The Cares of This World & Smart Phones

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  ~ Hebrews 12:1

Could we see it coming? In the 1990s and into the 2000s; Telephones became cell phones, faxes became emails became texts, desktops became laptops and then tablets. Cell phones became Blackberrys®, and then blue tooth ear pieces arrived and then came smart phones. Technology has allowed us to cram tons of information and functionality into smaller and smaller devices while pushing our productivity well into our leisure time. We can work anywhere - any time. “Myth of scarcity” oriented employers love this. “Lyric of abundance” believers struggle for balance. The boundary lines are blurred or gone altogether.

I remember thinking that this ability to work anywhere, any time would allow even the most inefficient worker to appear deceptively productive with 24X7 available to get an 8X5 job done. Initially, it was everyone’s “edge” on the other. And with that enlarged 24X7 window every industry expanded its expectations to occupy it and we are now - many of us - 24X7 slaves by default … thanks to technology. Progress or “Rat Race” redefined and turbocharged?

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” ~ Matthew 13:22

Anyone who is not caught up in the scenario I have described above has maintained their freedom and leveraged the new technology for good through conscious (borderline rebellious) deliberate effort. But those gadgets still beckon and call for our attention with a seductive aroma of guilt that draws us to our busy little devices at all hours and amidst all activities to “take care of business” (whatever that may be) that is never done. The cares of the world cry out to us like the Sirens of Greek Mythology.

To all the type “A”s out there reading this with mental notes popping in their heads; you may rationalize all you wish. Those gadgets in the pic above are from my tech "junk drawer" ...

The cares of the world, the things of this world, being conformed to the world are all things we are warned about in the Bible. They are traps and snares cleverly devised to siphon away the joy intended for us in this life and - yes - in this age..

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” ~ Romans 12:2

If you are a believer, you are not of this world, though you are certainly in it. In the Gospel of John, Chapter 17, Jesus prays for the glorious outcome of His mission in this world, He prays for His disciples and He prays for all future believers (that's you and I!). This is Jesus’ last act before His arrest, trials and crucifixion. Jesus’ prayers in that instance are in deliberate contrast to the world system in which He knew we would struggle. The word “world” is repeated 17 times in John 17 in the New King James version. Check it out.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. ~ 1 John 2:15-17

A recent post written by Os Hillman (TGIF) titled “To Know My Ways” resonates;

“Technology is supposed to make our ability to accomplish things easier and make us more productive. I love the technology gadgets available to us today. In twenty years these will seem as old and archaic as the eight track player. (See, some of you don't know what that is.)
Research reveals that the average person is working much longer hours today because we literally can work from anywhere. Our technology allows us to stay in constant contact with others, which means we are always on call. Unless we intentionally set boundaries, we will never rest from our work.
God got angry with the people of Israel because they did not know His ways. They failed to recognize the boundaries He had set for them that would ensure a spiritual and physically successful life. They chose to disregard His ways. This disobedience led to their inability to enter God's rest.
God's rest means that we can actually do our work and still be refreshed through His Spirit in our inner man. It is the opposite of sweat and toil. It means that the fruit of our work comes as a result of abiding in the vine of His grace and power. Jesus said you can do nothing (worthwhile) unless you are connected to the vine.
In order to do this you and I must do two things. We must understand His ways and we must do His ways. When we follow these two things, we will begin to experience His supernatural rest in all of our endeavors.”

"Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of 15 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org"

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

~ Colossians 3:2

Blessings,
Bill

Partnerships & Yokes / Abraham & Lot

There is a popular concept shared amongst those in the Christian community that refers to the even or uneven “yoking” of individuals. In marriage, in social relationships and in business uneven yoking is amplified if one of the members is an authentic Christian and the other is not. The sort of stark contrast that manifests when a true believer is yoked in any significant way (like in a business partnership or in a personal relationship like marriage) to an unbeliever can only lead to conflict which leads to one of several potential outcomes; the winning of a soul to Christ and the bounty that follows, a split or a life of monotonous discord and misery.

Paul advises the Corinthian Church in his second letter to them in Chapter 6, Verse 14 not to be yoked together with unbelievers. Paul goes on to ask, “what communion has light with darkness?” He encourages believers to “be separate”. Paul is referring to partnerships and fellowship – intimate relationships that rely on faith and trust to be wholesome – and blessed. He’s not instructing Christians to separate entirely from society and only interact with one another. After all, how else would the Gospel be spread? Similarly, Christians are not meant to blend into society. They are meant to contrast with society as beacons of light that lead to hope and salvation.

Fundamental personal relationships require a yoking with those who are like-minded and hearted for the building up of our faith, Godly encouragement and selfless support.

I have known and I know believers who are unevenly yoked with business and life partners and such relationships, unattended, eventually choke. There will come a time when the choking may demand an un-yoking and the dissolving of a partnership or relationship. Placing that relationship at the foot of the Cross is the starting place. God in the infinite wisdom, love and power of His Spirit will search the hearts of those involved and He may restore and re-set the yoke or He may cast off the yoke.

When the notion of an unyoking or dissolving of a flawed or dysfunctional partnership is considered it is just as important to consider what and for whom we grasp in the process. Our motives and manipulations of the circumstances to affect an outcome will factor into whether or not the outcome is a blessed one. The only thing to grasp for in such a circumstance is Jesus Christ.

I was recently doing a study contrasting the character and integrity of Abram and Lot. Early on in the Biblical account of their relationship (Genesis 13) we see that both have become successful. Their flocks and herds co-exist in one region of pastures and they have out-consumed the ability of the land to support their growth. Conflicts begin to arise. The situation is unsustainable. Abram initiates action. What follows is the dissolution of the partnership between Abram and Lot. What is revealed in the process of that dissolution tells of the character of each of the partners.

What Abram has in character Lot lacks. Where Abram is a selfless initiator of the partnership split and gives Lot first choice of the lands he will move toward, Lot thinks only of himself and makes a hasty choice out of selfish and slothful ambition. Where Abram is a man of action, Lot is passive and goes along to get along. Where Abram accepts responsibility, Lot does not. Where Abram acts courageously, Lot is cowardly. Where Abram trusts God and looks to the greater rewards promised by God, Lot settles for cheap comfort here and now. Where Abram is an authentic man, Lot is a sad counterfeit of a man and his family and lineage pay dearly for it.

Abram: He becomes Abraham, he and his household are blessed and he becomes the first of the Biblical Patriarchs.

Lot: Not so much …

Blessings,

Bill

God - Go Before Me

 "The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes," ~ Deuteronomy 1:30

I’d been studying in Leviticus and Numbers and about the old law and the sacrifices required to cover sin. Leviticus and Numbers can be monotonous reading but one cannot come away from such reading without a sense of the exquisite order in those books, often repeated for emphasis … true evidence that the Creator is a God of deliberate order and structure and provision to the finest detail. He is in the farthest reaches of the past, He is here now and in the farthest reaches of the future. He anticipates all things. He goes before all things.

I had been immersed in my study all day recently and that evening my wife and I sat to rest after dinner in our backyard. It’s early spring and the birds are back and up to their mating antics. It’s a cacophony of chirping and ruffling of feathers and pairs whirling about. We’ve lived in our home for 30 years and we recognize the returning Sparrows, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Robins and Mocking Birds (my favorite). They make nests in the same bushes – and leave droppings on our cars in the same places. Heaven knows how many generations of the same family of birds we have seen hatch, grow and return here each year.

We have Red Tailed Hawks now too. Something ominously new. This has added a dimension of drama to our little backyard nature show. Once in a while all the birds, quite suddenly, will take frantic flight and disappear. A scrambling mass evacuation. Moments later the spectre of a soaring hawk will appear; wings spread and rigid, banking and weaving a pattern like a fighter plane just above the canopy of trees - a shark patrolling its reef.

As my wife and I sat in our lawn chairs two Morning Doves flew just above our heads and perched on our stockade fence not ten feet away. They startled us. Then they moved closer and perched atop our back door awning. They seemed completely at ease and tame so close to us. The little couple faced each other, necking and preening. I sensed that their proximity to us gave them a sort of protection from the threats orbiting above. Or maybe they were just curious. Or maybe the were a sign. They had come to rest so naturally and so close.

Doves are a sign of peace and considered by many to be a good omen. Doves, a relative of the pigeon, were also a suitable blood offering to cover the sins of a poor man under the old covenant. A bird, plentiful and easily caught, they were prescribed as an acceptable offering if a ram or other such animal were not procurable due to one's limited means. Imagine seeing these creatures as something to be caught and split in half and burnt – to cover one’s sins. How many would have to be caught over-and-over again and slain to make restitution for my repeated sins?

As I looked at these two beautiful, sweet, gentle, innocent doves and thought about my willful, rebellious sin I could not help but consider my callous disregard for the pollution of my sins on me and the creation all around me. Perhaps the need for the slaughter of innocence every time one sinned might heighten mankind’s conviction and turn him from it. But apparently that didn’t work – the history in the Bible documents that.

So, as with the creation, as with the entire Israelite generation that wandered to their deaths in the wilderness led by a pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day and the new generation who knew nothing of Egypt’s bondage and who strayed nonetheless – He led. As with the victories and the prophesies all promised and fulfilled despite our lack of faith; God went before us, once again, once and for all, as the last blood sacrifice – sparing the animals and the birds and most importantly us. Sparing us so we might have fellowship with Him and acknowledge His glory. The worse we behaved the more graciously He endured His beloved creation and He always led. He always leads. He must lead.

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:8

Seeing those doves not as food and not as an offering is seeing those doves as God created them and intended us to see them – innocent, dependent, beautiful, wonderfully made, loved.

God – go before us. Go before me.

"I will go before you
and make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
and cut the bars of iron."

Isaiah 45:2

Blessings,

Bill       

What A Gossip Won't Tell You

Listen. I've got to tell you something that's really been bothering me. Now this is just between you and me. Please don't utter a word of it to anyone else. It's just that I'm really concerned. I'm not a gossip or anything and what I'm going to tell you - well, the person I'm going to tell you about - is someone I truly love and respect. They are a brother in the faith after all and I don't want you to get me wrong - BUT ...

God is faithful to lead us to the Truth about things. His Word is a treasure trove of wisdom. The other day He brought me to Proverbs 20:19. You know how sometimes a familiar verse explodes with deeper meaning? Well, that's what happened. The verse is about refraining from dealing with "Gossips" – but the lesson I was to learn in meditation on that verse was about a whole lot more.

We have all been "overtaken" by a gossip episode. It's a temptation. Once entangled we can't wait to get out of its web. It’s a human weakness and satan uses gossip very skillfully to ruin people, relationships and organizations. We’ve all been drawn into or have witnessed a gossip episode that was divisive, wrong and God-less. We know that whatever we tell another “in confidence” will be retold “in confidence” because we have all done it ourselves. Every Christian knows that there is nothing new under the sun and that we all share the same sin nature and sin struggles. It’s universal. If you were born you will experience what everyone else experiences – you will be drawn into a gossip or be wounded by one. You will tell another what you “really” think of another person whom you have flattered to their face. What does the Bible say? 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man."

Maybe you or I were lucky when we fell into the temptation of a “gossip” and the smear ran its course without us being revealed as complicit in its perpetuation. God saw it. Maybe you were exposed and the damage to your reputation ruined a relationship or invalidated your testimony for a long season. Maybe you are still not speaking with that person or those persons and the wounds are still raw. Perhaps those wounds will never heal (which is the subject of another contemplation ...).

We all get caught up in gossip when we do not quench it at its birth. Neutral silence is not neutral at all – it is tacit approval. In Proverbs 6:12-19 (NKJV) God lists six and then seven things that He hates; “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth; he winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers; perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren.” What the Bible is describing here, in my opinion, is the “instigator” of gossip, the agent of satan of whom we need to be watchful. And we need to watchful of the impulse for it in ourselves.

Something in our flesh derives a measure of self esteem from being able to tell someone else something they don’t know that excites them about another human being - A TALE. You see, we would all do well to follow the wisdom of 2 Corinthians 10:12 which states, “for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”  We derive false self-esteem from such comparisons and relativist behavior and thinking.

Without complete trust and harmony with God we are all desperately insecure. With that insecurity as a subtle lever our adversary pries open our mind and suggests that security can be had by betraying a confidence or by undermining another. We bring this betrayal like a precious gem to others who gladly accept it as a sort of gift. And so sin infiltrates our mind through an insecure heart egged-on by an agent of satan who serves as instigator. A weak relationship with God causes us to grasp at acceptance from the crowd of people around us and in that arena we will be tempted to offer up on the altar of social acceptance whatever tidbits that a gossip can use to weave discord.

Leading up to the revelation in Proverbs 20:19 are three verses I would like to present;

Proverbs 11:13 (NKJV) A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

Proverbs 16:28 (NKJV) A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

You don’t generally see or hear a lot about the topic of gossip unless there is a problem with it. I’ve witnessed gossiping storms that have swept in and resulted in church splits and the complete demise of churches. A house divided against itself will not stand and often goes up in flames sparked by gossip or urged into an inferno by an arsonist's accelerant of gossip. I’ve witnessed people driven to literally accusing their brethren of being possessed by satan and demons in their spiral of gossip and denial of gossip as they run to cover their complicity in the spreading of gossip gone wild. It is cowardly, deceitful and makes greater cowards out of those who succumb to it. It is satan’s most exquisite tool to alienate us one from another. Oh how gossip leads to the isolation and persecution of innocents. There is no forgiveness or love to be found in gossip; only insinuation, fabrications, exaggerations and hurt.  

And so we come to Proverbs 20:19. (I have been using text references from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible here because I found a greater depth to the wisdom conveyed by Proverbs 20:19 in this version that is somehow not illuminated in the other translations I studied. So, to be consistent, I have stayed with the NKJV throughout.)

Proverbs 20:19 (NKJV) states; “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.”

Did I read that right - especially the second part? So there it is. Phrasing it in my own words; A gossiper will betray a confidence and broadcast what is heard without a care for any damage it may do. SO – don’t hang around with or confide in such a person who uses flattery to disarm you in order to draw information from you that he will use to sow discord.  Fair enough?

Key here is the use of the word “flattery” which comes from the Hebrew root “Pathah” meaning; to delude, allure, deceive, entice, flatter, persuade or ally in a sinister way.

The warning is clear; certainly steer clear of gossipers but therefore and most importantly steer clear of flatterers because they are the instigators of gossip. If someone starts telling you how great you are – RED FLAGS – GOSSIP INSTIGATOR ALERT! Most of us are not of this two-fold personality but we allow ourselves to get caught up in the schemes of those who are and we become complicit in their treachery.

So gossipers are not always just gossipers and blabbermouths. Deceitful people can come disguised as flatterers. Gossiping and flattery are not, apparently, mutually exclusive traits according to God – they go together. Don’t trust flatterers. Flatterers may be gossipers. These are sowers of division and dissent. Don’t associate with them. Who do you know who has flattered you in a disarming way and has used your pride to draw information from you? Who tells you how great you are AND THEN asks you what you think about somebody else or some situation or your position on some issue? Who tells you how great you are and then adds how under-appreciated you are and then makes a statement about what they think about someone or something to whom you in your self-gloating silence send a message of tacit agreement? Cut them off.

I wish I could say that I have a perfect record with regard to gossip but I do not. And the same goes with the power of flattery on my ego. My pride is susceptible to the prying lever of flattery.

Genuine commendation, appreciation and affirmation is not flattery. Such input can be positive, reassuring and encouraging when it is offered forth WITHOUT STRINGS ATTACHED. Because when strings are attached - those strings will bind you.

A gossiper won't tell you any of this ... !

Blessings,

Bill

Matters of the Heart

It’s now February. And no, this isn't a Valentine's Day message.

Most of the year lays ahead of us. Momentum is building. But on what foundation is that momentum being built? Are God-honoring motives at the core? As you contemplate and cast your vision outward, are you testing your heart and your motives? Have you asked God to examine your heart? A small group of Christian Business leaders with whom I meet and with whom I serve as a facilitator for "Truth @ Work" recently focused on the core reality of King David – he had a heart after God - and God knew it - and God delighted in David. Here's what else we discussed:

God delights in you – His creation – fearfully and wonderfully made in His image! He wants us to wallow and wonder in that and proclaim His glory. That's the core of the intimate relationship God wants with each of us through His Son Jesus Christ.

God measures us by the movements of our hearts. How does your heart respond to His love and the promptings of His Holy Spirit? How does it respond to sinful impulse? If we can fully embrace the notion that God truly delights in us, such a self-identity will lead to an intimacy with God that produces steadiness in prosperity and adversity.

Pastor Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City said this about how our sin nature will influence the way we handle success if we have not guarded our heart against it; “When honor increases it causes the heart to be glad and stumble into pride. When honor decreases it causes the heart to be sad and it stumbles into bitterness and complaining.” How does your heart respond?

“Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth. A stranger and not your own lips.” ~ Proverbs 27:2

If our heart is not right, in prosperity we will draw away from God and only in adversity will we seek Him. So as Psalm 37:4 states; “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

A recent blog post by Os Hillman puts a good perspective on this;

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1a

Imagine spending years building an expensive home with the finest materials and craftsmanship. It is a work of art, and the project is almost complete. As the day arrives to move in, a building inspector arrives and hands you a notice that condemns your beautiful home because it doesn't meet code. Many Christian workplace believers who invest years in their businesses will one day stand before the Lord and realize they were building the house, not the Lord. God is very picky about motives behind the actions. Before we act, we must ask why? Why are we doing what we are doing? Has God called us to this task? Or is the real motive purely financial? Or control. Or prestige. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).

David learned this principle by the end of his life. Throughout his life he had learned that God always tested him to find out what was in his heart, and what his motive was in his actions. David instructed his son to "...acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts" (1 Chron. 28:9a).

"Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of 15 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org"

As we seek success in our endeavors we must indeed guard our hearts from the ill effects of success when we achieve it. And achieve we should – with a heart after God.      

And what is success? Is it not luxuriating in the unconditional intimate love and delight of God in us? Picture David, the King of Israel, dancing and singing naked before the Ark.  Scandalous!

Blessings,

Bill

Redeeming The Time

“The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” ~ Psalm 90:10-12 (NKJV)

2015 looms large. Do I make plans for the New Year? Do I sit down and envision the future and make a list of things to do and ambitions to accomplish? Certainly there are desires in my head that I want to see come to fruition. What did I plan for 2014? Did any of that turn out? And of what is left undone - do I move those things out into next year or do I give up on them altogether and push the reset button and start afresh?

If I focus on present circumstances alone I lose sight of what has led up to now. How does the saying go; “the past is prologue …”? Is a one year segment the way that God views the continuum of my life? On reflection that notion doesn’t seem reasonable. Why would the God of eternity care about a one year segment in the context of His plan for my life? What is a year or any segment of time to Him? Why is it important to me?

Haven’t I learned to be more of a man of the moment leaning on God’s wisdom to guide my steps – to simply DO THE NEXT THING? Doesn’t Proverbs 3:5-6 make this clear; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” ?

Am I making a mistake setting goals that rely on what I can do versus what He can do or should there be a union in our effort? Do I relegate to Him only the things that I believe I cannot achieve myself and launch them in His general direction via prayer? Am I minimizing or, worse, marginalizing God with my puny list of resolutions? I need balance.

What I do certainly matters to God. My work matters to God. There are things I must DO. The Hebrew word for work in the Bible (“avodah”) is used interchangeably to mean both work and worship. It’s where we get the modern word “vocation”. Spiritual harmony suggests that there be a mingling of what I do and what God has in mind. Both must occupy the same time. I know that my life in Christ is an invitation to become a friend and co-worker with God and so my ambitions really need to reflect that mind-set … that heart-set. My work is worship ~ My plans are a devotional.

And what of the setbacks I have experienced and the struggles that have risen up to discourage me? Not long ago I was experiencing just such a discouraging episode and as I began to give in to self-pity a gentle whisper reminded me that He suffered much more than this and He suffered it for me and that His response was to love those who scorned Him. The words of Philippians 3:10 exploded in my heart; “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being transformed by His death.” Similar sentiment is conveyed in 1 Peter 4:12-13. This is relevant as we struggle with the pursuit of visions and set goals and endeavor toward anything worthy. There will be struggles, pain, loss and discouragement. Authentic testimonies will be forged that will draw men toward the TRUTH.

Things don’t always go as we plan them. General Eisenhower said, “Plans are worthless but planning is everything.” Whether Von Clausewitz , Von Moltke, Napoleon or Caesar said it, experienced military strategists will agree that “no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.” And we indeed have an adversary.

So, as plans and aspirations begin to sprout with the New Year approaching I believe that there are certain foundational bases that may need attention. First things first; whose plan are we talking about? Bearing our cross is submission to “His” plan.

Jesus puts it this way in Luke 14:26-33 (NKJV); “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”  He’s talking about the plans of men … my plans ... your plans.

The two greatest variables in any plan are material resources and time. Accepting for a moment that we have access to God’s unlimited material resources, we, living in time, must contend with that most precious of resources (time) and the Bible provides guidance on that.

Ephesians 5:14-16 (NKJV); “Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Colossians 4:1-5 (NKJV); “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

The definitions of redeeming/redemption are many;

§        exchange for something of more value,

§        to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable,

§        to exchange for money or to buy back, repurchase,

§        to free from what distresses or harms: as to free from captivity by payment of ransom,

§        to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental,

§        to change for the better: reform, repair, restore,

§        to make good.

The days are indeed evil, now more than at any other time in history because they seek to spirit away our time and distract our attention. Thanks to electronic devices and an amplitude of information, innuendo and gossip the onslaught is merciless. Truth is a needle in a haystack of relativist chaff.

So as we consider the future we would be wise to consider the greater plan of which we are a part – to which we have submitted - if we are Christian. We should consider our portion in it and look to direct our paths with all expectation of the good outcome that He has in mind and be willingly surrendered to it.

Joshua 3:5 is most encouraging; “Consecrate yours, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Consecrate; to set aside for a sacred purpose, devoted to a higher calling or standard, designated for noble purpose, set apart for what is goodness and virtue.

With all of this as a runway for your mind;  what are some outlandish outcomes that might manifest in and from your life if God alone was the reason for them coming to fruition. These are things you could never muster up for accomplishment. Allow yourself to open up and breathe in what He has in mind for 2015 and beyond. Tell Him that you are ready to join Him as He invites you into that.

What enters your heart? What might you dare to declare? What dare you claim in His name? This is the basis for a great plan. Look back and see what He has done that you didn’t orchestrate of yourself. In those things you will find the foundations of a vision to pray upon. Miracles yet to be. State the God-sized outcome as a fact - as though it already is accomplished and you are describing its reality in detail. Open up, invite Him in, breathe in the vision, allow it to be big and ridiculously impossible for you or any man to do.

Redeem the time!

Blessings,

Bill

"Paying it forward"

A few weeks ago one our vehicles experienced the sort of mechanical failure that can really throw your routine out of whack. We had been out of town for a week and flew in late on Saturday evening. The following day the alternator of one of our two cars “fried” as we drove to church. I knew something was wrong because the battery light kept flickering on and off. On the way home we tried to stop at SEARS to have the car checked but they were closed. Now the battery light was on steady – and I suspected we were driving on battery power alone. We thought that maybe we could get the electrical system checked at a local auto parts store that was on our way home.

An eighth of a mile from that store we lost all power but were miraculously able to “coast” into the parking lot. The battery was dead. A turn of the key didn’t even produce a clicking sound. The store attendant tested the electrical system and insisted that the battery alone was the problem. I wasn’t so sure but I didn’t want to argue and we needed to get home so we purchased a new battery and with the strength of its charge we were able to drive the car home. The battery light, however, began to flicker on and off again. Once home I tested the battery with a meter in our driveway and concluded that the alternator was the real problem. So we dropped the car off in the lot of our local mechanic’s shop so it would be there on Monday morning when he arrived at his shop. That Sunday evening we began sorting out how we were going to manage with one vehicle on a hectic “first day” back to work and our normal workweek routine.

My wife was scheduled to do an early workout on Monday so that would have to be cancelled. She called her physical trainer to let her know. To my wife’s surprise, the trainer, without any hesitation, offered to lend us her car. It was an extraordinary gesture of spontaneous generosity. After a pause my wife accepted the offer and this woman’s next remark was, “where would you like me to bring the car?”. We insisted that we would pick up the car and this woman loaned us her pristine, sporty, late model Cadillac for as long as we needed it! I don’t know about you but I don’t believe that I would have done that. Maybe an offer to give her a ride somewhere - but not that.

That evening with the Cadillac sitting our driveway we marveled at the trust, the generosity and the ease with which this woman had loaned us the car that was her pride and joy.

The next day our mechanic dropped what he was doing and repaired our car by that evening (a testimony to the value of loyal relationships and of local family run small businesses). We returned the Cadillac to the woman who had loaned it to us and my wife mentioned that she wanted to do something as a “thank you”. The woman was adamant; “Absolutely not!” she said. Then she explained that she had had car troubles not long ago and another woman had loaned her her car on the stipulation that she “pay it forward”. Now her “pay it forward” obligation was fulfilled. She went on to say that it was amazing how quickly the opportunity to “pay it forward” had presented itself. That explained her instant readiness to recognize and respond to our need. Now we could “pay it forward”.

We know this woman to be of the giving sort. The “pay it forward” spirit resonated with this woman’s own kind heart as it has with many other people. “Paying it forward” has given many the permission to be spontaneously altruistic to acquaintances and even strangers to whom they would not otherwise extend an extraordinary favor. So now my wife and I have a “pay it forward” debit on our new “pay it forward” account. I wonder how long it will be until an opportunity presents itself to balance our book? I also wonder how quick we will be to recognize the opportunity and jump at the chance to “pay it forward” to “whomever” circumstance places in our path? I hope we respond in as fine a fashion as this woman did toward us.

I got to thinking; certainly there was an element of obligation in this woman’s gesture to us but there was a greater element of joy in the whole thing. There was a recent national news story about a drive-thru coffee shop that had an unbroken chain of well over 100 “pay it forward” customers. The remarks of the participants in that chain were diverse; Some had been more than happy to go along, most thought it was a wonderful experience, others had felt bound by obligation and somewhat powerless to break the chain. The  person who ended the chain had simply refused to keep it going. Part of me had braced at the selfishness of the spoilsport and another part of me had applauded his (yes it was a guy) spirit of nonconformity. Would I have gone along with it? Probably - but I’d be hoping the guy behind me was only ordering a small black coffee. 

On further reflection I am convicted by the woman who loaned us her car for her cheerful gesture and what it has provoked in my thoughts. I am a Christian and I have to admit that the cheerful giver referred to in 2 Corinthians 9:7 lends a lot to this discussion; “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion (obligation), for God loves a cheerful giver.”(NIV). For the most part I would consider myself a deliberate and cheerful giver. Once in a while I lapse into a second-guessing/double-minded sort of giver. But I do indeed most prefer to be a “no strings attached”, unconditional, cheerful giving person and I derive the greatest infectious sort of joy through that spirit of giving.

As a Christian I am a little conflicted by the whole “pay it forward” way of thinking. Like karma, chain letters, guilt ploys, pyramid marketing schemes and religious obligation I don’t like anything that smacks of the religious or of obligation. “Paying it forward” can be that. But rather than dismiss the whole notion as obligatory I have to admit that my faith indeed has embedded within it a “pay it forward” essence. But there is one chief difference with what I have to “pay forward”; I could never possibly pay “it” forward enough.

What I’m referring to, of course, is what Jesus did for me. He paid the price for my life forward to eternity. It is up to me to accept the gift of it – period - end of story – no pay back but this; If I truly am His, my appreciation for what He has done should make me want to proclaim Him and His glory to the world from the rooftops! And His gift was not and is not random; it was and is personal and impossible for me to ever ruin or replicate. Thanks be to God for His indescribable (indestructible) gift (2 Corinthians 9:15)! 

He (Jesus) has instructed me and all who are Christians, all who are indeed HIS, to “Love one another as I have loved you.” So, in a sense, I am a debtor to “pay it forward” to all men and women who do not know Christ and His saving grace with the good news of that mercy and grace – what He did for me!

But it doesn’t end there. There are the words of Jesus in the Book of Matthew 25:40; “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” That infers an above and beyond “pay it forward” toward humanity and that I should see JESUS in every needful human condition and situation I encounter – just as he saw me in my needful state. That should keep me busy.

So, as a Christian I have the ultimate “pay it forward” on my account - and it is an honor to have it. It’s a commission really – a great commission. But here’s a difference. No matter what I ever do Jesus loves me and will love me. And He did something else. When I accepted His gift He filled me with His Spirit Who gives me a capacity to endure and to love and to be wise and to have compassion as He does. He gave me a new heart. The book of Ezekiel puts it this way;

Ezekiel 11:19 “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

So there is no obligation, only an ingrained “new-person” capacity to unconditionally love and give as He loves and gives AND an inclination to spontaneously share the joy that is in me with a single mind. So, it is with this mind that I “pay it forward” daily with single-minded joy and with limitless resource – God’s resource. Relaying on God’s abundance I am never diminished in my giving and He renews me daily. I am challenged by this because my flesh rises up in self-centeredness casting fears that in such giving abandon I may empty myself unto my ruin. I know such fear is false.

With a new heart I am now inclined to be a cheerful, spontaneous giver. As Proverbs 4:18 puts it, I am a work in progress, yielding myself to His will and letting His love shine out through me; “The path of the righteous in like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

The fried alternator that led to the actions of this woman who loaned us her car that illuminated these principles to my mind and heart is yet another proof that, as James 1:2-8 exhorts; “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” Romans 5:3-5 supports it this way; “ … we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (NKJV).

“Paying it forward” - with blessings,

Bill

P.S. I must admit, that Cadillac was one fine automobile.