Heart Talk: August 2006

His Majesty

This morning I thought of a robot. A very sophisticated robot. When we were in California for vacation this summer, Aaron and his girlfriend, Jen, spent one day together at Disneyland. That next day they told us all about their fun time. The one experience they told about that stood out to me was their description of a robot demonstration.

Apparently some scientists sponsored by the Honda Corporation spent over 10 years and millions of dollars designing this amazing robot. Aaron and Jen said it was incredible to see this robot dance, walk around like a human and even climb stairs. Isn't it amazing what mankind can invent?

I am astonished at the special effects that filmmakers and their computer technicians can create. Watching "Shrek" or "The Lord of the Rings" or the most recent "Superman Returns" movie blows my mind as I see and hear what these creative and technically savvy people can display on cinema.

When Susan and I were in Chicago, we went on a Architectural River tour -- going up and down the Chicago River for 90 minutes, gazing at all these amazing skyscrapers as the docent told us about who designed them. The idea of building a huge structure like these, and making them so beautiful, blows me away.

Then I think of the Internet. Could you imagine trying to describe Google and Internet Explorer and Myspace.com to a person in the 1960's? Today you and I can get on Google, type in a name or book title or subject and within 2 to 3 seconds up pops the information you want.

It really is amazing what man can do. However, as I read an excerpt from the book of Job this morning, I was struck with the majesty and power of God. It reminded of a sermon that Mike Cope preached two weeks ago. It was about acknowledging that God is God...and we aren't. And when we just can't figure out what's going on in our life and maybe even be questioning the Lord (as Job did amidst all his trials) the Lord almighty said to Job and says to us:

Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God's dominion over the earth? Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the
mind ? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens? -- Job. 38:33-37

When I start thinking of how amazing man is, I am then humbled by these words of the Lord Almighty. He was the One who made men and women -- and gave them all this ability to create and invent. Brilliant scientists with millions of dollars at their disposal take several years to make one robot for visitors at Disneyland to gaze at. And yet the Lord took some dirt from the earth and blew His breath into it and made man. And then created a woman. And He gave them the ability to procreate.

What if you and I were able to make a machine that could in turn create things like a laptop computer or an artificial heart or a space shuttle or the ability to make blogs? No way. But the Lord Almighty can...and did.

As I finished pondering and praying over these words of the Lord, I thought, "In all of His power and majesty and glory, God became a person like us." As Philippians 2 in The Message says:

"he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!...He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death -- and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything , ever, so that all created beings...will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ..."

When I ponder the awesome power of the Lord our God, and then reflect upon His amazing love and humility displayed at the cross, how can I not but praise Him and bow before Him, before His majesty.

He takes my breath away as I consider Who He is and what He has done in Christ. He is far more amazing than any inventor, artist or engineer -- even those who made the robot at Disneyland.

Jim

God Pleasers

I attended a workshop yesterday in Abilene titled " Friendraising and Community-Driven Sustainability." It was for non-profits and so I saw many of my colleagues here in town who lead agencies and ministries that help those in need. Great stuff on building relationships and coalitions with other groups and donors, and not being a lone ranger. It was also a positive time of networking with others in my field and gleaning from their wisdom and experiences.

This morning as I thought about that seminar, there was something that bothered me about it. And it was something I didn't say that day. Our facilitator started off the morning session asking this question: "What sustains you every day? What do you depend on each day?" The crowd said things like friends, family, hope, faith. I remained silent. For some reason I didn't want to state the obvious, probably because this wasn't a church setting. If I was in one of our Bible classes at Highland, I would gladly have said, "The Lord." Or "Jesus." I know deep down that teh living God is the One who ultimately sustains me. Yes, He uses my family and close friends and my church community. Yet, He is the one who makes it all possible to keep me going every day, to give me hope and purpose and joy.

And yet I remained silent after the facilitator of the workshop asked this question. Throughout the rest of the day, she provided us some tremendous ideas and insights about how to build your helping agency so as to bless the community and be around for a long time. And I'm thankful to God for all the new ideas that I gained, and the conversations with other participants during the breaks. However, I went away from that workshop a bit sad. I thought, "Why was there nothing said about God?" "Did we get a subtle message that one can help underprivileged through human power alone?"

And this morning I confessed to God that I was wrong and sinned in now speaking out about Who sustains me. Did I not want to offend anyone? Was popularity more important to me than taking a stand for my Savior? I'm afraid it was.

The past couple weeks I've been reading the book People Pleasers by Les Carter. And I found myself identifying with so many of the folks that Mr. Carter described, those who were not honest with others but did what they could to keep peace with those around them -- even if it hurt them. Reading that book and pondering what happened yesterday at the workshop made me think of how I like to be liked. It feels good to be popular. Yet as a follower of Jesus, is that my goal -- popularity? Or is it to do His will, even if it means I'll become less popular and maybe even thought of as a bit weird.

I've been asking the Lord lately to deliver me from people pleasing. I want to be a God pleaser instead. And that means at times telling people, "No." It could mean that certain people won't want to be around me. When I read the Gospels I notice that while some people (the broken, sick, prostitutes, outcasts) were drawn to Jesus, others didn't want to be around Him -- or even hated Him. If I am truly going to be a disciple of Jesus, then I need to take that risk, and take it gladly -- to be unwanted, avoided and at times even hated.

Jesus said "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues...All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matt. 10)

He said in Luke: "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven."

I need to remember that -- I'm not to seek applause on earth but approval from above. I'm to look for treasures in heaven, not success in this world. But it's so hard, isn't it. I kind of want it all - including popularity on earth.

I have a passage of Scripture taped to my monitor which I noticed again this morning. I posted it there after hearing a message by Chuck Swindoll, where he told a story of when he decided to not be a man pleaser in his church:

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. -- Gal 1:10

Our flesh will continually pull us towards the people pleasing mode. That's why it's vital that each day we decide once more that by the power of the Holy Spirit we're going seek the approval of God -- not matter what it costs us.

What also came to mind this morning was the words from the old song by the Christian group Petra:

"I want to be a God pleaser, don't want to be a man pleaser. I just want to do the things that please the Father's will." That's my prayer for today. For you and for me.

How can we not but be a God pleaser when we are gripped by His grace in what He did to save us through His Son? Yes, people may hate us when we take a stand for Jesus. But God will always love us. And that's enough for me.

Jim

Washington's Crossing

Late yesterday morning I felt the urge to go to ACU's opening chapel. Though I've attended it many times, I'm always so moved by the parade of flags (a stream of students march into the coliseum carrying the flag of their state or country). And of course I joined the crowd in being blown away by the ACU band and chorus playing and singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Then I was moved by music professor Paul Piersall's reading of the preamble to our country's constitution just before this huge American flag is unfurled on stage and then we stand to sing our national anthem.

Though I do love our country, I'm not all that overly patriotic. I think we need to be careful to not wrap our flag around the cross. And that's why I appreciated Dr. Money's words prior to this ceremony, when he spoke to the international students about how God doesn't favor America over other nations.

And yet...when those drums were played, that giant flag dropped down in front of us (filled with red, white and blue glitter) and we began singing the national anthem, I started to cry and I could barely sing. My mind and heart raced back to a pivotal story of the Revolutionary War that I had been reading lately in the book, Washington's Crossing. Here's an excerpt from the book cover:

"Six months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutoin was all but lost. A powerful British forced had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies,and advanced within sight of Philadelphia. George Washington lost 90 percent of his army. Panic and despair spread through the states. However, Washington and many other Americans refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor-easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked Trenton, New Jersey...The Americans held off a counterattack by the best troops of British commander Lord Cornwallis...In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their (the British army) suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined."

As we sang that song yesterday, I choked up as I remembered the description of these American patriots marching on frigid ground, many of them in boots worn out. Their feet were bleeding. They were exhausted and hungry. But they kept marching and kept fighting courageously and tenaciously for the freedom of the colonies. And finally, under Washington's brilliant leadership, they wore down the British and secured independence for this country.

While reading this book, I realized how little I knew about this war. And, as cliche as it sounds, I had taken for granted this freedom we Americans enjoy which was purchased by the literal blood, sweat and tears of these brave soldiers. And so, I choked up while gazing at that flag and attempting to sing our national anthem.

As my day went on yesterday, the obvious parallel came to mind. When I think of how emotionally gripped I was as I looked at that American flag and remembered all those soldiers who suffered and died to make this country free (let alone those who fought in subsequent wars against America's enemies), I thought about the cross. When I look at that cross, do I stop and ponder and even weep when I reflect on what the innocent lamb of God did to die for a man like me, guilty of sin -- and deserving nothing but death? I want to weep when I gaze on that cross and sing songs like "O Sacred Head How Wounded."

The cross is the declaration of independence for those in Christ. Because of that great sacrifice, I want to praise Jesus all of my life because He has set me free. Freed to live for Him and with Him forever.

Wanting His Presence More Than Anything

Last Monday at noon I met with the Highland prayer team, who meets at lunch time on Mondays. What a wonderful and encouraging group of prayer warriors. They really blessed me at the end of the session when they laid hands on me and prayed -- asking the Lord to bless the class on prayer that I'll be giving at Lectureship next month.

Carolyn Dycus, the leader of Highland's prayer ministry, encouraged me to hear a couple tapes and CD's from a prayer conference that she and some others from Highland attended last month in Phoenix. Last Saturday when I heard one of the tapes I was blown away.

I spent Saturday afternoon by myself painting our living room while hearing a message by a riveting preacher named Jackson Senyinga from Uganda. His message was on prayer and the transformation of a community. Jackson is a leader in a church that grew by about 1,000 members in a few weeks. He told the story of how Uganda was devastated by AIDS and the evil reign of Idi Amin. Amidst all this devastation, the people of Uganda began crying out to God to deliver them. Then some amazing, supernatural things happened. Some people came to his church saying they couldn't sleep and felt they needed to come to his church and give their lives to Jesus. Lost people who had been under the influence of witch doctors came to his church because they heard they could get new clothing. He told them, "Yes, but it is spiritual clothing. You can be clothed with Christ's righteousness."

God was using the Christians in in Uganda in such a powerful way that when the ebola plague struck this country, the president called Jackson and asked him and his people to pray for those sick with ebola. They began to pray fervently and in a quick, dramatic way people were healed, released from the hospital and the plague stopped.

As I heard this tape while running a paint roller up and down our living room walls, I thought, "My view of God and life of prayer is so miniscule compared to what this man is teaching...and experiencing!" Besides being impacted by these amazing stories of how the Lord is working in these Ugandan believers, I was hit by this statement Jackson made: "We spend so much time asking God for Him to do this or do that. As if He is our errand boy. What we need more than His help to fix all our problems is His presence. " We need Him!

After the tape ended and I was cleaning up all the paint brushes and rollers, I kept thinking about what this man said. And I realized that so much of my prayer life consists of asking God to do this or that and not about just knowing Him more. And yet I know in my heart of hearts that knowing Jesus in a deeper, more real way is what I need more than anything. I want to want that more -- to long for His presence more than anything, even the answer to all my requests.

And I realize that the Lord is honored when we want Him and His presence more than anyone or any answered prayer. As John Piper says, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

Jim

Someone's Praying

When I was a knucklehead surfer out in California during the 70's -- living in a worldly, sinful way -- I had no idea that someone in Texas was praying for me. And those praying for me didn't realize that they were praying specifically for me. Susan's parents, Bill and Virginia Vaught, had five girls. For many years they prayed together that their daughters would each marry Christians. In time, the Lord answered their prayers for all five girls.

It wasn't until a couple years after I moved to Dallas in 1979, after meeting and marrying Susan, that I had realized that all those years someone had been praying for me -- that I would one day marry their daughter. After 25 plus years, how I praise the Lord for answering the prayers of Bill and Virginia.

As I meditated on 2 Cor. 1 this morning, the Holy Spirit reminded me once more of how powerful our intercessions are in the name of Jesus. The apostle Paul describes this ordeal he went through in Asia where they feared that they would die. In retrospect he came to understand what the Lord was doing behind the scenes:two things:

this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

This passage made me think of those I know who are in some type of crisis. My mind travelled out to the west coast, where there's a couple I know who are having terrible marriage problems. I ask the Lord to intervene in their lives.

Then a friend comes to mind who told me recently with tears how he is struggling to find some meaningful work that will use his gifts to the fullest. I pray for him.

I lift before the Lord a young man raised in our church who has turned his back on God and has broken his parents' heart. "Lord, deliver him from the clutches of the enemy."

My friend, Lou Seckler, has told me that when he wakes up in the middle of the night and cannot sleep, he often asks the Holy Spirit to bring to mind people that really need help. And he'll pray for them until finally nodding off to sleep. What a great way to deal with insomnia!

Praying for others, especially those we know who are in some kind of peril, gets our mind off of ourselves. It's so easy to be focused on me and my little problems. I've found what a difference it makes in my spirit when I'm prayefully concerned for others and not dwelling on me.

I firmly believe that Jesus is still in the delivering business. And yet I forget so quickly how he uses my feeble prayers to move heaven.

Who has God put on your heart lately to pray for them? What if we did like my friend Lou -- not just at 3 in the morning when we cannot sleep, but in the middle of the day: ask the Lord to put in our minds people who need our intercessions.

This sinner saved by grace is so grateful for how the Lord used the prayers of Bill and Virginia Vaught to lead me to a wonderful Christian wife. I want to do the same for others -- allow the risen Lord to make me into more of a prayer warrior.
There are so many people we know who are in crisis. And yet think of how God can use our prayers to help these family and friends experience the truth that God still raises the dead! And one day, like Paul and his friends in Corinth did, we can
together thank the Lord "for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

Jim

Portraits vs. Movies

Ever since I owned my first 35 mm camera and then later started using an 8mm movie camera, I came to love photography and filmmaking. I'm a visual person and therefore God has given me a gift to "see" things that would make good photos or movies. I still love taking photos. One of my dreams is to buy some professional digital camera equipment and delve more into this as a hobby or even semi-profession.

After I heard that testimony from my friend last Sunday, I was reflecting on the difference between snap shot photos, or portraits, and films. A photo shows us what happened in an instance -- a newborn baby, a couple that just got married, two friends sitting together at a restaurant while on vacation. Still cameras catch a single moment. In contrast, a movie or video camera captures a period of time, even if it's only for a few seconds.

Over the past few months, when my friend was gradually coming back to the Lord and reconnecting with the body of Christ, several people reached out to him. He mentioned a number of these folks in his talk. At each moment, or snapshot, perhaps it was hard for those who helped him to see if they were really making a difference in his life. They may not have realized how the Lord was using them. However, when they heard his testimony last Sunday, as he told of what God did over several months, what they saw was a movie. Directed and written by the Lord, using a cast of hundreds in this film. As my friend told his story, which was God's story written all over it, he helped us see a beautiful movie of the faithfulness of the Lord.

This metaphor of photos vs. movies helps me in my walk of faith in Christ. At times, I have a hard time seeing Him at work in my life. In the daily grind of ministering to people, it's difficult to comprehend if I'm really making a difference in their lives. And yet by faith I keep plugging away. You do, too.

All of you parents, especially those of you raising little children or who are in the midst of parenting teenagers, may wonder how much of a real impact you’re making in your children’s lives. Taking them to school. Picking them up. Making their lunches. Helping with their homework. Driving them to soccer practice or dance recitals. These are all snapshots that God is using to edit a film that He is directing, if you and I are submitted to Him. And yet we don’t “see” the film until those wonderful moments come where our child graduates from high school or college, or they marry a wonderful Christian mate, or they one day tell us, “Mom (or Dad), thank you so much for all you did for me.” Then we realize it was all worth it.

So we walk by faith in the daily portraits of life, trusting God to produce a film of His faithfulness and loving kindness in our lives and that of our entire family. He is the director. We are the cast. And as we daily submit to Him, trusting Him to do His work in us, what a glorious film He will produce. We get to see some of the footage here on earth. And I believe we'll see the final print in heaven and be absolutely blown away. It will be a production far surpassing anything Hollywood has ever produced.

Jim

Parents, Teens and Talks about Sex

While preparing dinner last night, Susan and I heard a rather jolting program last night on Dobson. It was about teenagers and sex. A woman interviewed has a ministry with her husband on how to help Christian teenagers honor the Lord with their bodies. In her talks with other teenagers and research about Christian youth groups she was shocked to find how these young people often define virginity -- to many of them it's technical virginity. They think that as long as they don't go "all the way" then they're within the confines of what's right. But what they do with their boyfriends/girlfriends is very sexual behavior.

This woman tells of her promiscous days as a teenager. Even though she loved the Lord, she was so hungry for male attention that she gave herself away to guys and later regretted it. After she went all the way with one guy, she felt so guilty and buried that memory for 10 years -- not telling a soul. Then one day while driving her young child on an errand she heard a radio program about sexual purity and her heart was pierced. She pulled to the side of the road and wept. Then she went home, cried out to the Lord and when her husband came home she told him all about her secret sin. He received her and loved her. She felt like she was falling in the arms of Jesus in how her husband treated her.

After the program was over, Susan and I talked about this topic during dinner and both said that we need to talk to our children more - who are both in college. And our son is in a fairly serious relationship with a girl at his college. And we really like her.

We've had some talks about sex with our children before. Usually they were fairly short talks, and yet if we got "preachy" at all, they wanted to stop the conversation.

Even though it's difficult and risky, Susan and I feel strongly that we need to talk to our kids about sex once more -- especially since Aaron has been dating this woman for the past few months. We want to discuss how important that a couple dating structure their relationship so they don't get in situations where they're alone a lot (as in one of their apartments at night). And I want to make sure we talk about the positive parts of sexuality, not just "don't do it until you're married." That is, I want to emphasize what a wonderful gift it is that God gives a married couple, how it not only produces children but is an amazing bonding experience between a couple. And how waiting is so worth it and how the Lord blesses a couple that waits until marriage.

Okay, fellow bloggers -- especially you who have teenagers or have already had teenagers in your home? How have you talked to your children about sex? What really seemed to work for your family in these discussions? And what did you do (or do you do) to help your children feel secure in Christ and in their relationship with you so that they weren't as prone to seek intimacy and affirmation from others through illicit sex?

Let's encourage and instruct and pray for each other -- and for our children. So that they will truly honor the Lord with their bodies - and experience the joy of obedience to Christ.

Jim

The good old days?

Woke up about 1 A.M. today and couldn't get back to sleep for awhile. For some reason I flashed back to a childhood memory -- growing up in my favorite house on Rockford Court in Ventura, California. From a worldly perspective, it was in many ways an "ideal" place. We lived on a cul-de-sac. Very safe neighborhood. I made many good friends in that neighborhood. We played many baseball games after dinner. And hide and seek. And we played in our tree fort behind our house. The guys would play army. When we got our bikes we rode all over the area, putting playing cards in the spokes to make cool noises. I even rode my bike with a bunch of my buddies to St. Catherine's parochial school during 5th and 6th grade -- about a three mile ride. And we never worried about being molested.

My older sister got to stay outside with friends. My mom told her to just be in by dark. For many years the neighbors in our court had a court party once a year -- late in the afternoon on the last day of school. Parents would put out tables of food and drink. One of our neighbors owned a dairy. At our court party he parked his dairy truck right next to the tables where we ate. I still can taste that cold chocolate milk that he brought for the kids to enjoy.

I loved Rockford Court. The weather was so pleasant and therefore we were outside so much. I wonder if we spent all this time outside with friends not just because of the weather but also because we didn't have home computers, the internet, video games and cable T.V. There was much less to keep us inside.

Last night as I mused about my childhood, I even thought of writing a screenplay for a movie about my upbringing. But it wouldn't be all ideal. We had our fights. Some families in our court eventually went through a divorce, including mine. And I can recall how mean I was to one neighbor down the street that lived in a poorer area. Those "good old days" seemed so trouble free -- partially because we idealize those times, and forget about the problems and conflicts.

Two weeks ago I was in my home town. Susan and I were with our son, his girlfirend, our daughter and her friend. We visited a community church on Sunday and on the way to my brother's house, I swung by Rockford Court and showed them our house. Some yuppie types were in their yards, staring at us as we slowly drove around the circle as I told my family about a couple memories. It made me sad in a way. Such great times we had. But those days are gone.

Don'twant to hang onto these moments or recreate them? Carefree summer days as a kid. Being a freshman at college. Our wedding day. The day our children were born. Buying our first house...our first car. Launching our career. Having grandchildren.

I'm thinking that these good memories, selective as they may be, provide us glimpses of that paradise we lost in the garden but that we as believers in Jesus will one day reclaim in that new heaven and the new earth. That new "neighborhood" will be far better than any childhood experience that we ever had. Even my Rockford Court days.

Jim

It Takes a Village...a Christian Village

It’s been four weeks since Susan and I have been at Highland. We’ve been traveling quite a bit. I spoke at the University Church for two Sundays (what a sweet fellowship of Christians!). We visited a community church in my home town. Last week Susan and I had “church” in a park in Chicago on a beautiful Sunday morning.

So as we walked into the atrium of Highland this morning after being gone for a month, it felt so good to be back to worship and fellowship with this dear family. As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home.” I love our Highland family, where we’ve been members for nearly 16 years.

We believers so desperately need the body of Christ! Jesus created the church in His wisdom – not a cold, stiff denomination but a living body of Christ-followers that are learning to love and forgive and encourage each other through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hearing a testimony this morning by a friend of mine made me realize once more how vital it is to stay connected to a local body of Christ.

This friend told his story of being raised in a loving Christian home, attending a Christian high school and university. And yet the devil got a foothold in his life. He ended up wandering into the wilderness of sin and stayed there for many years. He eventually returned to Abilene, but stayed away from church for a few years. Yet the Lord would not give up on Him and gradually wooed him back to Himself. My friend started attending Highland and was deeply touched by the worship, Mike Cope’s sermons and all the love he received.

My favorite story was when he visited a meeting of Highland’s prayer ministry. At the end of the session, as he was about to leave, one of the leaders turned to him and asked how the group could pray for him. They ended up anointing his head with oil and praying some powerful prayers over him. Little did they know how much my friend needed this gift of intercession.

So many others in this church family were used by the Lord to bring my friend back into the sweet embrace of Jesus and the body of Christ. It was a true holy moment as we heard this amazing story of God’s redeeming love. We closed by singing “There’s a Stirring” and then surrounded this brother and laid hands on him as one of our elders led a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to our loving Father.

As we were standing around talking about what a wonderful moment we had just experienced, I walked up to one elder and thanked him for how he had ministered deeply to my friend. He said, “Well, it takes a village.” I responded with the words, “Yes, a Christian village.”

I love the “Christian village” of the local church – where I get to “see” Jesus each week in my brothers and sisters. I couldn’t think of a better place to be!

Jim

Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation?

As I filed on my computer yesterday's post I came across another article. It's actually a response that Mike Cope, our long-time preacher at Highland, made on his blog a year ago. I asked Mike permission to post this and he said, "Sure!"

A woman asked about baptism being necessary for salvation. And below is what Mike said.

Jim

Lisa,

May I take a stab at addressing your very appropriate question? Jesus came to call sinners into kingdom living. In the kingdom there is forgiveness, blessing, hope, peace, etc. It's a choice, enter or don't. Free will reigns supreme with God. Some will accept, some will not. For those who will accept, God established baptism as the acceptance response. Baptism does not earn you a place in the kingdom. It does not demand from God that He save you. 1 Peter 3:21 says that baptism is an "appeal", a simple way of asking God for what He is offering. Paul said in Acts 22:16 that baptism is the way we "call on the name of the Lord" to be saved from our sins. It totally points to Christ and what He has done for us if we will accept it. So I believe the correct teaching for those who want to be saved is to be baptized, for it invites Jesus to do for you what you have been unable to do for yourself. And it seems every person in Scripture who wanted what Jesus had was baptized. (Except for that thief guy. Praise God he was saved without baptism in a time when baptism was required by God for righteousness. John preached baptism as essential. Jesus was baptized to fulfill the righteousness of God. Interesting.)

But for me, for the person who is willing to give their heart to the Lord but calls on the name of the Lord in a different way than what is prescribed, I have to ask the question, "How will God respond?" This person is sincere in his or her seeking of the Lord, but they might have been taught wrong, they might have understood scripture wrong, but still want to follow the Lord. How will God respond to their crying out for mercy?

My kids make that one easy for me. They fix me breakfast in bed on Father's Day each year. Many times it is not edible. They mess up the ingredients. They burn the toast. The milk is warm. All things I really don't prefer. But do you know what? I eat every bit of it. I hug them and kiss them and tell them thank you because of what they are trying to do for me. They are trying to honor me as their father and I completely accept them in spite of their failed attempts to cook everything just right. Their hearts were pure and loving. That is what I am interested in most. I believe God is the same way. Baptism is important to Him, but way more important to Him is the heart that is sincerely seeking Him. That will trump every time whether someone was baptized the right way, if their foot was sticking out, if they were sprinkled instead of being immersed, maybe even if their ignorance caused them to believe that the act of baptism doesn't save and therefore they might not have to do it to be saved. (Not a far jump for many to make)

Saying that someone might be saved that hasn't been baptized is not a rejection of baptism on our part. It is the acceptance of an idea that God can save people who truly want to be saved and who want to serve Him, even if they may not get all details right. Our God is that big, that good, that loving, that passionate about saving lost people. And I just bet, maybe, possibly, there is some ignorance He is going to have to overlook in my life in order to let me in. Praise God that He does that!!!

-- Mike Cope

The Way to Love

At our devotional this morning at work, we got on the subject of baptism. I made the point that while I love this fellowship I've been in the past 30 years, the one thing that has bugged me is our overemphasis on baptism. I said that we need to remember that no matter what we do in response to God's love and offer of salvation in Christ, nothing we do can earn that grace. It is a gift of grace, bought for us by the blood of Jesus. We're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, through Christ alone.

When I turned on my computer today, for some reason I came across this excellent piece on the new birth by Dale Pauls, a long time minister of a church in Connecticut. I hope it blesses you like it did me.

Jim

"The Way to Love"

by Dale Pauls

4/10/2005

You may be surrounded by the kingdom of God, and still not see it. That’s the point Jesus makes to Nicodemus in John 3:1-15: The kingdom of God may be all around you, the way to love may be right in front of you, but unless at some point in your soul’s journey you start completely over in the way you think, feel and act—that is, unless you’re born again—you will never be part of it.

Nicodemus, however, is stuck in the how mode. How? How? How can this be? Jesus, beginning in verse 10, answers: You as a Teacher in Israel should know better! Remember what Isaiah was always talking about—newness, starting over—a new song (42:10), a new thing, a way in the desert, streams in the wasteland (43:19), a new name (62:20), new heavens and a new earth (65:17). Remember Jeremiah: a new covenant—written on the heart (31:31ff). Remember Ezekiel (36:24ff): “I will sprinkle clean water on you. … I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” Nicodemus, you’ve seen what’s been happening with John the Baptist down at the Jordan—the changed lives, Nicodemus! And Nicodemus, just look at life itself. Stop and look and see. You know the Law; you know people. There must be radical change—you know it!—a rebirth from above, wiping the slate clean, starting life over, a spiritual resurrection, a new birth, a turning point.

That’s always the message of Scripture: a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), so that we may live a new life (Romans 6:1-14), with new wineskins (Matthew 9:14-17), like little children again (Matthew 18:1-4), because God is making everything new (Revelation 21:5). The message is always: Whoever you are, and whatever you’ve done, you can start over, you can be born again, you can experience the forgiveness of God and you can discover within yourself the Spirit of God. But it’s not magic in the water. It’s a lifelong process, begun in baptism, reliving my baptism, always putting off the old and putting on the new, until Christ is formed in me (Galatians 4:19), all the while being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). There is a sense then in which every day I must be born again.

So, yes, I am baptized. It’s a gift from God. It corresponds to the deepest needs every human being has. It’s God’s gift of forgiveness experienced and known deep in the soul. It’s God’s gift of grace. It’s God’s gift of eternal innocence, even to those (in Acts 2) whose hands are still wet with the blood of the Messiah. It’s a rebirth, a starting over, a fundamental turning point in one’s life when one sets out firmly on the way to love and enters finally and mindfully into God’s reign of love.

The deepest spiritual truth, however, is the absolute necessity of being born again, not to become a certain kind of Christian in counterpoint to others, but to become a different kind of person than you have ever been, and a different kind of person than you ever otherwise would be, a person who learns to master anger and fear; forgive those who sin against you; love your enemies; trust God; live in the moment, gently appreciative of all God has given you; be content in all circumstances and outcomes; be warmly responsive to all people you encounter; in short, to be a person who has learned the way to love. Now your life can be part of God’s reign of love and peace on earth. Now you will see it. Now you will enter into it.

Maybe you still find yourself given to mindless rage or to mind-numbing anxiety. Maybe there’s something in your life, something wrong, that you can’t say “No” to and it’s making you dysfunctional in all other areas of your life. Maybe your family is on the edge of break-up and you somehow can never quite do what it takes to hold it together.

One way or another life has worn you down, deadened your spirit, destroyed your dreams and broken your heart. Maybe it’s time to be radically reborn from above. It’s played out in baptism, but it’s something God does. It’s from above. For our part, it’s often a matter of letting go and letting God, letting go of your pride, your defensiveness, all the walls you’ve constructed to protect yourself, your tight-jawed, fist-clenched approach to life, letting go of your fear and anger. Let yourself go down into the waters of baptism, and then everyday be reborn. Remember the feeling as a child when you woke up and morning smiled ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy years ago. God wants you to feel that way again. And when you do you will have found the way to love.

Vital Friends

The only time I ever buy a USA Today newspaper is when I'm about to get on a plane. Susan and I were flying back from an anniversary trip and found some great articles in Monday's issue. One that especially grabbed me was a review of a new book titled Vital Friends by Tom Rath. The title of the article is "People with pals at work more satisfied, productive." A few quotes:

* People who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their job. They get more done in less time, they have fewer accidents, have more engaged customers and are more likely to innovate and share new ideas.

* Employee satisfaction jumps by almost 50 % when they have close friendships at work.

* People with at least three close friends at work were 96 % more likely to be extremely satisfied with their lives.

Of course, friends in general are so important for our overall well-being, as this author points out. He even has a website to help one develop better friendships. I haven't seen it but you might check it out: www. vitalfriends.com.

This book made me think of how God has made us for relationship. First, with Him and then with others. And I can't help but think of how followers of Christ grow so much more when they're involved with a few close Christian friends and a small group. That has definitely been the case in my life.

By the way, I don't mean for this blog to be a travelogue, but I must tell you that Susan and I LOVED Chicago. Went there last weekend for our 25th. Cleaner, less expensive and friendlier than New York City. At least four different times people came up to us on the streets (seeing us with confused looks as we studied the city map) and said, "Can I help you with directions?" Great restaurants, parks, and museums. Tremendous transportation system and even a free trolley. If you get a chance, go visit that city. But not during the winter!

Jim

Just Give Me Jesus

Yesterday I interviewed one of our neighbors who came in to our Center for help with clothing. She was with her two children, along with a friend who wore a T-shirt that said something about the love of Christ.

When I asked her about all those that were in her household, she said rather sheepishly, "Well, my fiance lives with me." Then her friend joked about living in sin. Their body language indicated that they felt this was wrong. What do I say to someone who is really living in sin like this?

Unfortunately, a lot of our neighbors list the adult friends living with them as "common-law" spouses or a fiance that they hope to marry soon. I don't want to moralize with them -- moralizing is much different that sharing the good news of Christ with someone. Morals and laws don't change a human heart -- only Jesus Christ does. And yet I feel that it's wrong if I just treat this issue lightly. So here's what I often say, and what I said to the woman yesterday:

"God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and we've been married 25 years. Here's what we've found -- when we follow the Lord's plan in being married, He blesses that obedience. Now, we have problems and struggles. And yet I want to testify to you that His way is always the right way. And we honor Him when we do His will -- and He in turn blesses us for that obedience."

Responding this way is hopefully not preachy or telling them what to do. That's not my business. What I'm doing is following what I learned from a Christian 12 steps program -- we share our hope, strength and experience. People cannot argue with that, they cannot deny our experience or testimony. Hopefully, they'll be motivated to seek God and His will for themselves.

This incident made me think of a story that Stanley Shipp once told me. He was in a restaurant in St. Louis late one night having a Bible study with a friend. In the booth behind him was a man arguing with his girlfriend, trying to convince her to keep living with him. She was starting to come to faith in Christ and felt convicted that it was wrong to live together. Finally, the man got up in a rage, walked over to Stanley and asked him to help convince his girlfriend to move back in with him. Then he asked, "What does the Bible say about that?" Stanley looked at him and gave him this wise response:

"I'm not going to tell you what the Bible says about that until you know who Jesus is?"

That conversation began a relationship that ended up in the conversion of this man and his wife. They now have three children and are serving the Lord together in St. Louis. We met in a Bible school 25 years ago and he is one of the most Christ-like men I know.

I don't want to give people morals and laws. I just want to give them Jesus. Like the Fernando Ortega song says, "You can have all this world. Give me Jesus"

Jim

Tough Love

Lately I've been thinking of a friend of mine whom I believe needs to be confronted about an injustice in his life. I can't keep this concern out of my mind and know that it's time for me to speak to this person -- after lots of prayer and seeking counsel from others about how to go about this. But I don't look forward to this. He may get mad at me. He may not like me.

Why is it we have such a hard time confronting people? At least I do. Is it because we want everyone to like us? That's probably one reason. Also, we are generally self-protective, a phrase that I've heard the Christian counselor/therapist Larry Crabb use. We protect ourselves from getting hurt and so we tip toe around those whom we should be confronting in love. I know that I've done this too often -- and have in essence lived a lie. However, I believe the Lord has really helped me lately to be more honest with others, speaking the truth in love to them.

I was reading in Ezra this morning how mortified he was (rightly so) when he found out that his fellow Israelites, even some of the leaders, had intermarried with the pagan people of the land God had given them. They sinned against God by not keeping themselves "separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices." After weeping before the Lord, confessing the sins of his people, Ezra then gathered the people together and said,

"You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt.
Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives. The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: "You are right! We must do as you say."

Wow! That was a bold move. Telling the Israelites who intermarried to send away their foreign wives and the children of these marriages! Yet Ezra did the right thing before the Lord. Not the popular thing, but the right thing.

Confronting people can be costly to the confronter. A loss of a relationship. Possible financial setback. A friend of mine from Dallas is a member of a growing community church that is being sued by one of its members because the leadership confronted this man about adultery that he would not repent of. This church is going through a lot of struggles, but they're doing the right thing before the Lord. And He will vindicate them!

Tough love is, well... tough -- but it can be the best thing for the one confronted...the loving thing. May the Lord strengthen us all to take a stand for Him, even when it's an unpopular stand, to be willing to confront fellow Christians who are in sin and to be willing to not be liked. It seems that the more deeply we are rooted in the unconditional love that is in Christ we are more likely to take unpopular stands that may cost us a relationship. Because we know that our relationship with Him will last forever.

I'd like to hear how you deal with conflict and have had to practice tough love with others (not using names of course).

Jim

25 years

Sorry about being so personal here, but today I feel the need to write a special note to my bride:

Dear Susan:

Twenty five years ago today you and I were in Dallas, preparing for our evening wedding at the Waterview Church of Christ. I was both nervous and excited. I knew that I wanted to marry you and yet had no idea what it would be like. And how great it would be to live together as husband and wife.

Here we are today, looking back on an amazing quarter century of memories. Starting out in our tiny frame house in Searcy, Arkansas while I was in school and you were teaching Social Work at Harding...at the ripe old age of 27! Moving to Memphis. More school. Working with the great Holmes Road church. The birth of Aaron.

Moving to St. Louis to train with a group to plant a church in the Northeast. The birth of Shannon. The move to Connecticut.

The disappointment of Connecticut and yet seeing God's incredible faithfulness.

The move to Abilene in 1990. Asking God to keep us in one place for awhile so we could raise our children in one city. Seeing Him answer that prayer.

My struggle with work. Back to school. The beginning of your teaching career at ACU. Seeing our kids grow up from kindergarten all the way to ACU. Being a part of the wonderful Highland church for 16 years now. Mission trips to Mexico and Brazil. Working Walks to Emmaus. Buying a house. Buying another. What seemed like hundreds of trips to Dallas or California to see our extended families. Going through financial tough times and then much better times. Using our home as a base for ministry -- to your family, our children's friends.

Witnessing God's faithfulness and love in our family over and over and over. Praying together each morning. And as you said in your prayer today, we're so thankful to Jesus for what He has done in our lives. He made this an amazing, joyful, and adventuresome 25 years. To Him all the glory and praise!

Happy Anniversary, Susie. If the Lord wills, let's go for at least 25 more!

All my love,

Jim

One of the Highest of Human Duties

My brother-in-law, Steve, is a lawyer by profession and a volleyball coach by avocation – and he’s great in both fields.

Steve sent me an e-mail last week in response to my blog article on how we need to be encouragers and not critics. It’s based on his coaching experience and could apply to many of our own life situations. I want to pass on to you a few of Steve's insight:

1. In coaching volleyball, I coach on the theory of "demand not command". Coaching by demanding, means you raise the expectation of a player to a realistic high level and then give positive reinforcement to the player so that she/he reaches that goal. You let them know the goal that you want them to achieve and tell them that you expect them to be able to reach that goal.

2. By coaching by demand and not command, the player is focused on the goal and not themselves. Command means, the coach commands the player to do this, don't do that, and never, ever do THAT!!! (i.e. those bosses who visited with Shannon). This focuses the player on the rules and pleasing the coach (or boss) and not on the task of playing their best to win the game and be a team player (or serving the children by following these rules that will help me to serve the children). These players play nervous. They worry about making mistakes and not actually contributing to the team (In Shannon's case, worrying too much about the rules and not focus on implementing the rules into a guide for serving the kids).

3. Studies have proven that during a timeout or right before a game, if a coach focuses on the negative, such as "don't serve into the net" that 80% of the time the player will immediately go out and serve the ball into the net! What the girl is remembering, on a subconscious basis is "serve into the net". So we as coaches should strive to coach using positive reinforcement such as, "Which zone do you want to serve to?" or "Do you think that the player in zone 5 can return your serve?" or "I want you to serve to zone 5".

All this is to say that those folks could have been better in relaying the message to Shannon. They could have easily shown Shannon and the others what to do and by doing it a certain way, then guess what, it also happens to put the Center in compliance with the rules.

Steve/Uncle Hutch

Great advice, Steve. Whatever position in life that God has put us in – parent, coach, supervisor or even as a friend – let’s encourage people to set realistic goals and then urge them on, through demand not command.

Makes me think of a great quote from William Barclay that a dear friend from my graduate school days once shared with me at church. It’s written in an old Bible of mine:

“One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement. ... It is easy to laugh at man’s ideals. It is easy to pour cold water on the enthusiasm. It is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.”¹

Jim

¹ - William Barclay, Letter to the Hebrews: The Daily Study Bible (Edinburgh, Scotland: St. Andrews Press, 1955), pp. 137-138.

There is No Paradise…Not Yet

Last night we had a tasty meal of grilled chicken and vegetable, sitting out on a deck of a beach house, overlooking the ocean. (Sorry for all of you in the heat of Texas and everywhere else in the U.S. I don’t mean to rub it in…and I’ll be joining you in the heat when we return to Texas tomorrow).

It was a beautiful evening and I was able to enjoy a pleasant conversation with my mother, brother and sister before we all head home tomorrow. I do miss California – the cool weather along the coast, the ocean, the beautiful flowers, the memories of growing up here. I’ve been gone from here for 27 years -- as many years as I lived in this popular state. Especially during those continual 100 degree days in Texas – I long for the cool breezes that come off the Pacifica Ocean.

And yet I know in my heart of hearts that where ever one lives, they don’t live in paradise. My brother, Brent, reminded me of this last night – although he didn’t mean to. He and my sister were talking about a series of articles in the L.A. Times about how mankind is polluting the ocean. There is even a patch of discarded plastic products that swirls through the ocean off the coast, circling around in a continuous path. The seals are dying of a “mad-seal disease” – eating anchovies that have fed on algae tainted my man’s waste.

Coming to Southern California is so fun. And when we get off the plane in L.A., the weather is so pleasant. Of course, millions of others feel the same way, which is why it took us five hours to get from the airport to my old home town – 75 miles away. Over-crowded rental car places with long lines. Heavily congested freeways.

It is a fun place to come – but like anywhere else, it is not paradise.

All of this made me think of that new heaven and new earth that Jesus promises to us who love Him. Could you imagine such a place? No more curse. No global warming. No more diseases and sadness and conflicts in families and among countries. No more sin!

I do love so much of this earth and am blessed to travel to different parts of it. And yet I need to stay aware of the fact that it is a tainted earth, a decaying world, groaning to be released. And that one day it will be transformed into a true paradise. Filled with the presence of Jesus our King.

Jim

Tourists vs. Missionaries

I wrote about this incident in a book a few years ago. Thought about it again while on the golf course yesterday with my son and his girlfriend. Several years ago a few of us couples from the Highland Church were on a mission trip to Mexico. On the bus ride home, my dear friend Bryan Gibbs (who was a missionary in Brazil for nine years), talked about what joy we experienced as a group in sharing Christ in Mexico. And how different it would be if we had gone to Mexico as a bunch of tourists. He said, “Jim, I think that being a tour guide would be one of the worst jobs. You’d spend all your time trying to make a bunch of selfish people happy.”

What prompted this memory yesterday was how this week I’ve tended to be like those selfish tourists --- getting so irritable about the smallest things. Earlier in the morning I became annoyed with Susan because she took a long time checking her e-mail – and so we couldn’t go on our morning walk. Then in the afternoon a few of us were planning to play 18 holes on this beautiful golf course --- in 70 degrees weather! But I was irritated because of a delay which caused us to arrive at the course too late to hit some practice balls. Isn’t life tough!!

We were on the fourth hole, I believe, when it hit me – I was so much more patient and joyful when we were on that Brazil mission trip a few weeks ago than I am this week while on vacation. Here I am griping about not going on a walk near the ocean or things not quite working out the way I wanted it as we teed off on this beautiful golf course. Self-centeredness really skews our perspective on life.

It made me think about how we experience a meltdown of the soul when we’re focused on ourselves. And how our selfishness inevitably hurts others. This must be why the Lord Jesus said that if we were going to come after him we must pick up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says we’re to pick up our cross DAILY.

I love how Phillipians 2 in The Message describes what Jesus did for us and how to do likewise. A few excerpts:

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ…Don’t push your way to the front…Put yourself aside and help others get ahead. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. 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. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything…”

O, how I need that daily death to self – because if I don’t regularly offer my body as a living sacrifice to Jesus, inevitably my selfish nature takes over! And look out world when I am the center of my universe – just ask my family!

Bill Nash, a recovering alcoholic, has been such a spiritual mentor to me. He taught me so much about following Christ, using the 12 steps and acknowledging Christ as our higher power. As I began working those steps a few years ago, God made it clear to me that this problem of self was my addiction – and that I needed to allow the Holy Spirit to fill me each day so that Jesus will run my life… and not me.

I love how Bill summarizes the 12 steps: “I can’t. God can. I think I’ll let Him.”

Sounds like a great way to approach each day. Especially when you’re on vacation.