The Answer to All Your Problems: Give Your Life to Jesus?

          Over the years, I have heard or read this promise (or some form of it) many times: If you will just give your life to Jesus, everything will be fine. Of course this begs a rather important question: How do we explain the fact that those, who have given their lives to Jesus, are most often the very ones who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in situations where everything is not fine, not even close? Is the promise not true, or have they simply failed to give their lives to Jesus?

          I wonder how Paul would answer this question. I think this passage from his letter to the church at Corinth will give us a pretty good idea: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NASB).

          Even a casual reading of this passage makes is evident that, at least from Paul’s perspective, when someone truly belongs to Jesus, his life is lived within a hair’s breadth of devastation—a far cry from that “everything will be fine” promise.

          Listen again: afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Wow! This sounds like such an easy sell! The next time you invite someone to Jesus, tell them that they will be afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Of course, your punch line will be “and by the way, you will carry about in your body the dying of Jesus!” I will eagerly await your report on the success of your invitation. I am  certain that many will "choose" to give their lives to Jesus!

          It is very sad that so much pious pabulum has been fed to multitudes, in the name of the gospel, and it is especially sad in light of the fact that so many consume it thinking it is nutritious and life-giving, when in fact it is poisonous and death-producing.

          Be careful about the purple you wear!

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).

Where are You Living?

Dear Fellow Travelers,

          At the request of my son, Michael, I am reading a book, “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. I have no idea who he is or what he believes (probably a radical, New Age, Southern Baptist, Presbyterian) but he does ask some intriguing questions. The following is an example (p.49): “Are you always trying to get somewhere other than where you are? Is most of your doing just a means to an end? Is fulfillment always just around the corner or confined to short-lived pleasures, such as sex, food, drink drugs, or thrills and excitement? Are you always focused on becoming, achieving, and attaining, or alternatively chasing some new thrill or pleasure? Do you believe that if you acquire more things you will become more fulfilled, good enough, or psychologically complete” Are you waiting for a man or woman to give meaning to your life?

          It is my guess that most everyone who reads this, if they are honest, will have to answer “yes” to each of the questions. Yes, I realize that you are probably the exception, but please be patient with the rest of us, while we try to sort this out.

          Why are we always trying to get somewhere other than where we are? What makes the present so painful? Why is most of our doing merely a means to an end? What is wrong with doing something just for the sake of doing it? Why are we so convinced that fulfillment is just around the corner? Why aren’t we fulfilled in the here and now?

          The sad truth is this: most of us spend our lives either reliving the regretted past, allowing it to define who we are, or living in fear of what might happen tomorrow, allowing the fears to paralyze us. Few of us have learned the value of living in the present moment, free from not only the guilt and regrets of the past, but also the fears of what might happen tomorrow.

          Jesus had something to say about this: “Look at the birds of the air . . . Consider the lilies of the field” (Matthew 6:26, 28). As you looked and considered, did you notice that neither the lilies of the field, nor the birds of the air wear watches? Ever wonder why? They live in the eternal now!

          Where are you living?

                     

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).      

My Son's Thoughts on Good Friday

Thoughts on Good Friday
by Michael Goddard
April 20, 2011

Imagine being accused of breaking laws that you created and perfectly kept, just for
claiming to be who you actually are. You know that you are about to willingly pay the penalty for
the broken law, at the hands of the very ones who broke the law, so that they are not held
responsible.

Talk about Love....
Your reward for being so loving? You are stripped naked, beaten and scourged within
an inch of your life; mocked by those you love by having a crown of thorns being jammed into
your scalp, and you hear them jeer, “Hail, king of the Jews!” while blood runs down your face
and stings your eyes, only to be relieved by the eyes swelling shut from the beating you just
received by Roman soldiers who are experts in causing extreme pain. Your back is lacerated to
the point of shredded meat, all the way to the bone, as they weigh you down with a rough-hewn,
heavy, wooden cross that rends your flesh further.
You are stumbling, burdened by that cross digging itself into the fresh shreds of flesh on
your shoulders, as those very ones you love so much, the ones for which you are dying, spit in
your face. You fall on the ground under the weight of the cross. Sand, and the detritus of the
filthy street you are walking, embed inside the weeping wounds on your raw back. You think of
giving up. You have the power to end this, because you are who you say you are... whether
they believe it or not.

At that moment, a man comes along and picks up your cross, carrying it for you. When
you are jerked back up on your feet, ordered to keep walking, it still feels like the cross is still
there. Just before you decide to call the angels to your rescue, you remember, “I cannot stop.
I must continue. For (insert your name here)’s sake. I love (your name) so much, I can’t stand
to think of being without her (or him) for all eternity. (Your name) is the apple of my eye, and I
want to hide (your name) under that shadow of my wings, forever, in my Father’s Kingdom.
This motivation, this love, keeps you moving on, pressing toward your goal. When you
reach the crest of Golgotha, a 6’5” Roman soldier hulk shoves you to the ground. More dirt
and filth grind into your excoriated skin, causing you to scream out in pain. They man-handle
you supinely, dragging the raw skin of your back, snagging, across the splintery surface of the
ultimate tool of torture. By the time the thick spikes are driven into your wrists and ankles, you
hardly notice. By now, your body has started to go into shock from the loss of blood and the
excruciating pain.

You are lifted up high off the ground. You fall a couple of feet to a sudden stop when the
bottom of the death device shifts down into the hole that has been used to hold the crosses of
many murderers and thieves before, and probably many after. The pain is beyond description
when this sudden stop causes your tendons, cartilage, nerves, and flesh to rip at the sites of
spikes holding you captive... so that (your name) can be free. The excruciating (meaning out of
the cross) pain is only matched by your excruciating Love for (your name).
The sun is at its peak, straight overhead, adding to the misery of your condition. The
only relief you can find is by pushing up on your spike-perforated heels, scraping your already
infected back up against the splintered wood, so that your diaphragm can relax enough for a
slight expiration of air. You relax your legs again and your lungs inspire just enough to keep
you conscious. Conscious of the fact that you love (your name) more than you want your next
breath.

You close your eyes, wanting this to end. You hear the steady drip... drip... drip...
drip...of your blood making puddles in the dirt below: one on the right, one on the left, one
straight down. The precious blood of God, poured out for (your name).
After a few hours, a soldier sees that you are dead by jamming a spear under your ribs,
guided diagonally toward your heart, releasing blood and water. Normally they break the legs
of the criminal hanging on a cross, speeding up the death process, but you were already dead.
In this case, the Jews had wanted it done so they wouldn’t look bad by having crucified bodies
hanging in public on the Sabbath. They wanted to hurry the death of The Sabbath, to ensure
that the “sabbath” that they had perverted would be preserved.
Aren’t you glad that is not the end of the story.

Throughout my life, for some reason, I have had a hard time viewing the Love of the
Lord in a highly personal way. I could not imagine that God could love each of us, individually,
not simply as a whole. Therefore, I could not imagine that God was thinking of me, personally,
when Jesus was living, and dying, on the day we celebrate as Good Friday. I could, however,
imagine Him thinking about a good many of us, after all, He is God. He’s a rather bright fella,
capable of some pretty involved things.
When I prayed to Him, I could not imagine that He could give undivided attention to
me as well as all the other people that must be praying to Him at the same time. Maybe I
could imagine Him handling a good many at the same time, after all, He is God. With this
viewpoint, I could not imagine that I would ever be close enough to the top of the pile of mail for
my letter to ever be read. I figured there were many more deserving saints on Earth who God
considered “certified mail” and all I owned was “bulk rate” stamps.
The truth is, I still cannot imagine it.
But, I see things differently now.

God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) is an eternal being, whose power, presence, and
intelligence are infinite. This means He has no limits or boundaries, in time, or space, or extent,
or magnitude. This means He can love me, adore me, listen to me, experience me, perfectly,
without regard for limitation. It can be like I am the only person that exists in the whole universe
when it comes to communion with God and experiencing His attention and Love. This does not
indicate selfishness, because the same is true for all of us!

So, when I was thinking about what we celebrate today on Good Friday, in this light, or,
new way of thinking for me, it was a whole different experience. Try it!

Maundy Thursday

          As you know, on the Christian calendar today is Maundy Thursday. As Christians, this is the day we have set aside to commemorate a very busy and important day in the life of Jesus—the day before His crucifixion.

          The truth is I don’t know if we have the date even close to correct, but I do know this: whatever the date, the day before Jesus was crucified was a very significant day not only in His life, but also (and especially!) in the life of the Apostles. I am convinced that they have never forgotten most of the events of that day.

          Although the day was filled with significant events, in my opinion, the main event occurred in that infamous Upper Room that was located somewhere in the city of Jerusalem. I am confident that the Apostles had set the table with the usual trappings of a Passover Meal, expecting the experience to follow the ancient customs of the Jewish people, but much to their surprise, Jesus had other plans, plans that He and His Father had put in place before the foundation of the world—ancient plans, indeed.

          It was at this Passover Meal that shadow would become substance, that truth would be revealed, truth that had been hidden in ancient traditions. It was during this meal that the elaborate sacrificial system of the Jewish people would come crashing down. It was in the unleavened bread and the wine that the secret was revealed. “This is My body, which is given for you; this is My blood, which is poured out for you.” Jesus was declaring Himself to be the One and only sacrifice that could take away sins, break down the wall of partition, and grant every believer access into His Presence.

          At such an announcement, “pomp and circumstance” would have certainly been fitting, but Jesus chose, instead, to mark it by washing the feet of those to whom the secret had been revealed.

          It is my prayer that you will experience Him in an unexpected way this Maundy Thursday!    

           

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).      

On the Verge of Shutdown and Bankruptcy?

          As I write this, the entire country is waiting to see if the US Congress will fail to reach a “budget deal” and shut down the government, or reach a “budget deal” and keep it operating. As of this moment, it is anyone’s guess. What we all know, however, is this: unless congress stops spending money we do not have, the US government will be bankrupt—sooner, rather than later. I wonder what Congress will do at that point?

          From what I see and hear, we are a very divided country. Jesus had something to say about this: “And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, ‘Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand’” (Matthew 12:25 NASB). I am quite certain that He was correct, and I am just as certain that we should take heed to His words of caution.

          Thankfully, as believers, we are a part of His Kingdom, the ONLY kingdom that will stand eternally. Make no mistake about these truths: He rules and reigns over His kingdom; He is in control and in charge every time and all-the-time; He does nothing contingently; He does just as He pleases; He never changes; He is never uncertain about anything; He holds no committee meetings; He subjects Himself to no one; He takes advice from no one; He never makes a error; He never has an accident; He has no debt whatsoever; and everything and everyone in His kingdom functions in perfect accordance with His will. As the result, we can rest in the fact that His kingdom will never be on the verge of shutdown or bankruptcy.

          It is sad, indeed, that most of us allow the selfish shenanigans of politicians to distract us from these incredible truths. Please take a moment to remember that you are an alien in a foreign land on your journey Home. The songwriter is correct: This world in not our home; we are just passing through!

          As His child, you are an heir with Jesus to everything in His Father’s Kingdom! You can take that to the “bank!”

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).      

A Dream Worth Remembering!

          I spent the past week on Hilton Head Island, SC. During the last night of my visit, I had a dream, one that I actually remembered (very unusual for me!). As I do every week, much of my “thinking” time on this island was spent mulling over the text for today’s message, the one I would preach at Grace Christian Fellowship. The following is a summary of my dream:

I was in this very large crowd of people, actually a throng of people, who were making their way to the sanctuary of a large church for the Sunday morning service. Out of nowhere, someone walked up to me and pulled me aside, telling me that they needed me to preach (I do not know what had happened to the scheduled preacher, so don’t ask me). The man was very apologetic about giving me such short notice, but I assured him that I did not mind, while thinking, “This is like throwing Br’er Rabbit into the briar patch!”  Soon someone was putting a mike on my lapel. From my perspective, the air was thick with excitement. It was obvious that the people really wanted to be there!

The next scene quickly came into my view. I was standing on the platform, about to begin my sermon when, for reasons completely unknown to me, I said, “How many of you ladies like to dance?” Most of them raised their hands. 

I then asked, “How many of you would like to dance with the best dancer on the planet?” Not as many hands were raised! 

I then asked those whose hands were still raised, “Are you sure, as this man dances perfectly?” I could almost see the “second thoughts” they were having, as many of them lowered their hands. 

Then I asked those who were left, “How many of you want to dance with this dancer right now, in front of this huge audience?” I had to look very carefully to find those whose hands were yet raised.

After a careful look, I walked over and took one of the ladies (she was drop-dead gorgeous!) by the hand,  as if I were the “perfect” dancer, and asked, “May I have this . . .” But before I could say “dance,” I vanished from the scene and Jesus took my place, holding the ladies hand, and placing His arm on her shoulder.

I don’t think I will ever forget that scene, nor will I ever forget the look on her face! The music was incredibly beautiful, but the silence was deafening! Her face said, in unmistakable terms, “I have made a terrible mistake! This man will notice every mistake I make and I will be humiliated. Why in the wide-world did I agree to do this? I will humiliate Him! I wish I could drop through the floor!”

Even so, as the music continued, Jesus swept her up in His arms and danced with her the most beautiful dance I have ever seen. Yes, she made every mistake that could have been made, but it was as if He never even noticed. If He did, it was obvious that she certainly could not tell it. He just kept dancing with her and the more they danced, the more she realized that His focus was on her, not on the mistakes she was making. It seemed that, at least in His eyes, she could not make a mistake. He, obviously, was rejoicing in her, not in her mistakes!

And the dream ended. I looked at my watch. It was exactly 6:30 AM, Saturday morning, April 2, 2011.

          It was in that instant that I realized what the text for today is really about, at least for me. I have known for years that the Christian life is about dancing with Jesus, but I saw in this dream that He was not so much interested in teaching this beautiful lady how to dance, as He was in teaching her how to love—never even noticing when she did it wrong, certainly not “rejoicing in her mistakes”! 

          By the way, this was my text for today: “. . . love does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Corinthians 13:5b NASB).

Some of the other versions of the Bible have this to say:

Love never even notices when another does it wrong (Living Bible).

Love keeps no records of wrongs (NIV).

Love does not rejoice in iniquity (KJV).

Love takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong] (AMP).

Love does not keep score of the sins of others (The Message).

          Just for the record: God uses the Law, not to teach us how to be righteous, but to teach us how to love, which is the fulfillment of the Law. He does this by refusing to “notice” when we do it wrong! He can do this because Jesus was the Perfect Sacrifice (Dancer!). As the result, our sin-record has been canceled and nailed to the cross!

“If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand” (Psalm 130:3 NASB).

         

"This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).