Fighting a foe that I can not see,
One that is closer than I am to me.
It’s cunning and strong and tears me apart,
Striking with a lance that’s straight to the heart.
And I try and try, and try even more,
But the more that I try the more it’s a chore.
But Jesus has died and fought that big foe,
He died and he rose for New Life I may know.
Now I have Life and that foe has been smashed,
The Life I now live shall never be dashed.
But now as for me, I’ll fight the good fight,
For Jesus is Lord, my only delight.
Author: The Pastor
Breathing
What is your prayer life like? You get to be honest here because there is no one to hear your words or see your reaction. But do be honest because who are you fooling? God? Certainly not. But also, this is not an article to make you feel guilty but rather to call to your attention that which is essential to the life of a Christian. Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” I think that says it all. So really the question is: Are you alive?
I admit it, I struggle with a regular, vibrant prayer life. I go through my ups and downs. Sure, I pray during worship and at meetings. I pray at mealtimes and with my kids before they go to sleep. But as a regular activity, such as breathing? Well, that can be more sporadic than regular. I once heard a quote that said that when you do not feel like praying, that is the precise moment when you need to pray all the more, because it is an indication that Satan is at work on you. And the last thing I want is for Satan to work on me.
And so, I have been working on my prayer life and trying to develop some routines and healthy habits. Some are new and some are beginning to become habits. And so, I want to share with you a couple ways to jump start your prayer life and hopefully begin a new, godly habit to rejuvenate your relationship with God.
(1) Wake up in the morning and thank God first thing (even before you have your coffee).
(2) Instead of your normal, memorized meal prayer, mix things up and pray a prayer from the heart.
(3) Keep a prayer journal and note how and when God addresses your prayers. I like to use my phone because I know I always have that with me.
(4) Instead of saying to someone, “I will pray for you”, actually pray for them or at the very least, take the time to write it down so you will not forget later (watching you write it down shows that you are serious about them).
(5) Send a message to 3 people each week, asking how you can pray for them. You might be surprised at how responsive people are. And then follow up with them later.
(6) Pick a handful of people from the congregation and send them a message to let them know that you are praying for them.
(7) If you have to drive for a while, turn off the radio and cell phone and pray out loud. No one will hear you except God.
But whatever you do, pray, pray and pray some more. It is the breath of a Christian and the lifeline to our awesome God. But always remember, no prayer is too small or insignificant for God. He is never too busy for your prayers. And on the flip side, remember how big God is so never be afraid to pray boldly. But in the end, it is thy will be done. Let God change you and put you more in line with His glorious and perfect will. Amen.
The Church being the Church
The following is my article for the Buffalo Center Tribune. It was published on July 31, the second to last day of our community vacation Bible school.
By the time you read this article, we will be wrapping up our community vacation Bible school. This year the United Methodist Church were our gracious hosts. Last year Bethlehem Lutheran Church had the privilege to host as VBS rotates between the United Methodist Church, Congregational Church, First Reformed Church and Bethlehem Lutheran Church. This ecumenical cooperation is a strength in this community as each congregation brings their unique gifts to the table to help raise our children in the faith. Each site is unique with their particular strengths and thus each year is a new experience for the kids, and not just because the program focus changes every year. Each year loving adults give of their time to make preparations for the week and many more give of their time to teach, lead crafts and games, and many other responsibilities. There are so many logistics and details to put together and this is all done by various individuals from among the congregations throughout the year. Planning for the VBS week begins shortly after VBS ends as the torch is passed to the next church. What a joy it is to work with these congregations and look forward to VBS every year.
You all know the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child” and this is lived out here in Buffalo Center as the Church does what the Church is supposed to do. Earlier this year, Community Chapel held its VBS. My kids participated even though we are using the same curriculum. But as they say, the experience is always different and therefore my kids have never been bored attending both VBS programs. But here is where the Church thing comes in. The area churches share their decorations and resources because, well, they also believe in the church. Curriculum and supplies are expensive, especially for us small churches, so what a blessing that we can share resources to help advance the Kingdom we all love.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23)
I pray that through this ecumenical cooperation you may see that oneness for there is one God and one salvation through Jesus Christ God only son. There is one hope and one Life. There is one family of God. And therefore, as an extension of that family, we live and serve together to the glory of God.
Faithful
If you believe you are a sinner (and the truth is, you are) then believe that God is faithful to forgive any and all sin in the name of Jesus:
1 John 1:5-10 ESV
[5] This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Enough
Is it enough to just exist, to make it through the day?
Is it enough to just survive, to find a meal and a place to sleep?
Is it enough to just be, to spend your time searching for something, anything?
Is it enough to just breathe and breathe and breathe?
For some, that is reality, and it saddens me, but it also convicts me.
I have a home to live in.
I have a family I love and who loves me.
I have food in my kitchen.
I have plenty of clothes from which to choose.
I have a career that is fulfilling.
I have a purpose for each and everyday.
I breathe and breathe and breathe, and do not give any needs a second thought.
I have enough but sometimes, a lot of the time, I want more.
I want more food.
I want more clothes.
I want more love.
I want more attention, respect, purpose…
I want more.
And maybe that is the problem with this world. We want and want and want, and that drives our lives. But it not only drives our lives, but the lives of others. We want more than enough, but do not give a second thought to those who do not have enough.
Today, I saw a person along the city boulevard by his tent. Many would classify him as homeless, but for him, it was his home. Enough? Maybe to escape the elements. But is it really enough?
Now I sit here on the balcony of the Airbnb we rented for a week, our home away from home. Enough? Absolutely, yet I still want more.
Yes, I am part of the problem, for many do not have enough as I comfortably desire more. God, help me be part of the solution.
Confessing Like David
Sinner, have you confessed your sins recently?
I mean, have you REALLY confessed your sins?
Sure, you may attend a liturgical church where you are given some lines to recite as part of the worship service, but have you confessed your sins, and not just as a passing phrase or petition in your prayers? I am talking about confessing like David…
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
[Psalm 51:1-2]
This is the heart of guilty man throwing himself at the feet of a judge who has the authority to condemn him. This is the heart of a man who knows the steadfast love of this judge. This is the heart of a man who knows he has hurt this judge through his sin. This is the heart of a man who knows he deserves nothing but condemnation. This is the heart of a man who is not rattling off some liturgical phrase or passing line in his daily prayers. This is the heart of a penitent man.
And so I ask you again, O sinner, have you confessed your sins recently? In the name of Jesus Christ – the Son of God, who died on the cross and rose from the grave all FOR YOU – I implore you:
Confess your sins like David, for the abundant mercy and steadfast love of the Father is amazing.
Tuesday devotions ~ Psalm 50
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
Worship
Obedience
Prayer
These are things that people of faith do, but they are things that can be faked, at least for a while. For those who follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior, worship, obedience and prayer are threads intimately woven into the fabric of their being. It is what they do without thinking; an automatic function like breathing or blinking your eyes. You do not think about doing those things, nor does a disciple of Jesus think about worship, obedience and prayer. Imagine needing to consciously remind yourself to breathe. Those who need that help are usually on ventilators and thus without artificial means they would die. The same goes for those who have to think about worship, obedience and prayer. They are empty actions devoid of meaning because it is not part of them and thus it is an insult to God.
That is the issue at hand in this Psalm. God has gotten to the point of rejecting their sacrifices (vs 9) and their recitations of His statues from their lips (vs 16). They have become empty rituals in which the people are seeking to justify themselves before God. They do religious things and say the “right words”, but their lives reflect anything but a transformed life that glorifies God.
I am not saying that regenerate people perfectly follow Jesus. Sometimes you do not feel like worshiping and your obedience is lacking and your prayer life is flat. But try holding your breath for an extended period of time. Eventually that which your body needs will force the issue. The child of God does not worship to gain God’s favor, rather worship is a natural outflow, like obedience and prayer.
Child of God, you will have those bad days when worship, obedience and prayer are difficult, but do not fear. Do not worry that God will reject you because those things are difficult sometimes. Rejoice that He has already chosen you through Jesus Christ. Run to Him in confession and know His mercy and grace, and thus give you a renewed reason to worship Him.
LET US PRAY: Holy God, I praise You that I know You intimately enough to praise You with my whole being; without thinking. In my low moments and in those dark valleys, show me Your light and remind me of my chosenness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Monday devotions ~ Psalm 49
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
Here we go, let the rich bashing begin. “Boycott Amazon!”, “Boycott Wal-Mart!”, “Boycott Elon Musk!”. Nope, that is not where this devotion is going. Sure, the psalmist is encouraging people to fear not when they are being oppressed by the rich; being cheated, but rich bashing other people is not what we ought to be doing. We can not point our fingers and say, “They are the problem”. No, that is not where we are going.
“So where are you going, Pastor?” You see, you cannot point your finger at the rich and sit smugly, thinking that you are not like them; that you have a higher sense of morality and ethics. The fact of the matter is that you and I are counted among the rich. You may not have the bank account of Elon Musk, but you are blessed nonetheless and thus you and I need to pay attention.
What convicts me in this Psalm is verse 5, “…those who cheat me surround me.” How have I cheated those around me? You see, God blesses you that you may bless others. You are blessed with Spiritual gifts to bless your church. You are blessed with talents to help others. You are blessed with knowledge to help your community. You are blessed with resources to help those who can not help themselves. But too often I find myself like the rich landowner who builds bigger barns to horde his stuff.
When you withhold your God-given blessings, keeping them for yourself, you cheat those that God wants to bless through you. Have you looked at it that way before? I haven’t, but I will now. Your blessings are not because of any worthiness of your own. Your blessings have a purpose, a God-glorifying purpose.
[Pastor, don’t go there]
Sorry, I have to. Thus when you withhold your blessings, you not only cheat others, you cheat God.
[You went there]
Yup, but what now? What will you do with what God has blessed you with?
LET US PRAY: Father God, You have blessed me to be a blessing, but all too often I get short-sighted and only think of myself. I confess that sin and ask that You may grant me repentance, and the faith see what You have given me and whom You want to bless through me. Help me, God, honor You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Sunday Morning Prayer ~ Matthew 16:13-20
Sunday mornings are a little different as we join in prayer using the text I will be preaching today.
LET US PRAY: Holy God, who are you? You are Creator, Mighty God and Father. You are revealed to me in Jesus. But who is Jesus?
Jesus is Lord, Savor and King,
He is the One to whom my voice sings.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is Redeemer, Shepherd, and friend,
He is the One who has no end.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is Servant, Master and Son.
He is the One who for me has won.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is MY Lord.
Jesus is MY Savior.
Jesus is MY Life.
Jesus is the only way to You, Father God, and thus may Your Spirit teach me more and more of him and may Your Spirit draw me closer and closer to him. For if Jesus shows me You, and he does, then I want more of Jesus.
Who are You Father?
You are Love.
You are Grace.
You are Mercy.
You are.
And thus to You be all glory, praise, honor, thanksgiving and worship, and I do so through Jesus Christ, Your Son and MY Lord, Amen.
Grateful Haiku
A monstrous debt.
Broke – payment is demanded.
Canceled – Jesus lives.
The Heart of a Pastor 