Gently Saving Sinners (BTW...Newsflash...Big Boat...All Of Us On It!)

Hey, Y'all,

Heard back from several of you describing how the last post was useful and reassuring and discussion-generating. All I can say is, God is good (and I just work here). :-)

One of our readers wrote back to say that we must "be careful to how you choose to interpret that scripture. It does not mean becoming a thief to witness to a thief or a prostitute to witness to one. Under no circumstances should the law be broken and Christ's example not followed...Instead we should tell them their error and point them in the right direction."

I wholeheartedly agree (thanks Art M. for bringing up this point), but the thought that immediately came to mind is the fact that we're all likely much better at behaving like the legalists/religious leaders than we are at emulating Christ's example of gentle acceptance of the person in conjunction with steady guidance away from the destructive behavior/sin.

A passage that comes to mind is found in 1 Peter 3 where Peter is giving general counsel on relationships of all types--submitting to and being considerate of one another, and being sympathetic and compassionate and humble, but the punch line for me comes in verse 15 where he says, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."

Reminded me of something else I read that contained a scriptural reference that teaches a healthy perspective--don't know the original source (though I suspect it was John Fischer from PurposeDrivenLife.com)...

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst” 1 Timothy 1:15. When Paul says this, he puts himself in a position to get next to anyone. You can greet all of humanity with open arms from the perspective of knowing intimately and honestly your own sin and failure. “Over there are the sinners of the world for whom Christ died…and, hey, that's my group!”

A recovering alcoholic is still an alcoholic: he's just recovering from alcohol's influence over him in the company of others willing to do the same thing, so they can all be an encouragement to each other and be accountable for their actions. THAT's what church ought to be about, and if it's not then we need to reevaluate our behavior and our raison d'etre (we've all heard the one about church being less of a museum for shiny saints and more of a hospital for sick sinners--how true is this in reality?).

That's the thing that's appealing (and successful) about support and recovery groups: they are fundamentally about honesty and openness and acceptance, and I'd wager that we are all in dire need of more of those characteristics in our churches. Alcoholics in AA are simply people admitting that they have ruined their lives (to one extent or another) and are ruining the lives of their loved ones as well, and there they find themselves among others who understand everything about that and call them "friend."

Shouldn't my church be at least that? Shouldn't yours?

You've been prayed for today...

Tolerance and Embracing

Hey, Y'all,

Welcome aboard to a few new readers who are joining us. Hope you're all enjoying the long weekend and honoring the memory of those who've sacrificed to make this a free and prosperous land. Today's thought comes from Bud Racine (thanks!) and really gets to the heart of what it means to be a Believer:

"The problem to be faced is: how to combine loyalty to one's own tradition with reverence for different traditions."
-Abraham J Heschel

Hmmm...reminds me of Paul's description in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 of who we ought to be as followers and imitators--disciples--of Christ (Christians). I've highlighted the punch line:

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, [I became] as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, [I became] as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you."

Here it is in another version (The Message)--pretty cool:

"Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!"

Another version talked about "finding common ground" with Seekers in order to be helpful to them on their journey (as others have taken the time to be with us)--that was what made Christ's ministering so effective, and that is an aspect of His ministry we must emulate if we are to be of any use as His instruments--humble servants BTW, not finger-wagging authoritarians--here on this (post-modern) planet.

Any other passages come to mind that back up this assertion?

You've been prayed for today...

Peace From Trust Yields Hope

Today's RST is short and sweet: it's a blessing recorded in Romans 5:13 and it reads "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." So He is the source of hope, joy, and peace (compare these with the evidences of the Holy Spirit's ministry listed in Galatians 5:22,23).

Happy Sabbath, have a restful and refreshing Memorial Day weekend, and be safe of course.

You've been prayed for today...

--Juan

Even The Wind and The Waves Obey -- Why Can't I?

Parting thoughts on Wind and Waves and the PeaceSpeaker...
(sung in my head by David Phelps)


Wind and Waves

All you had to do was raise your hand, speak the words,
"Peace, be still,"
And all the anger, all the fury of that raging storm
surrendered to Your will.

Even the wind and the waves obey,
Why can't I...why can't I?
Where is my faith, is it lost at sea?
Lord help me be like the wind and the waves.

When the storms of life take me by surprise,
And my faith gets swept overboard,
I hate it when I give in to all my fears
instead of trusting in You, Lord.

Even the wind and the waves obey,
Why can't I...why can't I?
Where is my faith, is it lost at sea?
Lord help me be like the wind and the waves.

Lord, save me from my unbelief.
Save me, oh save me!

Even the wind and the waves obey,
Why can't I...why can't I?
Where is my faith, is it lost at sea?
Lord help me be like the wind and the waves.

Lord help me be like the wind and the waves.
Save me...
Oh, I want to be like the wind and the waves.



You've been prayed for today...

Nothing Can Separate Us From Our Heavenly Father's Love

Hey, Y'all,

It's been great to hear from many of you these past few days on the just-concluded set of "anxiolytic" RSTs, and today's is a response to these from my mom (thanks, Mai!)--I'd forgotten this little detail in another story...

I really liked your RST today; the assurance that God is with us in the middle of the storms. He is right there with us, and nothing can separate us from Him and His love for us. Reminds me of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 when he was fleeing from Ahab and Jezebel and after forty days and nights of running he came to Mount Horeb. Verse 9: "There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the Lord came to him and said: 'what are you doing here, Elijah?'" It is so wonderful that the Lord did not say "What are you doing there, Elijah?" He said "what are you doing here?" He was right there with him in that dark cave, after all that running and hiding; His Father was right there next to him...I love that!

How about you--any other story come to mind with a similar theme? Send it in and we'll all share in the blessing! Here's the passage from Romans my mom paraphrased above:

"If God is for us, who can be against us? ... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:31-39

You've been prayed for today...

Why Be Anxious?

OK, here's the final setting of the quote we've been discussing, this time taken from Ministry of Healing, pp 480, 481. This RST is longer than usual but, seriously, even if you think you'll have a hard time doing so, please make the time, it was such a blessing to me to hear and think about and write--it's truly a change-your-life kind of deal if you give it a shot. (Besides, you haven't heard from me in a couple of days and this is it until Monday! ). Here's the quote:

"Many who profess to be Christ's followers have an anxious, troubled heart, because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. But unless they do make this surrender, they cannot find peace...

"Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. 'No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly' (Psalm 84:11). Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme, will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet."

Brings to mind a story we discussed in church last week and which helped engender this line of thinking in the first place. It's the story of Christ's calming of the storm--a simple story most of us have heard since we were kids, right? Interestingly, it turned into a rich and reaffirming spiritual experience for many last week. First check it out--it's short and recorded in 3 of the gospels: Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25--and BTW I don't think it's a coincidence that 3 different writers recorded it for posterity (think about it).

Now after the discussion there were numerous big points for me, but we'll just discuss a few salient ones for now (and of course if you have other observations please feel free to send them in and I'll share them with the list/blog:

(1) Christ was with the apostles when the storm came up, right? So what does that say about my life? If--no, excuse me, when storms come up in my life, does that mean that God is no longer in my corner, or that maybe I made Him mad or He's gone? No! It just means that a storm came up. That's it, that's all. Storm came up--that's life, welcome aboard. And that brings me to the second point:

(2) So the storm came up and Christ was in the boat...what does that say about my life? He's in my boat with me. He's not some distant and disinterested God, He's right there with us in the boat! Doesn't matter what boat, doesn't matter where, God is right there with you and available immediately when you turn to Him for help. He's right there with you in your boat...Which brings me to another couple of points:

(3) and (4) How loud are storms? I mean, if this one was hairy enough to swamp the boat (and the Sea of Galilee is known to produce waves of up to 20 feet), it stands to reason that there was quite a racket going on, and yet Christ was asleep...so what does that bring to mind? Two things:

First, He was asleep while His followers were flailing and (here's a bit of an understatement) stressing and anxious and working ridiculously hard to remedy their situation (to no avail I might add). How come He could sleep through the storm? Seriously, think about it for a minute. Was Christ worried at all about drowning? Clearly, He felt safe and cared for by His Father despite the raging storm, and here's the point: who actually understood the situation correctly, the flailing and stressed-out disciples, or the peacefully trusting sleeping Christ?

Second point in regards to the raging storm: despite the howling wind and crashing waves, Christ was asleep, and yet He awoke immediately when His followers finally realized their plight and that the solution was not within them but in Him. He heard their cry for help despite the gale that was raging. He could sleep through a near-hurricane, but He couldn't sleep through a tired, desperate, weak cry for help from His friends. And you know what? He still can't. Even if you can't see Him, even if you can't believe it, even if you can't even hear yourself think because of the storms raging around you and inside of you, He's listening for your voice and is available to you, right here, and right now, and always. Call out to Him, He's listening!

Oh, and another thing (5): how likely was it in the disciples' minds that the storm would abruptly cease? Not even in the realm of possibility, right? And yet obviously it was, 'cause it happened! Hmmm...Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. So, "since I can't see the way out, then, well, Lord, I guess we're screwed 'cause I can't see the way out and that of course means there's no way out," right? Or almost as tragicomic: "Lord, I've given it a lot of thought, and this is the solution--yeah, I know I can't see the whole picture, and that I don't have all the information, not to mention the other 999 ways you have that I couldn't even imagine--that's OK, Lord (how ironic to call Him that!), check it out: here's the only good solution to the situation...so please make it happen, and hurry up about it...oh yeah, please, that is." Hmmm...luckily it's just me in that boat, right? None of y'all have ever prayed that prayer...

And one last thought (6): I know, you're thinking to yourself (as I do as well), "that's all fine and good, but my storms don't generally end dramatically, with a raising of the hand and a 'Peace! Be still!' Most times there's still a lot of work to do, a lot of overcoming and coping and dealing. And that's true, especially those storms of our own making--which BTW, if you think about it honestly, many many are. I agree, things don't usually wind up honky-dory immediately, but here's what came to mind: where was Christ after the storm abated? Yep, still right there in the boat, still in the middle of the lake...He didn't just roll His eyes and calm the storm and then stomp off in a huff (on the water of course, right? ). Nope, He was still there, in the boat, keeping His followers company as they still had to make their way to shore.

So, it seems that the issue was more in their perception and understanding of the lake situation: were they any less safe when the storm was raging? Were they really any safer now that things were calm? No, obviously they were in God's hands the whole way (that's the only way Christ would be asleep, right?). So did it make any difference whatsoever whether the storm was raging or the sea was calm? Nope. Safe either way. What was the only real difference? Only their perception, their understanding, of what the lake situation really was. And so it is with us. Turns out life dishes out all sorts of storms and howling wind and driving rain (and likely some lightning and hail for good measure), but the only real storm is in my heart and mind, in my understanding of what's going on around me, and that's the storm He stills. That's how He can say "don't worry about anything," that's the only reason Paul--a guy who also knew a little something about trials and suffering (and storms)--could write "don't be anxious about anything," and it's the only way that James could describe trials and tribulations as joyful growth and maturation experiences.

It's not about the storms: those we get because we draw breath. What it's about is my understanding and my perception, and it's about Who's in my boat with me and Who's talking me through this experience and Who's keeping me company and Who's teaching me. It's about Who's calming the storm in me, it's about the PeaceSpeaker reminding me that "the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" John 14:26,27.

You've been prayed for today, earnestly. God is right there in your boat, whatever lake you are traversing, and He'd love nothing more than to have you nudge Him and tell Him what's going on in your heart and mind so He can soothe and calm and explain. He's that kind of God, you know.

A Thousand Ways To Provide

Hey, Y'all,

Interestingly, we seem to have struck a nerve with the last RST as I've gotten a lot of feedback on it (should serve to remind us that it's a big ol' boat and all of us are on it, huh?)(and speaking of boat...tune in tomorrow for more). Here's the same quote but in a different context...

"Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. ‘No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.’ Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet."
Desire of Ages, p 330

Brings to mind, of course, a passage we've discussed numerous times (and it bears repeating again here):

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the unbelievers run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" Matthew 6:31-34.

All of chapter 6 (and for that matter 5 and 7 as well) are a phenomenal read--check them out!--but I especially love verse 27's pointed question: "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Yikes! How true is that?!?

You've been prayed for today...

We Know (Next To) Nothing

Today's thought refers to a quote that came up in the Men's Group study last night which got me looking for it--interestingly, it's found in several different books of Ellen White's. Here's the basic quote--more on this tomorrow...

"Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing."
Help in Daily Living, p. 13

Kinda reminds you of why this next passage is so reassuring, especially when there is no apparent way out...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6,7

You've been prayed today...so you pray too, and put the impossible things in the hands of The Only One who can do anything about them...but do pray, and ask His help in letting them go and putting them there--'cause they won't get put there by themselves, I can tell you that with certainty!

What Do You Do? You Follow His Example!

Today's RST is a collection of related thoughts...


"Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching people. The Savior mingled with men as one who [genuinely] desired their good. He sympathized with their problems and ministered to their needs. When He had won their confidence [trust, friendship?], then [and only then] He bade them, 'Follow Me.'"
Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, p.143 [emphasis mine]

How do you define Christianity? "A company of friends whose inspired leader once said that the one without sin should pick up the first stone." Nora Gallagher.

Robert Farrar Capon once defined the Church as “a community of astonished hearts, proclaiming the end of religion in Jesus.”

What do you do with a man who claims to be God, yet hates the prevailing religious attitude? What do you do with a man who calls himself The Savior, yet condemns systems? What do you do with a man who knows the time and place of his death, yet goes there anyway? You follow His example!


You've been prayed for today...

Freedom and Responsibility

Here's a passage I ran across--1 Corinthians 10:23,24--that explains "The Believer's Freedom Through Grace" (like the sound of that!). Think about this one for a bit...how much better would your life be if you lived this ideal? And how about your home, your family, your friends, your workplace? We're big on freedom around these parts--it's the American way!--but just maybe a little weak on responsibility? Hmmm...


"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. (NIV)

You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is helpful. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial. Don't think only of your own good. Think of others and what is best for them. (NLT)

Looking at it one way, you could say, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. (Message)


You've been prayed for today...

Who Am I Depending On (And Is That A Good Plan)?

Today's RST is Jeremiah 17:5-10 and it says things that we're not usually used to hearing. Read it carefully--it's not God being harsh and capricious, it's God talking straight and laying things out as they truly are...we just can't always see things that way...but that doesn't make them not so. So what does this mean, what does it say to you?


This is what the LORD says:

"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."


You've been prayed for today...

Change of Plan

Hey, Y'all,

Today's RST comes to us courtesy of Rene (thanks, brother!)...

"Today started out great. I read Acts 9 and it got me thinking about how and why Saul went into Damascus--but Jesus had a different plan. It reminds me that today that I have certain plans and how I start out and how it ends up could be totally different as well--and that's fine with me now."

Cool.

You've been prayed for today (and happy Sabbath).

If My People Pray...

Today, a straight (not-so-) Random Spiritual Thought...funny, I was in the middle of a long and tiresome day and experiencing one of those "dry seasons of the soul" when I sent up a lame and weak little prayer--"God, you know how I'm feeling at the moment, and you know what I need...please be that God for me right now--I need you to fill me, and renew me." And I headed off to BibleGateway.com to see what the scripture of the day was...and what it was was a cool drink of water for my parched soul...


"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Perfect...

You've been prayed for today.

My Own Effort?!? (Revisited)

Today's RST is a response to the "My Own Effort?!?" thought--thanks for sharing and for the idea, Noemi! (It follows the original thought below...)

"Have you lost your senses?" Paul wrote to the Galatians. "After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" Galatians 3:3

Amen to that...and it dovetails nicely with Paul's words to the church in Philippi: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
Philippians 1:6, 2:13.

God does His part and more--we just have to show up and partake of the blessing--but we do have to show up, and often, in order to be under the influence of the "Right Spirit"--otherwise we're under the influence of "the same-old-same-old."


"Absolutely we have to show up! I've been reading Thomas Kinkade's The Many Loves of Marriage and he speaks about creating the opportunities for connecting -- with our children, with our spouse. And showing up is just that, creating the opportunity to allow Christ to come into our hearts, our lives, our day -- EVERY day."

Maybe several times a day? Most days that's what it takes. The crucial part is this: note that it takes a purposeful, active decision--to create the quiet space, the opportunity for true and deep dialogue (not your monologue) communion with God (and from this source then flows the love and communion with those around us--even those not entirely lovable).

It won't happen by accident--nothing worthwhile or lasting ever does. It takes a conscious choice, and then it takes the determined follow-through of action on that decision. It's true that in the last part of Matthew 6 God does promise that He'll take care of our needs and day-to-day issues as well as the big ones, but He also says that He can only do that when we're on the same page with Him. Neglect your relationship with God, fail to make the time to read and pray, and you risk failing at all your other endeavors as well. It's not harsh, or arbitrary: it's just reality.


You've been prayed for today...