Godly living – Page 25

Sermon Seeds: Nehemiah Prays

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign,[a] I was at the fortress of Susa. 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Within Nehemiah’s brief account, there are twelve prayers. Prayer bookends the story. One might (and should) determine prayer is important to the process.

I read once that there are many things you can accomplish after you pray, but there should be nothing you do until you pray.

Having that thought this week, as I prepared for the message, has impacted my thinking and my praying.

I wonder what it will do for you.

Writing Challenging Book Reviews

I offered to read two books and review them.

There are many reasons I agree to do this. I like getting free books and I like connecting with new authors. I know how important it is to have a book reviewed.

But it’s not always easy. Sometimes I don’t care for the book, its story or the writing style. I’ve agreed to be honest, but there’s no need to be mean-spirited. Just because the book didn’t do anything for me doesn’t mean it won’t or can’t reach someone else.

Both of the books I read fell into the challenging review category.

The first book, The Chronicles of Jake Tanner, Hell’s Lane is co-authored by someone I respect as an writer and mentor, Kathy Bruin. I jumped at the opportunity to read and review.

The book was dark, contained language and content that might be offensive to some. I was not offended, but I felt this book would not fit most church libraries. How was I going to review it?

The first thing I did was contact Kathy. The thing I needed to know was who was the intended audience. Books don’t always preach to the choir. Sometimes they have to reach people who would be uncomfortable even being around organized religious folks. Kathy assured the goal was to start discussions of the issues of choices and consequences and how those choices can ultimately affect our eternal destiny.

This book could do that. I can and did write a review saying those things.

I was offered the opportunity to read the second book by the author. She was careful to preface her invitation by telling me the subject material was unique and not an easy sell.

The book is well written stylistically and the story is compelling. But the issue is the issue: the main character is attempting to come to terms with his bisexuality. The author has faced a lot of negative feedback from publishers who don’t want to touch the topic. And I think that’s a shame.

This book falls even better into the category of discussion starter, both for those who struggle and those who are trying to understand the struggle. The issue will not go away because we don’t address it, so why not use a well-written source to help those who are looking for answers?

I have a friend who continually challenges me to get out of the “Christian Ghetto.” She believes there are people outside the comfort of the church who are hungering and thirsting, who need more than the standard fare of Christian-eze. Her sentiments were similar to those of a movie producer I heard speak at a Christian Writers Conference earlier this year.

So maybe these two books wouldn’t be typical of the books on your church library shelf, but maybe they should be somewhere in the church and opened for discussion.

Sermon Seed: Investing a Treasure

Imagine, you have been given a fortune. More money than you could make in twenty lifetimes.

Actually, you haven’t been “given” it as much as it has been entrusted to you by another–your boss.

What would you do?

In Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30 ), he tells a story about a master who does that with three of his servants.

The first two double what was entrusted to them, but the third is some combination of fearful and lazy so he buries his.

The investors are rewarded and invited to celebrate, while the non-risk taker is cast out.

There are mountains of theories and interpretations for this story.

For me it boils down to this:

Sermon Seeds: Pursue the Things that Make for Peace

Did you have a role in your family?

I was the peacemaker.

I’ve never outgrown it.

In an effort to “keep the peace” I have downplayed, ignored, and avoided. I believed the mantra, “Peace at any price.”

The problem is, that’s not peace.

And it’s way to high a price.

Sometimes it takes “wrestling” with the issue to find the blessing. Jacob learned that lesson (you’ll find the story in Genesis 32:22-32).

I don’t know about you, but I’m not finding much peace or unity these days.

I see a lot of taking sides.

There seems to be a greater desire to be right than to be related

Perhaps we would do well to make this our prayer:

Book Review/Recommendation: Intentional Fitness

Today I would like to recommend a book and an author to you. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Mary Scro for three years. In that time I have caught a glimpse of her passion for communicating the message of Christ. She is a dynamic communicator, who doesn’t back away from speaking Truth.

About the book:

We live in a world that desperately needs Jesus, but can’t find Him.

Why? Because many who bear His name (Christians) are not spiritually fit enough to walk in His ways. And how do you know what “fit” is in a world that is increasingly void of any mention of the name of Jesus? How do you hear His voice to know His ways with so much godless static assaulting you every day, from all directions?

“Therefore, my dear friends . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling . . .” Philippians 2:12 (NIV).

Intentional Fitness compares physical fitness to spiritual fitness and discusses similarities. Only by being intentional about your own spiritual health can you live life to the full as Jesus created you to live and died to make possible for you. And only then can you bring the Kingdom of God and His love to a world in desperate need.

I located Intentional Fitness on Amazon. It’s available in ebook and paperback.

About Mary:

Mary Graziano Scro is an inspirational and lively author and speaker who intuitively weaves analogies and personal testimony with practical biblical teaching. A graduate of Christian Communicators Conference, Mary’s mission is to encourage others about the awesome life God has planned for them, if only they are willing to choose wisely in their everyday lives (John 8:31-32). Mary and her husband Don live in Marshall, Va.

Reaching Mary:

You can connect with Mary on her website, blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Curing A Quickaholic

I’m an ESFP with ADD. I like things to move along at a pretty swift pace. I don’t like glitches in my plans. I am not a fan of detours. I loathe meetings that drag on unnecessarily.

In the terminology of Sue Monk Kidd, I’m a textbook “Quickaholic.”

I recently purchased Ms. Kidd’s book When the Heart Waits from our local library book sale. When I read a non-fiction book, I am an underliner and write-in-the-margins kind of reader. I’m only about twenty pages in and I think I’m going to need a new pen.

The author describes a time of retreat at an Abby. She took a walk and saw a monk sitting very still under a tree, the picture of tranquility. She approached him later and asked how he could sit there and do nothing. Here was his response: “Well, there’s the problem right there…You’ve bought into the cultural myth that when you’re waiting you’re doing nothing…When you’re waiting, you’re not doing nothing. You’re allowing your soul to grow up. If you can’t be still and wait, you can’t become what God created you to be.” (When the Heart Waits, page 22)

I couldn’t read any further. For one, my eyes were full of tears. It was one of those revelatory moments that hits you simultaneously in your gut and brain, taking your breath away.

I get it God.

Those five years I spent out on the farm, caring for a woman who never spoke my name, who never wanted me there, were your plan. It was no different than when you planted your people in a hostile foreign land and told them to put down roots–literally plant and make babies. In that same chapter (Jeremiah 29) you assured them that even though it made no sense, you had a plan.

No sooner had I regained my composure but my cell phone chimed, notifying me of an incoming email. It was from a writer friend. A friend who has been through a painful ministry journey of his own. A friend I contacted recently about a book I thought we could write together. A book about calling, healing, and hope. He wants to do it, is excited about it.

But you knew that God.

When I thought you were doing nothing, that I was doing nothing, you were weaving your plan together.

And none of it happened quickly.

You are never in a hurry.

Loving and long-suffering God, continue to heal me of my tendency to short-cut and short-circuit your plans. Thank you. Keep teaching me and using me. Amen.

Sermon Seeds: Get A Grip

This week we add self-control.

When I think of self-control I hear my dad’s voice telling me to get a grip. I keep this broken handle to remind me I really do have a grip.

Self-control follows knowledge in our list of things we must add to our faith. So it would seem, self-control involves putting into practice what is learned of God.

A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out. Proverbs 25:28, The Message.

When we lack self-control or are lazy about engaging it, we set ourselves up as easy prey for the enemy.

The self-control spoken of in the Bible is a gift from God through the Spirit. The Spirit “teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:12)

So I we need a grip on the Spirit to get a grip in life.

Sermon Seeds: Adding Knowledge Without Being A Know-it-all

Last week we considered what it means to add goodness to our faith. This week’s “add” is knowledge.

One of the things I’ve learned in my study of the Word, is order is not an accident. Peter doesn’t instruct his readers to add knowledge before they add goodness.

The Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians: We know that we all possess knowledge…but knowledge puffs up. (1 Corinthians 8:1)

Knowledge is desirable, but alone: it’s dangerous!!

Without goodness knowledge is often wielded to humiliate, intimidate, or alienate others, not for what God intended it to be: a tool to build and bless and serve others.

Goodness renders knowledge beneficial rather than impressive.

Peter also is clear that we are are to add knowledge, not opinion. We have to know the truth, and be sure truth is what we’re standing on and for.

As I was thinking about how knowledge can puff up and the importance of truth over opinion, I began thinking about my marriage. After 36 years my husband and I know the pain that comes from acting like we “know it all.” We have learned the value of a heartfelt apology and staying open to learning.

I love when I can learn something new about my husband. It keeps our relationship fresh and growing.

God wants us to have that same attitude in our relationship with him. We can never learn it all, but we can commit our entire lives to trying.

What are you doing to add knowledge to your faith?

(Thanks to Mark Buchannon and his book “Hidden in Plain Sight” for these concepts about knowledge.)

Sermon Seeds: Faith and Foundation

I’ve been meditating all week on Bible verses about faith. Here are a few:

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Heb. 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Heb. 11:6

So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Ro. 10:17

And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Lk 17:5

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Tim. 4:7

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:17 NLT

What I’m about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough. Matthew 17:20

So, how is your faith today? Growing? Fading? Active? Passive?

Today as I was reflecting and preparing for Sunday’s message, I realized I’ve been pretty comfortable with where my faith has been. You can translate that as stagnant. I don’t feel good about either of those words. I went to front of our sanctuary and knelt in prayer. And wept.

I talk about the great things God wants to do in this church, in the lives of this body of believers, in this community…in me. But am I willing to step into that growth, willing to take on the changes for me? That’s scarey…and it’s all good. God’s promise and plan shouldn’t be a fearful thing.

So this revelation is going to cost me. Bonhoeffer wrote that there is no cheap grace…the same is true of faith.

This thing we call faith is the foundation for everything we build your spiritual life upon. We need to make sure it’s rock steady.

Bumper Snicker Revelation

Driving around town, admiring the greening of the world around me reminded me of another trip around town and the lesson I learned

That day, as I started to pull away from work, I was enjoying the gorgeous sunshine and blue sky. My regular road home wound over rolling hills with forests on each side. Each season brought its own brand of beauty. Today it was the green of spring. I smiled and breathed deeply of growth and change.

Not long down the road my smile faded as I pulled up to a long line of cars barely crawling at about 25mph (on a 55mph state route). As the road dipped, I saw the reason for our slowing: a huge piece of farm equipment lumbered down the road. I was going nowhere fast.

It’s not uncommon to come upon machinery on this road, and the sizes and speeds all vary. Sometimes the slowdown could also be a horse and buggy, in no hurry to get anywhere. I love where I live, so I see the buggies and machinery as a normal part of the journey..

Another part of the delay, other than just snailing behind the bouncy mammoth on wheels, is the road. There’s limited opportunity to pass on this stretch of road. The traffic is constant, with few sections where a brave soul can pass.

This afternoon there was no passing. The guy in the car ahead of me didn’t hesitate to express his frustration about the situation. His arms flailed, and he jerked across the center line checking on whether he could pass. This behavior was interspersed with long periods of laying on his horn. I must confess, the longer I followed him, the more I found myself snickering at his exasperation.

I kept my distance from the erratic driver. Then I noticed a green oval sticker on his bumper. I eased a little closer to be sure I read it correctly. Sure enough. The sticker contained one word: Pray. It hit me so funny at first I burst into laughter. Really? “Hey buddy, did you forget your faith? Your fickleness is showing, and it’s not becoming of your witness.”

Then I got one of those nudges from the Spirit. You know the kind. It sounds like your mother, or teacher. It starts simply with a throat clearing—just enough to get your attention, if you’re paying attention. The throat clearing is then followed by The Look. Now, I’m not sure how the Spirit manages to give a look, but the feeling is just the same. I was caught and I knew it.

So I did the one thing I probably should have started with, the one thing I was being silently asked to do all along: I prayed. I prayed the driver would be safe. I prayed other drivers would drive safely and intelligently. Then I asked for forgiveness. How dare I question this guy’s faith? In my attitude I threw a stone when I had no right. My fickleness hangs out way more than I care to admit.

I guess that’s why I never put any Christian symbols or stickers on my car. Maybe that’s why I laughed so hard and quick. Mr. Impatient’s behavior was too familiar. Oh sure, with nowhere to be, I was cruising that afternoon, peaceful and unruffled. But what if I had been late for something very important? I imagine it would look quite different and definitely not flattering to my faith.

A “pray” sticker on my car, needs to be on the dashboard, not the bumper. I wonder if I can find one that says, “Pray first. Laugh later.” I’ll be looking!