Collision

March 16, 2024

She was young and perhaps a bit nervous, but she bravely soldiered through her speech and ended up doing a far better job than she imagined, in part by something she didn’t intend on saying. She included a quote from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, but it came out of her mouth as “Collisions.” Everyone got a good laugh from it, including her, but when she was done, I sought her out.

“You spoke more truth than you realized,” I said. So much modern Christianity has gotten in bed with the world, walking in such complete lockstep to a corrupt culture that other than some of the language we use and the fact that we get together to listen to speeches we call sermons, and songs we call hymns, it would be pretty hard to tell us apart from the average run -of-the-mill secularist.

We would be much better off if there were more collision and less collusion with the world. I hear people say they want to make an impact upon society, but we forget that there cannot be an impact without a collision. I’m not an aggressive kind of man; I prefer quietly getting along with others, but I often wonder to what extent I’ve sacrificed my integrity because I didn’t want to have a collision. The letter of Paul that we call Colossians is filled with words that are on a collision course with the world around us:

 

”So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.“ —Colossians 3:1-8, 12-14 

If these words aren’t aiming for a head-on collision with the world, I don’t know what would be.

Be Afraid

March 15, 2024

”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

And He shall direct your paths. 

Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.“ —Proverbs 3:5-7 

The last phrase of these verses is probably the hardest of all to actually do: “Depart from evil.” We often think it’s easy to do the right thing, but is it easy to forgive someone who has hurt you, or to stand up for what you know in your heart to be right when all your friends are on the other side? I can tell you from my own experience that departing from evil can be very difficult. There are times I don’t want to do the right thing. 

That’s where the first part of that last sentence comes in: “Fear the Lord.” People often say that fearing God means respecting him, but let me tell you the truth: Sometimes I do the right thing because I’m afraid of the consequences of doing the wrong thing. Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The best way to depart from evil is to fear the Lord; what he thinks, and how he might respond if you do the wrong thing.

 

Guidance

March 14, 2024

”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

And He shall direct your paths. 

Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.“ —Proverbs 3:5-7 

Tonight, let’s consider verse six of these verses.

How can we acknowledge God in all our ways? It’s easy to say, but a bit harder to do. It’s easy to acknowledge God when things are going well, but what about when everything goes wrong? Acknowledging God doesn’t mean we have to be happy about bad stuff happening, but to look for what God may want us to learn through the bad stuff. 

We can’t learn courage unless we’re in a place where we are afraid. We can’t learn endurance unless we’re in a situation that’s hard. We can’t learn patience unless we have to wait. We can’t learn to love our enemies until they do something bad to us. We can’t learn to trust God until we are in a place where we can’t know for certain what our next step should be. Mother Theresa said, “You can’t know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”

When we put God at the center of everything, he promises that he“ shall direct your paths.” Life often throws us for a loop. We had a plan and were following it; things were going well when suddenly out of nowhere we get hit with an unexpected catastrophe. What had been a clear path now is dark and obscure; we aren’t sure of our next step. It is unsettling, scary even. 

How can we know for sure that God is directing our paths when we can’t see where they are going? One way only: By believing that God keeps his promises. Even if we don’t know the way, he does. Matter of fact, He IS the Way (John 14:6). Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Back then, there were no bright flashlights to illumine the road far into the distance. Lamps were little, smoky, flickering flames that barely illumined the next step. God’s Word gives enough light for us to take the next step, but we must trust that even if we aren’t sure of our next steps, God is, and will not lead us astray.

 

Trust

 March 13, 2024

”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 

And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

And He shall direct your paths. 

Do not be wise in your own eyes; 

Fear the Lord and depart from evil.“ —Proverbs 3:5-7 

When I learned this as a teenager, we memorized only verses 5 and 6, but I think it is good to include verse 7. 

The first line is the foundation: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” This sounds easier than it is. It’s one thing to trust in the Lord when all is going well, but how about when you fail that test, or your best friend turns against you, or you get really sick? Much of the time I think we trust in the Lord with part of our hearts, but not with all our hearts. What would it look like for you to trust in the Lord with ALL your heart? What would change? 

The hardest part of these verses for me is that phrase, “with all your heart.” How can I be sure I am trusting with ALL my heart? After all, as I said once before, “the heart is deceitful above all things.” The closest I can come is to simply be honest with God: “Lord, as much as I am able, I will trust you. Reveal it to me whenever I am coming to you half-heartedly.” I believe God in his mercy and grace receives us as we are and as we want to be. If we come honestly, he’ll take care of the rest.

Provision for Sin

 March 12, 2024

First of all, I would be remiss if I neglected to wish my sister a very happy birthday. I won’t divulge her age, but she IS my sister, so that should tell you something!

I began reading the minor prophets yesterday. When I was in college, I took a course in them from a professor that all my friends said was a terrible teacher. To those who know my own quirkiness, it should come as no surprise that I loved his course, and have loved the Minor Prophets ever since. Take for instance, this gem. Speaking of Israel who had repeatedly abandoned worship of the Lord for the false gods of the pagans, God said,

”She did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold— Which they prepared for Baal.“

—Hosea 2:8 

This is amazing! God gives us the very gifts we in turn offer to the false gods of this world. When we forsake him, he doesn’t suddenly cut off the supply of air, water, food, resources. He continues to provide what we use against him. 

Hosea tells us that the day is coming when God will take back what we’ve used to dishonor him. The sin-train always makes a return trip. But even then, we read these words: 

”I will give her the Valley of Tears as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth…” —Hosea 2:15 

Our sin and rebellion will always return on our own heads, and when that happens, there are plenty tears of regret. But even then, God is merciful, and turns our tearful repentance into a doorway of hope where we shall sing again in the innocence of childhood.

Jael

 March 11, 2024

Hints of grace and mercy often pop up when we least expect it. I’ve experienced a few personal setbacks in the last few years. When I retired, I planned to focus on ministry in Cuba. I had been working with my friend Joel Taylor who was an excellent visionary and administrator. He had plans for seminarios in Cuba, where he, along with educators and pastors he knew, would teach graduate level courses for the many young pastors who couldn’t afford to go to the state-accredited seminary in Matanzas. I was planning to work with him in this venture.

Then Joel got sick…cancer. Barely six months after he started feeling ill, he was taken from us. I didn’t know what direction to go; I’m not a systematic theologian nor a historian. Even teaching courses in Biblical studies would be a challenge for me. I’m a preacher and pastor; that’s it. So I was floundering.

Then our principal contact person for the Cuban ministry decided that he needed to come to the states for awhile. Cuba is a Communist/socialist country, and were keeping a close eye on our friend; so close that he thought he should come here and let things cool down a bit. What was supposed to be perhaps a six month hiatus turned into nearly two years.

And then, Covid. Another two years before we could even seriously think about going back to Cuba. But last November, things began to fall into place. Talented people here were excited about the ministry, and it finally looked like things were going to take off. That trip however, turned out to be another knock in the head. Serious issues surfaced on the Cuban side, and separate serious issues developed here at home. All those plans made back in November evaporated almost overnight.

So, what do you do when stuff like this happens? Do you conclude that God is shutting the door, or that the Enemy is trying to thwart our efforts? Do we stop, or press on? Those are not easy questions to answer, but let me give you a clue. Back in November when we were in Matanzas, I was asked to dedicate a sweet newborn baby. I had taught her mother and father in a parenting class the year before, and was honored to bless this child. Her mother had been in a Bible study learning Old Testament stories, and learned of Jael, who drove a tent peg into the temple of a sleeping enemy commander, pinning his head to the ground and winning a victory for Israel. Her mother decided that her baby needed to grow up to be bold and strong for Jesus, even in dangerous times, and so named her after this Old Testament woman.

Whenever I write to this woman’s pastors, I tell them to kiss and bless little Jael for me. Yesterday, they sent me the attached photo. Will I keep going to Cuba in spite of the difficulties and uncertainties? What do you think?

A Blessing

 March 10, 2024

Sometimes the well is dry, and when that happens, it’s best to stop pumping. Tonight is one of those times, so I’ll just leave you with the blessing I pray over my grandchildren whenever we are together.

“May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Let those words sink in deep, giving you comfort, strength, and hope.