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Somebody?

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The following story happened thirty years ago, in a safe town, on a Sunday morning, with nothing to fear except being late for church. But, it really happened and the more you know about the whole experience, the sadder the story actually is.

A group of university-aged young ladies ran out of gas about a mile from church. They were on the main road to the church. Hundreds of people going to that church and a couple of others had to pass by their car stopped on the side of the road. But ... nobody stopped. Nobody! ... As one of the young ladies walked to the gas station with a gas can and then walked back to the car with the gas can in the pouring rain, nobody stopped.

I'm sure a lot of people said to each other, "Somebody really ought to stop and help those girls." Anybody could have stopped and helped. Nobody did. Even those who had kids in the classes they taught and wondered why their kids' teachers were late drove right on by the girls.

Before you get all riled up about the incident -- whether you want to bash church folks or bash me for talking about church folks in a poor light -- nearly every single one of us has "walked by on the other side" (Luke 10:29-37) of many a situation like the one just described. We forget one of the most important principles of God's redemptive work: when God rescues, redeems and helps people, He uses everyday ordinary people to do it -- put in cornbread English, God uses us to be His means of deliverance and help.

Doubt that?

Let me give you the most powerful example that this is true: Jesus! Nobody in Jesus' hometown expected anything of this carpenter from Nazareth (Mark 6:1-6). Jesus was just a nobody boy from a one camel town. He wasn't born to a family of power or position. Yet Jesus is God's greatest deliverer!

Let me share with you one other example that convicted me of this principle recently. Look carefully at the story of Moses' call at the burning bush (emphasis added):

Then the LORD said, "I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:7-15 RSV).

Now notice carefully. The LORD saw, heard, and knew the suffering, oppression, and affliction of His people so He came down to deliver them (Exodus 3:7-8). How did He do it? What was His means of deliverance? Moses! Notice the parallel statement and how it is modified (Exodus 3:9-10). The Lord heard and saw the oppression of His people and He sent Moses!

God uses people to be His means of deliverance. Whether it is a Deborah, Jael, or Esther. Whether it is a Joshua, David, or Daniel. God uses His people to do His work of deliverance.

"So what? What difference does that make for me? I'm no Esther or King David?"

Isn't that what a part of us whispers in our hearts? Because we don't feel like we have any great thing to offer or can't do anything great to change the landscape of history, we just assume we've got no place in God's work of redemption. So in the process of discounting our importance to God and to others, we overlook the thousands of ways we can help those around us! We drive right on by a car full of college-aged girls and complain about our children's Bible class teachers being late when we were given the opportunity to be God's tool of deliverance. Don't you think this is why Jesus promised:

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is known to be my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly be rewarded (Matthew 10:42 TNIV).

God wants us to know that in most situations when anybody can help, nobody probably will ... unless we decide we are Christ's Body, sent to bring God's deliverance, in big and small ways, to the people in our world. Just like God did with Moses, He reminds us that He sees, hears, and knows the problems of the people around us and He is coming down to help them ... by sending us!

The following questions are designed for your introspection and for use in discussion of this article with others. Feel free to share your thoughts on the ideas in this article by leaving a response on my blog: http://thephilfiles.com

For a powerful example of the importance of the principles in this article, please read Rubel Shelly's recent "Fax of Life" piece called Mercy!

Why do you think we find it so easy to "walk by on the other side" when we see people who need help?

Can you think of a specific instance when you assumed someone else would help and didn't stop to help for one reason or another?

Can you think of a specific instance when you did help?

Why do we discount our deeds of kindness done in Jesus' name?

What would happen if instead of thinking "anybody could do that" or "somebody should help," we decided that we are the part of Christ's Body God is going to use for delivering them?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

I Love My Shredder

steve@hopeforlife.org (Steve Ridgell) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

I admit it. I love the office shredder. It might be because I am mesmerized by loud machines that destroy things. But I am also fascinated by the process. After a document is run through, there is no way to reconstruct it, no way to put it together again, and no way to know what was originally there. We use it to destroy sensitive documents, addresses, and any material we do not want seen.

I also use it for something else. I use it to destroy my mistakes. If I print the wrong form, misspell a name, or use the wrong name -- a quick trip to the shredder and it is as if it never happened. It is gone forever.

But I also enjoy the shredder because there are times when see it as a reminder of what God has done for me. I envision lists of my mistakes and sins kept somewhere by the Devil himself. And I picture Jesus taking those lists and running them through the shredder. The evidence of my guilt is destroyed. The list of my sins can never be reconstructed. They are gone forever.

That is exactly what God did when He sent His Son Jesus to die for my sins. Because I believe in Jesus, because I decided to die with him, my sins are gone forever. The devil cannot use them against me to keep me out of heaven.

So I enjoy using the shredder. It reminds me how grateful I am that God has wiped away my sins forever. He can do that for you too. If you want to visit more about this, check out our blog at www.hopeforlife.org.
Or write me at steve@hopeforlife.org.

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article.

Steve Ridgell serves as the Director of Ministry for Herald of Truth Ministries in Abilene, Texas and writes for Hopeforlife.org. You can reach him by writing to sridgell@heraldoftruth.org.

Website: Hope for Life!

Drafting Your Thanksgiving Fantasy Team

ron@faithteam.org (Ron Rose) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Preparation

When you gathered around your Thanksgiving table this year, thank God for your human design. Thank him for your ability to be recharged, replenished and revived. It's all in your DNA, but to be recharged means you have to have been drained and the ultimate charge only comes when you have been drained to the limit.

Ready for a recharge? There is a faith secret about this recharging process; it requires you to get your focus off yourself and onto others. Self-focus will never recharge you.

Think of people for whom you are truly grateful -- people who during the year have made a measurable difference in your life. Jot down their names. They will become your draft picks for your 2009 Fantasy Thanksgiving Team.

By each name write down why you are thankful for him or her.

Now, during this week call or get face to face with your picks, and tell each one how your life has been touched. Thanksgiving is not about you, it's about them.

On the surface the talented, athletic, artistic, creative, and intelligent people grab our attention, the ones, who, in spite of overwhelming circumstances, survive and thrive; they inspire us.

But, what about the everyday, ordinary people who have a mysterious, yet profound impact on our lives? You know them! The thankful people! Gifted, yes, but they refuse to be stuck on themselves.

Not only do they overcome, they overflow with gratitude: like the cancer survivor who sees every day filled with opportunity to love, to serve, to live.

Or, the 65-year-old newlywed I know who, when her new husband had a stroke, said joyfully, "I am so thankful to have a husband to take care of!"

That kind of thankfulness WOWs me! And, they need to know it.

Inspiration

Former Miami Dolphin football coach Don Shula and his wife were on a vacation trip to a small town in Maine; they intended to relax without people recognizing them. When they arrived, it was raining so they decided to go see a movie.

As they entered the theatre, the house lights were on and a handful of people stood and gave them a warm little round of applause. Secretly pleased, Shula whispered to his wife, "I guess they recognize me everywhere."

Then a man stood up and said, "We're thankful to see you folks; the manager said he wouldn't start the film until at least ten people came in."

It's easy to slip into self-centeredness, but it tends to cloud the real story. Humility is always a step forward.

Thanksgiving is never about me, it's always about us, that's what makes it Thanksgiving.

Motivation

You know what you have been called to do, so do it! Let your Thanksgiving be a blessing to those who have been a blessing to you.

Ron Rose is a noted author and leader of Faith Team. His new email ministry, Faith Notes, provides practical resources for growing faith. Email Ron!

Website: Faith Team

How to Think of God

rshelly@rc.edu (Rubel Shelly) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Maybe it is because they're so fresh from the hand of God. Whatever the reason, there is a lot to be learned about God from paying attention to infants.

I watched her as she came into the restaurant. What an engaging smile! Nobody had to do anything for her. No performances. No gifts. No getting up to make a fuss. The smile came from within and seemed to be part of her nature.

She sat in her high chair and played as the adults ate. She made no demands and never fussed. Look her way, though, and she would reward you with that ever-present smile. A pinch of saltine was wonderful to her. She clearly enjoyed chewing on a toy or two her mother had brought. And that constant smile on her face would just melt your heart every time you saw it.

At various times in the course of the evening, people made her the center of attention. They peek-a-booed, patty-caked, and chin-chucked. She loved the attention, sure enough. You could hear her chuckle from deep down inside.

Everybody in the restaurant was sneaking glances at her now. A couple of times when her eyes caught ours, she offered that captivating grin. She didn't appear to feel intruded upon that strangers were basking in the glow of her favor.

I just knew it had to end though. She'd get tired. Then she would turn grumpy, fuss a bit, and need a bottle or nap. Although I'm sure it happens, we never saw it that night. For the entire time we shared the room with her, she smiled. No, she beamed. Her radiant face made us feel special for being there.

Then it dawned on me how like that night is the experience of God. We have somehow convinced ourselves that we must jump through hoops, offer extraordinary gifts, or otherwise draw his attention and favor to ourselves. Then, convinced he is looking, we work to crank up the performance level lest his perceived smile turn to a sour, scolding look.

By what terrible logic did such an image of the God of All Grace emerge? Has its widespread acceptance led some to despair and give up on his favor?

God's presence in our lives is much more like that of the baby my wife and I saw in a restaurant that night than some can bring themselves to believe. His constant gaze is accompanied by a natural, easy smile. It is only natural, after all, for a Father to enjoy watching his children. No need for any of us to make a fuss or think it is necessary to earn his favor. No need for us to fear that his mood will turn gloomy and his manner forbidding.

Next time you have the chance to enjoy such a sight for yourself, think how much you are witnessing the nature of God -- and rejoice.

Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Luke 18:16 TNIV).

Rubel Shelly preached for the Woodmont Hills Churchin Nashville for thirty years. He is the author of more than 20 books. He has accepted the position of President of Rochester College. For more details, click here or here to email.

Website: RubelShelly.com

Grace?

dannysims@altamesa.org (Danny Sims) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Some of the favorite things most folks like about Leadership Magazine are the cartoons. One I especially remember shows two guys visiting about church over a table at a restaurant. They're sharing a cup of coffee as they visit. One guy smugly shares the following:

Our church's distinctive is to be a church of grace. If anyone can't adhere to that, we simply ask that person to leave.*

Like the cartoon, when I discovered grace I misunderstood. Truth is, I was pretty legalistic about grace. You had to believe what I believed and had to express it the way I expressed it. I was so full of grace in my head I had not much room for it in my heart!

The test of grace is not only what you believe. It is not just about how you behave. Grace gets to both for sure. But grace gets also to how you belong and an open invitation to other people to be in the right place with God. And before I can share it I really need to accept it.

You've heard things like this before:

Grace does not look the other way at sin, it looks directly to God.

Grace is not exclusive, it is inclusive.

Grace is not for me and mine alone, it is for you and yours and all of us.

Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense

Let me add one that seems right for me today:

Grace is not a secret I have discovered, it is God's truth for all ages and He has included even me!

* From "The Best Cartoons from Leadership Journal," Volume 1. This is definitely worth having in your library for those "rainy days" of ministry and life!

Danny Sims is the preaching minister at the Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, and a longtime Heartlight supporter and friend.

Website: Altamesa Church of Christ

The Greatest Glory

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

His hands were shaking and beads of sweat formed above his lip and his forehead. "It seems like every time I'm in this room with you I get nervous!" he said with a wry grin.

He was right. I had seen his hands shake and the beads of sweat form two other times when he was in the same room. The first time was when I was privileged to be a part of his being baptized into Christ. The second time was when he married his wife -- I performed the marriage service that day. This third time, however, he was in charge. He was getting ready to baptize his own daughter into Christ. Yep, he was nervous, but nervous with deep joy.

I didn't have an official part in the third event that brought him back into the back room, but I can tell you it was my happiest moment of the three. Sure I loved baptizing him. You bet I was excited to be able to officiate his marriage service. The third time gave me the greatest joy because here was a man, a mature believer, and a dad. I had seen him mature through the years and now he was passing on his faith to his daughter!

Few situations bring more powerful joy than when we get to witness someone in whom we've invested pass on what they now believe and hold as their own faith, to someone else. Two passages come to my mind as I think about this. The first is from John, talking about the maturing young Christians in a church he oversees:

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 1:4 TNIV).

The second is from Paul, talking about Timothy and how Timothy had absorbed Paul's passion, teaching, and lifestyle and could pass it on to others:

For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church (1 Corinthians 4:17).

Our goal in any form of Jesus-styled leadership -- whether as a parent, Bible class teacher, small group leader, boss, work team leader, manager, teacher, coach, etc. -- must be to reduplicate our strongest traits in others who can then carry on the task, mission, effort, outreach, ministry, and goals that lie close to our heart. In fact, our greatest delight as an influencer and leader is seeing those we lead carry on "our" mission as their own. More than just being a junior version of ourselves, we want them to take our best qualities and add their own skill set and passions to do an even better job in ways we never could!

Notice how Paul speaks about this in regard to his son in the faith, Timothy. In the first statement, Paul stresses to Timothy the multi-generational nature of genuine leadership:

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

This second quote shows Paul's confidence that Timothy can perform this task!

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel (Philippians 2:19-22).

In the Kingdom of God, leadership is not associated with garnering glory here on earth. Jesus was the prime example of real leadership, and he surrendered glory to come to earth as one us to share God with us (Philippians 2:5-11). Instead, a Christ-formed leader's greatest glory is seeing those in whom he or she has invested sharing a similar passion, living similar values, and adding their unique gifts and interests to the mix. At the heart of any shepherding leader following in the footsteps of Jesus is the power of example and the joy of seeing others pass on what the leader has invested in them.

I'm with John, "I have no greater joy" than to see those in whom I've invested doing what I did, except better! And about those precious ones in whom we've invested, I say with Paul:

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

The following are for your personal reflection as well as for use in discussion with others in small groups, house churches, or LIFE groups. I'd also love to hear your take on any of these questions on my blog: http://thephilfiles.com

Who is someone who has invested in you to help you become the woman or man of God that you are today?

What would you like to say about them to thank them for their investment?

When was the last time you said it?

Why not write them a note and thank them now if they are still living and if they have gone to be with the Lord, then thank one of their children or grandchildren telling them about this person who made such a difference in your life?

Who is someone in whom you are investing -- or should be investing -- your passion, values, and goals?

What skills and character qualities do you see in them?

How can they bless the Kingdom of God?

When was the last time you told them these things?

How are you going to share these things with them in the near future?

A friend once said, "We can't live for our children, that's too limited a horizon. We must live for our grandchildren! That means we've got to help our children pass on to our grandchildren what we hold as most valuable to us."

What do you think about this thought?

How does this more accurately reflect what Paul taught to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:1-2)?

How did Jesus embody this principle of passing on faith to multiple generations?

How can you embody this principle in your relationships?

What is your greatest glory and joy in your influence and leadership of others?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

God Knows

tim@hopeforlife.org (Tim Archer) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Late in his life, the apostle John finds himself in a prison of sorts, exiled to the island of Patmos. The island is tiny, only 25 square miles (64 square kilometers). It is a barren place where political prisoners are sent to contemplate their actions. John's crime is a simple one: he is a follower of Jesus Christ.

There on Patmos, John has an impressive vision of Jesus, risen from the dead and standing triumphantly. Jesus shares with John a message of hope and encouragement for his followers that are about to suffer a time of persecution. This message, contained in the Book of Revelation, is couched in symbolic language, a style of writing commonly used at that time. While much of it seems strange to us, the symbols used in Revelation would have been familiar to the original readers.

John sees Jesus standing in the middle of seven golden lampstands, which Jesus later explains: "The seven lampstands are the seven churches" (Revelation 1:20). John then receives seven letters for seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, an area where the Roman emperor was about to make problems for the Christians. Jesus begins the first letter by saying: "These are the words of him who ... walks among the seven golden lampstands" (Revelation 2:1).

The message of this image is as simple as it is important: when Jesus' followers face difficult times, Jesus is there with them. He stands in the middle of his churches, not far from them. In each of the seven letters, Jesus uses the phrase "I know ..." He knows what they've done, he knows their circumstances, he knows the enemies they face and the struggles they have. He writes to them as one who is infinitely familiar with every aspect of their lives. He walks among the lampstands.

None of that has changed. God knows you. He knows the good things you've done and the mistakes you've made. He knows the obstacles you've faced and what you've had to face them with. He knows your abilities and your possibilities even better than you do.

And he's not far away. He's nearby, waiting for you to turn to him and ask him for help. Whether you are facing persecution from the government or temptation from a co-worker, God wants to give you the strength to face whatever it is that threatens to pull you away from him. He's close. He knows. And he cares.

I'd love to tell you more. Visit our blog at http://hopeforlife.org or write to me at tarcher@heraldoftruth.org

(Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org)
© Herald of Truth

Tim works for Herald of Truth and writes for HopeForLife. He is the co-author of Letters From The Lamb. You can reach him by writing to tim@hopeforlife.org.

Website: HopeForLife