UNDER CONSTRUCTION

"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready

before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any

tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building"

I Kings 6:7

That old story in the Bible tells us some amazing things about the building of God’s Temple in Jerusalem. This was the most incredible construction project in human history. Designed by God Himself, it would be His residence on earth. But, this was no ordinary architectural dream coming to life. Every stone used in the building was beautifully crafted at another location far away from the Temple itself. These tremendous pieces of rock were cut and carved to fit exactly in their specific places in the great building. And these were no ordinary stones. These were enormous boulders that were sculpted by artists, moved over the desert to the Temple and then finally with perfect precision.

I love this story because it reminds me of what God is continually building in our individual lives. The Holy Spirit is carving and crafting each of us – You! – to fit precisely into a specific place in God’s Kingdom. Just like those old stone-carvers centuries ago, He is the Master Artist who sees the finished product long before anyone else. It is that great vision which guides His hands in creating you.

Don’t ever forget that you are a magnificent sculpture; a true Master-Piece. Yes, the Holy Spirit is building a beautiful temple in your heart right now. You have been carefully cut from a heavenly quarry; carefully chiseled and perfectly smoothed to fulfill your unique role in the Kingdom of God. But unlike structures built by the hands of men, sitting on the shifting sands of earth, this great Kingdom will never fall . . . for Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone.

And His Kingdom, with all us rocks inside, will have no end.

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank you for choosing me to be a precious stone. Please break down my own walls so that I can become a strong boulder in the walls in your Kingdom. Chisel me into whatever shape you desire. You are the Master Craftsman of my heart, my soul and my mind. I ask you, dear Jesus, to smooth out my rough edges so that I will be of greater service to You and to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

DON'T BE AFRAID . . . EVEN IF YOU REALLY WANT TO

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said,

"Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Matthew 14:26-27

We have a lot to be afraid of. Our nation is at war, our economy is uncertain, fuel prices are on the rise, our youth face evils from every direction, even nature itself seems to be working against us.

Yes, there is much to fear. Or so it would seem.

Why fear when Christ is with us? Indeed, when Christ comes walking into our lives, the way He walked on water to reach the terrified men on the boat, the time for fear is over.

However, like the men who thought they saw “a ghost,” we may not recognize Him right away. To see the Lord coming; to allow Him into your open heart, you must accept that He does not want you to live a life of fear. Knowing Jesus and allowing yourself to hear Him say, “do not be afraid,” is the end of your long journey of fear.

During the Vietnam War, Dave Roever, an honored Veteran was getting ready to throw a phosphorus grenade from his gun boat on a dark river in Vietnam. When the device was just six inches from his face a sniper's bullet ignited the explosive.

He awoke in an army hospital a few days later. He recalls, "When I looked in that mirror, I saw a monster, not a human being . . . My soul seemed to shrivel up and collapse in on itself, to be sucked into a black hole of despair. I was left with an indescribable and terrifying emptiness. I was alone in the way the souls in hell must feel alone."

When Dave Roever returned to America, he was terrified about the reaction of his new wife, Brenda. Why would she want to spend the rest of her life waking up next to this horror of a man. His fear was fueled by something that happened just before Brenda arrived at the hospital for the first time. Roever watched the wife of another burned veteran tell her husband she wanted a divorce.

Then Brenda walked in.

He tells the story this way, "Showing not the slightest tremor of horror or shock, she bent down and kissed me on what was left of my face. Then she looked me in my good eye, smiled, and said, Welcome home, Davey! I love you.' To understand what that meant to me you have to know that's what she called me when we were most intimate; she would whisper Davey,' over and over in my ear . . . By using her term of endearment for me, she said, You are my husband. You will always be my husband. You are still my man."

This is the very meaning of grace. The kind of grace and love that Christ has for us. We are all ugly and disfigured in our sin. We have all been burned beyond recognition. Yet Jesus, still loves us, no matter what we look like inside or out. There is no need to be terrified – ever!

Yes, when Jesus walks into your life, the long journey of fear is over and the great journey of love, courage and hope has begun.

This Week’s Prayer

Loving Jesus, in your glory and grace, you have held me and walked with me through good times and bad. Let me march courageously through the coming hours and days with the grace and love I have found in you. And when fear creeps into my heart, allow me to hear Your gentle voice telling me, “Don’t be afraid.” With you, dear Jesus, I have nothing to fear. Amen.

GET IN SHAPE!

Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them

Luke 12:37

What kind of shape are you in? I don’t mean physical shape or financial shape. I mean what shape has your life taken. How are you shaped? Are you shaped like a caregiver?
A mentor? A teacher? A Leader?

You see, we are all shaped by the Lord in a particular way. And you are no exception. You have been shaped by God to fulfill His needs here on earth. Yes, every day you are surrounded by important situations, large and small, in which you can play a vital role.

Just think of the possibilities you will discover if you set your mind to continually seek opportunities to inspire, help, heal, free and encourage others throughout your day. Jesus needs you along with Him on this wonderful adventure and you can begin right now. How? Let me tell you a little.

A short time ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an extraordinarily well crafted red granite bench mysteriously appeared in a public park. And no one, except the person who placed it there, knew where it came from. Not only is this a beautiful bench, but it also has inscribed upon it a passage from Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel Orlando. Carved into the stone are the words, "There are wild birds' feathers--the owls, the nightjars. I shall dream wild dreams. I should lie at peace here with only the sky above."

It is estimated that the bench weighs 600 pounds and sits peacefully at the bottom of a small hill by a pond. So, in order to place it where they did, the mysterious givers had to haul the heavy bench down a steep embankment for it to be placed in the perfect spot.  Obviously, they were in fine physical and spiritual shape!

I love silent gestures like that. I think it takes a special kind of hero to quietly enter a situation and make it better than it was before simply by making people’s lives better than they were before. At this very moment you have the same kind of opportunity to be a hero in someone’s life. Because there are always creative ways to fill the needs and heal the hurts of those around you.

But, you must be vigilant. You must be actively looking for the kinds of situations that you can influence with whatever gifts you posses. And while you should act upon any invitation or opportunity God has set before you, remember that He will not ask you to do something that you don’t have the ability to do.

Is something you see out of your league or beyond your knowledge and gifts? Don’t worry. The Lord has placed it there for a reason. Pick up the phone, send an email, do whatever it takes to move the message along to those who have the exact shape to fill that kind of gap. You have a role to play. Sometimes you get the call. Sometimes you make the call. Either way, you’ve done your part. Remember, it took more than one person to haul that 600 pound stone bench through the park!

Jesus has confidence in you. Has anyone ever told you that? It’s something you need to know because there is so much He needs you to do. And He absolutely will not ask you to do something you do not have the gifts to fulfill. He won’t try to put a round peg into a square whole. He knows what shape you are in!

Start today by thinking creatively. You only need to ask Jesus how He needs you to serve. Ask Him how the shape you are in can fill the gaps in the lives of His people.

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for making me the way I am. Please make me keenly aware of what gifts you have given me and how I can put them to work for you. Open my eyes to the needs around me and open my mind to the blessings you are ready to bring upon them. Give me Your strength so that I may forever prepared to serve You when called upon. Allow me to always hear Your call on my life and give me the strength to act. In your name I pray. Amen.

THE MAIN THING is to keep THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THIING

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.’”

Mark 12:30-31

Every year thousands of Christian books are published, millions of people go to Christian Conferences and billions of dollars are spent on Christian broadcasting. And all of this wonderfully energetic activity takes place for one reason: People are just trying to understand Christ and how to live as Christians.

It’s encouraging that so many people have a hunger to know God’s truth. When they find it, it is a privilege and honor to witness. You can see the light shine in someone’s eyes the minute they see the full vision of their life in Christ. It may be during a worship service, or while attending a gathering of leaders, or reading a book, or watching a Christian video. Suddenly there is an eternal spark in their soul.

While all those educational and enriching programs are a blessing, it is important to remember that for centuries, Christians lived their lives without any of it. No conferences, no television shows and very few Christians were able to read the few books that were available, even the Bible.

Yet, they understood the main thing about Christ and how to be a Christian. How? Because through the simple teachings of Christ they were able to grasp His simple message: Love God with everything you’ve got and love other people the same way you want to be loved. For almost two-thousand years it’s all that most Christians had to go on.

For Christians then and now, this is the Main Thing and according to Christ Himself, this sums up everything else.

So if you’re looking for the main thing; something new in Christianity or if you’re waiting for some great revelation about your life, let me remind you what an old preacher used to tell his congregation, “You got the blues? Well, I’ll give you ten ways to get over it! The first way is to help someone else. Next, repeat that nine times!

There is no great mystery to the love of Jesus. He made it so plain for all of us. The main thing is to remember that the Main Thing is the main thing.

This week’s prayer

Dear Jesus, please forgive me for the times I have been distracted by the details. Remind me every day that following you means looking for the need in others and helping them find their way. I am no longer lost when I help my neighbor find their path in through the darkness. Give me the strength and courage to bring your light to those who need. And always help me to keep my mind on the main thing, You, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

CUT AND PASTE CHRISTIANS

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,

and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7

Like me, you may have received an inspirational email from a well-meaning friend, attributing some lovely poem or story to a well-known author. Always, the message comes with a heartfelt introduction assuring you that this comes from reliable sources and that you should send it along to as many people as possible right away.

One such email came to me recently. The message was entitled “’I am a Christian” by Dr. May Angelou.” Perhaps someone sent you this beautiful little poem as well . . .

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."

I'm whispering "I was lost,

Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Isn’t that fantastic! What a wonderful reminder of who we are in Christ. The only problem is, Maya Angelou didn’t write it. Yet, when I did a little checking online, I found hundreds of Christian websites featuring this same poem all giving credit to her. Many ministries saw the same email as me and simply “cut and paste” the text on their website – passing along the same false information about the author.

The truth is, the poem was written by a very nice woman named Carol Wimmer. Carol is a very smart lady, a writer, researcher and grandmother from Kansas. She wrote her original poem, “When I say I am a Christian,” in 1988 after which it was published in several Christian periodicals. No matter. When it was placed on the internet, as Carol says on her website, it “began taking on a life of its own.”

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want to remind you how important it is to always seek the truth. As followers of Jesus, it is more important for us to always know and spread the absolute truth. We cannot afford to be “Cut and Paste” Christians – just reading something online or in the newspaper or seeing something on television and passing it along to others as reality. If what we say is false or misleading, then it only makes us look foolish and destroys the credibility of all Christians.

The best place to start is God’s Word. With it, you don’t have to worry about what the truth is. It is the source of truth. And from it you can measure all other knowledge and wisdom. Don’t be afraid. If you make it your mission to continually seek the truth, God will surely reveal it to you every time.

This Week’s Prayer

Lord, show me the truth. In everything I see and in all that I do, please bring me to the real truth. Protect me from being fooled and from being foolish. Allow me a deeper understanding of Your Word so that I will always have Your wisdom to rely on. Strengthen me with the light of Word so that I may bring the healing power of Your true love to the world. Amen.

THE CRUSHED LAMB

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

‘Look, the Lamb of God,  who takes away the sin of the world!’”

John 1:29

On the yard of a little church in a small German town stands a statue of a lamb. At the base of the statue  there is a simple inscription that reads: MEMORIAL TO THE CRUSHED LAMB.

After World War II, a group of men began working on the tall roof of the church to repair damages sustained during the fierce battles that took place nearby. One of the dedicated workmen lost his footing, tripped and fell off the roof, plummeting to the earth below.

Quickly, the other men raced down the long latter with very little hope of finding their friend alive. As they descended they began shouting to the other nearby people of the village to come and help. Though deep in their hearts, they knew there was little that could be done. It was a terribly long fall and only a miracle could save the man from being killed on the hard ground

Finally reaching him, the men found their companion moaning and in pain, but very much alive.

Then they realized the man was lying on top of something, as though he had fallen onto a strange cushion. When they lifted the man to his feet, they understood immediately what had occurred. A lamb had been feeding on the grass at the wall of the church. The poor little lamb had broken the man’s fall and saved his life, but lost its own in the process.

He was so grateful that he had the statue of a lamb erected in the very place where he fell.

Take a moment and think about this little lamb. How something so gentle and kind was sacrificed to save the man’s life. Isn’t it strange how we feel such compassion for soft, furry animals? I can just picture the tiny creature lying peacefully on the grass, his eyes closed for the last time.

If your heart is touched by this story and the image of the crushed lamb, will you not also be touched by the image of our Savior Jesus? When you think of Christ being lowered from the Cross, does your heart not ache in the same way. Are you not grateful for the miraculous way in which His death saved your fall?

You may not be able to erect a statue in honor of the sacrifice He made for you, but isn’t it time to build a place of honor in your heart?

The next time you take communion, remember the Crushed Lamb and where you might be had He not broken your fall. Remember, you are in the presence of Jesus, the One who saved you. And if we can feel such loving compassion for the little lamb at the church, then certainly our hearts can be filled with love for the Lamb of God.

This week’s prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the Cross. Without your sacrifice I would be falling to my death right now. Because of your love I have nothing to fear, not even death itself. Please remind me of your love every day of my life. Let me never forget what you have done for me. Guide me and strengthen me so that I may also be a living sacrifice whenever and wherever you may need me. Amen.

YOU ARE AMAZING. HERE'S WHY . . .

"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 

"I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

Luke 7:9

The Roman soldier was one of the most powerful men in all of Israel. He loved its nation and its people, so much so that he had built their synagogue for them. He was considered a good and deserving man by the people and when his beloved servant became ill, he called upon Jesus for help.

Yet, he was a Roman Centurion. He represented the occupation army that controlled Israel and its people. His armies ruled with brutality and force.

Though his faith in Jesus compelled him, he dared not approach the Savior personally. Yes, the people considered him worthy. Yes, Jesus was going to see him. That did not matter to the great Centurion. His humility demanded that he make his request through his friends.

So, they ran out to meet Jesus before He reached the Centurion’s house. They told him exactly what the Centurion wanted to say, but could not bring himself to tell Jesus in person. “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

And Jesus was amazed at him! The only verse in Scripture where God is amazed by a single human response is found in this story. He was amazed because he knew this Roman believed that whatever Jesus said would be carried out. His faith was absolute and the servant was healed.

Yet, when Jesus returns to his hometown, he is amazed by faith again. Not by the great faith of a single man, but by the lack of faith of the entire community. They listen to Him teach and merely pass Him off as the neighbor’s insignificant son, not giving any consideration at all to His words. Because of their lack of faith, we know that Jesus could not do any miracles there except to heal a few people. His actions were diminished because the people did not believe.

How are you going to react to the promises of Jesus? Like the Roman Centurion or his neighbors growing up.

How are you going to amaze God today? Like the Centurion or like his neighbors? If you amaze God, will it be through your incredible faith in His love and devotion to you? Or will He be amazed because He wants you to inherit His Kingdom, yet you do not believe one word from His mouth?

Yes, you are amazing to God! And if you want His healing power to flow through your life, it must be invited through your faith!

This week’s prayer

Dear Lord, you are the source of all good things in my life. Without you I am lost in the wilderness, alone. Yet, I know you are here to rescue me. I know you will never leave my side. I know you love me and will always care for me even into eternity. Please guide me so that my faith in you will increase and that your presence in my life will become closer every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.