“He’s a Christian,” I said before hanging up the phone.
Heather had called me: “I don’t know what to do.” Her furnace was malfunctioning. She had no money. Or anyone to help. It was snowing and the temperature was heading toward single-digits.
I barely know her. And that’s only because I know two of her daughters from church. I asked a few questions, quickly realizing the problem surpassed my skill level. After a few moments the name, “Paul,” popped into my head.
Paul is a casual acquaintance. “Heather, I’ll try to get a hold of him,” I said. “No promises.”
An hour later the man I described as, “a Christian,” was at her door with tools in hand. He was willing to help someone he had never met at no charge. Paul was cordial and kind. Forty minutes later the furnace was running. And he was thanking me!
Heather was near tears with gratitude. She saw a true Christian man. But there was a lot she didn’t see.
She didn’t see John who I initially contacted to get Paul’s phone number. John didn’t have the number. But he stopped everything and started making phone calls. Chris got a message on his cell phone, quickly responding.
Next Paul was contacted. On his way home from work, he didn’t have the proper tools. A quick call to his brother Larry and the needed tools were secured.
Five men, without hesitation responded.
A Bible verse came to mind as I later pondered the whole scene. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” Our bond of unity was our Christian faith. While good and pleasant resulted from this living brotherhood. We honored Jesus.
No committee meeting needed. No prior planning. Merely a simple expression of who we are—Christian men.
5/31/08
5/24/08
Thin-Soup Christians
When Eugene spoke, I listened intently to his wisdom.
“I know a person who is always buying cookbooks,” he said. “But they never cook. They’re satisfied with just looking at the pictures.”
Eugene then expanded the thought into what he describes as thin-soup Christians. They buy books on Christian living, yet they never engage in the deeper God-life which is the thrust of those books.
They’re satisfied to: “look at the pictures.”
Consequently they lack significant godly qualities. Their spiritual soup is thin.
Do you know anybody like that? I eat breakfast everyday with someone who’s constantly battling this dilemma.
My breakfast companion? Me.
Jesus’ brother James had a lot to say about thin-soupers. He put it in the context of listening rather than reading. Same concept.
Here are his words: “Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”
James is saying: just looking at the pictures is utter foolishness.
And then James offers his recipe for cooking up a thick, hearty-souped Christian. “But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God--the free life!--even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”
The thin-thick contrast is easy to spot. And “delight” is comforting. But “easy” evaporates when the action oriented God-life is pursued. Beyond a daily challenge; it’s a minute by minute push.
Our best plan? Call out to God for help.
“I know a person who is always buying cookbooks,” he said. “But they never cook. They’re satisfied with just looking at the pictures.”
Eugene then expanded the thought into what he describes as thin-soup Christians. They buy books on Christian living, yet they never engage in the deeper God-life which is the thrust of those books.
They’re satisfied to: “look at the pictures.”
Consequently they lack significant godly qualities. Their spiritual soup is thin.
Do you know anybody like that? I eat breakfast everyday with someone who’s constantly battling this dilemma.
My breakfast companion? Me.
Jesus’ brother James had a lot to say about thin-soupers. He put it in the context of listening rather than reading. Same concept.
Here are his words: “Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”
James is saying: just looking at the pictures is utter foolishness.
And then James offers his recipe for cooking up a thick, hearty-souped Christian. “But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God--the free life!--even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.”
The thin-thick contrast is easy to spot. And “delight” is comforting. But “easy” evaporates when the action oriented God-life is pursued. Beyond a daily challenge; it’s a minute by minute push.
Our best plan? Call out to God for help.
5/17/08
Decide to Be Great
“Let’s pray,” my wife, Nancy said. I smiled big just before closing my eyes, thinking, “This is cool.”
Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton instinctively set down what they were carrying, joined hands with Nancy and I. Then Nancy prayed.
Now let me set the scene. We’re exiting McDonald’s. We’re in the small airlock area between the outside and the inside. All glass doors and windows. Kind of an odd place for an instant-two-minute prayer meeting.
So what was so cool?
Our four prayer partners were all young children. To them fully expressing their faith and connecting with God in a definitively public setting is a normal way of viewing life. God’s totally real to them. So taking an unscheduled break to communicate with Him seemed natural.
I have to admit, at my wife’s suggestion to pray, I had a mental flash of the awkwardness of our overtly public setting. Thank God the thought evaporated almost instantly.
Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” What would you answer if this was the first time you had ever heard this question?
The Bible says: “He (Jesus) called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The words of Jesus clearly state that the greatest in the entire Kingdom of Heaven is: “Whoever.”
Almost unimaginable, but each one of us could qualify for this stature. For me, God provide a glimpse of how it works—Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton.
Decide to be great: “Humble yourself like this little child.”
Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton instinctively set down what they were carrying, joined hands with Nancy and I. Then Nancy prayed.
Now let me set the scene. We’re exiting McDonald’s. We’re in the small airlock area between the outside and the inside. All glass doors and windows. Kind of an odd place for an instant-two-minute prayer meeting.
So what was so cool?
Our four prayer partners were all young children. To them fully expressing their faith and connecting with God in a definitively public setting is a normal way of viewing life. God’s totally real to them. So taking an unscheduled break to communicate with Him seemed natural.
I have to admit, at my wife’s suggestion to pray, I had a mental flash of the awkwardness of our overtly public setting. Thank God the thought evaporated almost instantly.
Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” What would you answer if this was the first time you had ever heard this question?
The Bible says: “He (Jesus) called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The words of Jesus clearly state that the greatest in the entire Kingdom of Heaven is: “Whoever.”
Almost unimaginable, but each one of us could qualify for this stature. For me, God provide a glimpse of how it works—Kegan, Christopher, Halley, and Trenton.
Decide to be great: “Humble yourself like this little child.”
5/10/08
Is Jesus Returning in 2012?
I never thought about it until Stan asked the group: “Will Jesus return in 2012?”
He said, “You know the Mayan calendar ends in 2012.”
Actually, I didn’t know it still existed.
Then he spelled out an extraordinary alignment of planets which is considered a definitive sign by some.
He kept going.
Next up, Stan, who is a true intellectual, told some very fascinating facts about Nostradamus and his 2012 predictions.
Later I did some research of my own. Here are some more reasons people cite for substantiating the 2012 return of Jesus.
I do not vouch for their facts, credentials, or truthfulness. Simply things to ponder. (1) NASA scientists predict hurling-toward-earth Death Star’s arrival. (2) 200 million man Chinese army amassed as cited in the Book of Revelation. (3)Forty-five year God-given grace period ends. (4) Hidden Bible code reveals it.
Stan, who’s also a Bible scholar, asked us to read Matthew 24. “You could spend a lifetime studying it.”
Jesus’ disciples asked Him point blank: “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age.”
He lists a lot of signs. Including the oft quoted: “Wars and rumors of wars.” In addition: calamities, natural disasters, people turning nasty, on and on. But this is not what Jesus said first. First He said: “Watch out that no one deceives you…”
So our number one concern is not the date of Jesus’ return. The big number one is: are you living an undeceived life, following the one and only Jesus Christ?
And Jesus revealed that He doesn’t know the date of His return: “But only the Father (knows).”
Beyond this, Jesus offers this stern warning. “So you also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”
5/3/08
The Apostle of Sawdust
“Thanks for doing ministry,” the Pastor’s wife said. She laughed, “You won’t get in the newspaper.”
Jim didn’t care. His immediate concern was not getting too much sawdust on the carpet. And making sure the deadbolts he had installed worked: “Just right.”
What about the ministry he was doing?
The Bible says: “It was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.”
So where does Jim fit in? Is he the Apostle of Sawdust?
How about Susie? She volunteers two afternoons a week at a ministry which provides free clothing. One of her duties is hanging up used underwear. Maybe she’s The Used-Underwear Evangelist.
And then there’s Jake. He’s been Chaplain at the jail for…well kind of forever. Church groups come and go. He’s still there. Inmates come. “Get saved.” Return another time. Get saved again. They backslide repeatedly. Jake’s still there. Guess he’s Pastor Backslide. But he’s still there.
How about John? Electrician by trade—always willing to donate his skills. Quietly, efficiently offering his time. Usually in a backroom or the attic. He must be the Teacher of Electricity.
Then there’s Steve. He sold his place on the river, moving into a semi-dilapidated commercial building. His entire reason was to provide a meeting place for those with alcohol addiction. But many times no one shows up at his meetings. He presses on, even as he struggles personally.
Steve? The No-Show Prophet?
A few verses past the above verse, it says: “From Jesus the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love. As each part does its work.”
“In love…as each part does its work.” This is Jim, Susie, Jake, John and Steve.
Is it you?
Jim didn’t care. His immediate concern was not getting too much sawdust on the carpet. And making sure the deadbolts he had installed worked: “Just right.”
What about the ministry he was doing?
The Bible says: “It was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.”
So where does Jim fit in? Is he the Apostle of Sawdust?
How about Susie? She volunteers two afternoons a week at a ministry which provides free clothing. One of her duties is hanging up used underwear. Maybe she’s The Used-Underwear Evangelist.
And then there’s Jake. He’s been Chaplain at the jail for…well kind of forever. Church groups come and go. He’s still there. Inmates come. “Get saved.” Return another time. Get saved again. They backslide repeatedly. Jake’s still there. Guess he’s Pastor Backslide. But he’s still there.
How about John? Electrician by trade—always willing to donate his skills. Quietly, efficiently offering his time. Usually in a backroom or the attic. He must be the Teacher of Electricity.
Then there’s Steve. He sold his place on the river, moving into a semi-dilapidated commercial building. His entire reason was to provide a meeting place for those with alcohol addiction. But many times no one shows up at his meetings. He presses on, even as he struggles personally.
Steve? The No-Show Prophet?
A few verses past the above verse, it says: “From Jesus the whole body, joined together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love. As each part does its work.”
“In love…as each part does its work.” This is Jim, Susie, Jake, John and Steve.
Is it you?
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