Sermon Connection

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Secular or Sacred?

Lessons Learned from Obedience Training

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. –  Ephesians 6:5-6(HCSB)

We have a new puppy in our family and her name is Hollie. She is a five month old, four pound maltipoo with an attitude. In an effort to train her, I am reading about how to do it properly. I have discovered that philosophies are many.  Peter Schmit relates the philosophy of training dogs with theology that permeates life.

The philosophy for dog obedience training has changed quite a bit in the last few decades. It used to be that many dog obedience schools operated by teaching the dog, “you better obey me, because I’m your master. And if you don’t obey me, bad things will happen.” And plenty of dogs were trained this way, and trained well. They obeyed, but they obeyed out of fear. But now there has been a shift in the thinking of many trainers, though some still do it the old way. If the old way was punishing disobedience, the new way could be characterized as rewarding obedience. In this new way of training, you don’t strike the dog, you don’t yell at him any more than a firm “no!” But whenever you catch him doing something good, he gets praise and rewards. The thinking here is that the dog is going to want to do the things that make you happy, because positive things happen to him when you are happy.

Both obedience philosophies get results, but they produce very different dogs. The old way produces a dog that is terrified to do the wrong thing. The new way produces a dog that is eager to do the right thing. And these two schools of thought work not just for dogs, but maybe you’ve seen children raised by these two ways. And this should be nothing new for us, since basically we are talking about the difference between Law motivation and Gospel motivation. In our lives, sometimes we do things, like hitting the brakes when you see a cop car, which would be obeying out of Law motivation. It is the fear of punishment that motivates you to slow down. But now let’s say that you are driving your children in the car with you. You are so happy for the gift of a family that God has given you, that you want to drive as carefully as possible, and so you don’t even think about breaking the speed limit. That would be Gospel motivation. You are motivated by thanks and love.

As you think about your job and the work you do every day, ask yourself the question, for whom are you working? If you do only what is required with a poor attitude, then you would be law motivated. God wants us to be motivated by gratitude and love. When we do all that we do as thought we are working for Him.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the forgiveness and salvation that comes through following Jesus as my LORD. Help me to live with gratitude and thanksgiving each and every day. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Secular or Sacred?

Slaves

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ.  Ephesians 6:5 (HCSB)

In our country, we value freedom! We fight for it and we even help others obtain it. When the Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the church in Ephesus, he was writing to people who predominantly were slaves. In fact, slaves probably outnumbered the free. Slavery was very common in the ancient world. You may be thinking at this point that Paul really does not have anything to say to me because we no longer have slavery in this country. However, the relationship between slave and master is a similar relationship between employee and employer.

John MacArthur, in Macarthur New Testament Commentary – Ephesians, writes “In our day the struggle between employers and employees has reached monumental levels. Conflicts rage constantly between workers and management, with each side accusing the other of selfishness and unreasonableness. Employees want smaller workloads, fewer hours, more vacation, and more pay and benefits. Employers want more productivity, more profits, and greater control of management policies and practices. Both sides want lower taxes for themselves while expecting greater government protection and sometimes even subsidy.

It is not hard to see that the heart of the problem on both sides is greed. The sin of greed is the primary fuel that feeds the inflationary spiral that has become a common part of modern life in most parts of the world. When everyone wants more, prices must rise to pay for higher wages and profits. And as prices rise and money therefore buys less, people want still higher pay or profits to make up the difference. When the government becomes heavily involved in various subsidies and supports, then taxes, the national debt, or both must be raised. If the government prints more money without backing, the value of all its money is decreased, and again people want more income to make up the difference.

Added to all of that is the principle that, as possessions increase so does greed, because greed is by nature insatiable. It is likely that modern Western society is the greediest in history. Everyone wants more for less, and the ascending spirals of inflation, debt, and taxation are unabated.”

Sin is a cruel master because it is never satisfied. Sin does not come to visit, it comes to take over! It is into this dark world that Christ chose to shine His light of truth.  The truth is as long as we are a slave to sin, we will never be free! May we learn the lesson that Paul teaches in Philippians 4:12 when he says, “I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.”

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

I am a sinner in great need of Your mercy. At times, I have coveted what others have. I have allowed the philosophy of the world to keep me on a merry-go-round of greed. Please give me Your peace and contentment. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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SECULAR OR SACRED?

Are You Bored?

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.  Ephesians 6:5-9 (HCSB)

Have you ever noticed how quick boredom sets in today? It may come from having too many choices or being convinced that we should live life our way. Whatever the reason, our world is sorely in need of people that have commitment and determination to finish what they start, to live with conviction. We need people that will “go the second mile”.

The story is told that “Second-mile people always excel. Around 1920 a pharmacist bought a drug store on the south side of Chicago. Soon, he was bored with his job and began to dream how he could make it more exciting. It was during a time when people were just beginning to call in their orders using a telephone, so this man decided to challenge himself to make his job more interesting. He decided to see how quickly he could deliver a telephone order.

When someone called in, he repeated the order aloud, including the name and address. As he spoke with the caller, his assistant filled the order and a driver left immediately to deliver it. The druggist kept the customer on the phone chatting until the order arrived at the caller’s home. Most of the customers lived nearby, of course, but this kind of prompt service was revolutionary, and word soon spread. It became the busiest pharmacy in Chicago. He bought other stores and added new ideas like a soda fountain. Within a few years, he had a chain of stores.”

Boredom always sets in when we become too comfortable with our job. Maybe the job is not as challenging as we want or maybe we feel the job does not measure up to our abilities. So many people assume that they are only working for a paycheck and miss the bigger picture. God created us to work. Moreover, we were created to work as Paul says to “do God’s will from your heart.” When we begin to look past boredom and accept the job before us, then we can begin dreaming about what it can be. We begin to see how it can be improved. We become one of the persons who will go the second mile; we can make a difference!

As Paul Harvey would say, “And now the rest of the story”. Can you guess the name of the pharmacist? He was Charles Walgreen. Today, there are over 5,000 Walgreens because of a man who decided to go the second mile.”

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

There are so many things to distract my attention today. Help me to deal with the worse distraction of all, boredom. Help me to focus my attention on the job in front of me realizing that I am working for You! No matter the task, give me clarity of mind, steadiness of purpose, and a resolve to see it through. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

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WORK: WHAT A BLESSING!

Be Fruitful

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (HCSB)

In today’s economy, everyone is trying to maximize their potential. Employees are looking for the best job and Employers are choosing only the best employees. I read an article some time ago, I can’t remember where, that listed the top 10 values employers look for in employees. They are: Strong Work Ethic, Dependability and Responsibility, Positive Attitude, Adaptability, Honesty and Integrity, Self-Motivated, Motivated to Grow & Learn, Strong Self-Confidence, Professionalism, and Loyalty. The values are taught in Scripture and have always been important. It is funny that in hard times people begin to discover them.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) has an inspiring story. I hope you will able to see these values in him. The reason he held them, even in spite of difficulties, is God.

“Johann Sebastian Bach was born into the musical family of Bachs in 1685. By the age of ten, both of his parents were dead. Early in his friction-filled life, young Johann determined he would write music … music for the glory of God … and this he did.

Most of Bach’s works are explicitly Biblical. Albert Schweitzer referred to him as The fifth evangelist, thus comparing him to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. At age 17 Bach became the organist at the church; soon thereafter he was given charge of the entire music ministry.

During his ministry in Weimar, Germany he wrote a new cantata every month … EVERY MONTH! And during one three-year period he wrote, conducted, orchestrated, and performed (with his choir and orchestra) a new cantata every week!

No one had any idea what a mark Bach would leave. His legacy lives on some 300 years later. You can hear his music at will.

At the beginning of every authentic manuscript one will find the letters “J.J.” This stands for Jesu Java (Jesus help me). At the end of each original manuscript you will find the letters “S.D.G.” This stands for Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God).

Bach is a reminder that one who gives his life to Jesus and serves Him does not count it a loss. Mk 8:35 “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

How do you start and finish each day? May it be for the glory of God!

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Forgive me for taking this precious gift of life for granted. Help me to accomplish all that I do for your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

 

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WORK: WHAT A BLESSING!

Live Up To Your Purpose

The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. Genesis 2:15 (HCSB)

Outlook, some have called it perspective, is incredibly important. It is certainly true when it comes to work. In Genesis chapter two, we get an expanded account of the creation of man. We are told in the fifteenth verse that man was placed in the garden to work and watch it. We were created to work! It was extremely positive. It only became a negative type of word after the fall of man. It was then that our perspective began to change. I want to add that everything else changed too! The following story helps illustrate the difference.

“One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”

Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don’t have.”

If you are fortunate to have a job today, praise God! You have an opportunity to live up to the purpose for which you were created. Make the most of the job and the life you have. As you dedicate both to God, you just might be surprised what the Lord will do.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the opportunity to work! You have given so many wonderful opportunities to learn and explore all of Your creation. Help me to be faithful with the gifts and talents you have entrusted in me. No matter what I find to do today, may I choose to do it for Your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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WORK: WHAT A BLESSING!

What is A Blessing?

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (HCSB)

I am without a doubt a creationists! I believe that God spoke… and everything that exist came into being. I know all too well that this is politically incorrect. However, I must confess, it takes far greater faith to believe that something so well designed could ever come to exist by accident. I believe the biblical account of creation where God spoke into existence everything in a mere six days. The sixth day is the focus of our attention today.

The Bible records in Genesis 1:24 (HCSB) that on the sixth day of creation, “… God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds.” He made everything that roams the face of the earth, but He was not through. In Genesis 1:26 (HCSB), we read “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” His last act of creation in this account was man!

After God created Adam and Eve, He blessed them. I have often asked “What is a blessing?” Upon a closer examination, I would break it into two major categories: God’s blessing and man’s blessing. Let us consider the latter first.

We often hear a familiar response after someone sneezes. It is proper etiquette to say “Bless you.” Man will bless others with what could be considered no more than wishful thinking. If we pronounce a blessing on someone without the authority or ability to make it happen, it is at least wishful and at most hopeful thinking. So often we use a blessing as a mere greeting.

God is omnipotent. He has all authority and power to bless! If God could speak into existence out of nothing all that exists, then He has the power necessary to bless. God blesses Adam and Eve in four incredibly important ways: Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. God blessed the union of a man and woman and gave them the ability to reproduce. He furthermore commanded them to do it. The last of these blessing is one of domination. God said subdue the earth. His blessing could not be clearer. God also gave man abilities and responsibilities in the Garden of Eden as caretakers. He intended for their labors to be productive, i.e. fruitful. And just as with procreation, He give man the ability to work and be fruitful.

I have some questions that beg answers. If this one simple verse teaches fruitfulness (and there are many others), How fruitful are you? Have you allowed the world’s thinking to sour your outlook on work? Are you living just for the week-end? Retirement?

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

I believe You created me with many talents and abilities. Help me to use them to the fullest extent. Thank You for giving a purpose and meaning for life. Help me to find all You intended for me. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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WORK: WHAT A BLESSING!

Outlook Is More than A Microsoft Program

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (HCSB)

A person’s outlook is nothing more than an attitude. All of us have them and they affect, for better or worse, everything we do. It just makes sense that we have an outlook that will help us make the most of life. We spend, depending on the number of jobs and overtime, somewhere between 25 – 33% of our life working. It is a tragedy that so many people wait until the weekend to start enjoying life. So many people think, “If I just hit the jackpot, I will be able to enjoy life!” See if you relate to this story:

“A family in Lander, Wyoming went to their local refuse dump to dispose of some unwanted family items that were either busted or greatly abused. As they were emptying there junk into a large dumpster, the man of the home saw something that caught his eye. It was apparently an ornate, antique four-poster bed that had been left there by some other family.

The man called to his wife to have her to look at it as well. After a few moments of discussion they both agreed that it most likely could be stored to its original condition. So, even though it was a bit worn and tattered, they began to inquire about that possibility with the management staff of the refuse center. They found that there was no problem with taking the grand piece of junk home if they would just pay a small fee of a few dollars.

They proceeded to load the headboard, footboard and the wooden rails into the back of their pickup and pull-along trailer. As they were loading the post, which were separate pieces, they began to question the weight of each one. The husband felt they were quite a bit heavier than he had imagined they would be. But they finally got all the pieces loaded and drove home.

When they got home, the husband backed the truck and trailer into his driveway with the assistance of his wife and eldest son. They then proceeded to unload the bed one piece at a time. To their amazement, as their son picked up one end of the first bed-post, the finial at the top worked loose and slipped out of its socket. Thankfully they were standing in the front yard and a nearby hedge broke the fall, catching the post. But suddenly they heard the weirdest noise.

As they turned to look toward the area of the noise, something caught the glimpse of the father’s eye. A few silver coin tumbled to the ground near the base of the bush. After picking up the loose coins he looked in the opened end of the bed-post and to his surprise there were more silver coins inside. With the help of his son, he picked up the opposing end and hundreds of silver, brass and gold coins came rolling out onto the lawn. Many of the gold ones dated back into the 1800’s and almost all of the coins were near mint condition. After close inspection of the other three posts, they, too, were completely hollow and contained equal amounts of coinage.”

They Hit the Jackpot! Statistically, you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning, but what would change in your daily routine if you suddenly “Hit the Jackpot”? If you are waiting for money to really live, than you are wasting the most precious gift of all – LIFE!

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank You for this marvelous, precious gift of life. Help me to appreciate every minute of it.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

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Weathering The Storms of Life

Faith In God Makes The Difference

Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24 (HCSB)

A few years ago, the expression was coined “Just the facts, Jack!” The fact is faith in God always makes the difference. Andy Cook is the pastor of Shirley Hills Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. He tells the following stories about four years ago:

“It’s the story of two people. One is Ted Turner. He is 71 years old, and still in the news. With a net worth estimated around $2.3 billion, Turner has made an impact on cable television, news reporting, and major league baseball. He has given $1 billion to United Nations causes, and was once married to Jane Fonda. Through it all, Turner was never boring. Outspoken at every turn, Turner’s few missteps have included harsh statements about Christianity.

“Christianity is a religion for losers,” he said in 1990. On another occasion, he joked that the Pope should step on a land mine. He once asked some of his CNN employees who were wearing ashes on their forehead on Ash Wednesday, “What are you, a bunch of Jesus freaks?” Turner even blamed his divorce from Fonda on her decision to become a practicing Christian.

Interestingly, Turner grew up in a Christian Home, and at 17, planned on being a missionary! “I was very religious when I was young,” Turner told Michael Eisner. “I was a born-again Christian. In fact, I was born again seven times including once by Billy Graham. I mean, I know it inside and out.”

But Turner lost his faith when he watched his sister die from a rare form of lupus, at the age of 20. For five years, turner said, “I prayed 30 minutes every day for God to save her, and he didn’t. A kind and loving God wouldn’t let my sister suffer so much. I said, ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with you.'” In short, the concept of suffering separated Ted Turner from his faith in God.

The other person to consider? Her name was Amy Carmichael. She, too, knew the disappointment of unanswered prayer. It may sound silly to know that as a child she had prayed for her eye color to change, but she desperately prayed that her eyes would change from blue to brown. Many people in her native England had blue eyes, and Amy wanted them, too. The color stayed the same, of course, but Amy didn’t turn away from God. In fact, she followed more closely.

She became one of the most famous missionaries in history, moving to India, where she remained for the rest of her life. And there, surrounded by Indians, she noticed that the entire nation there had brown eyes. Her eyes, as it turned out, were a gift to her from God.

One other thing that was a gift from God? A painful nerve condition and a bad fall left her bedridden for most of the final 20 years of her life. But even there, Carmichael saw her suffering as a gift from God. Saying simply that, “A wise master never wastes his servant’s time,”

Carmichael wrote most of her 46 books from that bed, books that have inspired generations of believers, including a host of other missionaries. It was Amy Carmichael’s life and writings for instance that proved to be the major inspiration for Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, two more voices that changed the world for Christ, in part, through their suffering. And through such influence, Carmichael saw her suffering turn into pure joy.

Truth is, the storms are coming. They come for all of us, whether you accept that as a part of life, like Amy Carmichael did, or whether you reject God because of the same suffering, as Ted Turner did.”

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

I believe that struggles, even pain and suffering, are a part of life. Help me to life by faith knowing that You will be with me. May my situations in life be an opportunity to proclaim Your love and grace to all people. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Weathering The Storms of Life

I Am With You Always

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (HCSB)

Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, He taught His disciples about the cost of following Him. Jesus knew there would be disappointment and heartache; pain and suffering. It is a part of Life from which the Christian is not exempt. Sometimes we bring it on ourselves with the decisions we make and sometimes it is thrust upon us for the stance we take.

Jesus, in commissioning His disciples, knew they would face hard times. He encouraged them in some of His last words to them with “I am with you always.” Let’s take time to think about this. If life is filled with adventure of which pain and suffering are real possibilities, then what could be better than to have with you the one who has the ultimate wisdom and the power to act.

You may be thinking His power is all you need. I can just call on Him and He will mystically blast all of my problems into oblivion. Not so fast! He also has the ultimate wisdom. Power without wisdom leads to tyranny and in our scenario, it leads to spoiled children.

Fred Parsons relates a story that was recorded in These Times, March 1969 that illustrates God’s love and care for us:

“A grandfather found his grandson, jumping up and down in his playpen, crying at the top of his voice. When Johnnie saw his grandfather, he reached up his little chubby hands and said, “Out, Gramp, out.”

It was only natural for Grandfather to reach down to lift the little fellow out of his predicament; but as he did, the mother of the child stepped up and said, “No, Johnnie, you are being punished, so you must stay in.”

The grandfather was at a loss to know what to do. The child’s tears and chubby hands reached deep into his heart, but the mother’s firmness in correcting her son for misbehavior must not be lightly taken. Here was a problem of love versus law, but love found a way. The grandfather could not take the youngster out of the playpen, so he crawled in with him.

God did not spare Paul and Silas the suffering and imprisonment, but He did come down into the prison with them. God did not keep the three Hebrew children out of the fiery furnace, but He went into the furnace with them. God will not always deliver us from trouble and heartache, but He has promised grace for every situation of life.”

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thanks You for the assurance that comes from Jesus, especially in times of trouble. Help me to depend on you even more in these uncertain days. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Weathering The Storms of Life

Personal Righteousness

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ⌊only⌋ the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21 (HCSB)

When I was a boy, I was told “You are what you eat”. This was an attempt to impress upon a young man that you only have one body and the care you give it is important. I have to admit that this was a monumental task for a junk food junkie. However, as the years have passed, I have come to realize the importance of proper maintenance of the only body we get this side of heaven.

Likewise, I have discovered some other truths along the way. Little phrases that stick in your mind, for example: Abraham Lincoln said, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” Albert Einstein had a good philosophy. He said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” And then there is philosopher everyone quotes, Dr. Seuss. He says, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

With so many philosophies flying around, what a person to think? The Bible, God’s Word to us, is the best place to look for understanding. Jesus helps us understand the proper philosophy of life because He is not looking at life as a created being trying to find His place, but as the creator with a full understanding of how life fits together.

Matthew records three successive parables of Jesus beginning in 7:13-29. You have two gates from which to choose: the broad gate that leads to destruction or the narrow gate that leads to life (7:13-14). He show us two trees: a tree that produces good fruit and a tree that produces bad fruit. The He reminds us “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven” Matthew 7:21 (HCSB). In the third, He gives us a contrast between two builders: One wise and the other foolish (7:24-29).

The universal truth that Jesus is teaching is that personal righteousness matters. We will never be able to control every aspect of our environment, but we can be controlled by the Holy Spirit. What really matters in life is the choices we make. Choose Life! Choose Christ!

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Forgive me for complaining about circumstances, many of my own making. Help me to focus on my personal righteousness, choosing the right way to live according to Your Holy Word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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