June 14


The Righteous Life ... for Him!


Those who belong to Christ have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:24-25 (NLT)


The righteous life is not an easy life. It involves nails ... and crosses. It means discipline and maybe even ... boredom. Typically, the flesh wants what it wants, and it wants it now! If we don’t actively suppress this part of our human nature, it will jolly well have its way. That road, my friend, is the way of woe and destruction.

I think Beth Moore put it rather well:

“When we do not make the deliberate choice to think according to the Spirit, we “default” to the flesh. You’ve noticed we never have to wake up in the morning and choose to be self-centered. We default into self-centeredness automatically unless we deliberately submit to the authority of Christ and the fullness of His free Spirit. ... His purpose is for life and peace. ... He never tears us down.”

We each have a choice—every day and every moment. We can choose for self or we can choose for Him.

“But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).


Father, thank You for this fresh insight. Help us to live for You, only for You!! Amen.

June 13


Enduring Love


The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

James 3:17 (NKJV)


Love does not demand its own way ... Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance ... Love lasts forever....

I Corinthians 13:5,7,8 (NLT)


Put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity....

Colossians 3:14 (NAS)


I see a tremendous similarity between wisdom and love, don't you? Think about it. Both look beyond self and both ring of purity, and all of us need more of both!

I think it’s one of the things I treasure in my wife Kris—her love rings with wisdom. Seriously, she is the most truthful person I think I've ever met, and heaven knows, I need truth, lots of truth. As I have come to know Kris over the years, I have decided I want to be more like her—like an open book—but I know I have to be myself too. I guess that’s why God put us together—to strengthen weak areas or reveal blind spots and make the whole of us greater than the sum of our individual parts. Yes, I believe that’s why God brought us together—me the careful diplomat and her, the very honest, and sometimes gently in your face, zealot of truth. Isn’t God wonderful to allow such opposites to attract each other, love one another and endure? I think so.

All relationships have their ups and downs, their hard and testing moments. I know ours has. The secret to endurance is seeking wisdom, forgiving freely and putting a whole lot of trust in this: What God has brought together, He will nurture and grow. And now, I pray for God's wisdom that we may grow in grace, in truth, and in love.


Father, let it be! Amen.

June 12


A Certain Sacrifice


I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless....

Philippians 3:7 (NLT)


I loved Alma; I really did. She was gracious and kind and a real lady. She also taught me a valuable lesson—one that took a couple of years to fully understand and appreciate. Alma, by the way, was my wife’s grandmother. She was in her late seventies when she told me about a sacrifice she had made for her marriage many years before. She didn’t want to do it, but she did it anyway. She learned to play golf!

Alma’s husband, Rudy, loved golf, and as a young woman, Alma decided she would not become a “golf widow.” When Rudy needed a golf partner to keep him company, she was a ready volunteer, and when they were in their eighties, I saw how it sealed their relationship and helped bond them tight. I didn't mention it earlier, but Rudy was a golf pro, at least part-time, and I still have the Osage Orange putter he made me (Osage Orange was the wood used by the Sioux for their bows—resilient, flexible wood). Well, anyway, Rudy won several local tournaments, rubbed elbows with the famous and had five holes-in-one to his credit. One was over 250 yards long!

Well, that’s all very interesting. Rudy loved golf, so what? Well, the so what is this: Alma loved Rudy. She also understood what it takes so many couples years to figure out: men and women have very different needs! The book His Needs, Her Needs spells out the top needs for husbands and wives and shows us just how far apart we are! Men need sexual intimacy, which is not the same as women’s need for affection. Communication is high on her list while having an attractive wife and a well kept home is high on his. She needs security, but guess what? He needs recreational companionship. Couples enter a win/win situation when they find ways to combine the two. I’ve learned taking a long, fast walk or hike with Kris while we talk energizes both of us, but I’m also finding there is a beauty and a goodness in sacrifice. When I can give up or lighten up on some of my needs to better focus on meeting hers, well, it’s like magic for the relationship. I sometimes struggle with this, but I am determined to slay this workaholic monster inside me. After all these years of marriage I finally realize, she needs more of my time and not less. This takes me back to dear Alma.

Alma made her sacrifices too. What was important to her man became important to her. I find it a unique contrast. To gain time with her husband and to show Rudy her love, Alma took up golf, but to gain time with my wife and to show her more love, I had to give up golf. Well, okay, not completely. I play once a year! It’s a great game, okay?

The building of solid, loving relationships begins when one person sees the other person as the priority and chooses to sacrifice. It seems love and sacrifice go hand in hand. I am constantly amazed by this universal truth: good things come our way when we willingly sacrifice our needs for the needs of others. Sacrifice ... it's a beautiful thing!


Lord God, You tell me to love my wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. Please, give me the strength and willpower to do this! Amen.

June 11


Perfect Gifts


Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above....

James 1:17 (NKJV)


November has come and gone and so has my birthday. I received some truly wonderful gifts—better than most years, and I am truly thankful. Now Christmas is upon us, a very special time. Another opportunity to show our love for others and to remember His wonderful love for us.

I don’t know about you, but I love to give and receive gifts, but not all gifts are alike. This truth came back to me at our staff Christmas party two nights ago. Like last year, there was serious feasting and fellowship and then a gift exchange. A white-elephant gift exchange. Talk about cheap. This is gift giving at its worst! As always, there was serious scheming and maneuvering to avoid the worst and come away with the better elephants.

Last year’s exchange was a personal disaster as Kris came home with an ugly duck tureen with matching salt and pepper shakers, and I got stuck with the 20-year old, spring-loaded, plastic, abs machine from hell! This year, we did much better. This time, Kris came home with 7 colored balls of Tubbly Bubbly and I managed to acquire the DVD movie, The Princess Bride and keep it out of sight for the rest of the evening. By the way, it's a truly great flick if you’ve never seen it.

Others were not as fortunate as Kris or myself.

The Children’s Ministry Director’s husband left with a box of 99 lead paint testers. Another husband came away with a half-roll of toilet paper and claimed he was happy, because “it will be easy to throw away.” Neatnik! My favorite part of the evening though came with the look of horror on the face of our Women’s Ministry Director when she received the dreaded duck tureen she had stuck us with last year. Kris thought the time, effort and space required to store the ugly soup dish for a year was well rewarded. I agreed!

Essentially, these gifts were junk and cost the givers nothing. The best gifts though come with sacrifice. That night, in contrast to our staff gift barrage, I reflected on some very precious gifts purchased from two very kind and charming women. Because my time in Germany was limited, these chapel friends offered to sell me their personal polish pottery collections. They said it was no big deal, and they could easily replace them. Still, when I went to pick up these precious pieces I noticed a look of shock and sadness at what was walking out the door, so I asked, “Does it hurt? Just a little?”

“A little,” came her quiet reply, “but the good feelings outweigh the bad, so It’s okay.” She smiled a fairly genuine smile as we loaded the rest. And do you know what? These have become gifts we will always remember. You see, except for Christmas, my family and I eat our meals off these beautiful dishes—a constant reminder of long-ago friends and the value of sacrifice.

The best gifts come with sacrifice, and as Christmas draws near I am reminded of God’s greatest sacrifice. He sent His Son Jesus to give His very life. No love is greater than this! I am so happy, so filled with joy, I can only join in with the Apostle Paul, who said, “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!” (2 Cor 9:15).


Thank You, Father, for all these great gifts. But thank You most of all for the “Lamb who takes away the sin of the world!” Make this a grand and meaningful celebration for all of us! Amen.

June 10


Sweet Family Joy


You bring me joy and make me proud of you, so stand strong in the Lord....

Philippians 4:1b (NCV)


Last night sitting in the chairs by the Christmas tree, I smiled at Kris, and she smiled at me. Our oldest son was at the table in the next room helping his brother with some tricky geometry problems. It was so good! They were focused, working on the problems together, united in what they did. For me, it was a sweet thing, and I could tell it did Kris’ heart good too.

I guess we saw a number of other good things as well. First of all, Ryan was trying really hard to understand. This was very good. Second, he wasn’t upset or frustrated in the least. He was gutting it out and apparently learning in the process. Finally, it was great to see Drew being so helpful, so patient and for us to realize, he is a teacher.

I think Drew has had this ability all along, but now it seems to be coming out more. This last term at college, he worked with Chinese students teaching them English as a second language. I am pretty confident they benefited just like Ryan did.

This Christmas my joy is full. I am thankful, and I am so proud of all my children!


Lord, thank You for the great joy only You can bring to our hearts. Thank You too, for this sweet family joy You deliver to our homes....

June 09


Working the Good Work


God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.

Philippians 2:13 (TLB)


A righteous man who walks in his integrity—how blessed are his sons after him.

Proverbs 20:7 (NAS)


In our desire and work to leave a legacy, to do the right things, we have a great advantage we too often forget: God is on our side. The Pre-eminent One loves us, AND He has a plan. Almighty, All-powerful God can do anything, and His number one desire is to do great things through us for His glory. How cool is that?

God is on the inside, and He wants to speak to our hearts. The ball is in our court. I think Jesus said it best:

"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."


Father, work in me! Amen.

June 08


Choices


If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death, but if the Holy Spirit controls your mind there is life and peace.

Romans 8:6 (NLT)


This is why the spiritual disciplines are so important. This is why they call the spiritual disciplines the spiritual disciplines: it’s tough out there. Spirituality is a moment-by-moment thing, and it comes with submission. Most often, it means a grueling wrestling match on the mind’s floor. It takes focus, training, and attitude straightening. We need to get our head in the soul’s game of life if we are to pin Self or tie it to the mast. Self, you see, yearns to follow the siren’s call.

Our emotions can be such sirens. There are times when they sing to us from a crusty shore, their calls even stronger than we imagined, so attractive yet so destructive. I agree with Beth Moore. The mind must rule the heart and not the other way around. The will, that strong powerhouse of the soul must come under the Spirit’s control and not the flesh’s. For us, this is not a one-time choice but a daily battle to choose to do the right thing, pick the right words, and think the right thoughts.

Self is a vicious dictator. Uncaring, unrelenting and uncontrolled, this despot will push us into destructive behaviors. We can’t let it win. If we are to find peace in our lives, self must bow to the Spirit’s rule.


Lord, please help me make good choices—choices to love You, choices to love my neighbor, choices that lead to life and peace.

June 07


Procrastinators


Call unto Me and I will answer thee....

Jeremiah 33:3a (NKJV)


Please, LORD, rescue me! Come quickly, LORD, and help me.

Psalm 40:13 (NLT)


Sometimes, I am such a hypocrite.

I didn’t say a word, but most of Saturday I was concerned my older son was not doing his best to practice and prepare for his church solo. Our Worship Pastor had given him several days notice and soundtracks for three different versions of Mary, Did You Know, but it wasn’t until three hours before the first service that my boy decided to glance at them and select one. Sheesh! Is it possible for old, bald guys to turn gray?

But was it that bad, really? Drew had sung this song before, in fact, just the week before at a university drama. And more than that, he is a musician who knows music, and he knew this music. So, it was really no big deal, right? Why the worry and frustration?

I was a different story. Pastor John had given me two weeks to prepare a pep talk to be delivered in the middle of his weekend message along with two other church leaders. I was to talk up our church purpose of Growing in Christ and the plans we have for our Small Group ministry, but guess what? I had procrastinated too. So, an hour and a half before church, I started to collect my thoughts.

I sat in my study staring at my staff notes, and a sour feeling hit me. Pastor John had asked for a little different angle than I had remembered. In less than a minute, I was in desperation mode. And prayer. O, Lord, why do I do this? My son ... he gets this from me, doesn’t he? Help!

Do you know what I love about God? Besides having the best sense of humor ever, He is also the most merciful, compassionate and understanding. He lovingly pleads with us, Call unto Me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. There is another thing I love about God—He is true to His word. Once again, God came to my rescue as He helped me organize my thoughts and quickly craft something out of next to nothing. Services this weekend went great ... for all of us.


Thank You, LORD, for rescuing me and for teaching me too!