Choosing a Better Gift

“Christmas means ‘giving,’ and the gift without the giver is bare. 

Give of yourselves; give of your substance; give of your heart and mind.”  Gordon B. Hinckley

 Recently, I was surprised to learn that not only does Elon Musk own Tesla and now Twitter but he even sells perfume…and not just any perfume. Elon Musk sells “Burnt Hair Perfume"; it’s advertised as the “essence of repugnant desire.” No, this is not a gag gift or a White Elephant Gift. The perfume is meant to smell like your head is on fire. But if you want to buy a bottle for your one true love, you’ll have to wait until next Christmas. 30,000 bottles, which sold at $100 a pop, were completely sold out. 

  Are you like me? Do you struggle each Christmas to find just the right gifts for those you love? Did you venture out on Black Friday to find this year’s hot gift, hoping that it was still in stock?

  There are some Christmas gifts that everyone needs and you don’t have to shop for them. They’re so basic and so longed for, yet too often overlooked. Here are some “hot gifts” that are always needed.

  Give grace. Christmas tends to bring out our inner Hallmark, yet it’s a sin-filled world where lots of bad stuff happens. To add to that many of us come from broken families or there’s fragmentation in our current one. For many, it’s “The Nightmare before Christmas.” Our parents may be divorced or not getting along. Our children, even adult ones, are divided. Perhaps a loved one died this past year leaving an empty space at the table. Many have been invited to a dysfunctional family situation to “celebrate.” All the gifts in the world won’t put a nice bow on that trainwreck.  

  Yet, the real Christmas is not about what is happening but because of what has happened. That first Christmas was far from perfect. Humanly speaking, it was a disaster. Mary and Joseph are away from home because the government wanted more tax money. Then, Bethlehem was more crowded than a mall on Christmas Eve. The only place where Mary could give birth to her baby was a dirty stable.

  But that happening changed everything. It’s why the angels announced to some poor shepherds that there was “peace on earth” because the Prince of Peace had come. Life on this messed up world would never be the same.

  This year instead of being disappointed because your family looks more like the McCallisters’ from Home Alone fame than Tiny Tim’s, or because of irreconcilable differences the family won’t be together, or because of the economy there are fewer gifts and a smaller meal, remember that’s not what Christmas is about. It’s not about what’s happening. Christmas is about what happened 2,000 years ago when the promised Messiah came.

  Give love. We, humans, tend to give what we’re given. If we don’t receive love, we often don’t give it. We treat others the way we’re treated.

  Yet, if you’ve experienced God’s love, if you’ve trusted Christ as your Savior, then you’ve personally experienced undeserved love. As the hymn goes: “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.” Every believer who looks in the mirror has that same question – How could Jesus love me? We know ourselves. We know how unworthy we are. We know how unworthy we are of His sacrifice on the cross for us. But still He came and still He went to the cross. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” As God has given love to us, we are to give love to others…no strings attached.

  We are to love our families. It doesn’t matter if you had the worst father and mother of all time – you’re still to love them. Even if your spouse mistreats you, you’re still to love them. That sibling who’s been cruel and mean to you as long as you can remember…yes, you’re to love them, too.  

  We are to love our spiritual family. It doesn’t matter if someone is Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, Non-Denominational, or Catholic – if they’ve committed their lives to Christ and are trusting Him as the only way to heaven (John 14:6), they’re brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to love them. There is no place for a “holy war” in God’s family. It doesn’t matter if they’re from a different ethnic group or of a different political persuasion. Economically, we may have nothing in common. None of that matters because it’s level ground at the foot of the cross.

  In what was known as the “love feast” in the church at Corinth, there were those from every tribe and nation. Slaves and masters, Jews and Gentiles ate side by side. The Bible says that if we say we love God and don’t love our brother or sister, then we’re liars (1 John 4:20-21). You simply can’t love God and not love your brothers and sisters in Christ.

  We are to love our enemies. We are only asked to do what our Lord did when He prayed, “Father forgive them” from the cross. Over a dozen times the Bible commands us to love our enemies.

  The first fruit of the Spirit is love. God intends for us to be channels of His love even to those who hate us. He never promised it would be easy. He did though promise us grace to obey His command and love them.

  In his book How Small a Whisper, Roger Carswell relates an amazing story of a Christian family's response to tragedy. In May 1987, 39 American seamen were killed in the Persian Gulf when an Iraqi pilot hit their ship, the USS Stark, with a missile. Newspapers carried a picture of the son of one of these seamen, a shy five-year-old boy, John Kiser. He was standing with his hand on his heart as his father's coffin was loaded onto a plane to take him back to the U.S.A.

  His mother said, “I don't have to mourn or wear black, because I know my husband is in heaven. I am happy, because I know he is better off."

  Later on, she and young John sent a letter and an Arabic New Testament to the pilot of the Iraqi plane, addressed to: “The man who attacked the Stark, Dad's ship, in the hope that it will show that even the son and the wife do not hold any grudge and are at the same time praying for the one who took the life of our father.” How is such love possible? It’s from the God of love, the One who sent His Son as the first Christmas gift.

  I wouldn’t buy Burnt Hair perfume, yet we can give gifts that everyone wants and needs. Let’s give grace and let’s give love! It’s because of what has happened that God has called us to do for others what He did for us. 

Can we help you spiritually? 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. 

There are no orphans of God

 

“There are no strangers
There are no outcasts

There are no orphans of God

So many fallen, but hallelujah

There are no orphans of God.”  Avalon

 

In twelve months between 2007 and 2008, Christopher Buckley coped with the passing of his father, William F. Buckley, father of the modern conservative movement, and his mother, Patricia Taylor Buckley, one of New York's most glamorous and colorful socialites. Christopher was their only child and their relationship was close and complicated. As he tells the story of their final year together in his book, Losing Mum and Pup, one thought particularly struck me after the loss of both. He shares the heartbreaking and disorienting feeling of becoming a 55-year-old orphan.  By Buckley’s definition, many of us are also “orphans.”
  The holidays bring back the hurt and memory of those losses. Personally, I shake my head at those who flippantly say, “you’ll get over it.” The pain may grow dull, yet it’s still there and always will be. Yet, one of the great soul medicines for the child of God is the simple biblical reality – I am a child of God. If you have been born-again, you have a Heavenly Father that you can never lose and you will never be an orphan in the family of God.
  Old Testament Jews didn’t know God as Father. God as our Father is a wonderful New Testament reality that’s only made possible because God’s Son, Jesus paid our sin debt and we’re now “adopted” into God’s forever family. As we move into the holidays, let’s walk through the rich blessings that believers have now that God is our Father. They’re some of the most encouraging truths in God’s Word.

  He’s not just my Father, He’s Daddy. The word Abba is an Aramaic word that means “Father.” It was a common term that expressed affection, confidence, and trust. Abba signifies the close, intimate relationship of a father and child, as well as the childlike trust that a young child puts in his or her “daddy.” Being an adopted child of God is the source of great hope and security. Our holy and righteous God, who created and sustains all things, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present, gives us the privilege of calling Him “Daddy” or Papa.” What an awesome privilege! What amazing grace that God would love us so much!
  In a world of fragmented families, it brings healing. God has designed us so that a child needs a father. Yet in our broken world, many either don’t have one, or their biological one is abusive or absent. Knowing that we have God as our Father and that He will always be there and never mistreat us or walk out on us, brings healing. We are secure in the love of our Abba Father for all of eternity.
  Our Heavenly Father is always available. God never has a packed calendar. He is always there and always available at any and every moment! He’s never too busy or preoccupied. He never gets tired or sleeps. He never even takes a nap. He is constantly watching over us. Our Heavenly Father is accessible at any moment, 24/7, 365 days a year. Prayer is our direct line to God and He never puts us on hold.
  We never have to earn our Heavenly Father’s love. Perhaps you felt that you had to earn a parent’s love and respect by accomplishing great things to make them accept you or be proud of you. Our Heavenly Father is not like that. Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In other words, even when we were a mess, although we still blow it, though we will never measure up and are oblivious to Him and His love, God the Father sent His Son to die for us. It’s unconditional, sacrificial love. It’s unlike anything we will experience on this earth. God is a Father who chooses to love us and we didn’t do a thing to earn it, but mess up!
  Our Heavenly Father is always approachable. Our Heavenly Father is never in a bad mood. He is never too tired, too busy or too distracted for His children. When you’re in a relationship with His Son, Jesus, you have total access to your Father’s ear, His heart, and focused attention. Hebrews 4:16 says that we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 
  Our Heavenly Father will never write us off or walk out on us. If you are His child, there is not anything that you can do – nothing evil or bad enough – to make Him stop loving you. Since there was nothing you could ever do to earn your Father’s love, there is nothing you can ever do to lose it. As Romans 8:38-39 says, “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.” In other words, no circumstance, seen or unseen power, person, action, or inaction on your part can separate you from God’s love. That’s powerful. It's also a promise that only our Heavenly Father has the power to fulfill.
  Every person on this earth who claims to love you and never leave you will still be separated from you (at least temporarily) through their death or yours. God’s Word promises that even in death there will be no separation from our Father’s love – ever.
  Our Heavenly Father knows everything about us and still chose to love us. We will never surprise our Heavenly Father. He knows things about us that no one else knows. He knows us intimately. To be safe and known intimately is one of our deepest needs. Sometimes we hide who we really are because of fear of rejection or because someone may lose interest in us when they discover who we really are. Yet, the Bible says that our Heavenly Father already knows it all and still loves us and always will!
  In this world, we may be orphans but when we’re part of God’s family, we have a Heavenly Father we can never lose and He will never lose us! 

Can we help you spiritually? 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. 

I'm Offended!!

 

“People who wish to be offended 

will always find some occasion for taking offense.”  John Wesley

 It seems every day someone or some group is reported to be offended. Inadvertently someone says something or violates a new cultural faux pas and finds themselves engulfed by an inferno of micro-aggressions. 

  For example, recently I read that the color of park ranger uniforms is considered racist, at least by one group. This will probably be offensive to someone yet I find myself rolling my eyes at such absurdity. Yet, it’s not only the cultural elite who can be thin-skinned. Too often it’s us – Christians, who are needlessly offended. Recently, I found myself rolling my eyes at a well-meaning Christian who got their nose out of joint.

  The World and Everything in It podcast carried a story about poet, Ann Porter, who wasn’t published until very late in life when she was in her eighties. It was a great story of someone in their twilight years that persevered and used their talent and was published. BUT one listener was offended that the story focused on her age and not that Porter was also a wife and mother. They felt motherhood was dissed because the story failed to mention it. This listener e-mailed:

  “I am a stay-at-home mom homeschooling or doing distance ed with my children, I feel even more discouraged when I hear a philosophical statement that implies that this lady poet didn’t find or fulfill her calling until she got her poems published in her 80s. What does that say about what I’m investing my life in?”

  Executive producer, Paul Butler, graciously responded: “We did not intend in any way to suggest that Ann Porter had missed her calling until she was 80 years old. Or that being a poet was somehow more important than being a parent. What we intended to communicate was that even at 80 years old, when our society tends to push our seniors to the margins and silence them, God still had work for her to do.” Butler answered well. I’d have been tempted to not be so gracious. The bottom line is that those who want to be easily offended probably will be.

  My good friend and fellow pastor, Vic Koshir, like most leaders would find himself periodically caught in the crosshairs of offending someone. Vic cynically concluded: “If there is no possible way that anyone could possibly be offended, be assured that someone will be.” And while there are things that are offensive, too many of us in the Church are oversensitive and too easily offended. As believers who have been forgiven so much and shown so much grace, we should be those who are not easily offended.

  The core reason a believer is easily offended is that they don’t truly understand grace. Scripture is so lucid – those who know how much that they have been forgiven, forgive much. It’s difficult to say that you know Jesus as your Savior when you do not forgive and act graciously as He did.  

  The soft spot for most of us, like that offended Mom, is our pride. Most of us have a list of heinous sins. Pride should yet rarely makes our list.

  As we move into the holiday season, bygone family wounds have a way of resurfacing. Many of us will be in close proximity to those who know our often not-so-wonderful history. Tales of adolescent buffoonery often are reshared for the enjoyment of all, except the “victim.” Things will be said that if a coworker or friend said the same, would be overlooked. Yet, because it’s a family member and because there are often other unresolved issues, it becomes a conflict even the United Nations couldn’t fix.

  So how can work to not be easily offended?

  Start with not being offensive. If something doesn’t need to be said or pointed out, it shouldn’t be. The world won’t grind to a halt if the gravy is lumpy or the pumpkin pie is cracked. If things don’t start on time or someone is tardy, it’s not a crisis. And please don’t parent someone else’s child, even if it’s your grandchild. Unless something is going to be broken or someone will be injured, silence is golden. Politics are appetite-killer subjects, even if everyone agrees.

  Allow most of life to be indifferent to you. Someone’s bad mood isn’t about you. Someone’s off-color humor is better ignored. If you’re overlooked or neglected, it isn’t even about you. It’s about them. This way, less in life will offend you and your joy will be much less fleeting too. After all, others are entitled to their opinion. So let them have it cheerfully yet choose to not let them have your opinion.

  Be the grateful, affirming one. Be thankful you were invited. Even if it’s your parent's home, once you’re an adult they don’t owe you anything. Remember that someone took the time and money to make the preparations, so thank them. Notice the seemingly little things like decorations or how the table is set. Someone had to go out and purchase the turkey and make the menu items. It may have been very intimidating for them. They may not feel that they are a proficient cook.

  Determine to be a person of praise and encouragement. Ours is a negative culture that’s quick to point out fault, yet slow to affirm. As believers, we’re to be different. Be the one that everyone is glad is there!

  Be Jesus. A verse that I pray often that God will make true in my life is Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ…” Yet I must confess that too often, “For to me to live is Scott” is the outcome. Yet, when Jesus rescued me from my sin, He made me His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). I want to represent Him well. I’m dependent on His power and grace to accomplish that. Thankfully it’s readily available to every believer.

  So this season (really all of the year) be Jesus! Be a person of generous grace! Overlook most of what’s not worth being noticed and certainly not worth being offended over. You and I have been forgiven so much and shown so much undeserved grace. Let’s share that grace we’ve been given!

Can we help you spiritually? 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

Does anyone really know what time it is?

“Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where I end and someone else begins…Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out.”  Henry Cloud

 Years ago one of my favorite music groups, Chicago, had a hit song: Does anybody really know what time it is? Apparently not. Particularly if you’re part of the United States government. That’s because recently the Department of Transportation discovered that the U.S. has no official map marking out where one time zone begins and another ends. Officials are now at work creating a map of the nation’s time zone boundaries. 

  A clear map of time zones is important. Think of how much of our lives are oriented by time. As time zone boundaries are important, so are boundaries in life.

  Many of our problems in life and in our relationships are boundary problems. God knows that we need boundaries. It’s why so much of God’s Word sets clear ones. The most familiar set of commands in the Bible, the Ten Commandments, are God’s boundaries.

  A boundary is a “dividing line.” In geography, a boundary marks the end of one property and the beginning of another. In interpersonal relationships, a boundary is what divides one individual from another, so that each can have separate identities, responsibilities, and privileges. Boundaries create necessary “space” between individuals. Healthy boundaries define expectations and show respect for others.

  Personal boundaries help to limit our sinful and selfish inclination to control or manipulate others. They protect us from those who have little or no self-control and wish to control us. A person with clear, healthy boundaries communicates to others what is and is not permissible, saying, in effect, “This is my line. Please respect it and do not step over it.”

  Boundaries can be used in healthy ways or sinful ways. The way to know which boundaries are godly is to examine your motives. Are you protecting yourself or someone weaker from potential harm, either emotional or physical? If so, you’re setting healthy boundaries. Yet, if you’re maintaining distance because you desire to exclude someone, that’s sinful. Boundaries that maintain cliques or limit ministry opportunities are wrong.

  Boundaries keep us secure.  When we go outside of the boundaries God has established and pursue sinful things of this world, we run the risk of impairing our relationship with God and the consequences that come from doing so. There’s a price if we fail to maintain good boundaries.

  Boundaries keep us strong. Not overextending ourselves, making sure we have time and energy to care for ourselves, and needs like rest, exercise, and proper nutrition, help us maintain our health. It enables us to have the strength to serve the Lord in our own space when we aren’t overstepping and invading the spaces of others or allowing them to invade ours.  

  Boundaries keep us sane. When we overextend, say for example, financially, we will suffer from anxiety and stress. And that’s just one area. There’s a price if we don’t maintain healthy boundaries.

  Too often relationships are contaminated and fraught with frustration because of a lack of boundaries. While the Bible teaches that we’re to be loving and kind, God doesn’t want us to be a doormat. Giving yourself permission and having a sense of personal boundaries are vital for spiritual, mental, emotional and relational health. Healthy boundaries are needed in every area of life. Yet, as enter into the holiday season, let me touch on a few that all of us will need to work through during the next few months.

  We must find and maintain the needed boundaries of marriage. When God created marriage, He set up clear boundaries. Genesis 2:25 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” But what father and mother? Adam and Eve were the first couple and didn’t have parents. They were created by God. God though was laying out a boundary for future marriages and homes, one that’s so important it’s repeated three other times in Scripture (Matthew 19:3; Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:31). Without clear boundaries for a marriage, a couple will suffer from outside contaminants.  

  For example, you can’t go to every party or event that you’re invited to or every family gathering. Sadly, some in-laws use “emotional blackmail” – “But we’ve always done Christmas Eve at our home.” You are now a new family and need to do what is best for your marriage and family, not what gives an overzealous in-law some warm Hallmark Christmas feeling.

  We must respect the needed boundaries of our children. Children need roots and wings. Boundaries are vital in parenting. Setting healthy limits for children protect them, yet unhealthy ones can be controlling and selfish. Boundaries should guide a child to become the individual God created him or her to be. They allow them to develop an identity separate from their parents within the safety of their family. Without a clear identity, people “vanish” into other people or expect them not to have any differences.

  And adult children must be treated as adults or they will continue to act childish. Adults make their own decisions.. work a job, and pay their bills. If they make a decision that has consequences, they need to face the consequences. Sometimes a parent can assist yet not rescue.

  If a parent continually rescues their adult child or enables poor choices, they’re not helping them mature into adulthood. Boundaries teach them to turn to their Heavenly Father who knows their true needs rather than rescuing, overzealous parents.

  These lines are not always clear. It’s why parents need God’s wisdom (James 1:5), yet that needs to be the goal as parents.

  As the U.S. needs clear time zones, each of us needs healthy boundaries. God holds us accountable for our lives. We must learn now to take responsibility for our own life and allow others to live theirs.

  Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. As we see our need for self-control, we’ll take responsibility for our own actions and not encroach on others. We’ll seek the Lord’s help for growth in this vital character trait. Boundaries are an outcome of submitting to God’s will and He will enable us to make godly choices. 

Can we help you spiritually? 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. 

Now this is really frightening

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” H. P. Lovecraft

 Recently, something very odd yet noteworthy came out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Unless you’re a student of world religions, you’re probably not familiar with the name – Patriarch Kirill. As the Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Patriarch Kirill, is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. 

  Archbishop Kirill is a very close friend of Vladimir Putin and his close political ally. This relationship has had serious theological ramifications.

  Recently, Patriarch Kirill said: “The church realizes that if somebody, driven by a sense of duty and the need to fulfill their oath, goes to do what their duty calls of them, and if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice. They will have sacrificed themselves for others and, therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed.”

  Wow! The head of the Russian Church said that. Basically, he promises the total forgiveness of sins for any soldier if the soldier dies on the battlefield in support of Mother Russia. According to Patriarch Kirill, if a soldier dies for Russia, he’s forgiven all of his sins and goes to heaven. It’s not just a frightening promise. It’s a life and absolutely unbiblical!

  We need to be very clear on this. There is no such message of salvation found anywhere in the Bible. It’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, it’s a repudiation of the gospel. It’s actually a perverse form of work’s righteousness, suggesting that these soldiers can earn salvation by the way they die on the battlefield. In other words, dying for Russia is a “good deed” and guarantees heaven for the one who died fighting for Russia.

  Tragically, this isn’t far from what many believe about going to heaven. They believe that you go to heaven because you’re a good person or that you obeyed the Ten Commandments or that you’re moral.

  But is being good a guarantee of heaven? It’s not what the Bible teaches. The Bible clearly says that it’s God’s grace because of Jesus' death and payment for sin on the cross that guarantees entry into heaven. It’s not anything we have done or can do. You can’t “do” anything to merit heaven.

  In spite of the obvious evidence to the contrary, most of us want to believe man is basically good. That’s hauntingly illustrated in the words of Anne Frank that she penned in her diary in 1944: “It's really a wonder I haven't dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” While young Anne wanted to believe people were basically good, she and her family were hiding from the Nazis, who ultimately discovered them, sentencing them to the Death Camps. Being good enough to go to heaven has some major problems.

  Good deeds are arbitrary. First, who determines what the standard of goodness is? Me, you, the Dali Llama, the Pope? Is it the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, or the Five Pillars of Islam we must adhere to? What’s good enough for God to let us into heaven?

  Then, how many really keep them? In one religious discussion group, someone asked, “What’s good enough to get someone into heaven?" Some responded, "You have to keep the Ten Commandments and follow the Golden Rule." That was followed up by another question, "So how many keep those two things (the Ten Commandments & the Golden Rule)?" The answer: "Even though we don't keep them perfectly, we should all do our best." A third question followed: "Do any of you do your best all the time?"

  No one could respond with anything near a resounding "Yes," so the group lowered the standard again. They felt if you tried to do your best most of the time, you’d make it. But what does most of the time mean? Does it mean 51% or 90%? In the end, they admitted they were unable to determine the level of commitment that was necessary for salvation.   

  Good deeds offer no assurance of salvation. Those who believe being good gets you into heaven live in the realm of “I hope so.” If you talk to someone trusting in their goodness to get them into heaven and ask them, "Are you going to go to heaven?" They’ll nearly always say, "I hope so."

  A standard of good deeds ultimately asks God to approve of evil. Any system which demands less than perfection must allow some evil, and then must also ask God to approve of this evil. But if God allowed imperfect people into heaven, heaven would no longer be perfect. Heaven is a place without any suffering or sin, not just a place where there is minimal suffering and sin (Rev. 21-22). If you had a pitcher of 100% pure water and added just a little bit of poison, would you still want to drink it?

  The Bible teaches the impossibility of being good. Going to Heaven is only possible through Jesus Christ. We’ll never be good enough. It’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

  God in His justice demands payment for our sins and God in His love offers the substitute. Jesus Christ is our substitute. He paid our debt on the cross of Calvary. “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus Christ, God's perfect Son, died and paid the total price for our sins so that we could be forgiven and go to heaven to live for all eternity. It’s what John 3:16 is all about. Salvation is a free gift from God.

  When someone gives you a gift, they paid for it. Your responsibility is to simply accept it. Patriarch Kirill is wrong and so is anyone else who believes “good deeds” can earn heaven. Only trusting that Jesus died for your sins brings God’s forgiveness and the promise of eternal life.

  Wonderfully, this means there is hope for everyone. Anyone can be saved no matter how good or bad they’ve been. Becoming a Christian means trusting in Christ so much that you risk your eternity on what the Bible says and what the Lord Jesus did for you in His life and in His death.

  My friend, are you a Christian? First, you must admit that you’re not a good person. Then, come to Jesus, run to the Cross, and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior? Will you do that? That’s what the Bible says. That’s true forgiveness and it’s how we know that we’re going to heaven.   

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.  

 

 

Seeing the Beauty

 

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”  Albert Camus

 There are times that I wish that I was either a gifted painter or at least a talented photographer. That’s because autumn is my favorite time of year and I’d love to be able to capture its beauty. While I love it when the grass begins popping out and the flowers begin to bloom, I just love the fall. 

  It’s been a late fall this year, but to me, it’s been particularly beautiful. As I drive home, my route makes a path through a splendor of changing leaves. It nearly breathtaking, it’s so captivating.  

  Our Heavenly Father is truly the master artist! Yet, sadly, there is so much ugliness in our world that I’m frequently guilty of missing out on His masterpieces. If I’m not working to control my mental diet, I focus on what’s wrong, what’s hideous in our world rather than all of the beauty.

  It lines up with the old saying, “you are what you eat.” God’s Word teaches that you are what you think. Philippians 4:8 challenges us to, “fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.” So here are some beautiful things that I like to think about.

  The colors of fall. Autumn is nearly breathtakingly beautiful during those few weeks when the leaves still remain on the trees and are turning from green to vibrant reds, pinks and yellows. My commute takes me along country roads where I’m overwhelmed with a myriad of colors. I have to remind myself to praise God for it. And I’m thankful for the beauty of fall even though it precedes the chill of winter.

  Smiles. There’s a young man who is apparently mentally challenged, yet he has the most wonderful smile at a local store. Every time I see him that smile gives me such a warm feeling.

  There are many things that I love about church on Sundays. Yet, as I prepare to come to our services there is one thing that I probably look forward to more than anything else, the smiling faces. The joy filled faces of my spiritual family so encourages me.

  My experience is that when I’m out and about, I don’t see very many smiling faces. Most are sober. Some even look annoyed or irritated.  Because of the cultural plague of misery, I seek to follow Dolly Parton’s advice, “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.”

  Smiles are so attractive and they’re free. I hope I’m sharing mine so others can experience the wonderful beauty of a smile. Something about a smile can change your outlook. It lightens your load a bit and can even put a spring in your step.  

  Friends. Oprah was right, “Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” I’ve got so many friends like that. They’re with me when I’m on the mountaintop and they’re with me as I walk through the valley. Thankfully most of them are so much more than friends, they’re brothers and sisters in Christ. We’re not just traveling this world’s road together. We’re headed to the same Home. God has blessed me with them and they’re a continual source of joy for me!

  Smells. My wife has taught me to love the smell (and feel) of clean sheets. Jane finds joy in the seemingly little things, things like “clean sheets.” Her enjoyment about the seemingly insignificant is contagious. And she’s taught me – there is something beautiful about the freshness of clean sheets and so many other things that I can overlook.

  For example, I love walking into a home where they’re baking bread. It smells so delicious, I can nearly taste it. And I’d be remiss to fail to share that one of the things that I absolutely love about our community is that on certain days you can smell the chocolate from Nestle’s. It’s like a cup of hot cocoa for your nose.

  Reading my Bible. Every morning before I start my day, I check an app on my phone that has five psalms that correspond with the date. It’s helped me become more familiar with the psalms. I usually read two or three before I launch my day.

  Then, later in the morning I’ll spend a longer period reading my Bible. It’s such a comfort to me. I’m sure that some of the preciousness comes from having an estranged relationship with my own Dad. Reading my Heavenly Father’s love letter to me and mediating on His promises brings a sense of peace and calm in my soul. It is truly beautiful.

  Prayer. Every day I pray for my family. Every day as a pastor, I have the privilege of praying for those in our church family. Yet often I feel so heavy hearted for some in church. I love our church. I love you! Sometimes watching those in our church family struggle weighs heavily on my heart.

  If you’ve been around Grace very long, then you know that we break the church family up into Care Groups for our Deacons. I use those groups as a guide for part of my prayer time. It helps me pray for everyone in our church family at least once on a weekly basis.
  There are some with struggles that I wish I was a genie and could pop in and solve them. There are burdens that some carry that I don’t understand and don’t have a solution. There are some who attend that it seems that they haven’t yet met Jesus as their Savior. There are others that are struggling to make Him Lord of their lives. Then, I pray for the children in our church and try to remember the names and pray for the adult children of our families. Prayer is beautiful to me because though I have so few solutions, I entrust the burdens to my Father who’s got it all under control.

  We’re never without beauty in this world, never without displays of splendor. We’re never without beauty because God’s divine fingerprints are all over all that He has made. Our problem is not a lack of beauty, it’s a lack of our seeing the beauty that our Heavenly Father has given us!

  I love this reality – if heaven is so beautiful on this side, how beyond words beautiful it must be on the other side. 

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. 

Preaching: What's on the Menu?

“The first mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow…If you get the priority of the Word established, then you have in place the single most important aspect of the church’s life…The congregation’s commitment to the centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.”  Mark Dever

   If you’re new to Grace you may wonder about our commitment to Scripture and what’s the “pulpit menu.” At Grace we’re committed to what’s known as “expository preaching.” Rather than interpreting the Bible, we want to understand Scripture and what God has written for us. That’s why it’s exciting to return to our study of 1 Samuel: God of Reversals. Today we’re picking up our study in chapter 11 with the commencement of the reign of Israel’s first monarch, King Saul. 

  Why are we so committed to this kind of study? Let me share a story about a guy who happened to notice one day as he was looking out his window that somebody was building something near his home. He watched each day as construction workers cleared the land and moved dirt and trucks rolled in and out. The guy said that the first thing he saw them do was to pour a big concrete slab and then they put a big steel looking box on top of the slab. There was just this big box on the slab, so he figured that this must be some kind of storage shed or something the workers kept their tools in. But then he noticed that after a day or two that the workers began to build a concrete wall all around the big box. Then, they added drywall and now he’s really wondering, “What in the world they are building?”

  Finally, his curiosity gets the best of him and he goes over and says, “I’ve been watching you guys each day. I saw you pour a foundation and put this box in the middle and then build a wall around it. I’m curious, what in the world you’re building?” The construction worker replied, “Oh, we’re building a bank. That box you’re talking about with the wall all around it is the vault.” He then explained that when you build a bank, you build the central and most important part of the bank first, then you build everything else around it. Because of the large size of the vault and its weight, they had to start with it or later they wouldn’t be able to fit it through the door. 

  Because of the importance of the vault, that it would contain all manner of riches, treasures and wealth, it was the key part of the building. They wanted to be sure they got it right, and then built everything else around the centrality of the vault.

  The same is true when you want to build up God’s people and build a local church. When you build a family, when you build a relationship, and when you build a life, you first make sure that the most important part is in place—the Bible. Then, you build everything else around it. 

  Because the Bible contains all the riches and treasures and wealth of the Gospel, it’s the foundation of our lives. Everything else must be built around the centrality of the Bible. When we do this our lives are built to last, not just for this temporal world but for all eternity.

  From the world of real estate, you’ve probably heard the repeated refrain that identifies the most important consideration in a transaction as “location, location, location.” That’s true when it comes to expository preaching. The most important consideration for preaching a sermon is “the text, the text, the text.” Our goal is to simply show or “expose” what God wrote in His Word. That’s because…

  Expository preaching proceeds from the authority of the text. We don’t invent the sermon. Ours is a derived ministry in that we’re charged to share the message found in God’s Word. Without a word from God, we have nothing meaningful to say. We believe that the Spirit has authorized and inspired the words of Scripture in a manner with which He has not inspired our words. Our authority in preaching hinges at every point on the uniquely authorized nature of the biblical text. It’s why we stay as close to the text as possible. As J. I. Packer put it, “Preaching is letting texts talk.”

  Expository preaching gives functional priority to the text in the passage of Scripture. Prioritizing the text in our preaching can’t be overstated. The passage of Scripture must govern what we say about it, when we say what we say about it, and even how we say what we say about it. A sermon’s affirmations and assertions should be linked to the text.

  Structurally, an expository sermon is more than simply offering a running commentary on the passage. The sermon must be arranged as the text presents itself and have a concise main idea that reflects it clearly. The message should convey something of the “spirit” of the text. Delivery must reflect joy when the text focuses on rejoicing. Likewise, it should convey gravity and brokenness when the text focuses on sin and its consequences.

  Expository preaching recognizes the life-changing potential and eternal impact of the text. Our commitment to expository preaching is rooted in the recognition of the timelessness of Scripture. As important as dynamic delivery and careful crafting of words are, what changes lives is not pulpit passion, great stories or cleverly timed phrases.

  What changes lives is the word of God, inspired and energized by the Holy Spirit. That changes lives forever. God’s Word has an eternal impact in that, like no other source, it confronts hearers with ultimate realities like life and death, heaven and hell, and hope and hopelessness.

  When we prioritize the text, we honor the Lord who inspired it and Scripture edifies those who hear it. Our handling of the text sets the tone for how our church will handle Scripture. Through faithful expository preaching, we have the opportunity to model an appropriate reverence and regard for God’s Word. We also have the wonderful privilege of assisting others in learning how to care for their own spiritual meals.

  How we preach and teach reveals what we believe about the Bible. Anyone can sign an orthodox statement of faith, but that doesn’t prove what we really believe. Our true convictions about God and His Word are evidenced by what we preach and how we preach – that it’s God’s Word, not our opinion or perspective.  

  This is why we’re committed to working our way through 1 Samuel (and other books of the Bible). We want to hear what God has to say to us and apply His truth to our lives!

 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.