Chocolate Bunnies (Too early?)

Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 

Did you ever get one of those Chocolate Easter Bunnies? You know the one I am talking about.It's about 18 inches tall, but it was bought at the dollar store. (Big red flag!) It looks so good, but you take that first bite (on the ear, of course) to discover it is hollow! 

Sadly, this is the case for many people. Looking good on the outside, no sign of a problem, almost, dare I say, normal. But on the inside: hollow and empty.

Following Christ is a matter of being strong from the inside out - a matter of the condition of the heart. And once we forget that, we are vulnerable to a list of spiritual dangers. For example: 

• Why do students fall spiritually and morally their first year away from home?
   
• Why would a church deacon entertain himself with immoral television or internet material?
   
• Why would a pastor have an affair with a woman he is counseling?
   
• Why would someone seemingly get tired of following Christ? Why would righteousness become boring?

This all happens when either a Christian completely loses heart, or a non-believer comes to realization that maybe like that bunny, they have looked good on the outside, but have been hollow on the inside. Instead of growing deeper and richer at the center, we grow more shallow and hollow. 

We must not be content to evaluate our walk on externals. God Himself does not do that. He is after the relationship, growing us and changing us from the inside out. 

Can we each pause today and ask ourselves where our heart is with God right this moment? If we are finding ourselves empty, why would we delay in running to the source of filling, to the very One who wants to fill us? 

p.s. - hates those bunnies, but even more, hates being like one

Don’t Mistake My Tears

A good friend of mine, who has been such a blessing to me and my family, blessed me this week by taking me to “God’s Design for Disability”, a conference at John Piper’s church.

As many who read this know, my wife Erin and I have 2 autistic children. We have a heart to get a ministry started at the church to love and bless these families that are going through similar issues.

I was going to type all of the encouraging words John Piper and the other speakers gave. But honestly, I am still trying to digest it all. It was a lot of heavy stuff to take in one day!

But instead, I am just going to say: I cried a lot. Dang it, I am welling up now. Give me a second.

OK.

Here’s what I want to clear up: do not mistake my tears.

I was not, am not, tearing up because I saw a lot of “disabled” people (I did). Nor am I weepy because I know I am going home to my own “special needs” kids (I am).

These tears are tears of joy. Actually, they are the first fruits of the tears of joy I will have on that Day.

The Bible tells us, in Revelation 21:3-5: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."

The Day is coming. Wheelchairs will be obsolete. Braces and crutches will be artifacts of a world long gone. Autism will be ancient history. Downs Syndrome will only be spoken of past tense.

Replacing it all will be wholeness. Glorious wholeness. Death and disease and disability gone forever. Pain, mourning, sleepless nights… forever gone. Replaced by the glorious wholeness of all of Christ’s people as we, and this is the best part, dwell in the glorious presence of God forever. The greatest worship service of all time, because it is never going to end.

So my tears now are just the anticipation of this. Will God wipe these tears then, or only the tears associated with us coming to the full realization that is was the brutal death of God’s Son to pay for my horrible sin? I don’t know.

So do me a favor. When the tears associated with autism well up in me, don’t feel bad for me. Don’t feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. Please just smile and say, “Yeah, it is going to be awesome.”

p.s. - looking for a Kleenex

God is Laughing

Well, I learned that God has a Facebook page.

I was dropping in on the lives of friends, family, and others on the social media site just the other day when I came across a repost of something “god” posted earlier.

It wasn’t from God, the capital “G“ real God.

I went to this Facebook page of this “god” character. It was obviously meant to be funny, but what I saw was anything but. It featured everything from blasphemy towards God to mocking Christians to exalting sin.

Do NOT waste your time going there, and for sure don‘t let your kids on this page! The things on there have bothered me for days, just the sick, arrogant dishonoring of the Lord.

Have you ever wondered what God thinks of this stuff? You know He sees it, He sees everything! Does it frustrate Him, annoy Him, make Him discouraged…? How does God feel about this?

There are 3 passages in the Bible that say “God laughs”, and in all of them, He is laughing at the same thing. Check these out:

Psalm 2:4 -

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Psalm 37:13 -

but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

Psalm 59:8 -

But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.

Check the context of all three of these passages, and you will see that when the wicked have the audacity to exalt themselves in the face of the Almighty, He simply laughs at them. Like a gnat trying to knock down a linebacker, the foolishness of a human (or even a nation) getting in the face of the Almighty is just pathetic - laughable!

I don’t enjoy the thought of the end of the wicked, but I do enjoy the thought that the Lord isn’t bothered by them. His offer of grace is still on the table, for now. But whether it is Facebook, or Hollywood, or evolutionary “scientists”, or atheistic psychologists, be sure that when man tries to put himself in God’s position, the Lord laughs. 

p.s. - is not going to friend "god" on Facebook

Your Days are Numbered, So Wise Up!

My wife is a genius when it comes to the study and understanding of health issues. From vitamins to nutrition to toxins to just about everything, she is on it. A couple of weeks ago we were discussing the matter. We were discussing a certain toxin that many people unknowingly consume (I can‘t remember what it is right now, hope I am not eating it!), when she said, “That is something that increases your chance of death.” My response was, “No it won‘t. I am guaranteed to die someday. My chances are 100%.”

Frankly, I am surprised I am not dead already with smart answers like that.

But the sad truth is: we are all going to die. Hebrews 9:27 says: “…it is appointed for man to die once…” I have skipped eye doctor appointments, rescheduled lunch appointments, and missed vet appointments for my dog. But this appointment, I will not be able to avoid. The death rate is still one per customer. I am not making light of it - this is reality.

And the reality really sinks in when it is someone we know and love. Right now I have 3 very dear friends who have loved ones with failing health. And unless the Lord intervenes with a miracle, death looks to be coming soon.

“Thanks for the grim news, Pastor Jeff. We are all gonna die.” It’s not news. It is a reality we must remind ourselves. That’s why Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:2 “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.”

Strange verse at first glace, right? I would rather go to a party than a funeral. But Solomon says it is better to go to a funeral than a party! Why? Because we are all heading towards our own death, and a funeral has a way of making the funeral attendees stop and think about their lives.

What am I living for? How am I spending my life? Why am I here? What happens when I die? These are all questions we should be “laying to the heart” in the face of death.

Death is not only coming, but it is coming quick for all of us. The Bible tells us our lives are like perishing beasts (Psalm 49:12), a passing wind (Psalm 78:39), dust (Psalm 103:14), a fading leaf (Isaiah 64:6), and a vapor (James 4:14).

Because of the brevity of life, in Psalm 90:12, Moses prays, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

How can we “number our days“? Let’s do a little exercise together.

Two verses prior, Moses says, “ The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty...” So taking Moses’ average, we get 75 years.

So if you are 15 years old that means you have 21,900 days until you turn 75. Use the handy chart below to calculate the number of your days!

Age     Days of Life Left

25         18,250

35         14,600

45         10,950

55         7,300

65         3,650

75         0

OVER 75 - you are on borrowed time

On second thought, I don’t think that is what Moses meant by numbering our days. He is not asking that God helps us calculate when we may die. He is asking God to help us always keep the brevity of life in mind as we meditate on how we are living our lives.

We keep a checkbook to track how we spend our money. Here’s an assignment for you: keep a checkbook of how you spend your time. Take a calendar or day planner, and instead of using it just for appointments, write down what you actually did do. This lets you objectively look at how well you are spending your time… and if you are presenting a heart of wisdom before the Lord. You may be surprised at how much you do some things and how little you actually do others. I have done this assignment before, and it is surprising! I think it is about time to do it again. 

p.s. - Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)