Anxious...

There is a saying that goes something like this, “Yesterday is just a memory, tomorrow is only a wish.  All we really have is today.  It is a gift, and that is why we call it the present’.”  It is a cute little saying, and true to life.  The reality of every day life is that we often times find ourselves wondering and worrying about the future.  If we are wise, we make plans for the future, but if we are realists, we know that the future is uncertain and unseen.  

For some people this gives a sense of adventure to everyday life.  The future becomes a canvas upon which they can paint the story of the desires of their heart.  For others, the hidden dangers of things not yet seen can themselves become a dark cloud of doubt and anxiety.  Fear, worry, doubt- all troubles of the heart, rob us of the joy we are intended to experience.  We do not need to continue in fear and worry.  Jesus has given us the keys we need to rise above anxiety and enjoy His abundant life.

I would like to share with you six lessons that Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:25-34 about a right response to anxiety:

1.  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matt. 6:25).  First of all, Jesus commands us not to be anxious.  Specifically, he tells us not to worry about food or clothing, which is typically not the main concern here in America.  As an affluent nation, our concerns are usually for other things, but even if we lived in an impoverished third-world nation the command remains- do not be anxious.  Jesus then follows with solid reasons we can rest quietly and wait for Him.
2. "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matt. 6:26)  God provides for the animals of the earth.  He gives them food, water, and various shelters.  If he cares for them, will He not also care for us who were fashioned as the crowning peak of His creation, made in His image?
3. "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matt. 6:27).  Here Jesus points out the utter futility of anxiety and worry.  Concern for the future may be beneficial if that concern becomes action to make diligent provision for the future, but when we just sit and allow worries to overwhelm our thinking, we effectively rob ourselves of the very joy we long for.  
4. "And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matt. 6:28-30).  Much of our culture in America has moved away from the enjoyment of the simple and profound beauty of natural things.  Being content with simple beauty removes us from the endless pursuit of things that only have temporary value.
5. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31-33).  God knows what we need.  We tend to focus on what we want.  God tells us to seek Him, and He will take care of what we need.
6. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:34).  We have enough to do each day to be diligent, work well, be at peace with our neighbors, and enjoy the gift of life.  There is no need to borrow trouble from tomorrow.  

I would like to invite you, if you don’t already have a church home, to visit with us some Sunday at Northwood Community Bible Church.  You can find out more about us at www.cbcnorthwood.org.  Have a great summer!

Still I Will Trust You

Still I will trust You.  Still I will follow.  Still I will listen to Your every calling.

While the storm rages on, and I cant find my way, still I will trust You Lord.  

When in my dark hour You restored my weary soul You led me to that resting place and made me whole 

Now I cannot question, though stormy billows roll 

My faith is secure, safe is my trust in You alone.

These words, penned by songwriter Vonnie Lopez, are a declaration of trust and reliance upon God that echo the heart of millions of Christians over the 2000 history of the church.  They are an anthem declaring the worthiness of God to receive our honor and allegiance, despite the circumstances we may be going through.  I would like to take a moment to share what makes God worthy of our trust, through good times and bad.

The psalmist, David, writes in Psalm 40, "I waited patiently for the LORD, he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD”  These brief verses are a song of praise from a man who had been pursued by enemies who hungered for his death.  He acknowledges the desperation of his life and the extent to which God pursued him.  He felt as though God had followed him even to the bottom of a destructive pit, so that He could save him.  

Notice the words in that psalm, “…you drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of a miry (muddy) bog, and set my feet upon a rock”.  There is something unsettled and unstable in David’s imagery of the pit he was in.  This picture of a muddy hole in the ground where he awaits his doom is desperate and exhausting all at once.  One can almost feel the panic from not being able to escape and the exhaustion of trying to even stand on miry, unstable ground while calling out for help.  However, not only does God pull him out to help him, He sets David on a “solid rock” to stand.  

Spiritually speaking, there are a lot of people who find themselves in a deep pit of unstable ground.  Their self-styled spirituality doesn’t stand up to the demands of real and difficult life situations.  Their attempts to gain ground with God only end up digging them in further, they call out for help, but no one is able to save them.  But God shows His mercy to us, even when we were still enemies with Him, He died to save us from our sins, and it doesn’t end there.  

As this psalm shows, God not only pulls us from the pit, He sets our feet on solid rock.  No more are we treading on the shifting sands of spiritual uncertainty, without any hope to lean on.  If we are “in Christ” we have a confident and joyful expectation of God’s presence in our lives.  Jesus is that solid rock.  In Christ, we can have assurance of salvation, confidence in uncertain days, hope amidst trial, and joy amidst grief.  

Psalm 40 continues, "But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD!”  As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.  You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!”  We have every reason to find our hope in God, every reason in the world to obey Him and trust Him regardless of our circumstance.  Still I will trust you, still I will follow, still I will listen to Your every calling.  While the storm rages on, and I cant find my way, still I will trust You Lord.

A Crown for a King

based on “Jesus, We Crown You with Praise” by Lanny Wolfe

During the celebration of Easter, we saw the passion of Jesus Christ as told in the story of His journey to the cross.  We saw His trials, His torture, His crucifixion and His resurrection.  If you listen closely you can still hear Jesus being referred to as “the king”.  If Jesus really is king, I wonder what kind of crown He might have.

Born as a lowly baby to a poor, working-class mother and father, the King of Glory slipped into humanity like a hand slips into a glove- He became flesh and lived among us.  His life and work, His miracles and teachings are recorded for us in scripture, but His earthly life drew to a close amongst some of the most humiliating treatment humanity could invent.  You probably know the story well, how the soldiers who tortured Him, brought mockery to Jesus being called a king.

The soldiers prepared a crown of thorns for His head, and a purple robe for His shoulders, and mockingly bowed to His Majesty.  This was the best that humanity could do for the king of glory.  It was as though the people of Jesus time showed the true colors of all mankind as they praised Him at the triumphant entry, and brought Him to humiliation and crucifixion a few short days later.  What a crown for a king!

Lanny Wolfe wrote a song entitled, “Jesus, We Crown You With Praise”, and in it he makes reference to the first time Jesus came to this earth.  

The first time You came they crowned You with thorns

As on an old rugged cross You were laid

But the next time You come it won’t be as before, 

for this time we’ll crown You with praise!

The miracle of Jesus resurrection brought correction to the mockery of the soldiers who doubted and degraded Jesus’ majesty and glory.  He showed once and for all that His kingdom far surpassed their own, and that His authority outweighed that of any king or emperor of this earth.  If Jesus had stopped there, with that brilliant display of His power and authority over death, it would have been enough.  Jesus, however, was not nearly finished with His reign.

He continues to be the first and last over all creation, the mighty and eternally existing God.  He is King over all kings, and Lord over all lords.  And one of the most impressive of all His claims to His disciples was that He would one day return to bring His followers into His kingdom in heaven.  John 14:2-3 says, "In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”  Again, from Lanny Wolfe’s song, these lyrics:

Jesus we crown You with praise

Jesus we corwn You with praise

We love and adore You

Bow down before You

Jesus we crown You with praise!

It is time to see Jesus as king.  Whether on this earth, or when we stand before Him at the end of days, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Order My Steps

Order My Steps- Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Order my steps in Your word dear Lord,

lead me, guide me everyday,

send Your anointing, Father I pray;

order my steps in Your word,

please, order my steps in Your word.

Humbly, I ask Thee to teach me Your will,

while You are working, help me be still,

Satan is busy, God is real;

order my steps in Your word,

please, order my steps in Your word.

Bridle my tongue let my words edify,

let the words of my mouth be exceptable in Thy sight,

take charge of my thoughts both day and night;

order my steps in Your word,

please order my steps in Your word.

I want to walk worthy,

my calling to fulfill.

Please order my steps Lord,

and I'll do Your blessed will.

The world is ever changing,

but You are still the same;

if You order my steps, I'll praise Your name.

Many people these days have learned to make use of navigational systems like GPS, smartphones, and other devices.  It is one of the easiest ways to find your way around new territory, go hiking, take a road trip, and learn more about your current location.  Before these navigation systems we had to refer to maps and charts.  Are you old enough to remember Mom or Dad unfolding a gigantic state map, trying to find a destination or intersection, and trying to re-fold the map….while driving?  Ahh, the “good old days”!

Spiritually speaking, our world has always been a difficult place to navigate.  Some would say it is more challenging today than it has ever been before.  So, how can we navigate the greater and lesser paths that life presents to us?  How do we pursue excellence and avoid self-destructive behaviors?  How can we live in a way that is pleasing to the God that created us?  

Consider the words of Psalm 119:133, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”  Another way of saying this would be, “Order my steps according to your word, and do not let me become overwhelmed in sin”.  In this Psalm, the writer is making an important request of God, one that will affect the rest of his life and direction.

First, the psalmist must assume a position of humility.  It takes humility to ask for direction, and a greater dose of humility to then follow those directions.  Secondly, the psalmist is asking to be given a firm path to walk upon.  All other ground is shifting and unstable.  He requests that his path be built upon the word of God.  Elsewhere in scripture, the Bible says, “The grass withers and the flowers may fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).   This request resonates with the glorious declaration of the hymn writer who said, “On Christ the solid rock I stand.  All other ground is sinking sand.”  In our day, we need a solid path of proven principle and Godly wisdom to inform our decisions, teach us right from wrong, and show us the right way to go.

Seeking God’s guidance is not only a wise thing to do, it is necessary.  God’s perspective on the past present and future, on right and wrong, on daily life, is just like the perspective of the satellite we access with our navigational devices.  We use a GPS or smartphone to look at a map and get step by step directions toward our destination.  When we take a wrong turn, the system “re-calculates” and tells us how to get back on track.  When there is construction or heavy traffic ahead, our navigation systems warn us of trouble ahead.  God’s word speaks to us from the perspective of eternity, and it tells us of the dangers and joys on the road ahead of us.  It teaches us what God thinks about our every-day questions.  It shows us the way to go.

Our biggest challenge to applying this truth is humility.  In a culture that is built on the sovereignty of the individual, it takes a great deal of humility to submit to God’s word and say ‘God’s way is right, and I must follow Him’.  In a song by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir called “Order My Steps”, the writer cries out to God, "Humbly, I ask Thee to teach me Your will, while You are working, help me be still…”  What a tremendous challenge, to be still while God works His perfect will.  

Finally, the purpose the psalmist expresses for seeking after Godly guidance and wisdom is that he would not be overtaken by sin.  There is no kingdom darker and more pervasive than the destruction and devastation that comes from sin overwhelming your life.  You can be free from bondage to sin through Jesus Christ when you turn to Him in faith for forgiveness and a new start.  

Can I just encourage you today to ask yourself where you get your life-direction from?  Instead of wandering around blind in a morally and ethically questionable world, ask God, the Creator of life itself, ‘what is the way to go’.  Read His word, seek Him.  He will not disappoint.

When Calvary Comes Through

When Calvary Comes Through

The Easter season has come, and I pray it has left you with a sense of worshipful remembrance of the Love of God, expressed through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross, and the power of His resurrection.  Easter is a great time to celebrate the wonderful things that God has done in history, and the great promise of His presence even today.

The cross of Jesus Christ did not happen by chance.  That event happened at just the right time, when centuries-old prophecies were coming to pass, when the political climate was brewing, when a nearly universal language could be readily used to spread the gospel, and when people who were looking for a delivering messiah would be introduced to Jesus of Nazareth, who would indeed deliver them from the bondage of their sins.  Romans chapter five verse six says that when we were at our very worst, God gave us His very best when Jesus died for the ungodly.  Humanity had not cleaned up enough for God to finally love us, He loved us when the world was still pulling away from Him in sin.  He didn’t come because we somehow deserved to be saved, He came because He loved us and desired to show the awesomeness of His mercy and grace to us by paying the price for our sins.  

The cost of saving humanity was no less than the death of God the Son, Himself.  Jesus, in His last breath cried out in a loud voice, “It is FINISHED!”.  The debt of sin was paid in full, the victory over death and hell had been won, the captives were declared free, and peace with God the Father had finally been made available through the death and resurrection of God the Son.  The cross of calvary had come through!

The cross of Jesus Christ is not merely a page from humanity’s past.  The cross of Jesus Christ, its saving and delivering power, and it’s God-ward pull are still in force today.  Read these words from Romans 5:10-11 (NLT)… 

"For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”

Calvary comes through, even today!  Is there sin in your life?- Calvary is the place where your forgiveness was purchased by Jesus.  Is there need for strength in every day life or in significant times of upheaval and difficulty?- Calvary is the place where God brought life and immortality to light by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Is there concern and question and confusion?- Calvary is the place where God reached out His hands to show you how deep and how wide was His love for you.  Consider the words of the song, “Calvary Came Through” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir:

Through days of hurt and pain my heart cried "all is vain”.  I'd lost all my will to live

Too many times I tried, too many ties I failed and it only brought tears and shame

Then I saw that old cross where I won through His loss

And I knew one more time there His strength became mine

That's when Calvary came through once again when I lost all my courage to win

Just when I thought I'd been defeated, the cross was all I needed

That's when Calvary came through once again.

From the stable to the grave my Savior gave and He gave His life as a final price

Now I cherish that tree where I found victory

Conquering Hell and our foes, praise His name, He arose!

There is not a greater victory found in human history than that of Jesus’ victory over death and hell on the cross of Calvary.  The cross remains the singular place of salvation for anyone who turns to Jesus in repentance and faith!  Come to the cross and find forgiveness, find grace, find strength, find peace with God!

Joy to the World!

It is finally Christmas!  I’ll bet the children in your life are bustling with excitement as they wait to see what kind of presents lie beneath the Christmas tree.  Perhaps you are preparing to either travel or receive visitors?  This really is a beautiful time of year.  This is a time where the beauty of decorations, of relationships, gift-giving music, and joy all meet- and appropriately so, for this is the time when we remember the coming of God’s great gift to humanity- His son, Jesus.

I love singing at Christmas time.  There is just something so sweet and pure about hearing my wife and kids picking parts and joining in on a carol or Christmas hymn and the whole family sings together.  Out of all the tunes we love the best, there is one popular song that is commonly sung at Christmas time, that you may be surprised to know actually has nothing to do with Christmas.

Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy

These verses are not actually speaking of the first appearance of the Son of God on earth, but rather, the second.  It speaks of the return of Jesus at the end of time as the King of all mankind.  The first time Jesus came, He did so as a servant to show His love for mankind, and to provide a means for mankind to be brought near to God though we are lost in sin.  The second time He will appear, not as a suffering servant, but as a glorious, conquering king!  In the second verse we are instructed to sing songs of worship to the mighty King, and as we do, all of creation itself will join in glad adoration of Creator God!  This is the natural response we have to seeing the great power and grace of God.

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love

The words of these verses announce the great news that when Jesus returns, He will defeat Satan and his allies, He will set things aright, and He will even break the curse of sin and destruction that is on the earth.  Jesus will one day rule upon the earth, and all that has gone wrong with corrupt governments, sickness, pain, disease, destruction, abuse, chaos, murder, hunger, and more will be brought to an end and the world will experience the reality of the presence of God, and He will wipe every tear away from our eyes, and there will be no more curse!


This Christmas, as you have an opportunity to share good times with your family, friends, and church, I pray you will remember not only the baby Jesus, lying in a manger, but that same Jesus, who will one day return with the power and splendor of a glorious King!

God is Not Dead...

I’ll be honest…there is a Christmas hymn that I remember hearing when I was younger, that I never really cared for.  I’m sure that it had nothing to do with the words of the song, it was probably something about the music itself that just wasn’t interesting to me.  The song to which I am referring is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, and the lyrics to the song were written by none other than famed American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

In 2008, a musical group called Casting Crowns did a cover of that song in a contemporary style.  I LOVED IT!  What a powerful sound from the band, mixed with the pure and gentle voices of a children’s choir.  For some reason, hearing the song in a different setting allowed me to take notice of the words a little more closely.  The third verse is especially poignant as it says, “…and in despair I bowed my head: ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said.  For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.”  How odd to hear such sad words in a classic Christmas song.  Why would the author  write such a line?

According to Robert Morgan in his book, “Then Sings My Soul”, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote these lyrics during the civil war, having lost his wife to a tragic accident, and having nursed his war-injured son back to health from a near fatal gun shot wound.  As his inner turmoil finally began to take form in poetry, Longfellow wrote out the song that expressed not only his grief and fear over a war-torn nation, but also all of the personal trial and difficulty he and his family had endured.  This third verse is a candid confession of the reality of Longfellow’s frustration at the lack of peace and reassurance in his life, and his fears for the safety and preservation of this great nation.  But the next verse is the brilliant reply that God seems to have given him in the sound of a church bell.

Longfellow writes, “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men.”  This is the great promise of the ages- God is not dead, nor does He sleep!  When life’s difficulties seem too powerful to overcome, when the security of the nation’s people and economy seem to hang by a thread, when we suffer sickness and loss, God has not stepped off of His throne.  He is not wandering about the universe with His eye on something else.  God’s ways, though unknown to us, are still in play, and He will do that which works to His glory and our good.

Perhaps you are among the many who are looking at Christmas with eyes that are still wet with tears, with a heart that is reeling with confusion or loss, or with the weight of the world with its many fears bearing down upon you.  Can I just encourage you with the words of this song?  God is not dead, nor does He sleep.  He sees you and He knows you better than you know yourself.  He is not out of control, rather He sits as a compassionate king over all that He has made.  He is good and His loving kindness endures to all generations.  Take time this season to remember all that God has done for you.  Give Him thanks and rest in His care for you.