Good Shepherd

John 10 is an incredible section of God's Word that is full of promise for mankind. Often our fears and anxieties are a result of our failure to embrace the promises of God. God's primary promise to us is about His presence. The Good Shepherd is a story about God's presence. The sheep need a shepherd to guide, protect, discipline, feed and lead. The presence of the shepherd is the savlation of the sheep. If the shepherd abandons the sheep, the wolf, thief or other preditor comes in and destroys. The Good Shepherd (there is none good but God) never abandons the sheep. His presence is the salvation for the sheep. The salvation is not in the green pastures, still waters or any other provision. The salvation is a result of God keeping His promise and providing His presence. Anxieties and fears subside when we learn to listen to the shepherd's voice and follow His lead. I'm learning to trust, listen to His voice, follow His lead, enjoy His presence and rest in His Almighty power. I am resisting the corrosive power of fear as I recognize His presence. Discovering the Good Shepherd is life giving (John 10:10).

FRUSTRATION

Sometimes I wonder who we are as the body of Christ. This past week the guy in Kansas that killed the abortion doctor was labeled by our news anchor as a 'born again Christian.' I was frustrated when I heard it. The man's own verbage had been frustrating. The last thing He is, is born again. He forgot that Jesus said love your enemies, and whoever thinks about killing someone is guilty of murder. Murdering doctors is no solution to abortion. I was frustrated when one of the talking heads of Christian television recently said God was punishing Haiti with the earthquake. I would think that Haiti is last on the list of needing punishment from God. What about America?! The same group said God was punishing America with the 911 attacks. Frustrating is probably not the best word, but it's a start. How will the world see Christ if this is the messasge that is heard. A born again Christian shoots a doctor in church?! A holy God who is seeking to redeem a lost world turns the most impoverished nation on planet earth up side down? Maybe God is frustrated also, but not with Haiti. How stupid can those who claim to know Him be? As His people we are called to live a life of love. When we do that, I believe the devil is frustrated. When we are truly loving, the nay-sayers against Christianity are silent. The guy in Kansas bought into the world's system of power and control-kill the enemy. The talking head bought into the world's system of hype and sensationalism. Holy Spirit help me to follow Jesus!

Sanctity of Life

There are many challenges facing America today. One that has nearly disappeared from the public forum is the issue of abortion and the sanctity of life. The slaughter of the unborn continues in the name of convenience, choice and women's health. The right to life is being denied over a million times a year in America. Denied to the most vulnerable of our culture. The voices of men such as Peter Singer, Francis Crick & Margarat Sanger are finding more and more credibility in our culture. Someone said that abortion is a confusing issue. Really it's not, if we can move beyond our selfish view of life. The issue is life. God challenged the people of Israel to 'choose life (Deut. 30:19)." When we embrace abortion, infanticide, euthenasia, we are choosing death. When we lose sight of a Creator who has formed us with a purposeful life in mind (and in America we have lost sight of the Creator), we may devalue life, and even be willing to destroy it. God calls us to choose life. Not just in the realm of abortion and the killing of the unborn, but in everyday situations. When we choose to love, be kind, forgiving, etc., we are choosing life. When we choose to hate, become bitter, we choose death. When we choose to kill the unborn, we vote for death and devalue our own existence. The destruction of the unborn is often a self serving action and it devalues all of humanity. When the will to get my way compels me to destroy another person, death comes to all. The pro-abortion movement is one of death. We must speak out, vote pro-life, and communicate God's grace to those who have been scarred by abortion. Don't shoot doctors, bomb clinics, or throw rocks through windows-those are death choices. Let the body of Christ speak the truth in love and pray for victory. Choose Life!

HOPE

Reading E. Stanley Jones' In Christ, as one of my devotionals. He states, "my past is past, buried in His love; my present is His, my future unfolds in Him." This statement speaks of the hope we have in Christ. 'In Christ' is the source of life, joy and hope. As we rush into a new year, may we understand that the time we spend focusing on Christ through His Word and in prayer, will feed our hope. The nightly news will continue to be filled with 'bad news.' The political scene will continue to be frustrating. Relationships in life will continue to be challenging. The stresses and strains of everyday living will continue to be experienced. This is reality and in the middle of what at times is a real mess, Christ's people have hope. A hope that is sure, steadfast, anchored in heaven(Heb.6;19). Peter says this is a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3). Paul says this hope stands in the midst of grief and loss (1 Thess. 4:13). He told the Romans this hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:3). He told Timothy that Christ is our hope (1 Tim. 1:1). My calling is to get close to Christ and stay close. Kyle Strobel says in his book, Metamorpha, "the aim of the Christian life is not independence, but greater dependence; it is intimacy and love, rather than accomplishment and development." Hope comes in one package-Jesus Christ. Christ in us our hope of glory (Col.1:27).

LOVED

2009 is quickly disappearing. The world is celebrating in its usual manner. I wonder how much of the celebration is merely noise and activity to help ignore the emptiness? As I finish this year I am grateful for God's amazing love for me. A love I am still trying to grasp. A love that is totally independent of my achievments or lack thereof. A love that embraces me and celebrates over me. Just me! A love that will not let me go as one song writer penned. A love that the Father wants to overwhelm me with each day during this coming year. A love that should liberate me to enjoy the journey, embrace obedience, and show that love to others. As this year closes and I move into another part of the journey, I desire to truly know God's love for me, and then to show that same love to others. I know the opportunities for both will be multiple. I know I can easily be distracted by the stuff of this world. I know my own insecurities and doubts will at times hinder me from knowing that love and showing that love. May the Holy Spirit guide me into all truth regarding God's boundless love for me and how I can express that to others.

Christmas

We've been traveling with Luke during the last few months at Amarillo First Naz. It's been a good journey. We have just scratched the surface of this window into the life of Jesus and the ways of God. A powerful promise begins this Gospel, "nothing is impossible with God (1:37)." Spoken to Mary upon the announcement of the Incarnation, it declared the nature of God-He is Almighty. The same promise is again spoken by Jesus in Luke 18 & the rich young ruler. The same promise, the same Almighty God, but one person got it and one missed it. Mary was willing to be the Lord's servant, the young ruler refused the offer. Mary seemed to have a vision of something beyond herself, the young ruler couldn't get past himself. One would be labeled powerless by our culture, the other one blessed and successful. The Almighty God didn't need the power and wealth of the young ruler. Almighty God was looking for a willing heart. Someone through whom He could display His redemptive power. The impossible is discovered when we make ourselves available to God, for His purposes and glory. Christmas reminds us of Almighty God and the Divine invasion into this broken world. Nothing is impossible with God. Believe & rejoice!

Thankful

It's hard to believe another year has nearly passed. At this time of thanksgiving and then quickly stepping into Advent, Christ's people should lift a shout of praise and thanksgiving to the true and living God as revealed in Jesus Christ. In a day of confusion and darkness, may we shout with the apostle, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift (2 Cor.9:15). I don't seem to stray far from that passage these days. My attitude must be one of thanksgiving. The reality around wants to drag out the negative and complaining spirit, but in these times Christ still lives. It's never about who is president or what the stock market is doing. The political scene in Christ's time wasn't anything special. Corruption and immorality were pervasive in both the religious and political world. In the midst of the cloud of uncertainty and sinfulness, Christ's people must be cultivating an attitude of praise and thanksgiving. The Lord commands it, but He also provides ample reason for. Make a list of God's blessings you enjoy each day. Begin with the quiet confidence that it is well with your soul.