Guilt

I'm reading a biography of evangelist Dwight L. Moody in which he is quoted as saying that he doesn't take credit for his successes nor responsibility for his failures. He is not referring to sin in speaking of failings, but things he has attempted to do for God. It seems that the popular Christian attitude is to give God credit for all the good we've done, and to blame ourselves when things don't work out. Maybe we should treat our failures as God's way of saying that everything doesn't always work the way we'd like. We need to stop the blame game and stop feeling guilty. This doesn't mean we stop trying, or become apathetic, but it does mean we stop the self-flagellation. We trust our sovereign God for what we can't understand.

Bible Study

I've been teaching a Bible study at the Saugus Senior for over ten years. An average of 20 people come each Thursday from various churches in town, very ecumenical group. And we go verse-by-verse through books of the Bible. I've devoted some of the summer to preparing my lessons by reading commentaries and focusing on how to teach (far diffent than sermon preparation) by asking questions of the text and inserting those questions in my lesson plan. I do not lecture; my goal is to bring out a lively discussion and together discover the truth of Scripture and how it relates to today. As I prepare I can't help think how the average believer would benefit from the kind of study I do. Commentaries aren't just for ministers; in fact, there is a whole category of devotional commentaries designed for laity...and which many pastors consult to help them relate deep truth to the average person. In a broken world it is a comfort to get my focus directed to higher principles from the authority of God's revelation. When the world distracts us it is important to re-focus on what is eternal.

$MONEY$

One of my summer projects is to prepare my lessons for the fall and the resumption of my Bible study at the Saugus Senior Center. When I started this study I was 49, and now I’m eligible to join the Center; in fact, I have a membership card. While working on my lessons for II Corinthians, in one of my commentaries the author spoke about how Christians are counter-cultural. As members of God’s Kingdom, we stand apart from the values of our fallen, broken world. What the world deems important, we see as fleeting; what the world sees as good, we often see otherwise. For instance, money. It is good to know how to use it, but we can easily make it an idol. When money becomes the measure of success, and when it takes on an importance above all else, we have surrendered to one of the world’s most seductive and transient values. When I was in high school I was in a production of the old Broadway play “You Can’t Take it With You.” In all the funerals I’ve done, I’ve never seen a U-Haul attached to the hearse. Money can be a good friend but a terrible Master. Wesley put it best: “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” When we refuse to let money rule us, we’re being counter-cultural. We’re seeking first God’s Kingdom, and relying on Him to provide our security in this life, and in the life to come.

Statism

"Statism" is the worldview that believes human redemption can come from a political collective and lead to a desired utopia...which can never be achieved by fallen humankind but only by the return of Christ. Christians should participate in government, but with our eyes open. Salvation will never come from any form of government, nor any political party. We live in a broken world in need of redemption, something no party can provide. Our citizenship is in Heaven.

10 things Christians might consider in this political season

By Daniel Darling So now the primaries are officially over and we have a contest between President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the Presidency of the United States. Inevitably, American Christians will fall on one side or the other in what will likely be a long, divisive, tough campaign to the end. So, how should we as followers of Christ act during election season? This isn't the last word and it isn't an exhaustive list, but here are a few things we might consider: 1) Remember to be grateful for the election. As Americans, we live in a representative republic, so we have the rare opportunity to shape our government. Partisanship and politics can be wearying and noisy and half-crazy at times, but at least we have the freedom to express ourselves and to vote. This isn't happening in most countries around the world. So just at the point when you're tired of looking at political signs and a bit weary of the sloganeering, remember those dissidents who sit in jail cells around the world, merely for having an opposing thought. We have a stewardship to vote, granted by God, and we should use it responsibly. 2) Don't put your trust in chariots. Be grateful for the opportunity to elect the president you feel will best lead our country. But don't fall into the trap that everything in history and in your life depends on one rainy Tuesday in November. Don't be a practical atheist, white-knuckling election night, sweating every ebb and flow of the season, and acting as if you need to build a fortified bunker if "the wrong guy wins." Advocate and work for your guy, but put your trust in the Lord. God holds history in the palm of his hand and is not at all worried sick about which party controls the levers of power in America. 3) Ignore most of the political appeals you hear from both sides. To win in modern American politics, you have to paint the other guy as something a combination of an axe murder, a village idiot, and a helpless puppet. You have to dig for an scent of scandal, blow it up in an ominous, black-and white ad, and convince people that if this guy wins you might as well move to Canada. Both sides will do this. But the truth is somewhere in between. It is a good idea to periodically tune out the election news during election season, toss those pesky mailers, and hang up your phone when you hear the gravel-voiced narrator begin his robo-calls of doom. 4) Advocate issues, avoid the petty stuff. It's amazing how easily campaigns delve into petty stuff like how many vacations the President takes, the color of the First Lady's dress, and the habits of the candidates while in high school. Vote for a guy because he holds positions closest to yours. Advocate issues of importance and weight. Resist being drug into the gutter and arguing for or against issues that have little or no consequence. 5) Avoid the "ends-justifies-the-means" of politics. When President Bush was in office the left smeared him unfairly, comparing him to Hitler and tarring him as a war criminal. This was unfair. So now that President Obama is in office, many on the Right feel what was good for one side is good for the other. "All is fair in love and war," we say. This is true ... unless you happen to be a follower of Christ and you're commanded, repeatedly, to measure your words, to be kind, to love, to speak truth. Remember that even in politics, you are to act and talk like a Christian. 6) Don't let your political differences ruin friendships. It is easy to allow political differences to drive a wedge in important friendships. But we must prize our love for our brothers and sisters in the Lord and our friendships with those outside the faith, above the strong opinions we hold. That doesn't mean we back down, it means we find a way to get along with people with whom we disagree. Friendships within and without the church are vital for gospel ministry. Don't let the temporal of politics get in the way of the eternal. 7) Don't fall for conspiracy theories. Don't forward emails that are less than true or haven't been verified by reputable sources. Its easy to want to believe the worst about our political enemies, but God calls us to believe the truth (1 Corinthians 13; Philippians 4:8). Don't post on Facebook or Twitter questionable stories or theories. As Christians we should be about truth. 8) Don't allow politics to convince you to hate those whom Jesus has called you to love. Politics likes to divide things up nicely into good guys and bad guys, to see the "other side" as the enemy. If you read enough political blogs and listen to talk radio and watch enough cable news, you will soon develop a mentality that sees only those who agree with you as good people and the rest as enemies. Furthermore, it clouds the real battle. We're told in Scripture that people are not the enemy, Satan is. And our fight is never against mere mortals, but part of a larger, worldwide spiritual conflict (Ephesians 6:2). Plus, if you convince yourself to hate certain segments, how then can you lovingly reach them with the good news of the gospel? 9) Avoid the "out there" mentality. The weakness of political engagement is that it lends itself away from self-reflection. The partisan mind constantly thinks all the worst problems in the world are "out there." The gospel, however, forces us into sober self-reflection. It reminds us that the real problem is inside, in our own depraved hearts. The Apostle Paul, who lived under the oppression of a wicked and tyrannical government, said "I am the chief of sinners." He didn't point to Nero. He said, "No, I'm the biggest problem." It's easy to blame Hollywood, Wall Street, and the media for all of our woes, but if we were honest and allowed the gospel to penetrate our hearts, we'd realize that we are our own worst enemies. 10) Look for a better city. Politics is driven by a God-given longing for utopia, a desire for perfection, by the dawning reality that life on this earth is not how it should be. Politicians come along and promise to fix things, to build that utopian dream we all desire. The problem is that politicians are flawed. They are not saviors. And this world is cursed by sin. So like Abraham, we must look for another city, whose "builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:1). One day Christ will return as reigning King and will set up the ultimate, perfect Kingdom.

Contemplation

Find a quiet place where you can think without distractions, and ask yourself the following... -What do I need to hear from God? -How can I better yield myself to God? -What does God want me to do? -What do I fear? -Is there something I'm holding back in my walk with God? -Is there someone I need to reach out to? -Can I think of someone I need to forgive? -How can I increase my faith? -Who might I share my faith with? -What about God brings me comfort? -Is there something about the Christian life that makes me uneasy? -What is my greatest joy?

Ready for Heaven?

There's been a lot of buzz about evangelical writers who question whether there is a Hell, and I understand that it is an unpleasant prospect...but what I find really discouraging is the number of Christians who act like there's no Heaven. What we agree on is that Heaven is where we will be with God, worship, and serve Him, yet how many people are interested enough to get ready for this existence? If going to church is such a burden, they're going to hate Heaven. They can talk all they want about "getting out of the habit", but it's really a matter of priorities--they prefer doing other stuff, instead of benefitting from worship, instruction, fellowship, and service, which is what the church offers. If going to church is as unpleasant as a visit to the dentist, people should rethink whether they've truly given their hearts to the Lord. Pastors do all they can to make worship a pleasant and encouraging experience, and to ground their congregations in truth, which is a response to the lies we hear in our secular culture. Let's be grateful for one of the few places where we'll find acceptance and opportunities for spiritual growth, and preparation for our eternal Home.