Devotion 12620

 Matthew chapter one opens with the genealogy of Jesus and concludes with an angel appearing to Joseph to tell him of the birth of Jesus to Mary, the virgin, as fulfillment of the event foretold in Isaiah, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call him Immanuel (God with us)." (v 23)

Pastor Dan noted yesterday of the family that Jesus came from, and how families are depicted in our society and in scripture. Dan shared Christmas stories from his own family with us, traditions born intentionally, to pass down to new generations.  That's the image we want for Christmas, but I also thought of Robert Earl Keen's song about Christmas, "Merry Christmas from the Family," that paints an accurate picture of Christmas for many as well.  Drinking, smoking, running to the store for stuff, inane banter about life... it's all there.

Now, at this point, you may draw a line and say, "That's not really appropriate for Christmas time in a devotion." Oh really? Dan pointed out the complete dysfunction in our society in families that is reflected in scripture from the fall of man forward. 

That Jesus, our savior and "God with us," came from the family tree that He did is amazing, as noted by a recent devotion from the Lutheran Hour's Kari Vo.  We see murderers, liars, adulterers, and a host of other sinners blotting the lineage for Christ. Abraham and his intent on taking on God's vision himself through his maidservant.  David...  You know his story.  Solomon, born from an illicit affair.  

Yet God saw fit to unfold His plan in time for Mary to bear His Son to come and save us from sinners like ourselves. We know our sins, our fall from grace, and yet we see God using people just like us to deliver us a savior, Christ the Lord.  At Christmas, perhaps we should focus on the blessings from God through His Son's life on earth.  Maybe really explore the Christmas story with our families.  Our prayer is that Christmas is more than just gifts and presents, and that we take on traditions that lift the Christmas story to the point that we know of God's amazing grace given to us.

Devotion 120320

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

What is the opposite of fear? Believers are taught not to fear as far back as God established a relationship with His creation, even after it fell.  God commands Joshua in Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

So, is the opposite of fear courage and strength? Christ echoes these words in Matthew 28:19 - 20 (the Great Commission) when in v 20, He says, ".... And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." So then, are we to assume we can exercise a certain amount of courage because God/Christ is with us?

Ken Blanchard, a leadership author and speaker, has a book titled, "Servant Leadership in Action." The book is compromised of essays from various authors in the field of leadership including names like John Maxwell, Stephen MR Covey, Patrick Lencioni, and others.  In one essay, Raj Sisodia says this radical notion as he examines the acronym for servant leadership he uses:  "SELFLESS." The first "L" in SELFLESS stands for "love," and he notes, "The opposite of love is fear."

For example, should we fear death?  It is natural we will, but John 3:16 puts us at ease when John writes, "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son to die for us that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  It doesn't stop there.  There are many bible verses that put love at the top of the list of attributes from God and that we are to have love toward one another.

So, why do we fear, as in a year like 2020 - fear of the unknown and what we believe we know or may actually know? Peter gives us a clear example as he begins to sink after walking on water toward Christ:  He takes his eyes off Christ and looks down (Matthew 14).  When we take our eyes away from our LORD, Christ, we immediately forget the command to love God with our whole heart, mind, body and spirit.  We remove the trust we have in God and place it in ourselves or something else.

Will we fail?  Absolutely, but when we do, we turn our eyes back to Christ because forgiveness and eternal life are at hand for us to be strong and courageous.  Our prayer is that we do not take our eyes of Christ, for forgiveness when we do, and that the Spirit strengthen us daily so that we keep our eyes on Christ.

Hope Men's Ministry

Devotion 11.30.20

 "...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.... Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:6 - 8

Paul, the author of this letter to the church in Philippi, wrote from prison when he said this. From prison!

We refer to this as an optimistic mindset in the leadership arena. Mindset refers to attitude.  What's your attitude? Sometimes I can be the cynic and most often the realist. I call it as I see it with data to back it up (or sources). Yet, in spite of those two ways of looking at life, I'm also optimistic and hopeful because of my background in history. I don't see any generation as worse than any other because history shows us every generation feels the younger ones are far more spoiled than their own generation. Yet each generation has its issues.  History also shows peaks and valleys.  We got attacked at Pearl Harbor, and we signed a peace treaty after unconditional surrender with Japan in Tokyo Bay aboard the USS Missouri several years later. 

So here we are in 2020 declaring it the worst. year. ever. It's been a challenge no doubt. We have a pandemic in an election year and leaders in science, medicine and governments scrambling to find answers or solutions that have direct or indirect impacts on all arenas in life.

But Paul, writing in prison, a Roman citizen knowing what Rome is capable of (having known about Christ crucified and others executed), writes a letter to the church in Philippi (Greece) giving an excellent note of encouragement, a list of Christian virtues - truth, honor, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellence, worthy of praise... "think on these things."

The message to us is clear.  What's your mindset? Paul tells us to practice what we have seen in him.  "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things...." (v 9).  Do not just as I say, but do as I also do.  As Christians, men of faith specifically, as we see the world around us, have the opportunity to live and speak as Paul did.  Place our mindset on the virtues Paul gives us. Place our minds on the salvation and grace from Christ.

Devotion 11.24.20

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 118:1

So begins David psalm of praise, as he highlights all that God has done for him and for Israel, from before David's time, through his time and personal life and for future acts yet known.  David had much to be thankful for.  He was, after all, a "man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). David moved up quickly as the youngest of sons from Jesse to fight Goliath and demonstrated great faith in that capacity and other aspects of his life. David became a young king and demonstrated great skill.

David also stumbled.  In fact, he fell greatly, but not from grace.  David, after being confronted, redeemed himself (Psalm 51).  Through it all, David turned to God.  "Out of my distress, I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free." (v 5) "I was pushed hard so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and salvation." (v 13-14). "The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death." (v 18) "You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" (v 28 - 29)

Where has God been for you? You are chosen by God as well as a redeemed child of Christ.  When have you stumbled and turned to God? When have you been distressed and turned to God? When have you been disciplined and yet remained thankful to God?

On thanksgiving, we give thanks to God, for he is good.  We give thanks that his steadfast love (the love of His Son Jesus Christ) endures forever.  We give thanks for all moments, mountains and valleys, and we give thanks for he is our God.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and count your blessings, even in 2020, and lift a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Hope Men's Ministry

Devotion 11.23.20

 The world is made up of flawed men and women.  Our flaws are encapsulated in one word: sin.  Every Sunday we confess our sins before God to hear the words of forgiveness.  The old confession from the Lutheran Hymnal I grew up with said, "I confess my sins and inequities and justly deserve thy temporal and eternal punishment." I said it as a child without knowing what I was saying, "temporal." It's another way of saying "earthly," a reminder to us that our time here on earth is "temporary."

I use this as a reminder that everything earthly is temporary, and it is from the corrupt body of men and women that we choose people to lead us.  They, along with us, are equally corrupt and along with us deserve and merit that same "temporal and eternal punishment."

The Reverend Dr. Michael Ziegler of the Lutheran Hour noted in his sermon today that politics are temporary, yet we need to be reminded of that periodically.  Politics can divide us, and we hold people in general and the people who lead us in contempt when they don't hold the same opinion and viewpoint we do. Ziegler points us to the book of Daniel to remind us of our duty to God as citizens of two kingdoms, one temporary and one eternal. Ziegler notes that in Daniel, our author (Daniel) records events of a takeover of Israel by Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel and his two fellow Israelites are taken by the king, as was customary at that time, to be shaped in the ways of Babylon as young men, but Daniel remains true to his God, our God, while in service to the king. Daniel even speaks to the king about his dedication to God and requests to be able to continue in the ways of his faith.

In his sermon today (11/22), Ziegler notes Daniel's awareness of the temporal situation Israel found itself in and that his true calling in life was to God.  Despite the desperate nature that Israel found itself in, we see God is in control throughout the book.  For us today, as we wring our hands in frustration with life and the leaders we have in our midst, it is a good reminder that our true calling is to Christ and the kingdom of heaven.  Our life here is temporary, so our service to God/Christ is that of passionately sharing the good news of the cross to the lost and praying for all, not just some, to hear and be receptive to that word. It is a focus on the eternal nature of the kingdom we ultimately serve. In Daniel 7:13 - 14 Daniel's vision includes seeing a "Son of Man" given dominion.  That is a reference that Christ will use in reference to Himself as He speaks about the "Son of Man" having authority to forgiven sins (Matthew 9:6 and Mark 2:10-11).

Our prayer is that we remember our lives are temporary and that we have a commission from Christ about our lives while on this earth to go to all ends of the earth to all nations to bring Christ to them.  Our prayer is to remember God is in control at all times and that our politics and governments, equally temporary to our own existence, need our prayer as citizens in this world as well.  We lift a prayer of thanks to God for continuing to watch over us and guide us daily as his people.

Hope Men's Ministry

Devotion 11.9.20

 "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:17 and 18

God speaking very pre-incarnate Christ-like in this passage from a book of law in the Old Testament. It's an interesting passage that served as the text for the sermon at church Sunday, as Pastor Hiner examined it from the perspective of Christians in community. Just where is that community? may be a fair question. Depending on the platform, the community may be very local and it may be very global.

Think of where we interact with "our neighbor" and there you find a sense of community.  I have friends on Facebook who live in the following places:  Houston, Lubbock, Plainview, Amarillo, Austin, Texas, Minnesota, New York, Mexico, India, Uganda... you get the idea. Some I interact with routinely, almost as much as face-to-face.  These are former students now friends, people I know well from days in Houston and in Lubbock, people I've recently met and people I've never met except on social media. We meet and interact in the coffee houses, the church, schools, the grocery store, at work, over the internet, in writing and digitally.  We have a number of opportunities to impact the lives of many, all of whom are our neighbors.

So, how do we set that tone for interaction? As we look at Leviticus, it states from our heart to our words and actions, and then it ends by stating we are to love our neighbor.  God then signs the command Himself with the famous "I am."  "I am the Lord." It's as though He anticipates our rebellious nature in advance, as though He knows we are going to say, "Just who are you to tell me?" My brother, as you know God, offended me deeply.  My brother, as you have seen, slighted my good name.  My brother, as you have seen, put his nose where it didn't belong.  My brother, as you have heard, ignored me in my time of need.

Here, here is how you behave when it comes to your brother then... and I am the Lord.  

So, we think about how we interact with one another, in person or at a distance via cyberspace.  We think about our hearts and our nature and the impact we really desire to make, in the name of Christ, who died for our sins of the heart, known and unknown, and our sins of action, intentional or omission.  

Pray that we focus on Christ and that we seize opportunities to love on another.

Devotion 11.2.20

God.  Family.  Country.  Job.

I've heard that nice pecking order of life on many occasions.  Some may call it their prioritization order.  Personally, I think it is a late 20th century creation.  My dad, born in 1923, lived through the depression and served in World War II.  He suffered job loss on several occasions.  If I had uttered that to my dad, I would have gotten a stern look.  That look would have communicated, "What in the &%$* is that supposed to mean?" His dad (my grandfather) lost his wife, my dad's mom, and a job simultaneously. Dad had seen hardship, and his dad's solution when he lost his job and his wife was simple, get people to watch the kids while I find work and try to make some money.  My dad was raised, for a period, by his grandparents on a small farm in Minnesota. His oldest sister became mom in care-giving and two sisters stayed with his dad to tend to the house there for him. There was no pecking order stated like above. 

To my dad's generation, you couldn't separate work from providing which meant meeting the needs of those you love.  Work provides food. Work provides shelter and comfort (heating, running water and AC). How on earth, someone like my dad would say, can you put it that far down on a list?

Pastor Dan used the occasion of All Saint's Day to talk about those who have walked before us and are now in the presence of Christ.  Using John 19, he looked at a critical passage dealing with relationships on earth.  "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home." (26-27) This coming from Christ on the cross. A dying Christ setting the relationship.

Sin has corrupted our relationships and our world.  What is the perfect family? As Pastor Dan noted, tv has given us family shows since its inception, from "Leave It to Beaver" through "The Simpsons." My how families have changed in the world of entertainment, but has there ever been the "perfect family?" Dan noted, as I have in education as well, that some people worship their family to the point of idolatry.  Look, for example, at the recent "college gate" where some noted Hollywood figures (and many others) lied just to get their children a "leg up" to get into a choice college assignment.  They aren't alone.  We witness it daily in life in many ways.  In short, it's unhealthy because of our sin-filled world.

Does putting life in an order like the one earlier help? I don't know.  What does help? As Dan noted, putting Christ at the center of our relationships and making the effort to put those we love and their needs above our own, in as healthy a manner as possible.  It's easier said than done, but it is worth the effort. 

We pray for God to open our eyes and our hearts to the needs of those around us, especially our families, and we ask God to help us with wisdom and discernment to meet those needs in a Christ-centered, God pleasing way.