What's In a Name?

When I was in elementary school I was fascinated with a teacher by the name of Bonnie Sue.  Of course, everyone, including me, called her, “Teacher.”  Her name wasn’t unusual, but it had meaning for me because she was a wonderful, loving, caring teacher.  What’s in a name?  A verse of Scripture that is read and re-read every Christmas presents four names for Jesus which are not only beautiful names but names that have great significance for all mankind.  These names also help explain why He came to this earth.  “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

1)    Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor.  He not only came to give unusual help and wise advice to everyone who wants to receive it, but He also delights in providing this help for you and me.  Are you willing to receive counsel that He offers?  Read the Bible, His Word.  Listen to Him as you read and meditate.  Obediently do what He commands.

2)    Jesus is the Mighty God.  He has strength, power and might that is unparalleled.  Just imagine: this awesome power of the God of the universe is available to you and me today.  He is the source of strength to live day to day whether we are going through the valleys of uncertainty or the mountains of joy.  Have you come to Him for strength during a time of need?  He wants you to experience His might and His power.

3)    Our Lord is the Everlasting Father.  There is no beginning or end to Him so we can count on Him no matter what the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  He will not leave us.  As a Father He is also a personal God in whom we can find joy and delight.  Have you come to Christ and experienced His loving, caring hand?  He always stands with open arms to receive individuals into His forever family.

4)    He is the Prince of Peace.  He is quick to remove everything that disturbs and disrupts peace while at the same time He provides calmness and quiet assurance.  Through Him we can have the peace of God to calm us through uncertain circumstances and peace with God whereby we become children of God through our personal faith and trust in Him as our only Savior from sin.  Have you come to Him for both these kinds of peace?

What is in a name?  Lots.  But in the name of Jesus there is contained so much more than in any other name.  With Him there is fullness of joy forever more (Psalm 16:11).  As you celebrate Christmas this year and as you begin the new year, let Jesus be your Wonderful Counselor, your Mighty God, Your Everlasting Father and your Prince of Peace.

The Beauty of Fall

When I think of the fall season the one word that comes to my mind is beauty.  As fall sets in we begin to experience cool mornings and notice that the leaves on trees begin turning color.  Have you ever wondered why and how leaves change color? Why does a maple leaf turn bright red?  Where do the yellows and oranges and browns come from?

To answer these questions we must remember that leaves are food factories.  Plants take water from the ground through their roots and receive carbon dioxide from the air.  They use sunlight to turn the water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is a kind of sugar.  A chemical called chlorophyll helps make that happen and gives plants their green color.  As the days of fall get shorter, trees shut down their food-making factories and live off the food they have stored during the summer. When the green chlorophyll disappears it leaves small amounts of yellow and orange, which unbeknown to us, have been in the leaves all along.  In maple trees glucose is trapped in the leaves and the sunlight plus the cool nights cause them to turn into a red color.  The brown color in the leaves of oak trees is made from wastes that are left in the leaves.  It is the combination of all these things that make the beautiful colors we enjoy in the fall.

When we think of the beauty in the trees and the leaves we need to remember that all this began with creation.  “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:13-14).  The Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s creative and sustaining power when he said, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).  What a wonderful God we have who gives us this wonderful beauty all year long, but particularly in the fall.  With Solomon of old we can affirm, "He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I’m so glad that God enjoys beauty and delights in sharing that beauty with you and me.

Back to the Basics

If we want to do our best in any endeavor in life it is important to get “back to the basics.”  Basics are always crucial because they provide a foundation making it possible for us to encounter greater possibilities.  Many children and youth experienced getting back to the basics in the school classroom or on the sports field this fall.  I’d like to encourage all of us to get back to the basics, but do so in the area of spirituality.  Here are several action points you might take to help you build the spiritual foundation of your life:

First, spend time in God’s Word so you can begin to grow or continue to mature in Christ. The Bible tells us that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17).  Second, talk to God daily.  Prayer is communion with God and it is something that He desires from us.  Scripture encourages us to “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:17-17).  Third, learn to praise and worship God.  God has done so much for us and He is supremely worthy of our praise.  The Psalmist challenges us to “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs…Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:2, 4).  Fourth, be obedient to what God’s Word teaches you.  Obedience to God’s Word is the best way to reveal to others that you believe what God says.  Obedience simply takes God’s Word and puts it into practice in life.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).

Don’t forget that getting back to the basics is fundamental to help us construct a strong foundation for life.  The Bible reminds us to “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen” (II Peter 3:18).  Maybe this fall would be a good time for all of us to get “back to the basics” spiritually.  Are you ready to join me?

The Work of Preparation

Most everyone knows that Olympic athletes don’t just show up at an event, participate, stand on the podium, and get a metal hung around their neck. To receive a metal takes much more than that. Hours, days, weeks, months, and years go into preparation and training.  Each athlete puts himself through a rigorous training regimen, all with the ultimate goal of Olympic gold.  Sometimes I’m afraid people approach living the Christian life without much thought of spiritual preparation or training. The Bible says, “Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do.  So exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too” (1 Timothy 4:8, LB).  Why not take time now to prepare and train yourself spiritually so you can be all you need to be for the cause of Christ?

Being Connected

On a recent vacation when I was out of range of Wi-Fi or did not have a proper password for a local hotspot, I discovered how important it is to be connected.  Not having the connection when I desired it, or thought I needed it, was frustrating.  Since I did not have a source of power, I was hindered in my effectiveness.  This situation reminded me of how important it is to be connected spiritually.  If we do not tap into God and experience His divine source of power we are hindered in our spiritual development and become ineffective.  It is so easy to think that we can get along quite nicely without God, but when we do so we actually deceive ourselves and lose the effectiveness that we should have.  The Bible reminds us that, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (II Peter 1:3).  Being connected with God gives us much more than human strength; it gives us God’s divine power that is so necessary to live a fruitful life that pleases Him.  Are you connected to God’s spiritual energy source?  (Check out John 1:12)

Dog Days

As we enter the month of August with its hot, muggy days you may occasionally hear someone talk about the “dog days of summer.”  These days have nothing to do with dogs, but are usually described as the period between early July and early September when hot, sultry weather occurs in the Northern Hemisphere and the water in lakes and ponds stagnates.

I’m wondering if you have ever experienced spiritual dog days in your life?  These are days when spiritual things seem stagnant in your life and there is little, if any activity for the Lord.  At those times you begin to wonder if God is near or if He is concerned about you.  Maybe you have wandered away from the Lord and allowed your attention to be placed on things or activities rather than on God Himself.  When Dr. Luke wrote the book of Acts he recorded a sermon that was delivered by the Apostle Peter.  In this sermon, Peter suggested that the people to whom he was writing may have been going through spiritual dog days.  He said, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Maybe you are experiencing a “dry spell” or “dog days” in your spiritual life or have never taken time to ask for God’s forgiveness and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  Notice that according to this verse: (1) You can be refreshed; (2) The refreshment comes from a divine source—the Lord; and (3) The time of refreshment begins as you repent and turn to God.  Why does refreshment come to an individual when he or she turns to God in simple faith and trust?  The answer is because your sins are forgiven.  When this happens it is possible for you to have a personal, ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord.  Why not turn to the Lord today and allow your spiritual dog days to be replaced with God’s divine refreshment?

Retirement and Beyond

Although a person can retire from a work-position at any age, the Bible doesn’t encourage those who are Christians to stop serving God when they retire or reach a certain age.  The Bible tells us that Joshua was well advanced in years and yet the Lord said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over” (Joshua 13:1).  There was still work for him to do even though he was probably between the ages of 85-100.  Having a rocking-chair mentality and sitting outside his tent was not the attitude to have nor the place to spend his time.  There was work to do and he was to continue to serve. The instruction in the New Testament that Peter gives is that, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms” (I Peter 4:10).  Did you notice that there is no mention of age?  In other words there is no time at which God-given gifts should cease to be utilized.  Service should be rendered to God at every age.

Throughout life we should be learning, growing and maturing and be ready to share the truths of God’s Word with kids, grandkids, and others, whether early in life, or later.  In elderly years our prayer should be similar to that of the psalmist who said, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come” (Psalm 71:18).

A few questions might be appropriate.  You have been learning, growing and maturing – so, are you ready to share your wisdom with others?  Are you sharing the lessons you have leaned with individuals from the younger generation?  If you are retired, what have you learned about God’s power that you can continue to share with your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren?

Summertime and Vacation Time

Warm weather, bright sunshine, fragrant flowers, and green grass all point to summertime.  When we think of summer, most of us think of these things, as well as vacation – whether we travel away to some distant place or stay at home.  When we think of vacation we may also think of resting, relaxing, exploring, or participating in some adventuresome activity.

To be sure, summertime (and vacation time) is a time for all of us to rest and be refreshed.  This is important for our lives because each one of us needs rest and refreshment.  But sometimes our “vacation time” or “summer time” attitude keeps us away from God.  We find ourselves participating in lots of activities but forgetting about the usual disciplines of the Christian life that keep us in touch with God.  As a result we draw apart from God rather than coming closer to Him.

If this mind-set becomes a part of our life in the summer time, we will find that we may be refreshed physically, but we will also discover that our spirit begins to dry up.  That is why we need to rest in God.  The Psalmist said, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1).

That means that we can rest at the same time that we stay in close contact with God.  As you and I enjoy this special time of the year, let’s make sure that we don’t forget God.  During the month of July we have celebrate Independence Day.  So, as we rest in God, let’s also remember to praise God for the freedom that we enjoy in our great country.