What Are You Hiding?

A recent survey revealed that ‎76% of parents with teens on Facebook have “friended” their kids. 29% of teens say they would “unfriend” their parents if they could get away with it, and they are twice as likely to want to “unfriend” Mom than Dad. One young lady I saw interviewed on television said, “I don’t want my parents to know everything I’m doing!”  What I find ironic is that they are willing to post things on the internet for the whole world to see, but they don’t want mom and dad to know what they are doing!

We all have things we would like to hide. When we know we have done wrong, we react like Adam and Eve in the Garden, wanting to hide from God. What we forget is that our loving Father only wants what is best for us at all times. He wants us to know His love, His mercy, His compassion, His forgiveness for Jesus’ sake. When we try to hide our sins, He sees right through us. However, when we confess our sins, He covers us with the righteousness of Christ and sees us as cleansed and forgiven.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.  (Psalm 32:5)

Hide me, Lord, in your Holiness.

Number Our Days

My dear wife and I both celebrated yet another birthday this summer. With the passing of time one is supposed to gain wisdom and maturity. Some question whether or not that is truly the case, often times as it applies to me. After all, I still run around and play with little children. At the end of our Vacation Bible School this year, to rejoice over the offerings we raised for mission work in Haiti , I allowed them to cover me with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, nuts and even a few cherries! Wisdom and maturity? Maybe not. But the children associated giving offerings to help others with having fun. I think it was worth it.

 With each passing year, I am grateful for God’s goodness and kindness to me here on earth. I am also reminded of my own mortality. Aches and pains, sleepless nights and a growing supply of pharmaceuticals in my house remind me that I am mortal, that I suffer in my body the consequences of sin: my own sin and the cumulative effect of all sin on God’s creation.

 I’ve often commented that the men in my family don’t seem to live to retirement age, and that makes me wonder whether or not I will. I am trying to take care of this earthly dwelling that God has given me, but you never know how much time you have in this world. A recent Gospel Reading in our worship here at Grace was about the “Rich Fool” who tried to store up earthly wealth only to discover his time on earth was over (Luke 12:13-21). Jesus was making the point that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions,” but it is also a clear warning that we don’t know when the number of our days here on earth will be over.

Birthdays are reminders of the passage of time. Perhaps they cause you to marvel at the fact that you’ve made it another year. For me, my birthday is also a reminder of a very special birth that I try to celebrate every day. I know we’ve set aside a day in late December to celebrate it, but it deserves more attention in our lives than that. God coming in flesh to remedy the problem of sin for all people should be celebrated every day. Remembering that Jesus took my place in punishment and rose from the dead in victory helps me to keep things in their proper perspective. Whether I live here on earth one more year or fifty more, His birth, life, death and resurrection is what allows me to live with confidence. I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb, I am forgiven, I have the certainty of life everlasting, and that life has already started for me. That’s some wisdom we all need in our lives.

 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

How Can I Keep From Singing

I attended a convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League in June under the theme “The Melody of God’s Love.” This organization is all about letting more people know about our Lord Jesus and what He has done so that everyone can have the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of eternal life. They adopted mission grants that they will fund here in Texas and around the nation for the next two years through their “mite box” offerings, giving over and above what they give to their local congregations.    They wove the musical theme through this convention, so naturally we joined our hearts and voices singing God’s praises. As I rejoiced with these mission minded women, I was reminded of the refrain from a song by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman: 

How can I keep from singing Your praise?    
How can I ever say enough, how amazing is Your love!
How can I keep from shouting Your Name?
I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing!

I hope you all know the melody of God’s love and it makes your heart want to sing as well.

Learn more about the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League

Thanks, DD

DD Pappas has stepped down from her position as Children’s Minister here at Grace.  We are truly grateful to her for all that she has done for our congregation, and thank God for the blessings she has been. She wants to share the following with the congregation:

I would like to tell the members of Grace what a privilege it was serving on staff in the Children’s Ministry. The time I had here with these children has been an awesome blessing, thank you for letting me lead your children over these past several years. I have truly come to know and love them as my own. They are in my prayers often and I know that Jesus has great plans for each and every one of them. I will still be involved in the children’s ministry in many aspects, so I look forward to seeing your children at VBS and Fall Midweek. Thank you again for all your support and prayers, this is a very special congregation and I am proud to be a member.

Blessings in Christ,

DD

Be Faithful

A lady at the airport struck up a conversation with me – let’s call her Laura. It started because Laura and I observed a young lady who walked past us wearing six-inch spike heels. She was trying to get somewhere in a hurry, which isn’t easy to do when you are in an airport and wearing six-inch heels. We agreed that had to be terribly uncomfortable. As the conversation progressed, she identified herself as someone who had come to faith in Jesus about 5 years ago. This was after being raised in a Catholic School, getting married and having two kids. She said she had always heard about Jesus but wasn’t in a faith relationship with Him. The thing that made the difference was a godly woman who lived across the street from Laura. She kept giving Laura books and pamphlets to read, modeled the Christian life, and was constantly praying for her. Laura admitted that for a long time she just politely ignored what the woman gave her, but her neighbor’s steadfast witness and exemplary lifestyle made her want to know more.  Ultimately, the Holy Spirit worked through the constant, steady, faithful and prayerful witness of that woman across the street to bring Laura to faith in Jesus.

Don’t be discouraged if your witness doesn’t appear to be making any difference. You don’t know how or when the Spirit will use you in the lives of others. Just be faithful in letting your light shine before others so that they see your new life in Christ. God will use you.

Take it to the Bank

My youngest daughter – Leah – is finishing up her student teaching and will soon graduate from college. (Her parents are both rejoicing!) She has been working and learning in a classroom full of second-graders. Recently she called to share with us something one of her students said. His mother asked if he thought Leah was doing a good job. He told his mom, “She’s a good teacher, and you can take that to the bank.”  Who knows where kids pick up phrases like that!

Just a few days after Leah shared that story with me, one of the email devotions I receive had this in it:  A pastor once said, “If God has promised it, you can go to the bank with it.”  I have lived long enough under God’s grace to know there are no coincidences. This was very much what my wife likes to call “a God thing.” The same phrase that brought us laughter also gives us the assurance that we can place our absolute confidence in God to take care of all our needs.  He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all–how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)  And you can take that to the bank!

What Do You Know?

Think about Mary going to the tomb on Easter and what she “knew.” She knew that Jesus was dead. She knew where He was buried. She knew she had to wait until the Sabbath was over to tend to the dead body of her friend. She knew that He would be in the tomb when she got there on Sunday morning.

So what went through her mind when she arrived and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance (John 20:1)? Peter and John followed shortly thereafter and everything they knew to be true was challenged as well. They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead (John 20:9).

You and I have a slightly different perspective. We know that not only did Jesus die to pay for the sins of everyone, but that He rose from the dead and gives that victory to everyone who believes in Him.

Those of us who know this rejoice in our knowledge. We should also be dedicated to sharing that message of forgiveness and triumph with everyone else by any and all means possible. We want everyone to know what we know.

I know that my Redeemer lives;

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, He lives, who once was dead;

He lives, my ever-living head.

(Lutheran Service Book #461)

May the joy of the Resurrection be yours!

If God Kept Score

If God kept score, we’d be in a tough situation. That’s a gross understatement. If God kept score, we’d all be in Hell. I include myself in that. If God kept score, I would have no chance.  If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared (Psalm 130:3-4) This week we remember the day Jesus died and the time He spent in the tomb.  It is somber, yet we think on this with hope. The first disciples didn’t know what we know. They were not waiting – patiently or otherwise – for the resurrection. We are. We know what is coming. Not only did Jesus take our place in punishment. He would rise to open the way for us to join Him in life everlasting.

 What language shall I borrow

To thank Thee, dearest Friend,

For this Thy dying sorrow,

Thy pity without end?

O make me Thine forever!

And should I fainting be,

Lord, let me never, never,

Outlive my love for Thee.

(Lutheran Service Book 450, stanza 5)

Conflict

This time of year can be conflicted. It is almost time for spring and “Spring Break,” and yet the weather is anything but spring-like here in North Texas. You know it is coming, but it has not yet arrived. We have to wait a bit longer. We also find ourselves in the season of Lent, which presents a different kind of  conflict. We spend time reflecting on what it was that put Jesus on the cross—our sins—all the while knowing that His resurrection is a certainty. Our celebration of that is coming, but first we need to go through this season and remember that He died and remember why He died. Even in conflict, we rejoice in knowing that Jesus has made peace with God for us by His perfect life, His passion, suffering and death in our place.

Enemies?

I had someone get very upset with me one time because of something I said in a sermon. I spoke about some people being “enemies of God,” and this individual thought I was being uncaring and insensitive.

 First of all, the Bible clearly identifies some as being enemies of God.

 James 4:4  You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

 

Phil 3:18  For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

But the more important point, and the one I was trying to make in my message that day, is how we should treat those who are enemies of God. As members of the body of Christ, if someone is an enemy of Christ, he/she is our enemy. This is what Scripture says we should do to our enemies:

 

Romans 12:20 “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

We are told to love and pray for our enemies. The only thing that might be considered “offensive” is when we share the Gospel with them. We were all enemies of God as one point. We want those who still are to be reconciled to God as we have been.

 

Romans 5:8-10 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

The reconciliation that God provides for all people in Jesus makes all the difference.

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