The Opossum and the Penthouse
April 27, 2008
Earlier this week we had a work day at Camp Mount Pleasant. We demolished a dilapidated cabin that was being used to store a bunch of useless junk. It also held several valuable pieces of material that were consequently of no use because no one knew they were there. When we removed the floor a mama opossum and two babies made a break for a nearby patch of woods. They had built a massive nest underneath the building, a opossum penthouse if you will.
Needless to say they were deeply upset when progress erased their little nest. A lot of Christians are like that opossum. We often snuggle into a church quiet content to do nothing more than make ourselves comfortable. Church becomes a depository for memories. Like that shed, items or ideas often become permanent fixtures in our churches. People are afraid to change anything for fear of upsetting a opossum that resides under all the clutter in a penthouse. When we live in fear of offending someone, the Spirit of God will not work. We must learn to let things go. We will never be able to reach for that which is ahead as long as we are holding on to that which has seen its time of usefulness come and go. I am not saying that we should forget the past simply that we should not live in it.
Christian, heed the apostle John’s words, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. So let it be” (1 John 5:21). Idols may not be made of gold, have four tires on it, or cost us a dime to keep it. An idol is anything that stands in the way of our obedience to Jesus Christ.
We Have a Rock
April 20, 2008
We do not yet have a building but we have a rock. Not only is it a rock, but it is a costly rock. It is a rock that has but one purpose; to support a building that will honor God. The floor plan of this building has been predetermined. The outer structure of this building has been predetermined. Today all we have is a rock but we may stand on that rock and envision the finished product full of people honoring God. It will take more than a vision to see the finished product realized. It will take hard work, sacrifice, and unity.
Paul states, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). We may build on another foundation, but not one that is secure. “All other ground is shifting sand.” The greatest battle we as Christians face is to build on the foundation within the bounds that honor God. These are
the bounds: “and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Simply put, God is never honored by a life in which He is not preeminent. Simply put, God is not honored by a selfish life. Love always leads to selflessness. Selfishness is never from God and always destroys unity. If our lives do not honor God then we need to do a little demolition and rebuild on the proper foundation.
Theistic Realism
April 13, 2008
Realism has been defined as: An inclination toward objective truth that tends to express an awareness of things as they are. Reality without God is usually a negative experience. Here is a dose of reality. We are on the verge of an economic recession and the baby boomers are about to retire straining our current tax system so that we must pay more taxes or reap less benefits. We are engaged in a vital war that most people deem unnecessary. Our government is becoming increasingly secular while the American church continues to grow weaker. America as we know it is never more than one day from ceasing to exist. Had enough reality yet?
Postmodern Americans cope with this reality by becoming optimistic realist (a.k.a. blind faith). Theistic faith and realism are diametrically opposed. Theistic faith has a basis unlike optimistic realism. Theo means God. Theistic realism means God is sovereign in my life. Do you cope with life by sticking your head in the sand or by sticking your head in the word of God. If your head is not in the word of God I think you know the answer. Does your vision include getting to know the only one who offers any basis for hope. We are admonished to look on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Sometimes as Christians our lives seem impossible. Remember what Jesus said in Mark 10:27: “But Jesus looked at them and said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Life is Good when you know Jesus.
The Stray That No One Wanted
April 6, 2008
Earlier this week a stray dog walked up to the church and dared to seek mercy from the people of God. He is a pure bred sooner. He would just as soon be a beagle as a basset hound. It is obvious that his best days are behind him. His collar has a telephone number on it. When I called the number no one knew anything about the dejected dog. We fed him a meal, sent him on his way with all our love, and warned him never to come back. He will make someone a good dog, just not me.
This dog’s story is similar to that of many Christians. It doesn’t matter if we are born with a silver spoon in our mouth or on the wrong side of the tracks, we are all worthless strays. Let this thought soak in: God loves us as we are not as we should be. We all have hundreds of traits that make us undesirable. What does Jesus think about people? “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Mathew 9:36). We are not moved with compassion as we should be for the lost sheep of America. Does a stray soul dare to crawl before the church. Will they simply find another ton of dejection to carry around on their back, or will they find a people of God who love God, and consequently love them. We must learn to love people for the same reason we would love a fallen son or daughter. We love people because no matter how mangled their lives are Jesus loves them because they are made in the image of God. Do we reach out to those who cross our path or simply send them on their way hoping someone else will have compassion on them? By the way, I found the stray dead 2 hours after I wrote this.