Inviting Others to the Party

Susan told me this morning that I must read this one chapter from Donald Miller's To Own a Dragon. He wrote the popular book, Blue Like Jazz. The subtitle of his new book is "Reflections on Growing Up Without a Father."

Miller tells of how he grew up thinking he was stupid. Many of his school papers had lots of red ink dumped on the pages by his teachers. "D's" and "F's" were his common graded. Miller battled ADD and thus had a terrible time trying to concentrate on his teacher's lectures.

Then in one class in his senior year of high school, he experienced a dramatic shift. Wanting to get into an advanced psychology class , he pleaded with his principal to make an exception and let him in -- in spite of his terrible grades. This principal let him take the class and Miller got his wish -- to sit by this cute girl. But something much greater happened -- he loved the class and got the second highest grade among his peers. And he discovered his gift of writing!

Miller made a life-changing discovery: he was not stupid! And it took a principal and a gifted teacher to give him this opportunity.

Reflecting on this experience of growing up without a father or other mentors, Miller gave this wonderful insight: "when you grow up hard, there is a part of you that believes life, college, a good job, money, all of this is for somebody else, and you are not invited to that party." (p. 174)

I think of all those around us who are just waiting for someone to believe in them, to help them recognize their gifts and talents.

Do you remember such a person? Do you recall the time where a teacher or parent or mentor helped ignite in you a discovery of your God-given talents?

May we be such a person to others -- starting with our own children.

Jim

Lessons from the Lion's Den

As I meditated upon the familiar of Daniel in the lion's den, I asked the Lord to give me the type of faith he had. After the king pulled Daniel out of the pit where he should have been killed, he noticed that "not a scratch was found on him because he had trusted in his God. "

And then this pagan king, in awe of how the Lord protected his servant from harm, declares:

he is the living God,
and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and his rule will never end.
He rescues and saves his people;
he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth. -- Dan. 6:27

Don't you want to have the kind of faith in the living God that people around us will recognize how awesome our Lord is and sing His praises? So do I.

I pray that today -- in every circumstance, trial and challenge that you and I are facing -- we will experience the rescuing power of Jesus Christ as we trust in Him. And that He will get all the praise He deserves.

Jim

Bowing Down...and Being Lifted Up

What is it about us humans? We hate to be dependent on others. When we men get lost on a highway, we rarely ask for directions. And often avoid going to the doctor.

And all of us are bent towards idolatry -- leaning towards a dependence on what we can do or what we can see rather than on the living God. As I read continue reading the Old Testament each morning, that message seems to be in bold print -- mankind defaults towards idolatry.

In a rather frightening passage that I read this morning, King Belshazzar throws a huge party and then makes a brash move. He called in the silver and gold cups that were stolen from the Temple, began drinking wine from them and he and his cronies offered toasts to the gods of gold, silver, bronze, etc. Bad move. He literally saw the writing on the wall, trembled with fear, and called in Daniel to interpret the message. Daniel reminds him of his predecessor, whom the Lord humbled, and then gives this rebuke: "You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself...you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!" -- Dan. 5:22, 23b

Before the night was over, this "mighty kind of Babylon" was killed and replaced by another king.

James 4 came to mind as asked God to speak to me through this story. "When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor."

Jim Cymbala, the pastor of dynamic Brooklyn Tabernacle, has an annual habit of reading the book Humility by Andrew Murray. When I picked up this book off my shelf a few minutes ago, I noticed how much I highlighted this book. I can see why Cymbala reads it so often.

One quick quote:

Humility is not a thing that will come on its own. It must be made the object of special desire, prayer, faith and practice. Let us believe that , when we are broken down under a sense of our pride, and realize our inability to cast it out, Jesus Christ Himself will give us this grace as a part of His wondrous life with us. (pp. 13-14)

O, Father, help us walk humbly before You -- like Your Son, Jesus.

Jim

Games

One thing that our family looks forward to when getting with "the cousins" on Thanksgiving and Christmas is playing games. We went to Keller, TX for the holidays and spent a wonderful time with Susan's parents, her two sisters and their families. God blessed our Wednesday night sharing time when we went around the room and answered this question: "What was something great that happened this year?" We must have spent an hour and a half going around the room to share the significant moments, and then closed with Scripture reading and singing, "Great is Thy Faithfulness." It really was a holy moment of praise and gratitude to our God.

Then out came the games. Catchphrase, Whonuu, Nertz and my favorite, Scattegories. We laughed so hard and had so much fun. We got to know one another better and made some new memories.

Saturday night our own family gathered at the house -- after Susan and I worked all day and our son came home from refereing at a basketball tournament in Wichita Falls. After a nice Mexican meal that Susan cooked, we played "Cranium." It was such a joyous and hilarious hour as we did charades, drew pictures, and made sculptures. Again, we got to know each other more and once more created so many great memories.

Yes, we watched football over the holiday. And our own family watched several episodes of "The Office," which are hilarious (and mostly very clean humor). But aside from the devotional Wednesday night, the highlight to me was playing games. They are relational. Fun. And memory-making.

Makes me look forward to our Christmas gathering. More games!

Jim

Meaningful talk at Thanksgiving

Last week my sister-in-law who lives in Ft. Worth (and is hosting us for Thanksgiving) asked me a favor. She wanted me to prepare some questions for our dinner time tomorrow. Here's what we plan to do as 15 of us gather at her house (some of us haven't seen each other for 3 years):

A. Wednesday night -- After a Mexican meal and dessert we're heading to the living room for a sharing and praise time. Then we're going to pass out index cards and ask them to be prepared to share their response to this question:

What is something great that happened this past year – an answered prayer, a new experience, a movie or book that changed your life?

I'm looking forward to everyone's response.

B. Thanksgiving Dinner -- We're going to have baskets at both tables (unless all 15 of us can fit in one room on one long table). In the baskets will be strips of paper with these questions on them:

1. What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever made?

2. What do you hope to be remembered for?

3. What do you believe are the strongest character traits that God has given you?

4. Other than family, name one or two people that are the most important people in your life right now…and why?

5. What was the best trip you ever took?

6. What is your favorite all-time movie…and why?

7. What is your favorite book (besides the Bible)? Tell a little bit about why you liked it so much.

8. What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

9. What is the favorite place you’ve been on a family vacation?

10. Where was the warmest place or who was the warmest person in your childhood?

11. When in your life did you feel closest with God?

12. When did you feel the farthest from God?

13. If there were one day in your life, or week in your life, that you could relive, what would it be?

You might try this at your dinner table tomorrow. We did this exercise at the table last Thanksgiving when we were the hosts. There were 18 of us around a table. I still remember the answer to many of the questions -- at times they were very touching and at other times hilarious. You really get to know more of each other's hearts when you get them to ask these questions.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening...

Ps. 92:1-2

Jim

Welcomed into His Presence

Yesterday I spent a few minutes in my office with a man who wanted to do volunteer work with us. He began telling his story -- how he gave his life to Christ at a young age but over time veered off into a life of sin and addiction. Today his health is bad, his body suffering the consequences of sin.

He told me that he had a hard time believing in God's love and acceptance of him, since he messed up so much in life. Before he and I broke up the meeting, I suggested that we read a passage of Scripture and pray. This one came to mind:

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome. -- Eph. 4:12

When you think of God's holiness and our sinfulness, this promise is so awesome. Not only did my friend need to hear this promise. I did, too.

In my reading this morning of Ezekiel, there's a description of a man leading the prophet through a vision of a new temple. Suddenly "the glory of the God of Israel appeared...The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory."

And in the presence of God's holiness, Ezekiel said " I fell down before him with my face in the dust." (Ezek. 43:2-3)

In my meeting with my friend yesterday and as I read this passage this morning, I was reminded once more of what an amazing privilege it is to come into God's holy presence.

I can't get enough of hearing this GOOD NEWS of the gospel: Through trusting in the blood of Jesus we can come FEARLESSLY into God's presence -- and be assured of His GLAD WELCOME.

As the hymn says, "Hallelujah, what a Savior."

Jim

Discovering the Gifts in Others

As most of you know, I'm a film buff. When Susan and I rent DVD's, we not only watch the film but we'll often watch the special features -- the brief documentary on the making of the film. Director's comments. Interviews with the actors. Since I used to make short films and lived near L.A. for 27 years, I became fascinated with the craft of filmmaking. What we saw last night particularly moved my heart.

We rented "Antwone Fisher," which was the directorial debut of Denzel Washington. It's based on a true story of an African American young man who joined the Navy, got in fights because of his anger problem and ended up in the Navy's psychiatrist office. Denzel played the psychiatrist. After three consecutive counseling sessions , Antwone finally broke his silence and began to tell his horrendous story of childhood abuse and neglect. It is a powerful film of a man overcoming his past -- and the bond that occurs between Antwone and his psychiatrist, who became more like a father to him than a therapist.

The highlight of the special features section was the lengthy interview of the real Antwone Walker, as he told the story of how the film came to be. After getting out of the Navy he worked as a security guard and felt this urge to tell his story. He eventually attended up a screen writing class at a church in L.A. When his teacher began to read Antwone's story, he contacted a film producer at Fox Studies and told of the talent this young man had. The producer met Antwone and gave him a huge break -- he gave Antwone an office at Fox, taught him how to write on a computer and paid him for a year to write the script. After 41 drafts, Antwone produced a screenplay that won over the studio and within time Denzel Washington came on board -- both as co-star and director.

I just wonder about what Antwone Walkers are in our lives -- in a classroom of kids we're teaching, in our neighborhood. Or perhaps a co-worker. They have a latent talent just waiting to be released. And they need someone like us to take time out to recognize this God-given talent and encourage them to use it.

I'll always remember the English professor in my freshman class at Ventura Junior College -- 35 years ago. He wrote just a few words on a paper that I had turned in -- something about how I expressed myself well in writing. Those 6 or 7 words went so far in giving me the boost to write some more.

Consider what these words of confidence from a writing teacher did for Antwone Walker -- and for all those who were deeply moved by the film telling his story. And then think of how a few words we give to those around us may impact their lives more than we could ever imagine.

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. - Eph. 4:29, NLT

Jim

For the Renown of His Name

Don, one of our volunteers at the Service Center, told me a story of a woman who came to work at the store where he worked many years ago. She had his same last name, and had been married to a man (who was a scoundrel) with my friend's name. And it turned out that her first name was the same as Don's wife's name!

Don made it clear to his friends and fellow church members that he was not the same Don ________ as this disreputable man who had once been married to this co-worker. He didn't want his name defamed.

None of us wants the reputation of our name, or our family name, ruined. Our names are very precious to us. Don's story came to mind when I read yet another passage in Ezekiel this morning. The LORD tells His people, Israel, whom He exiled because of their sin:

"I was concerned for my holy name, which had been dishonored by my people throughout the world. I am bringing you back again but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, which you dishonored while you were scattered among the nations. I will show how holy my great name is—the name you dishonored among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign LORD, then the nations will know that I am the LORD. - Ezek. 36:21, 22b-23, emphasis mine

We are one of many other ministries and agencies in Abilene that help the poor. However, I will always be committed to minister to others in the Name of Christ -- never being ashamed of that Name, doing all we do for the poor in honor of that Name.

As I was praying about this passage, this other verse came to mind:

whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -- Col. 3:17

I'm just wondering how differently I would live -- how I would talk and treat people, what I'd read and watch on T.V., what DVD I'd pick out at the store to rent -- if I was always concerned that the Name of Jesus be honored in my life.

And when I think of what Jesus did for us on that cross, how could I not live in a way that would cry out to the world the magnificence of His Name.

Jim

Parental Love

Our phone rang at 4:15 this morning. It's always nerve-wracking when you get a call in the middle of the night (or morning), worried about what news you're about to hear. It was our son, Aaron, who said he was sick after eating some bad meat. We offered to come by his house and bring him some medicine. Or come get him and let him sleep at our house. He kindly declined those offers.

It was so hard for Susan and me to not go be with our sick boy, whom we love so much. But we just had to talk him through the ordeal, make suggestions as to what medicine he might take and told him how much we loved him and that we would pray for him.

After we got off the phone, Susan and I prayed for Aaron. Then we talked about how much we loved him and thus hurt so much for our sick child. A few minutes later he called back to say he was feeling better and hoped to go back to sleep. We never heard from him the rest of the night and were thanking God that he apparently is doing better.

Before dozing off to sleep, Susan mentioned how it's so cool that God gives us a template for His love for us through our love for our kids. Aaron apologized for calling us in the middle of night, but we told him we want him to call any time. We want to be there for our kids when they go through tough times. How much more does our Father in heaven want to be there for us!

Luke 11 came to mind:

"You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Our Father LOVES us. He wants to help us in our time of need. He promises us His presence -- the precious Holy Spirit. All we need to do is call out to Him in the Name of Jesus...even if it's in the middle of the night.

Jim

Self-Exaltation

It was a classic illustration of the proverb, "Pride comes before a fall." A cocky running back for a powerhouse high school football team was all set to show off his skills at the homecoming game. A scout for college football was on the sidelines with his clipboard. The runner had visions of playing for University of Texas, going pro, and buying a new house for his mom. But when the game began, things didn't go as he had expected.

He dropped passes, got nowhere when handed the ball and was yanked from the field by the coach after he fumbled a ball which resulted in their opponents touchdown.

This scene I just described was in a T.V. show. Yet how the problem of pride is played out in real life each day.

This morning I read another sobering passage in Ezekiel, where the Lord warns Egypt of its pride, and how it would end up like the nation of Assyria:

"Let no other nation proudly exult in its own prosperity, though it be higher than the clouds, for all are doomed. They will land in the pit along with all the proud people of the world."

What is it that causes us pride? A few things came to my mind -- our looks, having a lot of money, our intellect. They can all lead any one of us to start thinking we're something special -- and we can subtly feel like we don't need God. Perhaps that's why C.S. Lewis called pride "the great sin." It keeps us from relying on the Lord -- who gives us everything we have.

Lewis writes: "The essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed drunkenness, and all that , are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind."

And here is the real kicker: "As long as you are proud you cannot know God." (Mer Christianity, pp. 95, 96)

How can we keep pride from entering our heart? A few ideas come to my mind:

1. Realize that everything we have is from the hand of God -- and it is temporary and on loan.

2. Recognize that any gift or blessing we have is to be used for God's glory, not ours.

3. Continue to dwell on the Lord Jesus and His amazing humility -- coming to this earth, dying on that cross and now exalted in His glory. Keep meditating on verses such as Phil 2 and worshipping the King of Kings.

4. And as Lewis counsels his readers in how to acquire humility, realize that we are proud. And I would add, to repent of pride on a regular basis.

I may not be a star running back, but I have my own share of pride issues. And I don't want any self-exaltation get between me and the Living God.

Jim

Questions

Last Thanksgiving we had 18 people around our dinner table. Soon after we started eating, we passed around a basket full of slips of paper. Each slip had a different question on it: "What was your childhood home like? What's the worst job you've ever had? Who was the first person you kissed?" It was fascinating and at times hilarious to hear different family members respond to these questions. We learned a lot about each other that day -- not just information, but what was going on in our hearts.

Last night I finished an excellent article in the new Leadership Journal. It was titled "Question Marks" by one of my favorite authors, Gordon MacDonald. He noted that from his 40 plus years of experience as a pastor, he's found that good questions posed to others is a great way to minister to people's souls.

Gordon observes how often Jesus asked people questions: "Do you want to get well,?" He asks the crippled man. "Why do you doubt?," He questions His disciples.

MacDonald writes: "The questions of the Savior...forced self-discovery, priority-setting, repentance, and growth." "Question asking is..one of the most important functions of a pastor or spiritual director: to connect with someone's minds and heart and lead them toward enlightenment about God, about themselves, about a higher view of life."

Do you know what question I try to avoid asking? It's "How are you?" Here's one I like to ask rather: "What have been some of your blessings and what have been some of your challenges?" A question like this shows that you really do want to know about this person's life and it gives them the option to either tell of something they thank God for or be a bit vulnerable and describe what has been bothering them lately.

I agree with MacDonald that a well-crafted question can have a tremendous impact on a person you're with -- and hopefully show them that you care for what is most important to their lives, especially their eternal souls.

After reading some of this article to Susan last night, she informed me that her sister-in-law, who will be hosting Thanksgiving this year, has asked me to be in charge of the questions at the dinner table. I look forward to hearing responses from family members as we ask about what's going on in each other's hearts. I just have a feeling that it will be a holy moment. Because asking people significant questions can be so powerful in getting to what really counts in life.

Jim

Closet Cleaning

Every day at the Christian Service Center we receive bags and bags and boxes of clothing, etc. donated by members of the community. We couldn't function without all these donations.

Especially in the late spring and early summer, many of these donors tell us that they cleaned out their closets and found so much stuff they don't need any more. I call it purging. It's a great feeling to purge our closets of clothing and other items that so quickly accumulate in our homes. And just get in the way.

When I reflected this morning on Eddie Sharp's sermon at University yesterday, this imagery of closet cleaning came to mind. He preached on Eph. 4 and how to allow the Holy Spirit to have free reign in our lives. As I listened to Eddie speak I noticed these admonitions:

"throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. " - vs. 22

The main verse he focused on was verse 30 -- where Paul urges his fellow Christ-followers to not grieve the Holy Spirit. The New Living Translation says, "And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live."

Eddie pointed out that if we're going to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and take control of our lives, we need to get rid of sins that grieve Him. In other words, to make room for the Spirit of Christ it's necessary to "clean house" and purge ourselves of resentments, jealousy, anger, lust, and so on.

In my life I've found that when I let be consumed with a sin such as coveting, my mind and heart become fixed (and at times obsessed) with getting a certain thing -- and in subtle ways I push Jesus away and don't allow Him to be my "magnificent obsession," as Steven Curtis Chapman says in his song.

I'm finding that I need a daily purging of the closets in my heart so as to not grieve that precious Holy Spirit. And when I let Jesus in to more and more parts of my life, I realize that there's less room for all that junk that just clutters my soul. And Who better to fill every room of my heart than Jesus.

Jim

Lessons from a 3 Year Olds' Class

At the end of the day our receptionist, Roberta Brown, handed me a piece of paper. Written on it were some notes she took about a conflict resolution procedure that is followed in a class at Rainbow Bible School. Rainbow is a Christian pre-school where Roberta works at her other job. Here's the procedure:

When a child comes to you to report a complaint about another child:

1. Ask -- Have you discussed this problem with the person you're upset with? If not, go to them and talk it over.

2. If you have talked to this person and it isn't resolved, then:

a. Tell what happened

b. Tell what you did

c. What are two other things you could have done?

d. What will you try to do next?

You may wonder why I shared with you a procedure with 3 year olds. Because quite frankly we adults sometimes act like three year olds when it comes to conflicts. We'll do everything but talk directly to the person. I'm one of those guilty of this sin.

In my job at the Service Center, with so many volunteers working together each day, conflicts are bound to rise to the surface. And they periodically do. Too often people try to "triangle" me into their conflict -- telling me what this other person did or said to them that offended them. And then they want me to go talk with them. Occcasionally, I'll start jumping into the problem to resolve it -- and then I catch myself, saying, "Wait...why am I getting in the middle of their problem?"

I tell our volunteers over and over that if we're going to work through conflict in healthy ways, we need to do it the Jesus way. In Matt. 18 He clearly tells His disciples to go to a person first and try to work out your differences. If that doesn't work, then take someone with you. I love that approach. And it certainly works for us here when we obey the Lord and follow His life-giving way.

Why is it that we are reluctant to go directly to the person that has offended us? Two words come to mind: SELF PROTECTION. Author Larry Crabb taught me this truth years ago. Our carnal nature tries to protect ourselves from getting hurt, and so we're much more likely to talk about a person with whom we have a conflict than talk to that person. However, if we are secure in God's love and deeply trust Him to bless our obedience to Him, then we'll take the risk and, like the 3 year olds are told to do, first discuss this problem with the person with whom we're upset.

Again, the Jesus way is the only way to go. And yesterday I needed guidelines for 3 year olds to learn this lesson once more.

Jim

Freed to Obey

The first time someone told me about Jesus it intrigued me...and scared me. When I was in my first year of college, the Jesus movement was sweeping through Southern California and touching my home town. One Sunday evening a friend invited me to a Bible study/devotional. A student shared his testimony about how Christ had changed his life. Then we had snacks and visited. My friend sat down with me, opened her Bible and began explaining the gospel. My religion was threatened. My flesh resisted the message. I walked out of the house, out to my car while trembling inside. It seemed so clear that Christ was real and that I needed Him. But at the time, I wasn't ready -- I was fearful of giving up my life. And so I said, "No" to the invitation.

It would be about four years later before I finally accepted Jesus and let Him have His way with me. And what He showed me so soon was the joy of knowing Him and the freedom He gives us when we obey Him.

In my reading of Ezekiel this morning, I noticed how the Lord was broken hearted over His people's stubbornness, "They wouldn’t obey my instructions even though obedience would have given them life." Ezek. 20:13b (My emphasis)

What the Israelites so desperately needed, and what this Gentile needed back in the 1970's in California, was a changed heart. A change that only Jesus Christ can make in a heart that welcomes Him in by faith. And when He gives us that heart transplant, then He frees us to obey Him -- and experience that precious quality of life that Jesus calls eternal life.

What I've discovered in my faith journey with Christ it that obeying Him brings such life to my marriage, my friendships, my finances. I've stumble along and done this imperfectly, pulled away from Him through my flesh. And yet when I let Jesus have His way with me, although it sounds cliche, I have found that Spirit-empowered obedience truly does bring life. Praise the Lord for how He frees us to obey Him. All for His honor and glory.

Jim

Welcomed and Loved

I had the strangest experience last night. And just this morning I realized what a great lesson it taught me about being an inviting church.

Susan's cousin was in town with her new grandbaby -- her first one. And we know the parents -- they used to be ACU students and have been in our homes several times. This cousin also happened to be related to one of the candidates who ran for office last night. That's why she was here in Abilene.

So, after dinner, Susan insisted that we go see this baby -- at the headquarters of this political candidate. The awkward thing about this visit is that I didn't vote for this person. But Susan told me to not worry about it -- the people there will never know.

A few minutes later, there we were in this room bursting with supporters, cameramen, reporters and the candidate him/herself. Nearly everyone there was wearing a button with the candidate's name on it. They were anxiously watching the television, monitoring the returns.

And there I was, feeling like a hypocrite, in a room full of people supporting a person I didn't vote for (however, I really liked this candidate and at one time considered voting for her/him).

The cool thing about being there was how the people there welcomed me and Susan. They had no idea what "dastardly deed" I had just done at the polling place a couple hours ago. But they treated us so well. We had access to the snacks provided. They made us feel at home.

I realize that the parallels aren't exactly the same, but I couldn't help but think of church. And what happens when an "outsider" joins us on Sunday morning -- we might greet them in our lobby or meet them as they come into one of our classes. We have no idea where they are with Jesus or what is going on inside of them. Or what they did the night before. Yet wouldn't it be powerful if we welcomed our visitors at church as Christ has welcomed us into His presence. No judgment. No condemnation. Just deep Christian hospitality - and an invitation to join us in our celebration and worship of the risen Savior.

You never know what lesson you might learn from a political race -- even if you find yourself stranded in a candidate's headquarters where you feel you don't belong. And discover one more truth about how to love others to Jesus.

Jim

Faith-righteousness

I don’t know what it is about late in the evening when I'm about to drift off to sleep after kissing Susan and turning out the light -- but in these moments I tend to be very open to what God wants to tell me. When I read some Scripture or a few paragraphs from one of the Christian books on my nightstand, I'm deeply impacted by what I read. It happened again last night.

As I've told you before, I'm working through a tremendous book titled Grace Works by Dudley Hall. It seemed like he knew exactly what has gone on in my heart the past few years when he wrote:

"There are thousands of well-meaning Christians who live each day in doubt over whether they are 'really saved.' The problem with many of them is they are focused on 'Did I do it right?' They are not sure they prayed the right prayer or prayed with enough sincerity. Or they wonder if they knew enough when they decided to follow Christ to make that decision properly."

O, wow. That has been my story too often -- questioning my salvation. Maybe it's my melancholy nature, my perfectionism, or some legalism that I've been taught. For whatever reason, I've wrestled with this issue far too much. And the balm to this gnawing struggle in my heart is when the Holy Spirit calls me to once more grasp beauty and power of the gospel. Maybe that's why I love verses like Eph. 2:8 so much - "saved by grace through faith, and not by our works..."

I loved this one section in Dudley's book so much that I read some of it to Susan right before we went to sleep. His words spoke deeply to both of our souls:

"The assurance of salvation comes from our confidence in God's faithfulness and our relationship with him, not from our confidence in doing things right.. 'Well then, how can I know I'm saved?' someone might ask. We can settle that right now. Are you trusting Jesus as your Savior and as Lord of your life? 'Yes, but I don't know if I prayed the right prayer or if I was sincere enough...or if I can even pinpoint when I accepted him as Savior.' That is not the issue. The issue with God is your relationship with him now.”

A relationship with Jesus is what gives us salvation, hope and assurance that we are His. It is what Hall calls “faith-righteousness, as opposed to self-righteousness.

Regardless of what any church tradition or preacher tells me, and in spite of my feelings or the onslaught of the enemy’s lies, I stand with Paul on this truth from God’s word:

I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God’s law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”

– Phil. 3:9, NLT

I had a great rest last night as I went to sleep meditating on this soul-liberating truth – that I am saved by grace through faith in Jesus…and that my salvation does not depend on me getting it all right. Through faith in Jesus and in Him alone, we can enjoy rest for our souls throughout our lives…and into eternity.

I’d like to hear your story. How did you come to rest in Christ by faith?

Saved by His marvelous grace,

Jim

Sweet Solitude, sweet silence

Yesterday in our men's Bible class, we had a wonderful guest speaker -- Jerry Taylor, the associate preaching minister at Highland. He gave an excellent exposition of Col. 3:1-16. Near the end of the class he talked about the value of carving out times of solitude with the Lord. Where we turn off our I-Pods, cell-phones, get away from the T.V. and just spend time listening to the voice of the Lord.

I loved his story of when he was a child and how the Lord cultivated in him an appreciation of silence at a very young age. His parents needed to work in the fields in West Tennessee. At age four, Jerry and his dog had to come along and sit in the family car while his parents worked. He hated that time because he was so lonely. When he became 12 years old and after his baptism, Jerry was invited by a man to work in his fields and get paid. Although Jerry loved having to work and getting paid for it, he found himself once more in a time of solitude and silence. He spent hours in those fields by himself, pulling weeds. And yet during those lonely working days, he began to appreciate his time with the Lord -- singing praise songs, practicing preaching until his voice was hoarse.

All yesterday afternoon I meditated on Jerry's message, especially his emphasis on taking time out to be alone with the Lord. I reflected on two vss. in particular that he taught out of Col. 3: "set your heart on things above...set your mind on things above." Even when I turned off the volume on the T.V. while watching a golf tournament, the whole atmosphere in the room changed. There was a moment of sweet silence which my soul craved for.

It seems that if we do take time out to be with the Father, on regular intervals as our Lord Jesus did while on earth, we will more likely set our affections on Him and be less attached to the world. And experience that peace that Jesus promises He will give us...a peace that the things of this world, no matter how many of them we could acquire, could never give us.

(By the way, today Mike Cope posted a letter from Ted Haggard to his church. It's a very powerful confession -- and a warning to all of us to not hide our sins and struggles from others. See www.preachermike.com)

Jim

Living for His Pleasure

I'm going from one big project to the next -- a Volunteer luncheon yesterday and now a board retreat tomorrow. Please pray for this retreat.

In the midst of this busyness, I received this article from my bride and wanted to pass it on to you. Have a blessed weekend, fellow bloggers.

Jim

An Audience of One

TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me." - John 21:22

For several weeks I awoke with heaviness over me. It seemed it did not matter how much I prayed or how much I read the Scriptures. Finally, one night I was reading a book by Os Guinness that described the conversation between Jesus and Peter. God had just commissioned Peter in the famous "Peter, do you love Me" passage of Scripture. This was after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus was calling Peter to feed His sheep, and He informed Peter of the death he would encounter for following Him. But Peter had a question. He wondered what was going to happen to John. Would John have the same trials, the same responsibility, as Peter? Jesus quickly retorted to Peter, "What is that to you?"

That night I realized I was guilty of envy. I had several friends who were now "making it" in business. I began to compare where I was in life. It brought me into a state of depression. Once I realized this, I asked the Lord to forgive me. I knew in my head I was to have only one audience-the audience of One. That knowledge needed to get to my heart. I also knew I was experiencing spiritual warfare in the area of unbelief.

The next morning I awoke, and as I normally do, I checked my e-mail to see what the devotional was for that day that is sent to other workplace believers. Although I write the devotional myself, I read it because I get letters from readers regarding the devotionals. To my shock, the devotional was on this same passage of Scripture. It talked about the sin of envy. I was amused by God's sense of humor, as He convicted me with my own devotional message. But that was not the end of it.

That day I went to lunch with a friend. After lunch I got into my car. I turned on the radio and Os Guinness, the author of the same book I was reading the night before, was being interviewed. They were talking about the discourse between Jesus and Peter and the sin of envy! I was floored! "Okay, God, I get the message!"

The Holy Spirit has an uncanny ability to communicate to us. The Lord wanted me to know that I am not to worry about someone else. God has called us to a unique life that may look totally different from anyone else's life. Once we begin to compare ourselves to others, we begin to live for others and ourselves.

There is only one audience we should be living for-the audience of One. Ask the Lord today if you are living solely for His pleasure.

From www.todaygodisfirst.com

Cause vss.a Relationship

Last night I ran into a friend who also leads a non-profit. He is a true go getter who always manages to raise a lot of money through government grants. Every time I visit with him it seems that what's going on in his organization far exceeds the ministry I lead in terms of its world-wide scope. Quite frankly, after hearing of all the money he's raising, I felt like what I do is so small in comparison.

Then I read something last night in Dudley Hall's wonderful book, Grace Works, that gave me the perspective I need:

"The best and most effective leaders are those who have ceased striving and entered into rest with Jesus. ...There is no striving or labor -- just love looking for expression. Most of all, their zeal for causes has been swallowed by a passion for intimacy with God."

This quote and the rest of the chapter made me think that I don't need to compare myself with other leaders or ministries. Rather, my focus is to be on Jesus and experiencing a deepening relationship with Him. And then to let my leadership and ministry to others flow out of that relationship.

I don't want to live for just a cause -- whether it's as a leader at the Christian Service Center, an elder at Highland, or a short-term missions worker in Brazil. I want to live for Christ and enjoy that intimacy with Him. And then do everything motivated by love for Him and love for others.

I just have a sense that if my goal is Christ-energized love, He will take care of the rest. Regardless of what others may be doing "greater" than me.

Jim

Sinking Deep into Our Hearts

An image is burned into my mind. It was 25 years ago. Susan and I were newlyweds, living in a small frame house in Searcy, Arkansas where I was studying for the ministry and Susan was teaching social work. Early each morning I noticed Susan practiing this habit of reading her Bible and praying. Her example of having a quiet time had a great impact on me.

Up to the time we got married, my times with God were sporadic, hit and miss. Susan’s quiet example prompted me to start having a quiet time each day. Early in the morning works best for me. I tend to be more receptive to hearing God’s voice at that time of day. And I’ve found that there is something about beginning a day with time in God’s word that sets me in the right direction and puts me in the right frame of mind.

During that time of my life I read a fascinating description of what Jesus did: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” – Mark 1:35. Jesus craved that time with the Father. I realized with Christ living in me that I needed that time with the Father, too. Every day.

In Ezekiel 1, the Lord commands this prophet: “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says!’

I love that imagery – allowing the words of God to “sink deep into your heart.” Hebrews 3 gives this admonition to us as believers in Christ: “Today you must listen to his voice.” The writer repeats this phrase seven verses later. Listen to His voice.

I desperately need to hear the word of the Lord each day. For me, it is especially vital for my growth in Christ to listen to His word early in the morning -- before the phone calls, e-mails or conversations come my way. And it’s not a duty for me. It is an absolute joy to feed on Christ and let His Spirit fill me as I feed on His word.

So many voices come our way each day -- through television, the internet, other people. Yet there is One voice that this sheep especially needs to hear from his Shepherd each day. And then to follow this one who calls me to draw closer to Him and experience His loving presence.

Jim