Black Thursday?

 “How many never in their lives read through all the Scriptures? 

These have a sword but only to hang on the wall.” William Gouge

  So how did your Black Friday go? Did you know that long before there was a “Black Friday,” there was a “Black Thursday?” But it had nothing to do with Christmas shopping. Black Thursday was a riot back in 1901 over a new translation of the Gospel of Matthew. 
  Greece is largely considered the birthplace of democracy. Who would have thought that a new translation of the Gospel of Matthew would cause a major riot, but that’s what happened on November 8th, 1901. Translating Matthew into the common Greek vernacular led to bloody clashes in Athens. A newspaper called Akropolis published it in demotic Greek, the modern version of Greek. Greek has evolved from its ancient roots to the point that modern and ancient Greek sounded almost nothing alike. 

  The differences resulted in a “holy war.” On one side, ancient Greek proponents—particularly in the Greek Orthodox Church—believed that if they watered down their language, they might lose claim to their Byzantine landholdings. On the other end, demotic or common language Greek proponents said language isn’t as important as investments in artillery. So when the newspaper published Matthew in the common language—alongside a political editorial—violence broke out. Eight demonstrators died. Ultimately, proponents of the ancient language failed in their efforts to make it the preferred form of communication. Modern Greeks speak and write in the demotic form, but the Greek Orthodox Church continues to use ancient Greek as the liturgical language in its worship services.

  While in Greece they fought over versions, in modern-day China, the government is making access to the Bible more difficult. Though most Bibles are printed in China as they are the only ones with the special printing presses needed to print the thin paper, Chinese citizens with iPhones can no longer download the Olive Tree Bible app after Apple removed it from their app store at the request of the communist authorities. 

  The Bible software maker in the US was told it’d have to file special permits to comply with rules regarding “book or magazine content,” which censor religious literature. Those who have already downloaded the programs can continue to use them but can’t get updates. According to the human rights group, Amnesty International, Apple has consistently submitted to China’s censorship demands. But China is not alone in its censorship of Scripture. According to The Voice of the Martyrs, in over fifty countries it’s illegal to own a Bible.

  We’re so blessed in America! Yet, what’s tragic is not that we don’t have access to a Bible, but that so many Christians rarely read it.

  Would you please make this the year that you determine to habitually read the Bible? Many Christians when asked about their Bible reading say: “I’ve been really busy.” Many others who are extremely busy still read their Bibles. Those who claim busyness are up to date on the news, watch movies and sports, use social media, exercise, and a host of other things. Let’s be honest, none of us are truly too busy to read the Bible. So, why read the Bible?

  The Bible is God’s love letter to you. When Jane and I were dating, I was thrilled to receive a letter from her. I’d read, re-read, and re-read again those letters. I never could get enough of Jane! God’s Word is His love letter to you. Do you treasure it? How’s your relationship with God growing or stagnant? Reading our Bibles helps keep our relationship with our Heavenly Father fresh and growing.

  The Bible is the best resource for positive behavior modification. At the most basic level, we read the Bible so we know how to live. It guides us on how to behave as the people of God in a sin-contaminated world. But not as a rule book or as a list of things to do if we want to stay on God’s good side. As the people of God with His Spirit living in us to guide us, we’re motivated to live rightly. The Bible shows us what it means to live in a way that pleases the Lord. Sometimes it’s by direct commandments, but mostly it’s by principles and examples, leaving us to apply them and work out how to live it out in our own lives.

  If you’ve been a Christian very long, when it comes to what’s right and wrong, you probably know what God wants you to do 99% of the time. The difficult part is actually doing it or remembering to do it. God’s Word is a reminder for us on how we should live in a way that’s right.

  The Bible is the best resource for wise life investment. We read our Bibles to know what goals to set and to help determine what to pursue in life. Reading Scripture challenges us to not fritter away our lives. We need purpose, we need goals. Out of all the things I can do, what will I choose to do more of? It will be different for each of us because God has designed us uniquely and called us to different tasks.

  The Bible challenges us to ask life-directing questions: How will I spend my time? How will I spend my money? Which people group or subculture will I reach out to? The big story of the Bible is about investing in the real world, eternity. We must set life goals that make sense against that story.

  The Bible is the best tool to view this world. We read God’s Word to inform our worldview and see life the way that God sees it. Once you see the world as God sees it, the other things follow – how we behave, who we are, and where we’re heading. It’s why Paul prays "having the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe” (Eph 1:18-19). The Bible tells us how God sees life and that we’re part of His story. It tells us how God sees us and His perspective of our world.

  Consistently reading the Bible helps us grow to be more like Jesus. Do you want true life change? Commit to reading and studying God’s Word consistently. It will revolutionize your life!  

 Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

The Turkey of Comparison

 “Comparison is the death of joy.” Mark Twain

   Each year I struggle with a bit of buyer’s remorse. Usually, I’m the one at our house who shops for the turkey for Thanksgiving. I compare prices and brands (Is Butterball better than Honeysuckle? What about the less expensive store brand?) I’ll visit a few stores checking prices to get the best deal. Over the years I’ve found that you have to wait until about a week before for stores to lower their prices but don’t want to wait too long in case they run out. But this year with rumors of shortages of everything for your Thanksgiving feast, I was telling Jane that I thought we needed to buy early, so I purchased the turkey nearly a month before I normally do. It was higher per pound than I normally pay but I wasn’t sure if the prices would go up or down…or if they might even run out. And when I bought our turkey, there were only two others left. But it put a warm spot in my heart to walk down a store aisle the other day and see that the turkeys they had on sale were a full 40 cents more per pound than I paid! I won…maybe. 

  We’re entering into the full-blown comparison season. We’re going to be spending time with family and friends, and the turkey of comparison will attempt to gobble his way into our hearts to steal our joy. Don’t let him!

  It’s noteworthy that the first records of comparison in the Bible were between siblings. It’s often our soft spot. Cain compared how God responded with acceptance to Abel’s sacrifice and it so angered him that he took Abel out. The “baby wars” between Leah and Rachel are the stuff of legend. Rachel seethed with jealously that her less attractive sister was “Fertile Myrtle.”

  The Apostle Paul warns us of the danger of comparison in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” Did you catch that? “they are without understanding.” That’s a polite way of saying that they’re stupid.

  I can’t help but think that Paul wrote those words from the winner’s circle of defeating the comparison temptation. He knew as every preacher knows the subtle temptation of comparing your ministry with someone else’s.

  Later this week when you roll in for Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays, the turkey of comparison will be strutting to compare things like cars, houses, landscaping…even decorating. But he’s not done. He wants you to compare your spouse, your kids, and even your parents. You’ll look at your clothes compared to others. They bought a new outfit to dribble their giblet gravy on but you’re wearing what you wore last year and the year before. Your kids will whine and act like kids but your cousins’ kids will be angelic. Then, someone will talk about their 401K or their promotion or their work benefits and you find yourself shrinking in your seat. Their pumpkin pie looks better than yours. Even your stories and jokes aren’t as good. If you lost weight last year, they lost more. If you got Covid, they got it worse…and the comparison goes on and on. At the end of the day the turkey isn’t the only thing being cooked, so is your heart.

  Contentment is something we can and need to learn. Our Heavenly Father gives us exactly what we need. All that we have and are, is from Him. Our Father truly knows best. So you have to fight the temptation of comparison. You may need to go full-blown Pilgrim with an ax looking for Tom Turkey in your own soul. Here are some “comparison hunting” strategies.

  Remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14 reminds us of this biblical fact. That means that each of us is God’s unique creation. As we surrender our heart and will to Him, He can mold us and transform us into exactly what He wants us to be. When you feel inadequate or feel the temptation to compare, quietly whisper a prayer of thanks to God for making you exactly the way you are. 

  Realize we all have different strengths and weaknesses. No matter how hard you try, someone will always be better at something than you are. When you are tempted to compare, recognize instead that it’s an opportunity to practice humility and appreciate the gifts of others.

  Choose praise over pettiness. When you notice your host could give Martha Stewart a run for her money, praise her for her talent. If your brother has a newer car, compliment him on it (it’s okay if it’s a sports car to ask for a ride). That joy and sincere smile eradicate self-pity that wants to take root in your heart. Genuinely complimenting others outwardly keeps us from complaining inwardly and cultivating a jealous spirit. 

  Rely on God’s opinion rather than the opinion of others. We must remind ourselves to live for an audience of One. We have to take control of our thoughts and direct our thinking in order to keep our minds from going down a sinful dead end. Not only are you fearfully and wonderfully made, but in Christ, God sees us as perfect. That means we have God’s measuring stick, not our own or that of others to live by.

  Truly thank the Lord for what you do have. Practice being grateful for your blessings instead of fixating on someone else’s. You can even be thankful for things you don’t have that you don’t want! This will probably shock you but while you’re fighting the temptation of comparison with someone who has more than you, someone is fighting that same temptation about you because you seem to have so much that they don’t have.

  Comparison is selfishness disguised. It has us looking at others and thinking about ourselves. We must train our minds to want to please God instead of attempting to impress others. When we stop thinking of how others view us, we can be free from the burden of selfishness.

  Comparison steals our joy and contentment. When we compare ourselves with others, we’re not using an accurate measure. Dragging around the world’s expectations hinders us from the journey that God has in store for us. We cheat ourselves out of God’s blessings when we try to live the life we see others living. When you live your own life, and stop envying someone else’s, you can see your blessings more clearly. Each of us must learn to rejoice and be thankful for what God has given us because the truth is that it’s so much more than we will ever deserve!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Killing Flies with Cannons

 

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” Oscar Wilde

 

  It gives a whole new meaning to the term “bad haircut.” A court in India ordered a hair salon to pay a model $271,000 to compensate her for a bad haircut. This model had been employed by hair care product firms because of her long hair, but the offending salon chopped her hair short against her instructions, causing her a huge monetary loss. India’s National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) ruled that she lost “her expected assignments and suffered a huge loss which completely changed her lifestyle and shattered her dream to be a top model. She underwent severe mental breakdown and trauma due to negligence...in cutting her hair and could not concentrate on her job and finally she lost her job.” 

  This model had gone to the hotel in 2018 to get a haircut and gave specific instructions to the staff about the look she wanted. But the hairstylist cut a major part of her hair, leaving only 4-inches from the top touching her shoulder. When she complained to the salon, she was offered a free hair treatment to make up for the mistake. The woman told the court that the treatment was “dubious and it resulted in damage of her hair. She also suffered the loss of income due to a mental breakdown after the shoddy haircut and, thereafter, the torturous hair treatment. She left her job also… She has gone through the pain and trauma for the last two years after this incident. She lost her self-esteem due to little hair.”

  Probably there was financial loss and some compensation may have been justified but her hair will grow back. What’s the old saying, “the difference between a good and a bad haircut is about two weeks.” $271,000 compensation? That’s way over the top for one bad haircut!

  Overreacting is the norm of today’s world. You’ve probably been in a restaurant where someone had a meltdown because their order was incorrect. Many of these incidents have been captured on YouTube. This world is filled with petty individuals and dramaholics.

  Sometimes these individuals find their way into our churches. Recently, I learned of an administrative assistant at an area church who each week has church attendees point out all of the mistakes she made in the church bulletin. How sad! These missionaries of misery typically overreact about things that don’t really matter, the minute details, the little goofs that have no bearing on anything of significant importance.

  Yet let’s admit it, most of us have our “shooting flies with a cannon” moments. Often, we’re toughest on ourselves. Somehow we’ve lost a grip on the reality that mistakes happen. As famed English poet, Alexander Pope, wisely observed, “to err is human.”

  Mistakes are a part of life. Who hasn’t been driving down the road and realized that they’d left their blinker on for countless miles or forgot to turn off their high beams until an oncoming driver flashed their lights at them. I find that I’m a professional at misplacing things. Often I find what I lost last when I’m looking for the current item that I’ve lost.

  Accidents happen…it’s why they’re called “accidents.” Wise parents help their children handle mistakes by not overreacting. There’s a huge difference between an accident and purposeful rebellion. For example, children spill things (so do adults). That’s completely different from a child who dumps things in anger or throws them. A response to an accident should be a different response than one for rebellion or disobedience.

  My friend, Kathy Lincoln, would wisely say: “You have to know the difference between a lump in your oatmeal, a lump in your throat, or a lump in your breast.” Most gaffes we encounter aren’t worth the angst we give them. Often they’re not permanent and are easily solvable.

  One of my favorite things to say to a clerk or food server who is horrified that they have made a mistake is: “If that’s the worst thing that happens to me today, I’ve had a good day.” Please understand I can slip into being an ogre of overreacting as well as anyone. Something though about being in innumerable ICU units and emergency rooms over the years has given me a needed sense of perspective. It’s a broken, sin-contaminated world. Mistakes are ingrained into it. How should we handle mistakes?

  See mistakes as a blessing and an opportunity to grow. David McCullough’s, The Wright Brothers, records the many failures Orville and Wilbur had before they finally succeeded in inventing the airplane. Mistakes can lead us to discover diverse ways of successfully completing a task. Without mistakes, we’d miss learning many things that make our lives so much more fulfilling.

  Mistakes can be relationship builders. Mistakes provide us with an opportunity to build relationships with those that we otherwise wouldn’t have a relationship. Seeking out help or advice after blundering is an opportunity to make a new friend. None of us are experts at everything. God designed us to need and depend on others.

  Mistakes are an opportunity to show grace. Why did Peter love Jesus so much? Because Jesus was so forgiving and patient with Peter’s continual bungling. Compassion and patience build relationships.

  Think of some of the individuals you feel closest to. Often they’re the ones who’ve shown you the most grace. Graciousness deepens our relationships and trust. One study by Jonathan Haidt of New York University showed that the more employees look up to their leaders and are moved by their kindness, the more loyal they become to him or her.

  When you make a mistake, admit it. Confucius said, “If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.” James 5:16 has the best way to handle it, “Confess your faults to one another.” Don’t blame others, instead take personal responsibility. Stick to the facts and don’t make excuses. It’s not a time for humor or making light of the situation. Apologize that you blew it. If there’s damage or restitution needed, cover it. If possible, outline your new direction or decision, provide the process and timeframe for correcting future mistakes.

  We all blunder. We need to show grace when others make them and take responsibility when we make them. Thankfully, we have a forgiving Father for our countless sins. We’re to forgive others as He has forgiven us (Eph. 4:31-32). Being a forgiver is what it means to be a Christ-follower.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.  

Don't Bury Your Praise!

 “Eternity will be too short fully to recount His praise. 

Let us not shorten our joy by neglecting to begin on earth.”  Henry Law

   A gravestone has finally returned to its resting spot in a Michigan cemetery after it went missing nearly 150 years ago. It was discovered by an auctioneer who found the gravestone during a Lansing, Michigan estate sale last August. The family had used the marble slab to make fudge, but no one could remember where it came from. 

  So, with the family’s permission, the auctioneer contacted a local cemetery preservation society to return the stone to its rightful place. Society members looked for relatives of the gravestone owner, Peter J. Weller, who died in Lansing in 1849, but they couldn’t find any survivors. Eventually, they learned that when Weller’s grave was moved to a different city cemetery in 1875, the monument somehow ended up in the family’s home. On Sept. 26^th, the group conducted a memorial service for Weller marking the return of the gravestone. 

  We’ve all made our cooking mistakes but I think that they really “fudged” on that one. Using a gravestone to cook with has to be up there with one of the top gauche decisions of all time. It’s a bit like using a human femur to stir soup. Some things just ought not to not be done.

  Just as wrong is designating gratitude to the month of November or to the Thanksgiving Season. Praising God needs to permeate our lives 365 days a year, 24/7. Nothing so changes your life as growing into a person of praise. Too many of us compartmentalize praise and make it “church stuff,” when it should be life stuff. Gratitude should be woven into the fabric of everything we do, not relegated to a few hours at church on Sunday. 

  Have you ever tried to think of things to praise God for and struggled to come up with much? While I rarely have difficulty coming up with things to pray for, praise isn’t as easy. Here are five that will help: 

  1) His love endures forever! God loves us so much, He sent His Only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. Never mind all the time that we spent ignoring Him, disobeying, etc., He still loves us. (John 3:16; Rom 5:8).

  2) His grace is amazing! His capacity for forgiveness is never-ending. No matter how much we fail, His grace is more than enough. (Eph. 2:4-5).

  3) He is sovereign overall! While none of us know all of the mysteries of life, God does. When you feel out of control, or that the world is out of control, He has it all under control (Ps. 103:19).

  4) He is omnipotent and omniscient! God has the power to do anything and everything! He knows everything and is never surprised. Nothing is beyond His power or knowledge. (Mt. 19:26).

  5) He is always faithful! The Bible promises that the Lord will be with us always, and He’s our ever-present help in times of trouble. (Ps. 46:1). God is awesome and has designed us to praise Him. After your personal quiet time with the Lord, the best place to praise the Lord is in your own home…Our homes and marriages should be permeated by praise. Parents become frustrated when their child whines or chronically complains. Yet, where did they learn that? Too often, it’s from us. How often do our children hear us praising the Lord? How often do we thank our spouse or praise our children? 

  If you put a dollar in a jar over the course of a week for every time you complained and took one out for every time you praised the Lord or thanked someone, you’ll probably have lots of money in the jar by the end of the week.

  Praise and gratitude must be the believer’s default setting. Last year when the pandemic rules began to loosen New York Times reporter, Soumya Karlamangla described how she experienced “a small burst of joy.” Every return to some old, familiar activity, from hugging people to getting haircuts to wandering the aisles of grocery stores, became “almost wondrous” to her. At least for a while, but then, she admits, the feelings began to fade. 

  Karlamangla had some advice for people looking to preserve that “post-lockdown feeling:” practicing the lost art of gratitude. “Once a day, stop and appreciate what you’re able to do now that you weren’t last year. You can make a mental note, tell your partner, text your friend or write it down in a journal. The method doesn’t matter, as long as you’re making a deliberate effort to acknowledge that things have improved.” 

  She goes on to cite scientific evidence of the physical and mental health benefits of cultivating gratitude, including better sleep and higher levels of happiness. “Feeling thankful for the little pleasures in our lives,” she concludes, “can add up to make us happier people overall.”

  Precisely because the pandemic was so disruptive to normal life, our emergence from it provided incredible opportunities for embracing this kind of gratitude. Habitually practicing gratitude is extremely beneficial for us, even for those who don’t believe in God. For that reason alone, we can hope that Times readers take Karlamangla’s advice seriously. Yet for us as Christians, gratitude isn’t some mental health strategy. It’s a profound way of telling the truth: to ourselves, to others, and to the whole world.

  Complaining isn’t harmless; it’s serious sin. The Apostle Paul wrote, “And do not grumble, as some of them did — and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Cor. 10:10). Think about it. Who are our complaints really against? God. That’s so convicting! Who gave you whatever you find it most tempting to complain about from your spouse to your children to your job to your country to your government to your church (Nah, no one ever complains about church).

  Israel lost forty years wandering the wilderness because when they should have been praising the Lord for His deliverance from slavery in Egypt and provision and protection in the wilderness, they bellyached. We must grow weary of wandering in our own wilderness of discontent and ask the Lord to forgive us. Then, we must learn the habit of praise. Yes, there are some terrible things going on in our world and in our lives. Our Father though is in control. He’s the One we need to share our cares with. We must learn to live in Philippians 4:6, and not just at Thanksgiving, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

  Grumbling should be as rare for a believer as using a tombstone to cook with. Let’s commit to being people of praise!

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.