Today's Work

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus."  Phil 3:14

How we spend our time is a good indicator of what we value.  We usually find a way to put the thing that matters most into our day.  So what are you doing this week? 

Kingdom work can be creative, catching others' attention like inspirational preaching or an uplifting performance.  Kingdom work can be humble and go unnoticed like offering a meal or bed.  Sometimes Kingdom work requires courage and sacrifice to act on behalf of the powerless.  Sometimes Kingdom work requires persuasion and perseverance to show up and speak against destructive systems. 

Kingdom work is faith in action.  Loving God and loving your neighbor translate into doing good in a crooked generation.  Take care of yourself.  Show kindness and care for others in your family, church, community, and country.  Who knows where your circle of influence will lead?

As you do good work, share the message Jesus came to spread.  People need to hear the reason for your hope. Despite today's chaos, crime, and corruption experienced worldwide, the God of all comfort is a world creator, a world changer. and Savior.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself."  Phil. 3:20-21

Prayer Changes You

We filter life and learn to see through God's eyes by praying.  Prayer is like putting on a pair of glasses; it can give us a godly perspective.  We are called to pray daily, without ceasing, from the heart, and persistently.  

Questions: 
When you start the day, which are you more likely to do first:  pray or check your cellphone?  Why do we put God on hold? Why wouldn't we want to talk regularly with Abba?

Worship:
Worship, adoration, or praise is directed towards God because of who he is and what he has done in eternity.  It is good for us to recognize that God is the center and we are not.  Life is about God's glory and his will, not ours.  When we proclaim that God is holy, sacred, sanctified, divine, or consecrated,  we begin to understand our place and our role in life.  We are less likely to usurp power; we are more likely to serve with humility as did Jesus.  Starting each day knowing that God reigns, gives us peace.  Worship lifts our spirit.

"Father, hallowed by your name.  Your kingdom come." 
or
"Father, reveal who you are.  Set the world right."
Luke 11:2b 

Confession:
Getting honest with God is hard.  Admitting our faults is no easy thing.  Sometimes we become weighed down by our own missteps and failings, so we pray and confess to God where we we went wrong.  Genuine confession is too often delayed or diluted, because it is painful to realize we are far from perfect.  When we harm another person, it is easier to blame someone else or the situation, when in fact we have slipped into sin:  pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, or sloth.

Confession is the path to freedom and reconciliation.  To shed self-condemnation and breakdown in relationship, we would do well to confess and seek forgiveness.  Confession gives us a fresh start, like the dawn of a new day.  We treasure forgiveness because it restores relationship with God and with the people in our lives.  Through confession, we learn to get up and go on, after stumbling into sin.

"If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9

Thanksgiving:

Becoming a person who expresses gratitude to God is transformative.  Thankfulness enables us to see the good, even on days when we feel disappointment or despair.  Observing simple acts of kindness heals and helps us.  Practice thanking God who provides for daily needs like food, shelter, and clothing.  Thank God for his protection through the day and night.  Thank God for such priceless gifts as forgiveness, eternal life, victory over sin and death, and adoption into his family.  Be alert to the goodness of God throughout the day and thank him.  Record events in a gratitude journal to strengthen your trust in God.  Give up grumbling; "give thanks" instead.

"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thes. 5:18

Supplication:

Ask, search, knock, petition, and pray to God for what you need.  Learn to ask through prayer.  Throughout the day make requests, big and small.  You would tell your parent, spouse, or friend, if you needed something, right?  God is even more generous and is able to provide all things:  abundant life, courage, comfort, counsel, healing, protection, strength, wisdom.  Talk to God in prayer when there's something on your mind and heart.

"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,"  Eph. 3:20

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Phi: 6-7

Questions:

When you close your day, which are you more likely to do:  pray or check your cellphone one last time?  How open are you to changing your prayer habits?  How eager are you to become more like Jesus?

Identity Crisis

I glanced out the window to find 3 woodpeckers at our hummingbird feeders!  They savor the sugar water intended for the ever-active hummingbirds.  Sometimes, we too get confused about who we are and what we are about.

Then we need to remind ourselves of certain defining truths.  Christians are God's children; we have been adopted into his family.  We are chosen and loved.  Our family spans continents and centuries.  

"As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved..."  Colossians 3:12

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are."  1 John 3:1a

"By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  1 Peter 1:3b-5

Our lives have purpose and meaning!  We follow Jesus and serve God wherever he sends us.  Sometimes we find ourselves backstage.  Sometimes we find ourselves center stage and proclaiming words of life.  Whether in the kitchen or in the board room, our joy is to love God and obey his commandments.  Our resume and our hard-won credentials matter much less than we assume.  

Indeed, the Apostle Paul came to think of his bloodline and accomplishments as baggage, garbage, or rubbish.  They can get in the way and confuse us as to our identity and primary mission.  

"I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith." Philippians 3:8b-9

You too can become a member of God's family anytime, anywhere.  He is waiting for you.

Praise God!

10,000 Reasons,  Celtic Worship, January 30, 2017

(Thanks DME once again for finding such inspirational music.)

Devotions for Techies

Most of us have been forced online due to the Coronavirus.  So many online meetings for work, school, family celebrations and check-ins.  Meeting online is fraught with hurdles:  timing with other householders who also need to be online, limited bandwidth,  choice between camera and/or mic, fuzzy and freezing screens, audio feedback, voices that don't sync with the speaker...  Connecting and communicating with clarity are not always ideal.  Still we persist.  Why?

Hard-core techies like the challenge.  Many are driven by deadlines set by the boss or the teacher.  Some need to hear a loved one's voice or to see a familiar face after too long a separation.  To give up is to surrender to isolation, loneliness, or drift without purpose.

Happily, we mere mortals can readily connect with our Father and Creator God.  Our Lord Jesus appeared on earth in the flesh to meet people like us.  He personally delivered messages from the Father.  God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers.  The Spirit counsels, comforts, empowers,  advocates, and brings teachings to remembrance.  Jesus taught us how to pray and assured us that we would be heard by God at anytime and from anywhere.  In a word, our Father in Heaven offers us "net neutrality"; we have equal access to almighty, unconditional Love.  He knows what's on our mind before we even say one word. 

Make time daily for this mysterious and wonder-filled meeting, powered by love.  God asks that we seek him wholeheartedly, that we listen to his voice, that we love and obey, and that we glorify his name.  He has something he needs to tell you, something he needs you to understand today.

Negotiations

Life flows along, until conditions change or someone blows the whistle for a timeout and revaluation. Perhaps a world event arises like a pandemic. Perhaps it’s a diagnosis, job loss, financial crisis, or relationship breakdown. Someone, for some reason, wants a change in rules to improve their situation. In business, we call this crisis management. CEOs may decide to file for bankruptcy and reorganize. In marriage, we call this separation. Maybe a spouse walks away for a time to ponder what he really wants in life.

In such cases, someone is unhappy with the current arrangements. Yes, mid-course corrections are part of living. Certainly resilience involves flexibility, adaptability, and perseverance. Whenever negotiators discuss new terms, they prefer to work from strength and greater leverage. One of the parties may suffer loss or setbacks. Few of us want to negotiate from a position of weakness.

God takes an entirely incomprehensible position in negotiations with us. He recognizes that we are not worthy rivals at the table. We are impotent paupers. We have nothing to win God over to our way of thinking, to spare us, or to help us out of our dire circumstances.

God recognizes we are sinners; we are flawed individuals. Incredibly, God chooses us anyway. Amazingly, God loves us anyway. Unbelievably, God offers us help and hope at the negotiations' table. God provides the costly solution; He shares with us his righteousness and victory over death. Christ died for our sins, redeemed us, and grants us new standing. We become new creatures in Christ with a fresh start. We enjoy new and improved terms, based on no assets nor strengths of our own. God’s strength is made visible in our weakness.

“’My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Cor. 12:9

Give Thanks.

Loving Relationships?

Church is a place where sinners gather.  A family can be a refuge or a battlefield.  As much as we try to befriend safe people, to marry well, or to associate with co-workers who can help us advance, we can feel betrayed, deceived, used, or unappreciated at the end of the day.  Why?  All we want is love, sweet love.

Admittedly, relationships are messy.  A friendship or a marriage may start well but deteriorate over time.  People change.  Individuals look out for their own interests and tend to trample on others, intentionally or unintentionally.  All of us bear scars and carry painful memories.  We may share these experiences with a trusted few and learn to live in the light.  If we stuff them down for years, they may blow one day like shrapnel.  Our secret anger, painful burden, or steaming resentment becomes visible. 

Listen to your life.  Address relational realities.  Stop trying to manage your image.  Stop pretending, hiding, or covering up.  Deal with root problems.  When you feel overwhelmed, get help.  Seek out help in the person of an experienced counselor.  See your pastor.  Read scripture and Christian literature.  Pray.  Practice healthy habits.  Take  yourself in for a tuneup, in other words. 

When we are in better shape, stronger, and healthier biblically-speaking, we are able to be present to others.  We stop sizing up someone by what we stand to gain.  We are at long last able to build relationships by blessing the other, doing good, and loving actively.  We give without expectations of cashing in.  Learning to consider the interests of others is a process in leaving selfishness behind.  It's an exercise in self-denial and sacrificial love. 

"Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Phil. 2:4-5

Will we get honest and own up to doing our part in making relationships happier and healthier?  As Christians, we are called to love.  (1 Corinthians 13)  It's a challenging, lifelong assignment.  Look to Jesus to see how he pulled it off.  Rely on Holy Spirit power daily to live out a lifestyle of love.

How Long, Lord?

Seniors in their 90s like my Dad are discovering iPads and FaceTime can bring loved ones closer, even when they are feeling isolated.  Seeing a smile or hearing laughter brightens the long day.  Technology enables connection. 

Those with immunity concerns are also feeling cut off from casual interactions with friends.  The realization that there is no end in sight to this COVID-19 pandemic makes the loneliness all the harder to bear.  How do we engage in abundant living while protecting our health?  How do we fellowship?  Are outdoor, masked, socially distanced gatherings a possibility?

Yes, survival requires adapting, letting go of accustomed routines, and embracing new practices like virtual interactions, outdoor meetings/activities, social distancing, and wearing masks.  

Who could have imagined working remotely for months, online silver sneakers workouts, virtual art and cooking classes, and web conferencing to discuss church matters?  We have been forced to rethink, to cope, to set up life differently, to distance to avoid possible contagion.   Life online is possible for many, but is ultimately less satisfying long-term.

A few suggestions for now:

Spiritual Formation:  Join a Crestview Bible Study or Summer Parables Group.  See the Crestview Website to connect online.

Worship:  Play the music you love, that promotes worship.  God is near.  Try listening now: 

In Christ Alone.

Fellowship:  Call someone in your life, that needs a word of encouragement or comfort.  Send a card.

Love One Another:  Give whatever you are longing for, to someone else.  A delightful surprise lifts the spirit. 

Create:  Like our Creator God, make something good to share:  a meal, a picture, music...