Zechariah, Elizabeth, May, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, King Herod, chief priests, scribes, the people living in Bethlehem, rich, poor, powerful, insignificant, educated, not learned, men, women, Jews, gentiles, they all got an invitation to be part of God’s story of redemption. You and I are invited as well.They didn’t all handle it the same. Most were afraid or troubled, many were apathetic, a few were curious, and some had their doubts. The problem is we are busy writing our own story and when God invites us into his story it feels like an invasion, an interruption. Stepping into God’s story requires trusting him beyond our comfort level, it cannot be done without submission to his will. That’s why most declined the invitation then, and most still decline the invitation today.We are all born into a story, maybe you were welcomed, maybe you were a surprise, maybe you were an inconvenience. Maybe you were born into a beautiful story, but maybe it was a lousy one, a terrible one, or just a boring one. It can be really tough to get out of story you don’t want to be in. Some of us have been sucked into stories, gotten into stories one way or another but really wish we hadn’t. You can get trapped in a story. That’s why we so like, or at least dream of writing our own story. We yearn to be free to write our own story.Can you imagine the story an engaged couple dreams of. I bet you it includes lots of hope, lots of happiness. Why did Mary and Joseph agree to join God’s story? It changed the whole scenario. It created more stress not less, more hardship not less, more challenges, not less. But it also gave their lives significance beyond anything they could write, and it made them part of more than a short story, it made them part of God’s eternal story of redemption.No one who has taken up God up on his invitation to join his story has ever regretted it. God knows how to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28 (NASB). The regrets do not come with God but by excluding God, the regrets are with those whose hubris has them choose their own story over God’s, regardless of how remarkable their story might be. Our stories never end well, they all end in death, even if it is noble death. God’s story ends in life, even if we die. You and I cannot write that story as much as we might like to. In and through Jesus Christ God has invited you and me to join his story. What is your response? "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” John 3:16-17 (NASB).Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Love you, Pastor Hans
Better than Nutella or whipped cream
I believe Nutella®, the famous hazelnut/chocolate spread, is one of the great culinary inventions of our time. It transforms ordinary toast into a fabulous dessert, it is the queen of frosting, it turns most things sweet into a delight, and it is absolutely delectable all by itself.Long before Nutella® there was whipped cream. Pretty much whatever I told you about Nutella® is also true about whipped cream. You can’t count all of the sublime uses of whipped cream. And if you want to go for the coup de grace use them both at the same time, Nutella® and whipped cream – unbelievable, out of this world.I admit, both Nutella® and whipped cream have their limits. I would not put either on a bratwurst, nor would I add them to a tomato basil salad. I would not dip a pickle in them or barbeque with them.Maybe Nutella® and whipped cream leave you cold. Maybe for you it is TABASCO® Sauce, or salsa, or ketchup, or garlic, or …? (Feel free to email me your “makes most everything taste better” – dergermanshepherd@gmail.com).Let me advocate for something even better than Nutella® or whipped cream, something that truly has universal application: Gratefulness, Thankfulness. “Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1Thess 5:18 (HCSB).Actually Thankfulness, the giving of thanks, the expression of gratefulness is just one of several things on a list of things God encourages us to continually practice, to put on everything. “See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t stifle the Spirit (what God wants to do). Don’t despise prophecies (what God says), but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil” 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 (HCSB, parentheses mine).Can you imagine a world, a nation, a community, a neighborhood, a work place, a school, a church, a family where everyone is committed to what is good for one another and for all, where everyone avoids evil but hangs on to what is good, a world full of rejoicing, continual prayer, and thanksgiving, a world that listens to God and does his will? If we were to put that on everything, how sweet would that be?Now contrast that to the following, “But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (HCSB). I don’t want to be a person of whom God says, “to be avoided.” I want to be part of list A, part of the group of people who keep putting on the stuff God endorses, the stuff that makes life more delectable for everybody else.I am grateful for the life God invites you and me to, the life that is made possible through his Son Jesus Christ, the life the Holy Spirit encourages us to and empowers us to live. Let’s stock our cupboards with it. Let’s have others taste it. Let’s get ready for Thanksgiving, a life of thanksgiving.To God be all glory. Love you, Pastor Hans
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn - Michael Brown, James Foley, Dr. Amevo Adedavoh
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 (NIV)Michael Brown is dead, shot by a police officer. James Foley is dead, beheaded by a jihadist. Dr. Ameyo Adedavoh died after she contracted Ebola when she had to physically restrain an infected patient, American-Liberian Patrick Sawyer, who wanted to leave the hospital. We only know about them because they made the news but along with them scores have died whose names we will never know, precious only to those who loved and knew them or maybe to no one at all.There is no shortage of opinions on the death of Michael Brown, on James Foley, on the Ebola epidemic. There is no shortage of outrage, anger, propaganda, political agendas, and rhetoric. There is no shortage of onlookers, head-shakers, and “what is the world coming to”-ers. There is no shortage of anger, hatred, and violence. What is missing are the mourners, those who weep, those whose hearts are moved, those who feel the brokenness, the senseless, the loss.If I am not careful my observation about the lack of mourning is just my clever tack to have a novel non-involved opinion. Am I mourning? Is the death of Michael Brown causing me to mourn? Am I grieved that there is still a big gap between the treatment of people with different colors of skin? Do I weep over the fact that our police chiefs see a need to assemble military like forces to keep the peace? Do I open my heart to feel the loss of countless Muslims who, like James Foley, have suffered through senseless violence, war, corruption, sectarianism, and religion run amuck? Does my heart hurt so much I dream of better for black teenagers, radical Islamists, and disease stricken, impoverished Africans? Am I willing to plead their cases on my knees before God? Am I willing to get out my check book? Am I willing to turn my back on meaningless talk and opinionating and instead mourn openly, publicly?“Blessed are those who mourn.” There is no blessedness in anger, in violence, in injustice, in poverty, in oppression. There is no blessedness in apathy, on-looking, commentating, disengaging.“Blessed are those who mourn.” We don’t mourn over things we do not care about, we don’t feel their loss. The Prophet Jonah was rebuked by God because didn’t care if 120,000 little kids along with their families got wiped out, but cried and grieved over the loss of his air conditioner (Jonah 4).“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Mourners know how to help. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV). The Greek word for comfort paints the picture of coming alongside, the very word Jesus used to describe the Spirit of God (John 14:16-17). No wonder calls us blessed when we are willing to mourn, we act like him when we do.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
For a Better Community
Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government. 1 Peter 2:13-17 (MSG)There was one policeman in my hometown of Heiningen (at that time population 2,500), yup, just one. When our grammar school teacher took us on a field-trip to the Rathaus (city hall) we got to meet him and he showed us the two jail cells. They were full of boxes and paper. I don’t think they were used very much. I liked his uniform, which he filled out nicely, but I was especially impressed with his gun. I don’t know what all he did, but he did a lot of patrolling, when we rode our bicycles around he seemed to be all over the place, he kept watch.We were on vacation camping when severe weather hit. So in the middle of the night my Dad piled us all into the car to drive to our Great Uncle’s farm to sit it out there. On the way a fierce lightning bolt split the sky and hit the far corner of the roof of one of the large old farm houses in the distance. It was instantly on fire and my Dad wheeled the car around and raced to the farm, jumped out, woke up the sleeping family, and began helping with getting the animals out, while my Mom tried to restrain us in the car. It wasn’t long before fire trucks arrived and they were impressive. My Mom finally relented and let us go out into the rain to watch the fireman do their work. In the end everything living was saved but the farm house was lost.Why am I telling you these two old memories of mine? For one because my entire life I have thought of both policemen and firefighters as a positive and not a negative. Wherever I have lived things were not worse but better because of their presence. I don’t imagine life to be better without them, I am glad they are among us doing their work.I don’t know how it is that so many want to tell some horror story about how “the cops” did them or someone they know wrong, or how the fire department was too slow to respond and didn’t know what they were doing. It’s kind of like most everyone is always ready to tell some medical horror story, but boy when they are sick they are more than glad to visit a doctor. A few weeks ago I checked my facebook page (something I don’t do very often) and someone was complaining about how the “cops” had cramped their style at a weekend party, followed by are more general rant against law enforcement. I commented that I am not their camp. How many of us have to put on a bullet proof vest to go to work? Generally if I police myself I don’t have much to worry. In fact I don’t get up worrying about “the cops” (I don’t even like the word “cop/s”, to me it lacks respect). They have not cramped my style, but they and the fire department were there when my daughter wrecked her car. They were there when people acted stupid during fire season, when people were dying or died, when things got out of hand, and they have continually kept watch.However I have observed a trend over the past thirty years. We are increasingly shifting the responsibility of “watching” away from ourselves. A healthy family rarely if ever needs police intervention. Why, because in a healthy family each person takes responsibility to police themselves. The same is true in a healthy community, responsibility to watch isn’t shifted to just a few but is shared by all. Think about it, how many incidents, accidents, and emergencies involve irresponsibility, drinking, drugs, general butt-headedness, and outright evil.And since this is a “pastor’s note” I venture to add what few are still willing to recognize, namely, where godlessness increases self-centeredness and lawlessness increases (Matthew 24:11-12, Romans 1:28-32). In the absence of God we exalt ourselves and deceive ourselves in our sinful arrogance. The Apostle Peter in his first letter hits the nail on the head when he reminds followers of Christ specifically as well as anyone willing to listen to, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God” 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV). And servants of God major on loving God and loving their neighbor, they focus on the things the Spirit of God would have us do and be, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV).I am fully convinced we will have better lives, a better community, and even a better country if we dare to practice the wisdom of God’s word.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
You Can't Shop for God
You can’t shop for God.We are inundated with choices. How many different car brands are there? How many different models does each automaker sell? I have been looking for tires, luckily for the odd size I am looking for there are less than 100 choices. How many different brands and kinds of soda does your supermarket sell? What do you like? Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke? Or are you a Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Throwback Pepsi, Pepsi Maxx drinker? Maybe you prefer Dr. Pepper, or Dr. Pepper 10, or Diet Dr. Pepper? Who knows it might be RC, Mountain Dew, or 20 different flavors of store brand for you? Maybe you are a water only kind of person? In that case you will have to decide what brand, what size, and what flavor. You can repeat this exercise in every aisle of the grocery store, department store, home improvement store, and at every shopping mall. And if by chance you do your shopping on line then you have simply exploded your choices a zillion times.Way back there was a commercial touting cat food for the finicky feline. Of course it came in numerous flavors. Since then the choices in the pet food aisle have multiplied. However, manufacturers and merchants have obviously figured out that we are the most finicky creatures of them all. We know what we like and don’t like. We know how sensitive our taste buds are, how delicate our sense of fashion is, and even what our tender backsides prefer in the restroom.So when it comes to God, to spiritual things, we like to go shopping. God has to taste right, feel right, fit right, and preferably be on sale. He has to match our preferences, our lifestyle, our morals, and appetites. He needs to be helpful but not too demanding, accessible but not intrusive, loving and forgiving but not requiring anything, and of course always ready to bless, even a mess.The problem is you can’t shop for God. Whatever we pick and choose in the aisles of religions, world views, and philosophies is not God. If God is defined by what we think he should look like, feel like, and be like then he is as small as can of cat food. If God fits in a shopping cart or neatly into our lives then he is as insignificant as six-pack of whatever is your favorite. You can’t shop for God, he is not for sale, there is no store or mind large enough to contain him.One God, One Savior, One Way, One Truth, One Book does not fit into our approach to life. “There has to be choice! – Right?” The answer is, “No.” There is only one true, living, eternal, and almighty God, and the only way to come near to him and live with him is through his Son Jesus Christ, everything else is futile shopping. “… there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me” Isaiah 45:21 (NASB). “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us” 1 John 3:23 (NASB).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor HansP.S. A word to all of us who claim to believe in and follow Christ. Before we say, “Amen,” and shake our heads at those who do not yet follow Christ, let’s ask ourselves, How often do we go “shopping” when we read our Bibles, attend Bible studies, and decide on the shape and content of our Christian lives based on what fits us, feels good to us, and seems right to us? How often do we pick and choose and in the process end up with something far less than God, than Jesus has in mind?
Easter Questions
Easter QuestionsHow long can you live without breathing? – Minutes.How many days can you live without water? – Days.How long could you live without eating anything? – Weeks.How long can you live without Jesus? – Both milliseconds and years.You and I exist from moment to moment only because the entire universe, every atom and particle, is sustained by the power of Christ, “For everything was created by Him (Christ), in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together” Colossians 1:16-17 (HCSB, parenthesis mine). On the other hand you and I can ignore, deny, or be against Jesus our entire lives, till our very last breath.What has been the most important day of your life? – The day of your birth? Some other significant day? The day you became a believer in Christ?What has been the most significant event all of human history? - Easter, Jesus Christ, incarnate God, conquering sin and death on a Roman cross, his corpse sealed into a tomb, and risen from the dead three days later. God, through the life of his Son, loving you and me at an unimaginable depth and offering forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, a place in his family, and eternal life to sinners like you and me. There is no more incredible and significant event in all of history.If you are scratching your head saying, “I don’t know?” or if you profoundly disagree consider the words of the Apostle Paul, “The message of the cross (Easter) is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (NLT, parenthesis mine).My son is a diabetic. He needs insulin to live. He can complain, wail against the unfairness of it, summon his philosophical and theological objections, but that will not change a thing about his condition. No one is making him take his insulin, watch his diet, and adopt the lifestyle of a diabetic, but if he wants to live, if he wants to be well, he will. He can ignore his doctor, play Yoyo with his blood sugar, and drink or bathe in sugar, but he will not be able to escape the consequences that come with that. He can be offended, he can deceive himself into thinking it is all a bunch of …, but none of that diminishes his need for insulin.You and I are sinners; sinners need the cross of Christ, the power of Christ to save them. The cross of Christ is not meant to offend, it is not foolishness, it spells hope and life. None of us will escape the consequences of our sins, none of us can conquer death, no one will survive the scrutiny of God’s judgment, and no one will live in the presence of Almighty and Holy God except through Jesus Christ.“Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NASB)Happy Easter, love you, Pastor Hans
Be an Othniel
When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and defeated Israel, and they possessed the city of the palm trees. The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. Judges 3:9-14 (NASB, emphasis mine)Do you contribute to conflict, chaos, clamor, confusion, and acrimony? Do you help stir things up or settle things down? Do your words and actions cause nerves to be raw or calm? Can people around you rest or do you set them on edge? Are you an influence of peace or of drama? Is the “land” (your family, your relationships, your work place, class room, home, business, neighborhood, etc.) at rest or disturbed because of you?They never could hold onto it for too long. The ancient Israelites gained their freedom, had God’s promises and presence, and had a chance to have an awesome life, but they never were at rest, at peace, undisturbed and quiet for too long. Invariably they left and ignored the things that make for peace and rest. Then when it was gone, when things were miserable, they cried out to God like in the example you read above and God in his mercy and goodness granted them deliverance, freedom, and rest. Under Othniel (whose name means “God is powerful”) it was forty years. And then they chucked it again. Why did they? And why do we?Something died with Othniel, something did not take root in the two generations that benefited most from Othniel’s contribution to their freedom, their quality of life, their spiritual foundation. They saw no value in honoring God in everyday life, in accepting spiritual restraints, in practicing Biblical ethics. They did not consider these essential; they made no connection between fidelity to God and peace and blessing. They forgot that peace and rest don’t just happen but are the result of trusting in God, embracing goodness, practicing justice, and forsaking evil and wickedness. They didn’t believe that “there is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 57:21).So, are you part of the answer or part of the dark that causes others to cry out for deliverance and rest? Are you willing to let God use you as a deliverer, a restorer, as one who causes peace and rest to bless the “land” throughout your life? And what do you need to address and change so God can use you like an Othniel?"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.Matthew 5:9 (NASB)To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
No Gospel for Gophers
Gophers and ground squirrels committing acts of subterranean terror, wood peckers in senseless destruction drilling holes into my house or by my office, ants trying to take over our home like Russia annexing Crimea, and termites like the NSA in cloaked secrecy chewing away on what is precious to me – my animosity, my loathing, my outcry over these is no secret.These critters are relentless, the damages attributable to them are significant, and their consciences don’t seem to be all that bothered. I wonder if there is a rodent hell, a wood pecker purgatory, an eternal lake of fire for termites and ants? If not, there should be. This kind of destruction, havoc, senselessness, disrespect, and lack of caring should not go unaccounted for. There should be some kind of justice, shouldn’t there?But what is our excuse? We are the creature with the most advanced brain, we are capable of figuring things out peacefully, we are able to empathize more deeply than any living thing. It is possible for us to make good choices that go beyond basic instinct, beyond emotion, beyond rage, beyond hatred, beyond what is just good for us. And yet no creature God has made is more destructive than us, than mankind. We are politically destructive, ecologically destructive, economically destructive, emotionally destructive, personally destructive, and even spiritually destructive. Yet somehow we are prone to cry foul at the very notion that God would hold us accountable, that he would judge us for our evil, our failure to do good, are unwillingness to live for the highest ends of loving God and loving our neighbor.Another observance of Easter, the recognition and celebration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, conquering sin and death and rising from the dead, is approaching. I wish there was a gospel for gophers and the like. However, there is a Gospel for you and for me, for people. Unlike me, who has trouble eliminating a few gophers and ants, God could have exterminated us all, and no one could have faulted him because our collective and personal history indicts us. He could have responded with pure and justified hatred towards all of mankind. Somehow he didn’t and instead of withdrawing personally and emotionally He drew closer, and engaged himself deeper. He chose to love, to offer hope, to provide atonement and forgiveness, to conquer what we cannot - our sin and the reality of death.I have no desire to become a gopher, to dwell among ground squirrels, to be part of a termite colony. As you well know, I have no love for any of them. But God in Christ chose to dwell among us, that’s incredible. On the one hand it brings incredible hope to our moral, existential, and spiritual dilemma; on the other hand it robs us of our last excuse of having no other option than to be who we are.“Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 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.” Romans 5:7-10 (NLT)To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Dollars and Sense
What can you get for one dollar? A squirt of gasoline, something of the dollar menu at a fast food joint, a can of soda , an apple. In general you don’t get very much for a dollar. On the other hand you can feed and educate a child for a day in many places around the globe.What can you buy or do with a hundred dollars? More than what you can with just one dollar that’s for sure. You can fill your tank with gasoline and have some left over (depending on the size of your car), you can go out to eat, you can stock up on soda, and you can feed and educate a child for several months.What about ten thousand dollars? Without a doubt that’s a lot more than a hundred bucks. You could buy a used car and zip all over the US, eat out a lot, go on a fabulous vacation, do some serious upgrading, or you could feed and educate almost thirty children for year.What could you do with a million, one hundred million, or even a billion dollars? A heck of a lot and also not very much. You couldn’t buy an ounce of integrity, it wouldn’t be enough to purchase a squirt of genuine love, it would not be enough from keeping death from laughing at you, it would be insufficient to post bail in the court room of God, it would fall short on a down payment for even a day of eternal life, it could not purchase God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace, and it would only be a fraction of the worth of one human soul. Jesus put it plainly, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels" Mark 8:35-38 (NIV).Can you start doing good with just one dollar? Absolutely. Can you ever earn enough money to acquire what is most important in life and what you need the most? Absolutely not. Will money elevate your status, influence, and power in this world? Yes it does. Will money impress God and earn you his favor? No it doesn’t. “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it,” 1 Timothy 6:7 (NIV). That’s why it is important for us to listen when the word of God reminds us, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them,” Ephesians 2:8-10 (HCSB).I am hoping that the dollars passing through your and my fingers will remind us:• That the most important things of life money cannot buy.• That every dollar entrusted to me has the potential to accomplish something good.• That for the wellbeing of your and my soul we are completely dependent on God and Jesus Christ.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
The All and the First
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best (first) part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 (NLT, parenthesis mine) Some of the great dangers of wealth are that it tempts us to declare our independence from God, that we are seduced by its power into crafting our own destinies, that we wallow in its comforts with little thought of accountability, and that we mistake it for security.I met with Susie and my financial advisor this week. My reason for doing so was to make sure we have a financial plan as we are speeding towards retirement, to make sure we are applying the wisdom of the ant to the autumn and winter of our lives (Proverbs 6:6-8). We also want to live out Proverbs 13:22, “A good man/woman leaves an inheritance to his children's children, …” But the most important question, the most important goal in the management of our wealth (however little or much that might be) is whether or not we are honoring God with it.When it comes to honoring God with our wealth there are two key components: 1. All of it. 2. The first/best of everything. If I want our financial plan and management to be blessed by God then the beginning point is making sure I honor God with all of my wealth and possessions and that God comes first in my use and distributions of wealth. There is no honor if God is an afterthought, if God comes in at the end of my paycheck, my profit, my bonus, my tax-refund, and any other income or increase that comes my way.This of course is where many people begin to roll their eyes and say, “Told you so, those preachers are all alike, eventually they want your money.” And, you know what; sadly there have been too many who miss-use and miss-preach the Word of God for personal gain. But they are by far not the most, just like a few bad police officers are not a reflection of most law- enforcement officers who deserve our respect. There are also those who want engage in some hair-splitting debate over tithing (giving 10% to support your church and all it does, which you should – Malachi 3:8-10, 1 Corinthians 9:7-14). If you want to be cynical go ahead, and if you want to split hairs, go head. You can do with your wealth anything you want to (Acts 5:4), but if you want the wisdom and blessing of God to be of first priority in your management of your wealth and income then you cannot let shysters and hairsplitters detract you of the clear advice and directive of God’s written word, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best (first) part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine” Proverbs 3:9-10 (NLT, parenthesis mine).Maybe it is time to revise or revamp your financial plan, to put God first in the management of your earnings, to think about honoring God with all of your wealth.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
More Important Than Sex
More Important Than SexLet me tell you a dirty little secret about people in churches. They have sex, yup, and they love it. Hard to believe, but true. In fact they like it as much as people who don’t go to church. Contrary to some rumors a person’s libido does not shrivel up and go to heaven when a person commits to following Christ.If you read the Bible you will notice that it does not ignore sex but makes it clear that among other things God has created us as sexual beings. The only thing in the creation story that was declared no good was that Adam was alone, he did not have a partner, so God gave him Eve and lo and behold they did the “one flesh” thing which is also known as making love (Genesis2:18-25).Now if you think this pastor’s note is just about sex then you are mistaken, it is actually about something more important in a marriage than sex. 1 Corinthians 7 speaks to those for whom celibacy is out of the question, which happens to be most of us, and then addresses husbands and wives in particular about sex. For one, to not use it as weapon or means of manipulation, and for another, not to stop making love, because in doing so you make each other vulnerable to temptation. The only exception is special times of prayer both husband and wives agree on. Yup, prayer in marriage, the ultimate romantic relationship, is even more important than sex. “The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to "stand up for your rights." Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it's for the purposes of prayer and fasting—but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it” 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (MSG). It is difficult to be in a romantic relationship and not think about sex, you don’t have to do anything for that happen. On the other hand the importance of prayer in a romantic relationship, in a marriage, you have to discover and learn. It is interesting that Adam and Eve were both sexually unencumbered and spend time with God face to face (Genesis 3:8). They knew how to talk with each other and knew how to talk and walk with God. We rarely miss on the sex part, we don’t have to be told not to leave that out. But it is not so with prayer, too few make it a priority in romance, include it in dating, and practice it in marriage. I am hoping this pastor’s note will compel you to make prayer a normal part of your romantic, your married life. That you will not settle for a prayerless relationship, but that you will learn to walk and talk with God individually and together. It will not weaken but strengthen your relationship immeasurably.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Learning Love That Does Not Fail
Learning Love That Does Not Fail“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” Ephesians 5:25 (NIV).“Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God…These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands …” Titus 2:3-4 (NLT).Somehow we believe that the awesome feeling of being “in love” easily translates into a life of love, that “living happily ever after” will surely happen. Of course statistics tell us otherwise, not only do more than half of all marriages end in the divorce but the reality those who choose to stay together is that many are far from a romantic dream.When God had Paul pen the instructions you read above marriages were by and large arranged. Love was not the predominant factor in marriage making, economics, connections, and even politics played a big role in who got married to who. That in a way explains the need for instructing married people to learn how to love each other. But what about today? Simply because we have the freedom to choose whom we want to marry does not mean there are not other factors involved, such as physical attraction, emotional needs, romantic dreams, and economics. The reality is that even with our freedom to choose most marriages end up far from the hopes and dreams that marked their beginning.Falling in love is easy; it just kind of seems to happen. Who doesn’t love a good “love at first sight story?” The notion of twitterpation that knocks you of your feet (and senses) is intoxicating. Who doesn’t want to feel such passionate love and have it requited? But what happens when the pheromones wear off? At some point in a romantic relationship, in marriage, more is needed to sustain, to grow, and to carry it. At some point the reality of how we got into this gets exposed, our best behavior returns to our normal behavior, our charm gets to be annoying, our flaws become evident, our bad habits resurface, our past we try to escape reaches for us. It is then that we can fall out of love almost as quickly as we fell into it. It is then and there that we have to learn to love.No one can teach you and I more about love and how to love than God, who is love (1 John 4:16). In learning to love God first and most we paradoxically do not end up loving our partner less but more and better. We usually go about it the other way and begin with our partner and in the process make him/her our idol, our object of worship, and nothing good comes from it. God doesn’t force himself into our romances, into our marriages, but we are smart to invite Him in if we want to learn all about love, if we want to bless one another with true love, lasting love, love that bears new blossoms throughout life, love that does not fail (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Jesus and Alice Cooper (back to school)
"… learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Matthew 11:29 (NIV) Remember Alice Cooper singing “School’s Out?” Maybe you couldn’t wait for it to become true. Maybe you sang it at your graduation.“… No more pencilsNo more booksNo more teacher's dirty looksWell we got no classAnd we got no principlesAnd we got no innocenceWe can't even think of a word that rhymesSchool's out for summerSchool's out foreverSchool's been blown to pieces …” (Lyrics by Alice Cooper)I remember a young lady for whom Math was a nightmare. It kept her from finishing her college degree. She had almost straight As except for math, she had flunked it numerous times. Talk about frustrated.Did you ever ask a teacher or your parents, “Why do I have to learn this? How much of this am I actually ever gonna use in real life?”The reality is that throughout all of life you have to learn unless you want to be stupid, make stupid decisions, repeat stupidity, and suffer from the effects of stupidity. Learning can make your life better, make you wiser, make things easier.If I make the same mistakes over and over maybe it’s time to learn to do it different?If my life is full of turmoil, drama, and conflict maybe it’s time to examine what I have learned and how valuable it is. Maybe I need to show up for school again, regardless of how much I like Alice’s sentiments.If my relationships are not working, if I am always broke, if habits are hurting me, if I constantly hurt others, if lack discernment then maybe it is time to admit that I don’t know as much as I think I do and that I might need to depart from what I have learned so far.If others are not blessed by me, if love, goodness, generosity, wholeness, wisdom, joy, laughter, and peace isn’t something that others get from being with me then maybe enrolling with the best teacher ever isn’t a bad idea.As far as I know Jesus never taught a course on physics, math, biology, or chemistry, although as the creator of them all he certainly could have. No, he left that type of teaching to others. What Jesus focused his teaching on was on life, on God, on reality, on true success. You can know everything about math and be a terrible person. You can be the most skilled surgeon and be a heartache to your colleagues and family. You can be the savviest business woman and be dishonest and corrupt. You can be the best at football and be a jerk.“Learn from me,” maybe it’s time to take Jesus up on the offer. From what I have heard, even Alice Cooper did.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
A Thankfulness TrialI am putting you and me on trial in this pastor’s note. I am hoping you and I will be convicted of being people who grateful, thanksgivers who continually praise and bring glory to God. So hop up on the stand to be examined.When was the last time you stepped on a scale and were filled with thanksgivings? I mean you grabbed one of your rolls and it put you in a rejoicing mode for the rest of the day? You praised God for the abundance of food that has been available to you, that feeding yourself and your family was not a worry to you, as it is to millions of people around the globe.When was the last time you went to the doctor and the whole way there you were in grateful mood? You lit up the waiting room with your spirit of thankfulness? Overcome by the fact that extraordinary healthcare is available to you gave God thanks.When was the last time you rolled up to the gas pump and counted your blessings? The whole time the pump was running your heart was full of praise to God for his goodness and provision? With every gallon pouring into your vehicle you just got happier, ready to have a worship service right there?When was the last time you turned on a faucet in your house and your heart overflowed with gratefulness? You rejoiced you did not have to schlep a single drop and that you haven’t had the slightest worry about water from your faucet in who knows how long? You were as happy as a bird in a puddle.When was the last time you put on your shoes and just felt like praising God for his goodness to you? You were struck by the fact that you got to choose which shoes to wear today?When was the last time you looked at something you haven’t used in forever and were overwhelmed by gratefulness because you have more (maybe much more) than you need? You were gripped by thankfulness because you have the privilege of thinking about wants and not just needs? You gave glory to God because He has enabled you to be a giver?When was the last time someone noticed your thankfulness? Someone wondered why just keep giving thanks and praise to God?When will be the next time your gratefulness before God will have impact on your outlook, your attitude, and your actions? I pray it will be today, tomorrow, and day after tomorrow, and … That anywhere and anytime you and me will always be convicted of being grateful, of being a thanksgiver through and through.Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:18 (HCSB)To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Inescapable
InescapableSome things you cannot escape. The most popular examples are death and taxes. Over the past weeks here in Don Pedro the smoke produced by the massive Rim Fire has been inescapable. One smoky morning I texted my kids, “If this keeps up we will be permanently smoke flavored. We will be the smoky people, a whole new ethnic group. Then we will have to have a movement to be recognized as such. That sounds like so much work and effort, but it will stand up in court because the judges and juries will be able to smell us plain as day. Then being smoky will turn into a cool thing and everybody will want to be like us, which will spawn all kinds of commerce, smoky perfumes, soaps, air fresheners, etc. “Smoking hot" will have a whole new meaning, "Smoking someone out" will be insensitive, and "smoking" will have to be renamed. When one of us becomes the pope they will no longer signal the decision with smoke, and one of us might eventually be president, "be smoked right into office.”I don’t know how I got so sidetracked, but let’s get back to things you cannot escape. How about yourself, like it or not you are who you are, makes no difference whether or not you like or dislike who you are. You also cannot escape the consequences of your decisions. In fact our decisions and their consequences shape who we are, who we are becoming, where and how we end up.Who are you today? And who will you be tomorrow? And how big of a role will the consequences of the decisions you make play in that process? Even more sobering is the fact that there are others who cannot escape the consequences of our decisions. Our lives always cast larger circles, the smoke of the fires we light never just stays in our own yard.Before he turned twenty he got both a raw deal and a great opportunity. His home and country was destroyed, he was separated from his family, and he was deported, exiled to another country. He had no rights, no recourse, and no resources. But he wasn’t dead, and he ended up at a special training school for government service. Most importantly he still was able to make decisions. He, Daniel, ended up as one of the most outstanding and influential people of his time. He became a man of sterling character, incredible wisdom, and remarkable faith in large part because from early on he understood the inescapability of the consequences of our choices, and because he lived with an active awareness of that truth.Daniel also understood that the consequences of our choices are governed by God. The principle of “You reap what you sow” (Galatians 6:7-10), has its origin in God. The reality that there are choices which result in blessing and choices which result in destruction, hurt, pain, and judgment is also of God. And the ability to make good choices that have consequences shaping us for good, even you if get the shaft or much worse, is a gift from God.It is no surprise that the first significant thing God’s word highlights in Daniel’s life is both the choice he makes as a teenager and how the consequences of that choice shaped his life for good and God. “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials” Daniel 1:8-9 (NASB). To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Something to Crow About
We don’t know where he came from. He just showed up one morning last week? One thing’s for sure, he is the ugliest, most beat-up, ragged looking creature ever to invade our lives. There is no telling where he’s been and what he’s been through, but he looks like a strung-out addict run over by a truck. Looking at his naked butt I am amazed he can walk. One thing, however, still worked fine, his crow. Yes, at first sunlight that rooster crowed and crowed some more, in fact he got into a full-blown crowing competition with the neighbor’s rooster.Looking like he does, his feathers, where he still has them, look more like shaggy fur than feathers. I already mentioned his derriere, which is literally a sore sight. You would think the fellow would have nothing to crow about, but you would be dead wrong. This guy would never win a ribbon at the fair. In fact he looks like a pack of coyotes got a hold of him and one by one spit him back out. You would think he’d tone it down a bit, but no, he greets every new day with gusto, and there is no way he is going to let my neighbor’s pretty boy outshine him in giving his morning praise.Maybe, you are wondering what makes me think he is giving praise to God each morning and not simply doing what roosters do in the morning? Have you ever watched birds in the morning, how they greet the day? Before they get all busy with their day they take time to sing, or crow if it’s a rooster. They welcome the day, they’re glad to be alive, and they have reason to praise because even if they’re not aware of it, “ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:26-27 (NLT). I’m not always like that rooster. I don’t greet every day like that, do you? I forget the praise when life beats me up, when things are raw and sore, when I feel lost or out of place, when life feels terrible. I lose the simplicity that greets each day as gift, that simplicity of faith that my Heavenly Father knows how to and will take care of me. I stop singing, crowing, not because I forgot the songs or lost my ability to praise, but because I let worry fool me into thinking that so much depends on me. I can get so turned around that I miss the daily invitation to offer praise to the one who gives me life and breath, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” Psalm 150:6 (NASB). That rooster sure hasn’t forgotten.Come to think of it, with everything going on in my life over the past few weeks that rooster showing up was anything but an accident. Thank you God, thank you my Heavenly Father, you are glorious, and kind, and have a terrific sense of humor.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
The Old Mower and Psalm 119:9&11
My 33 old Montgomery Wards riding mower finally gave up the ghost, went kaput, died. It came with our house when we bought it and although it looked pretty good it didn’t run. At some time before it became ours it was parked in the garage and sat. When I took a closer look at it a found three main problems: 1. The battery was deader than a door knob, 2. Somebody had tried to mow rocks and busted one of the mower blade mounts, 3. Both the gas tank and carburetor where gummed up with old shellacked gas. Once I took care of those three things the orange beauty ran like a champ, made my life easier, and helped my son earn a lot of money mowing around the neighborhood.I would say 33 years is a “ripe old age” for riding mower. I attribute this to three main factors: 1. God answering my prayers to make my things last, 2. Proper use, 3. Regular maintenance.Now let’s pretend your and my life is like a riding mower. If we are going to run like a champ, last, and be a blessing we need to pay attention to three things: 1. God, 2. The written Word of God (aka the Bible/Manual), 3. The ways of God. That’s the instruction given to a new mower/young person, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your (God’s) word” “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:9&11 (NLT, parenthesis mine).Somebody designed that mower for the purpose of mowing, and they wrote a user manual so the eventual owner would know how to use the mower and get the most out of it. Can you ignore the designer and all the included instructions? Absolutely, you can ignore its purpose, use it for whatever and however you want to, and never do any maintenance. But don’t be surprised if you get hurt, beat it up, be frustrated, have to spend money to fix it, and wear it out way before its time. Of course if you have enough money you can just go and buy another one, but that doesn’t work with life, no amount of money will buy you another one. So it might be smart, wise, to recognize that God made us, designed us for a purpose, and has written a manual so we would use our lives properly and know how to maintain them.Maybe you are reading this and you no longer qualify as young. Maybe you are like a broken down mower, maybe you abused your own life, maybe you never changed the oil, mowed rocks, were stupid, and more than just your gas tank and carburetor is corroded. Does that mean the instruction of God’s Word you read above is not for you? I suppose not if that’s what you want to settle for. But what if you were to pay attention to the designer, to God? What if you were to start reading the manual, the Bible? And what if you were to start doing what you read in God’s Word? What if you were to let God use his knowhow and tools on you? What if you learned to look out for rocks, change the oil, and keep the blades sharp?Was it only important for me to seek God’s blessing and pay attention when I first got the mower? Of course not, it is important throughout life, a mower’s life, but even more importantly your and my life.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor HansP.S. If you wondering where to start reading your Bible I suggest you start reading the Gospel of Matthew and one chapter of Proverbs a day.
I Believe
He said, “I believe.”So I asked him, “Then why are you not married?”He didn’t like where this conversation was going. His girl friend of the past four years tried to come to his rescue, “We’ve had some bad things happen,” she said with tears in her eyes, “We got hurt in church.”“But if I read the Bible correctly getting married would be the right thing to do,” I persisted. I could tell she agreed, and I could tell he didn’t want to agree, he didn’t want to be challenged on what he believed. And part of me can’t blame them; Christians have made a mess out of marriage as much as the non Christian culture. And, yes churches too often hurt people. I know, I lead one, and few people know more about the ugliness that can occur in church than pastors. In fact, and to my shame, I have hurt people. Not intentionally, but I don’t think that makes a lot difference. I have also been hurt, deeply, many times. What does it mean when I say, “I believe?”What does it mean when you say, “I believe?” I was young. I was ready to quit. I was out of church. The last three churches I was a part of were a mess. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to be a minister after all. I was afraid of becoming a pastor and making a mess myself. I was shocked at how ugly things could get in a church. Somehow I ended up reading in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God” Romans 14:12 (NASB). That’s when God asked me, “What does it mean when you say, ‘I believe,’ Hans? Will you quit believing because things are hard? Are you going to throw in the towel because others are living disobedient? Are you going to use your hurt as an excuse to do your own thing? Are you only going to believe if everything works out and is rosy? Are others responsible for what you do? Are you really going to use the disobedience and unfaithfulness of others as a legitimate reason not be obedient and faithful yourself? Are you buying into that Hans?”“No, Lord, I am not buying this myself. I am just confused and feeling sorry for myself. But I need your help,” was my reply. It hit me, “What if the whole world goes crazy? What if my life falls apart? What if God assigns me suffering, obscurity, and struggle? I will still have to give an account. I will have no one to blame for the choices I have made.”So what does it mean when I say, “I believe?” It means I believe God exists, that He has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, who alone conquered sin and death, who is the way, the truth, and my life. I believe Jesus pursued me as a lost sinner, convicted me of my sin and lostness through the Holy Spirit, and caused me to trust Him with my life for all of my life. I believe Christ saved me from my sin and God’s judgment of sin, keeps me from day to day, and will raise me from the dead even if I die. I believe I have belonged to Christ from the moment I called on his name. I believe Christ has called me to follow him, to live Christlike, to love, and to order my life according to the Bible, God’s written word. I am a servant of Christ, it is His will not mine that is important, it is His purposes not mine that are paramount, and His ways are better than mine. I have no excuse for not loving Him who died for me, no excuse for not serving Him, no excuse for faithlessness and disobedience. Though the whole world around me goes kaput He is able to keep me now and forever. I believe.To God Be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Your Last Breath, And Breathing Till Then
“ GOD formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive—a living soul!” Genesis 2:7 (MSG) “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”Job 33:4 (NIV) I have witnessed it many times, someone taking their last breath. That’s all that separates life from death – one breath. You can almost see it, life leaving on the wings of that last exhale. The transformation is instant and decay visibly and almost instantly moves into that now hollow shell of a body. The Spirit, the soul, life has departed and you can sense the sacredness of the moment.We hardly ever think about the value of just one breath, or the next breath, or how close to the edge of life each breath really is. There is grace in the fact that most of our breathing is a subconscious, automatic activity. Living life would be very difficult if every breath required conscious effort. But every now and then God confronts us with how precious, how wonderful, how great a gift life and breath really is.Each breath allows us to live, gives us an opportunity to bless or curse, to sing or complain, to worship or ignore God who gave us breath. And it does make a difference what you live and breathe for. At the end of our last breath, the objections of the atheist or doubter none withstanding, we don’t cease to exist. At end of breathing our last we are summoned to give account (Romans14:12; Hebrews 9:27) how we spend the gift our life, what we did with what each breath enabled us to do.As a kid I loved the first autumn mornings cold enough to reveal my breath. On the way to school my friends and I would pretend to be smoking. Ironic, we admired something with our breath that actually robs you of your ability to breathe. That’s how it is, things that rob us of life and breath usually dress up nice in the beginning. Life is full of a million invitations to waste your breath, to lead us down the path where your last breath reeks of regret.How different God’s invitation, God’s challenge to us. At the end of the collection of songs and poems called the Psalms. At the end of pages filled with pain, worry, fears, highs, incredible lows, repentance, agony, deliverance, and goodness this is the invitation of God, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD” Psalm 150:6 (NIV).How I pray that both your last breath and mine, and all our breathing and living until then, will give wings to our praise of God and Christ.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
To Love
To LoveI know it is wrong to bring up being on a sunny beach in the middle of winter, but we were laying in the Southern California sun, Huntington Beach to be exact. I was recovering from being pummeled by a massive wave, which is what happens when you turn your back to the ocean. That’s when my prayers were answered, she put her hand into mine. That’s when we went from being best friends to romance, to complete twitterpation.33 years latter I still love for her to put her hand into mine, and I still feel like I am the luckiest guy in the world. Actually I think it was Mother’s prayers at work. Susie and I talked about it the other day, trying to figure out how she ever said yes to me. Without my Mama’s praying I am certain I would have fell for some bimbo and ended up with hard drinking, chain smoking, nagging floozy. But somehow her prayers had me looking for godly, gifted, graceful girl, a bright, beautiful, and breathtaking woman.I knew she was something special, but I had no idea how special. Actually I am still finding out just how blessed I am to have her as my wife, my best friend, my love. She is God’s abiding favor in my life. It is true, “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22, NLT).What my Mama prayed for me and my brothers I am now praying for my children, to look for, pursue, and find godly men and women who will turn out to be the greatest blessing of their lives – the very favor of God. To experience how wonderful, how thrilling, and how lasting love can be.Happy Valentines, Pastor Hans