lived
a man. He lived a life normal for his small village, working, farming, raising
a family, just living life. He was surrounded by beliefs that many of us would
find strange. Although he worshiped a higher power, a creator, he was
surrounded by those who practiced witchcraft, casting evil spells and
controlling people’s lives.

As time passed some missionaries came to this land and
taught people about a man named Jesus. Many believed, yet at the same time,
many did not. The Witch doctors were of course very unhappy as they made their
living selling spells, potions and talismans to the people. Those who turned to
follow Jesus rejected witchcraft, so there was a constant conflict among them.

The man in our story came to follow Jesus, he began to
practice Christianity. The man’s wife was a believer in witchcraft and opposed
her husbands continually and it was a serious problem between them. It was so
much of a problem that she couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to take
drastic action. She went to the Witchdoctor and asked for a way to change or
kill her husband.

The Witchdoctor had the perfect plan; he went to the man’s
house while he was working in the fields and placed an egg before the door of
the house. He made a special incantation over the egg and sprinkled it with a
supposed “magic” powder. When the Christian man looked at the egg it was
supposed to make him sick and cause him to die.

When the Christian man arrived home he saw the egg and knew
just what it was. He noticed all of his neighbors watching from their doorways
and wondering what he would do. To the man it was a test of his new faith; he
no longer believed that Witchcraft had any power over him, so he decided to
prove that point. He walked up to the egg and proclaimed loudly, “Look at this,
God has blessed me with an egg for my supper”. He went into his home, gathered
a pan and things to make a fire. He came out and made a fire in front of his
house and cooked the egg and ate it to the amazement of all of his neighbors.
It was his testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ.

Now you may think that this is an interesting story, but
just a story. But it is not! It is a true story that really happened in a small
village in Kenya, East Africa. I have been to the house of the man, I have
worshiped at the church he began in his village, I have met his wife who was
then a believer also.

What
is your testimony? What does the world think of when they see you? Does your
faith show though in the way you live, the things you say, the way you dress,
the faith you exhibit in your actions? Jesus put it in simple terms for us in Matthew 5:15-16 where he said, “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”. How are you doing?

Donuts and life

Wow, I just got some good news! Well, may be not “good,”
for me physically, perhaps interesting would be a better word. I was reading
one of my favorite medical reports (which I have found to be very informative
and trustworthy) and found a way to justify my oft denied craving for Crispy
Cream donuts. The report said that they have found that there is more sugar in
a Starbucks Frapachino than in a Crispy Cream donut… So, now I can justify
myself in skipping Starbucks and instead picking up a Crispy Cream donut with
chocolate icing!

OK, I’ll continue to skip the donuts, but I still like them
and really could feel more justified in eating one (or two) now. Isn’t it
strange how our minds work? I have often said in considering life, that I can
find a way to justify just about anything I want. Think about it, the “New Car”
commercials on television plant the idea that it would just be great to have a
new car. Suddenly you start hearing noises when you drive. You notice that the
paint is a little more faded and scratched than you had thought. The tires are
going to have to be replaced soon and there are some other repairs that you
have been putting off, so why not start dreaming about the new car. Then before
long the dream becomes a passion and soon you are the owner of a new car (and
new car payments).

Now the same is true of furniture, appliances or even your
house. For some folks it is even their spouse or families that they begin
finding reasons to replace. Some even decide that their lives need some
changing (and not necessarily for the better). They decide to find out about all
the world is trying for fun, excitement and simulation. They become involved in
drinking, gambling and perhaps even sexual relationships outside of the marriage
covenant.

Now the world says this is great, they say: “try
new things,” “live your life anyway you want,” “don’t
let old moral views hold you back,” perhaps even “Crispy Cream donuts are good for
you”. Yet, the apostle Peter warned 2000 years ago, “Be
serious and keep watch; the Evil One, who is against you, goes about like a
lion with open mouth in search of food; Do not give way to him but be strong in
your faith, in the knowledge that your brothers who are in the world undergo
the same troubles. (1 Peter
5:8-9)

So
where does this leave us? How do we deal with this issue? King Solomon gave us
an answer a couple of centuries ago when he said: “All has been heard; here is the
conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the
duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including
every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Well
having said all that, I think I’ll head over for a Crispy Cream donut… well
maybe not!

Scratching it out

A minister was sitting at the
kitchen table working at writing a sermon. His young daughter came in and asked
what he was doing. He said, “I'm writing a sermon for this coming Sunday morning.” The daughter asked, “How do
you know what to write?” He replied, “The Spirit leads me as I write the
words.” She thought for a moment and said, “If the Spirit is leading you, why
are you scratching out so much of it?”

Now the scripture does indicate
that the Spirit will help guide us if we open ourselves up to God. Paul writes
in Romans 8:14, “for
all who are led by God's Spirit are God's Children”. He also mentions
in Galatians 5:18 that, “...if you are being led
by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

I'm afraid we forget it far too
often, but we really should understand that when we become Christians we
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives. “Peter answered them, “Every
one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the
forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.”
(Acts 2:38).

The obvious question then is, “How does the Spirit lead
us today?” We are led by the word of God in conjunction with the Spirit who
dwells in us. The apostle Paul shared these thoughts with us in Ephesians
3:2-6, “Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace
that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by
revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will
be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made
known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit
to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel
the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and
sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus words fills and and leads
us as we read the things written by His apostles. It can have an amazing and
wonderful effect on our lives and direct our steps if we allow it.

The problem is that many times we
“scratch out” the parts we don't like or agree with. In doing some reading
“online” I was amazed at the number of people who said we should not believe
everything Paul wrote, basically because it went against today's accepted
social and moral standards. You tell me, who is right, God or man? What (or
who) is going to lead you today. For me, I choose God and His Word!

Sharing the story

The our young adults group in our church have asked each of
the elders and their wives to come and share the story of their Journey to
faith. So we have been taking turns and doing that every few weeks.

Last night was my wife and my night to do this….I didn’t
feel that I had much to share, but they asked a lot of questions and drew out
more information that I had thought about sharing.

It was a good time to be together and they said they felt
that they got to know us on a more personal level now. Hopefully it will help
them in their walk of faith.

Often when we talk about “sharing our faith” we seem to
classify it as mainly “Witnessing to someone about what God has done to make
you follow him”. It doesn’t seem like very often we just share what changed our
lives does it?

If I asked you, “Tell me how you met your wife or husband.”
Most wouldn’t have a problem doing that. “If I asked you to share what drew you
to them to become their spouse you could probably do that too.

What if we approached sharing the Gospel like that? What if,
rather than trying to memorize a lot of scripture to try and teach someone we
just told them why Jesus was so important to us and how he changed our lives?

Could
you do that? Remember the woman at the well in John 4:29- 30, She simply said: “Come
and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could He possibly be the
Messiah?’  So the people came streaming
from the village to see Him.”

This
woman didn’t quote scripture, she hadn’t been to a class on evangelism… she
just told folk what Jesus had done for her. Could you do the same?

What
is your message? What is proclaimed through your life? Do people see that in
some way you have been changed and are curious enough to want to find out about
that change? You see, before trying to change anyone else, we need to change
ourselves and if it is a true change for the good, people will notice and
follow.