Keeping the Vision 5

Romans 15:5-7

I can’t help but feel a little guilty when I see someone else working harder than I do. In the past few weeks we have had some church dinners and we have cleared away the Christmas decorations. All these events required several people pitching in and doing what they could to get things accomplished.

I was not the hardest working person in all of these situations. In actuality there were likely only one or two people who really put in extra effort. But instead of feeling jealous or guilty we should celebrate the fact that this person or that was able to do something – find a ministry – in which they could excel.

It takes a great deal of people, in fact all of us, to accomplish the work of God’s kingdom. Each of us is blessed with certain gifts and abilities. Each of us has various interests and areas of expertise or skill. When all of these come together any job can be accomplished.

Paul has something to say about the diversity of work in the church. What does he want for the believers? What will be the result of a spirit of unity? What should we do? Why?

If we will live out the love of Christ in our faith walk, if we will do things for the ministry of the world, we must be willing to do our part in what needs to be accomplished. We cannot sit idly by and allow everyone else do the work of God. But we should also not be the persons who try to do everything on our own.

True ministry, truly doing the work of God’s kingdom, requires that every one of us step forward to do our best. God is able to give us the endurance we need to get things done, and when we know we have done work for God we are blessed with a sense of encouragement.

We must work toward a sense of unity in our places of worship. When we all join together in ministry we are giving glory to God in a unified voice. Accepting our place in the work of the kingdom and accepting the work of others brings praise to God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What must you do to celebrate your own ministry as well as the ministry of others?

Keeping the Vision 4

John 21:18-19

This passage is one that I heard when I was young and which has rattled around in the back of my mind for some time. It seems to be a gloomy, depressing prediction from Jesus, a reminder that we will not always be in control of what we do. Sure, Jesus was talking specifically to Peter, but I have often thought of these words as I consider growing older. (It seems to speed up with every passing year!) The day will come when I won’t be able to dress myself or go where I want to go.

But is Jesus talking about getting old and frail? It would seem unlikely that this is what he is addressing here.

He has just had a conversation with Peter about taking care of Christ’s sheep. Jesus was giving Peter the command to care for the believers. Now he talks about going where he doesn’t want to go. And then he concludes the whole thing with the statement, “Follow me!”

In light of all that we have looked at so far this week – considering where we fit in with ministry, believing in ourselves, trusting in the guidance Jesus gives – we may be able to see these words are more about our faith life and less about getting old. When we were young in our faith, when we were immature in our beliefs, it is possible we did not give much consideration to the things we could do to serve God and help others.

But as we mature in our faith, as we grow deeper, we may find ourselves doing things we had never considered doing before. We may find that we are needed at the hospital bedside even though we would rather not be around those who suffer. We may find that we are called on to pray for others when we never thought of ourselves as good at praying. We may find that we need to give up something we WANT so that someone else can have what they NEED.

We need to estimate what it is we are able and willing to give to ministry. How do we fit in? And we may find that as we grow closer to Christ we will be willing to do those things we were not willing to do before.

What we must trust in is the fact that Jesus has invited us to follow him. And if we follow him we can trust that it is the hands of Christ that lead us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Where will you go in ministry? Is it a place you do not want to go?

God Gives Gifts 5

Matthew 7:9-11

Our children are old enough that when it comes time for Christmas and birthdays we simply ask them what they want so that we can buy it for them. There are times, in fact, when they go with us so they can guide our selection. It may remove all the surprise and some of the thrill of giving gifts, but it allows us to give them what they want without error.

As part of “The Sermon on the Mount” Jesus talks about giving gifts. What does he say about our ability to give what is correct and good? What examples does he use? What does this show us about God?

It doesn’t take a genius to give a nice gift to someone. If a person asks you for bread, you give them bread. If they want chicken for dinner, you give them chicken. If your child wants a new MP3 player you DO NOT give them a transistor radio instead.

Jesus points out the obvious. We, as humans and mortals, are smart enough and caring enough to give those we care for those things they desire. The only exception to this is that we would not give a gift that may cause harm to the one we love.

If we are able to give good gifts, then we should be able to realize that God – who is able to love more than we can love, who is wiser than we are – will give truly good gifts.

What’s the catch? Well, Jesus uses the words “good gifts.” The gifts we receive from God may not be exactly what we want because God knows what is best for us. We must trust that God is able to give good gifts to us. We must see that what we receive from God is good.

Second, Jesus concludes this teaching with the words “those who ask him.” If we desire good gifts from God we should be so bold as to ask God for them. Our motivation, however, should be that we trust God in His goodness and we desire those things that are beneficial to the kingdom of God and not just those things we desire with a selfish attitude.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What good gift will you ask God for?

God Gives Gifts 4

1 Chronicles 4:10

There are different personalities when it comes to the many ministries that are available to believers. Some like to serve. They are the “worker bees” who like to get things done with their hands. Some like to teach. Others like to care for the sick and lonely. Still others like to offer encouragement and words of comfort.

Then there are those who like to manage. They are the ones who do not shy away from positions of authority and the responsibility of organizing events. The man named Jabez seems to have been one of those.

Today’s passage is the well-known “Prayer of Jabez.” What four things does Jabez ask for? How does God respond?

Bruce Wilkinson’s book on the Prayer of Jabez provides immense detail, information and analysis of this simple passage, but in a nutshell we have an obscure story in the Bible about a man who asks God for good gifts and apparently receives them.

What we must realize about this is that, first, Jabez’s motivation seems to be one that is not selfish. It seems that his desire for a blessing and responsibility is intended for the good of God’s kingdom. He asks for responsibility. He wants God to enlarge his territory – that is, he wants more work to be under his control.

This man is bold enough to ask the Lord for a blessing – good gifts – but this blessing is apparently intended to help Jabez do more for the Lord. In his request Jabez acknowledges the sovereignty of God. He knows that God must be with him so that he can be successful in his efforts.

As mentioned in the story of Hannah and Samuel, many people feel uncomfortable asking God for gifts and blessings. But if our desire is to be blessed with ability and resources so that we might better serve the Lord, if we ask for more ministry, more lives to touch, as long as we also desire the Lord to be with us, we are likely to receive the blessings – and responsibilities – we ask for.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What blessing do you need so you can do more for God?

God Gives Gifts 3

Psalm 139:5-6

In the delivery room when each of our children was born I was there to give support and comfort to my wife. She did all the work of labor, but I tried as best I could to be a help. Feeling that I had been fairly useless through the whole experience, she told me that I indeed was a help because I held her hand through the deliveries.

Holding another’s hand is one way to offer support and comfort. Our fears and worries may be eased when we are made aware of the presence of another.

What does the psalmist say of God’s presence? How has God shown His presence? What does the psalmist acknowledge of God’s greatness?

We can speak often about the presence of God. We can claim that we believe that God is present in all things, that He watches over us. But God’s presence needs to be real to us as believers.

The grace and mercy of God must be more than a lofty idea or a vague concept. We must believe completely in God’s presence and His mercy.

The psalmist claims that God is in front of him and behind him. God is everywhere. He also adds that God has laid his hand on the psalmist.

God’s presence is real. Through that presence and through that touch of the Lord we can be assured that God desires good things for us.

God lays His hand on us through the many blessings we may experience in life. All the good things that we have, all the comforts and pleasures we experience are a reminder that God is with us to give us these blessings.

We cannot comprehend the vast scope of God’s wisdom and His thoughts. Such knowledge and awareness is too great for us. But we can see a small glimpse of the goodness of God when we know in our hearts that He has laid His hand on us. He is there to protect us, to watch over us, to teach us, and to fill our lives with wonderful gifts of love.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be reminded of God’s many gifts in your life?

God Gives Gifts 2

1 Samuel 2:7-9

While I was preparing for a funeral with a family recently one of the members commented on how difficult it was to face a loss. He observed that as a pastor I must take part in funerals frequently, and then he turned to me and asked, “How do you do it?”

I gave him my honest answer. I know that God is in control of all things. I trust in God. We will face loss and grief now and then, but ultimately the Lord is in control and He surrounds us with His love.

Hannah, thought to be barren and unable to have children, has given birth to her son Samuel. As promised, she has given the child over to the temple, specifically the high priest Eli, so that he might serve God.

In a prayer offered to God Hannah puts her situation in perspective. What are all the things God does for people?

It is said that happiness comes in our lives, not when we have all that we want, but when we appreciate all that we have. We may possess many great and wonderful things. Our lives may be full of riches, expensive items, clothes, furniture, cars, and on and on.

Our lives may also feel empty. We may feel that we have very little in way of material possessions. We may lack the type of home or clothing or comforts that others have.

What we must do is realize that all things come from God. He is the One who is able to lift us up or bring us low. He is in control of all the earth.

Although we may not always recognize the vast riches we have we should see that our lives are filled with great gifts from God. Hannah desired a son, not simply for selfish contentment, but so that she might feel that she was complete. God gave her that son, and she was then able to give her son back to God as one of his priests.

We may ask God for many things. We may ask for the contentment we are missing. But like Hannah, we must know that all things come from God and therefore belong to God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can help you remember that all you have really belongs to God?

God Gives Gifts 1

1 Samuel 1:10-20

In 1 Samuel we see the beginning of the life of the prophet and priest Samuel. His mother is Hannah, a woman who has been barren – unable to have children – for many years. Another wife to her husband has been blessed by God and has given birth to several children, a fact which torments Hannah.

What is Hannah’s state of mind? What does she ask for? What does she promise? What blessing does Eli give?

Some may interpret this story as an indication that we can receive whatever we ask for from God, but I do not believe it is as simple as that. We can find ourselves in the same position that Hannah was in. We may feel that we need this thing or that to make us feel complete and whole. In our desperate state we may turn to the Lord and ask that He give us those things that we need.

Some may feel uncomfortable asking God for such gifts, but the Lord understands what we need. He knows the thoughts of our minds and the desires of our heart. If what we desire is something that will be good for us and something we can use to help serve and glorify the Lord then it is likely that we will be granted that which we seek.

Hannah did not ask for great wealth or things that satisfy selfish desires. Rather she wanted something simple and reasonable, a child which would make her feel complete, a child who could serve the Lord.

When he first saw her Eli did not understand the motivation and desire of Hannah. But she pointed out what it was she was praying for and the priest offered a blessing that God would grant her desire.

Others may not understand what it is that troubles our souls. But the Lord knows our desires and our motivation. I believe that if what we want is for the good of life and the good of God’s kingdom we are free to ask for those things. I believe God desires that we have lives that are full and rich with blessings, and I believe we are welcome to ask for what we need.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What do you need in your life? Is it something that can help to serve God?

Time 4

Hebrews 13:15-16

When our church took time on a Sunday morning to serve breakfast at a local soup kitchen we did more than share food. Members of the church were asked to sit down with the needy families we were serving and eat with them. In that way we shared our time and ourselves with others.

This was the gift we shared. The food we prepared had been provided by the soup kitchen. What we gave was our time and effort in preparing and serving the food. Then we gave of ourselves by talking with others and sharing time together. Finally, we worshiped together – the church members and the people who had come to get breakfast.

Christmas is a time of giving and sharing. It is a time of giving gifts to one another. These gifts can be considered a sacrifice from us, and the author of Hebrews has something to say about sacrifices.

What type of sacrifice should we offer to God? How is that done? What other sacrifices are encouraged?

It seems that most people get caught up in the materialism of the holidays. We fall prey to the trend of spending excess amounts of money and rushing through crowded stores grabbing up something we think others might like or need.

But at the center of Christmas is the gift of Jesus. That gift is a gift of sacrifice, a sacrifice God made of Himself for our benefit. The true celebration of Christmas is the reflection of such an attitude of giving.

Rather than focusing on the cost and size of the gifts we give each other, we should focus on the gift we can give to God. We should be praising God this holiday, offering thanks for the love expressed through Jesus. And that praise should be continuous with us, not just something we do once a year.

But we can’t stop with praising God. We are encouraged to do good for others. We are encouraged to share with others. These are the sacrifices that please God.

As we do our shopping this year, as we consider what this person wants and that person needs, let us remember the needy people is our society. Perhaps we can give the gift of our time in helping out others. Perhaps we can share some of our comforts with those less fortunate.

These may be the gifts that please our God and fill our holiday with joy.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Can you help someone less fortunate this Christmas?

Time 3

Hosea 6:6

We have a wide variety of ornaments on our family Christmas tree. Many are gifts from other people. Some are antiques from my childhood. Still others are ornaments our children created when they were very young.

All of them are important to us. They carry with them the memories of years past, the memories of family and friends, and the recollection of the time and effort our children put in to making the ornaments they created.

The celebration of Christmas can be summed up with this attitude. Christmas is a reminder of the love God has for us. It is a reminder of the love we should have for each other, and it is an opportunity to share the gift of time with others.

The greatest gift of Christmas is the gift from God of Jesus. It is a gift of mercy, for Jesus came to offer peace and salvation to all people.

This passage from Hosea encapsulates the idea of Christmas and is referenced by Jesus himself in Matthew 9:13. What does God desire?

It is not important to God how much money we invest in our churches or in our lives. It is not important how much we spend on one another or what we possess. What is important to God is mercy. And the “sacrifice” referred to in Hosea and Matthew is the sacrifice of animals and grain (and, therefore, money) by faithful believers. The sacrifice God desires is the sacrifice of our time and emotions.

The same is true at Christmas. It doesn’t take a great deal of money to make for a happy holiday. The cost of the gifts exchanged at Christmas does not make the gifts more valuable. What is important is that we sacrifice time at Christmas.

We need to give time to one another. We should give time to those in need, and give time to loved ones. We should also give of our time to God.

This Christmas we can give a gift back to God by giving the gift of our time and mercy. If we are willing to sacrifice part of our busy schedules to give some time in being in the presence of God, we will be presenting God with a very precious gift.

Let this holiday be a time for you to share mercy and a time for you to acknowledge God. This type of gift is far more valuable than any amount of money you might spend.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you give mercy as a gift this year?

Time 2

Luke 2:4-7

Thinking back on all the many Christmas celebrations of my life I can’t recall more than one or two special gifts that I received over the years. While I know that the presents I received were all very nice, with time they have faded from my memory. What I remember most from all the years of celebrations are the times I was together with family and friends during the holiday.

That seems to be the greatest gifts I ever received – the time I spent with people I cared about and people who cared for me.

Christmas is the celebration of the tremendous gift of Jesus Christ. It is a time to honor and remember the fact that God gave of Himself, giving all of us the gift of His love.

This passage from Luke is at the core of the Christmas story. Where did Joseph take his wife? Why did he go? What happened there?

The story of Joseph and Mary may show us the first gift of Christmas. The gift Joseph gave was the journey he and Mary had to make to fulfill Scripture. He needed to go to Bethlehem for tax reasons – he was of the house and line of David and so had to go to David’s city. But he was also living out the prophecy of the expected Messiah. Bethlehem was to be the place where the Savior would be born.

And we can allow our imagination to work with the story we are given. This newlywed couple have left their home n Nazareth and gone to a different place. And in this different place their baby boy is born.

What did they do there? They likely spent a few months together as a small family, drawing close together in a gathering of love – two parents and a child sharing the first few weeks of a life together.

Since Joseph had his heritage in Bethlehem it is also possible that this small family was surrounded by a larger family. They may have been staying with relatives – aunts and uncles and cousins. The larger family would have gathered to celebrate with the young couple and surround them with love.

Now, just as it was then, Christmas is a time of family. It is a time to gather together and share a very precious gift – not a present that can be purchased at a store or wrapped in shiny paper. The gift we can all share is our time together, sharing love for each other and reflecting the love that God has for each of us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Who will you spend time with this holiday?

Time 5

Romans 12:1

Last year several of us from church went caroling in area nursing homes. We weren’t the best of singers, but we sang with heart. It was wonderful to see the faces of so many people in these care facilities delighted to hear the familiar carols of the season.

We could have sent cards to these nursing homes. We could have purchased small gifts to be passed out to some of the residents. But instead we offered ourselves and our time and our efforts. We felt that this was in line with what Paul has to say in Romans.

What does Paul say we should do? Why should we do this? What are we doing when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices?

Our time of caroling was more than just a time of fellowship. It was more than a time of singing. It was more than a time of sharing the spirit of Christmas. By offering ourselves in this way we were worshiping God. We were living out what Paul spoke of.

This seems to be at the heart of the Christmas holiday. Many incorrectly believe the tradition of presents at Christmas comes from the fact that the Magi brought gifts to the baby Jesus. But really, the idea of giving gifts is based on the gift that God gave us.

Christmas celebrates the gift of Jesus, the baby born in Bethlehem who would grow to be a man. As a man Jesus offered his body as a living sacrifice for our salvation.

Just as we should reflect the selfless giving that God demonstrated with the birth of the Christ child, we should also reflect the whole purpose of Christmas. We should reflect the idea of the living sacrifice. This should be how we worship God.

As we celebrate Christmas we should be sure that our celebration is more than just the exchanging of expensive gifts. We should take time this holiday to give of ourselves. We can be living gifts, living sacrifices. And as we offer our time and efforts to benefit others we are worshiping God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you give the gift of sacrifice this holiday?

Recipe for Life 5

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

We have a rotation of responsibility in our house. Every night for dinner one of the three children will be responsible for setting the table, laying out the plates and silverware. After the dinner the other two are responsible for clearing the table, taking away the dirty dishes, putting them in the dishwasher, and washing up whatever doesn’t fit in the dishwasher. It is a fair and equal distribution of labor.

Our approach fits very well with the kitchen tip “Whoever does the cooking does not do the dishes.” This seems a fair approach to life in general, yet we don’t always apply it to our church family.

In this passage from 1 Corinthians Paul points out God’s distribution of labor. What is different? What is the same?

There are frequent squawks and disputes in a church family whenever there is any type of event at the church. Some of these issues even arise in the worship time. We may see conflict when one person feels they have done more work than another. Some feel they give to the church more than others.

But what we often overlook is that people contribute in their own ways. Some folks are gifted with the ability to cook great dishes to be shared. Others have the skills to make repairs. Others have been blessed by God with financial wealth which they share generously.

We can’t compare what we do with others in some attempt to decide who is doing more. We must realize that we all have different abilities and attitudes. We must trust that each person brings their own gifts to be used by God, and then we must trust that each gift is indeed used by God for His kingdom.

Some cook. Some wash. Some set the table. Some pay for the meal. As long as we are all doing the work with the intention of serving God we can all find satisfaction in knowing God is being glorified.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you respect the works and gifts of others?