Susie and I were awarded the rank of “Grandparent” last Tuesday. Shaheed Jr. greeted the light of day at 8 pounds 1 ounce, and 20 inches in length. Dad already claims he looks like him, and by the way Mom is okay. There is just one problem – Susie and I are way too young to be a Grandma and Grandpa, an Oma and Opa.How in the heck did this happen? It seems like just when you have somewhat figured things out things are changing. I think Moses must have felt like that. His life is marked by three sets of forty years. In each set he had to adjust, make decisions, take on different roles.The last big adjustment came when he was eighty, yup 80. He was very reluctant, even when he knew for certain that God was talking to him. He came up with all kinds of objections and what ifs, and finally he told God to give the job to someone else, “Moses said, ‘Please, Lord, send someone else.’ Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses, …” Exodus 4:13-14 (HCSB). He ticked God off, He thought this was up for discussion, but it wasn’t anymore than becoming a grandparent is. God doesn’t come to us like He is working for Gallup Polls. He doesn’t reveal his will to us to see whether or not we like it. Moses didn’t realize what privilege it is to be called on by God to carry out His will. The question for Susie and I is not whether or not we like to be grandparents, the question is what kind of grandparents will we be.I am wondering, has God been calling on you and all He is encountering is reluctance? An unwillingness to change, to adjust your life to His will? Have you been telling God to assign the responsibility to someone else? Are you in danger of ticking God off? Or have you already made him angry?Moses could have written a book covering the first eighty years of his life, and it would have been great story. But it was the surrender, the adjustment to God’s will he made at eighty that made it a bestseller.Looking back years later, I wonder if Moses just shook his head at his own foolishness when he thought about the time he told God, “Send someone else.” I wonder what advice he would give to you and me? Then again, I don’t think it is too hard to figure out if you read the story.My prayer is that you and I will drop any reluctance, that we will see beyond the what ifs, and that we will rejoice in being called on by God?To God be all glory, love you, Grandpa Hans
Stop talking - Opinions vs. Revelation
In the end they all wished they had kept their mouths shut. His friends kept trying to figure out why things had gone so badly for Job? How he could have fallen so fast and so far? “You reap what you sow,” “What goes around comes around,” “You can’t fool karma,” “Your sin has found you out,” was their conclusion.“No! No! I did everything right, I don’t deserve this,’ was Job’s adamant reply. “If God would just give me hearing this could all be straightened out,” was his plea.So, round and round they went, until God spoke. Then they wished they had been silent. Job’s friends were plain wrong, their theology was faulty. Job’s expectations were misguided, he thought as long as he did everything right he was insured against calamity, disaster, and suffering.When God finally spoke he told Job to look around, to consider the universe and all of the physical creation and pay attention to what they say about God. They should inspire us to be in awe. They should cause us to consider the greatness, the wisdom, the inscrutability, the sovereignty of God (Job 38-39). “Job, do you think you are on par with me?” God wanted to know.There is no shortage of opinions when it comes to God, when it comes to trying to figure out why bad things happen to good people and bad people seem to get away with it. The problem with opinionating is that lacks any awe, it reduces God to the size of our minds, it breeds the hubris that puts us on par with God, and causes us to be blind to the fact that, "… my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV).When it comes to God we had better pay attention to revelation, to what God tells us about himself. Our opinions about God will cause us to end up in trouble, render us worshipping false gods, or denying God altogether. When God told Job to look around he called him to consider revelation, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” “… the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge” Psalm 19:1, 50:6 (NIV). Theologians call that general revelation, it should inspire humility and awe. The Bible (God’s written word) tells things about God that go beyond what the universe declares about him. It also informs us about what he thinks about us and how we should live. Theologians call the scriptures special revelation, we should give it special attention and it should inspire faith and trust. The greatest revelation of all is Jesus Christ, God’s son, who was literally God in human form (in the flesh), he should inspire us to worship, follow, and imitate him.Are you still talking, opinionizing? Maybe it time to be still and consider God, not as you want to think of him, but as he has revealed himself in the physical world, the Bible, and through Jesus Christ.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Respect for human life
Have you ever been told something you didn’t want to hear but you needed to? Those are the conversation we don’t really want to be part of. So if you don’t want to hear something we all need to hear, if you don’t want to engage into a conversation that really needs to happen, don’t read on.Last week, in the wake of Detroit’s homicide numbers for 2012, Mayor Dave Bing said, “We’ve just lost respect for each other; we’ve lost respect for life.” The number he was lamenting was 411 up from 377 the previous year. What a sad statistic, Mayor Bing had every reason to lament it. However, it pales in light of the fact that in 2012 approximately 1,200,000 (1.2 Million) pre-born little boys and girls had their lives snuffed out through abortion. Indeed we have lost respect for human life.It is even sadder because we can no longer claim ignorance. One no longer can argue about when human life begins, modern science can now identify human being from its first cell on. Following conception are merely stages in the life of a human being both in and outside the womb. It is even sadder because these killings are legal through all nine months of pregnancy, even right before a child slips through the birth canal. It is even sadder because we build an entire money making industry around the taking, the destruction of little human beings. And it is sadder still that we don’t want to hear about it, we don’t want to be exposed to the ugly truth that since the Roe vs. Wade decision rendered by the highest court of the land, which has a responsibility to uphold justice and liberty for all, well over 50, 000,000 (fifty million) pre-born babies have died. We have acquiesced to stripping an entire group, the pre-born, of the rights each American holds dear: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We do not want to hear of morality (although the taking of innocent life is an immoral act). We do not want to hear of responsibility past a condom regarding sexual behavior. We don’t want to think about having to take responsibility for acts of unbridled (and unprotected) acts of passion and lust.Mayor Bing is right, “We have lost respect for life,” and I wonder if he included all those little boys and girls who lost their lives via an abortion pill or the hands of an abortionist in the city of Detroit. We cannot devalue human life anywhere along its entire life span and hope to maintain respect for human life. We cannot engage in a conversation about respect for human life while stripping an entire class of all its fundamental rights. We cannot maintain respect for human life if we do not want to talk about responsibility regarding our capacity to create life. We cannot hold on to respect for human life if do not reckon with the reality that we will answer to our Creator, God Almighty, for all of our decisions and acts.Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness are indeed a great endowment and great values as long as we choose them for all.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Loving Church
“… Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious (radiant) church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and (blameless) without fault. Ephesians 5:25-27 (NLT, parenthesis mine)Jesus loves his church. He knows she is not perfect, that’s why He laid down his live for her. He is working at perfecting her and bringing to light all of her glory. In the end she will be holy and blameless. Not everyone shares the love Jesus has for the church, in fact many have no use for her at all. I am not just talking about those who are adamantly opposed to Christ and Christianity, or religion in general. I am talking about many who identify themselves as Christian and yet have no love for and no involvement in the church. This has always puzzled me. How can I say I love and follow Jesus Christ and yet not love what He loves and gave his life for?I confess, the church, churches have made and still do make messes. It is especially grievous when church leaders make messes, act irresponsibly, say things that should not be said, or do things that are outright evil, even criminal. There is no justification and excuse for church leaders and Christians in general to act ungodly and unloving.Why does Jesus have to cleanse the church? Why does He have to work on making her holy and blameless? And why does He continue to pour out His selfless sacrificial love on her? Because she is made up of people, sinners saved by grace, spiritual bastards and orphans who have to learn how to live godly, how to be Christlike. Men and women who often take one step forward and two back. I often wonder why He has not thrown in the towel. And then I am so glad He didn’t because of how I have benefited from this relentless love of Christ, this passionate pursuing of His bride.My family and I have benefited immeasurably from being part of and belonging to a church. This community, this family of faith has shaped us, kept us, prayed for us, supported us, helped us, and blessed us. It has challenged us, stretched us, encouraged us, and anchored us. Could I write a long lost list of flaws and complaints that stretch over the twenty nine years of being part of this church family? Absolutely. Do I want to? Absolutely not. And if I did it would not change the love Christ has for His church, and this church, and it would not outweigh what I have received from being part Lake Don Pedro Baptist Church.How I love my church, being a representation of Christ’s body together with you, and Christ’s passionate pursuit of us collectively.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
Learning to live in the light
“However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV) Someone observed, “Toes are for finding furniture in the dark” - Ouch! Some years ago Susie and I were driving home from Merced late in driving rainstorm when our alternator decided to quit. With still about thirty miles to go I tried to conserve as much of the battery power by driving with just the parking lights. About 10 miles I out turned off all the lights and had Susie hold the flashlight out the window to light the way – as we rolled into our driveway the car died – Whew!I don’t know about you but darkness isn’t much fun unless you’re an owl or a bat. It certainly is no fun to be in the dark when it comes to life. It is hard to orient yourself in the dark, so easy to get turned around, get lost, hurt yourself.Have you ever thought about how many nasty critters operate in the dark? Cockroaches, mice, rats, and worse. And how much stupidity, how many bad decisions, how much evil and sin takes places after the sun sets, the lights are turned low or out, the shades are drawn, and the doors are shut?“…: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5 (NIV). God calls us to live in the light – His light, “… you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV). “… you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” Ephesians 5:8 (NASB).God calls to, offers us a life where we don’t continually stub our toes, a life where we do not have to hide things, or manipulate, make excuses, pretend, cover up and lie – a life in the light, a life of blessing, simplicity, and goodness.Can you imagine if our cars wouldn’t have lights? If our homes were without lights? I bet you we would do something about it, pronto. I am encouraging you to install God’s Word/the Bible into your life, your way of thinking, your decision making, your activities, your habits, your responsibilities, your roles, and your values. I am challenging you to make 2013 the year you can proclaim with the Psalmist, “ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
A Dream Worth Living For, a Vision for a Better World
A Dream Worth Living For, a Vision for a Better WorldGod spoke to and directed Joseph, Jesus step-dad and Mary’s husband, through dreams (Matthew 1:20; 2:13, 19-20, 22). That’s after his dream of being happily married was blown to pieces by Mary’s confession of her pregnancy.If we are not careful as we get older we will dream less because Joseph is not the only one who had a dream die. So when a New Year rolls around we dream more and more cautiously, and then maybe not at all. How many dreams died at the end of a gun in Newtown CT this past week? And not only dreams but the capacity to dream, the willingness to dream?Joseph didn’t know, he was too busy dreaming his own dreams, but God was working on His dream, not just for Joseph’s life but for all of humanity, all of creation. No one knows history better than God, no one is more aware of human brokenness/sinfulness, no one desires salvation, redemption, and restoration more than Him.Have you ever asked yourself what our world would be like without killing, without murder? What would it be like with no one stealing, no one taking anything that belongs to another? What about a world with healthy families, no dysfunction, no abuse, no divorce? What about a world in which people trusted and honored God, not gods and religions of our own making, but in the One who gave us life and breath and who loves us too much to quit dreaming, as broken and sinful as sinful as we are? That’s the dream God described when gave the ancient Israelites the “Ten Commandments.”Maybe your objection is that this is typical preacher fluff or disconnect from reality? Maybe you think the answer is more guns, more procedures, more surveillance, higher fences, armed teachers, six year olds with survival training, more government control, armed guards and police everywhere, more jails, more...? Where will that end?God invited Joseph into His dream, His vision for this world and Joseph joined in. It didn’t make his life easier but he became a participator in the redemptive work of God. God is still inviting people to join, broken people, devastated people, hurting people, sinners - people who recognize their own need for redemption and our world’s/humanity’s need for salvation and redemption. This is why God asked His own Son, Jesus Christ, to give His life. If you wonder where you begin joining in God’s dream for you and our world the answer is Jesus Christ.“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV).God has dream, join. Merry Christmas.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Who was that kid that just wanted his two front teeth for Christmas? Then again he used to want candy and toys until those darn two front teeth fell out and now the reindeer can’t understand him, he can’t say, “Sister Suzy sitting on a thistle,” and he can’t whistle anymore (“All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth’” by Don Gardner).Some things just don’t seem that important until they’re gone. Like the “good old days,” I wonder if we recognize them only after they’ve passed by us. The same seems to be true of our health, we don’t seem to be all too concerned until we are hurting, are impeded, or lost functions and abilities.Have you thought about how many wishes won’t show up on this year’s Christmas lists? Maybe because you can’t find them at the mall or Amazon.com? You just can’t conjure up two front teeth like that? But how many kids wish for healthy home? How many husbands and wives are really wishing for something that can’t be found under a tree? How many people are wishing for real love, escaping brokenness, for something better than what is going on right now?He just wanted everyone to get off his back. He wanted to be able to do what he wanted. He was tired of his rich “Old Man” being such a tightwad. So he got his wish, Dad gave him his share. He went off and had the time of his life, until it was all gone. Then he wished for different things, for food, for home, for mercy (Luke 15:11-32).Some things are only found in God the Father’s house, in His arms: forgiveness, restoration, wholeness, meaning, everlasting life, love, and joy. That’s why he sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to look for us, to make it possible to return. Christmas is for the broken, the spiritually lost, and all those who in spite of having messed up are longing to be in God’s house and arms.One more thought, what if you decide to give your child, your spouse, your parents, neighbor, friends and even your enemy what they need the most, miss the most, and wish for the most?May this be your best Christmas ever, both in giving and receiving.Love you, Pastor Hans
Christmas - obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love
If you haven’t heard, Prince William and his wife Kate of Great Britain are expecting a baby. The United Kingdom is abuzz with the news. Pregnant Kate wound up in the hospital and the press is covering every detail. I imagine it will only get crazier for that poor couple. Can you imagine the day that little princess or prince will be born?No one of earthly importance noticed Jesus’ birth. Not a single paparazzi was there to take pictures of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No one was covering the very incarnation of God. Of course since then the birth of Jesus has been the most reenacted birth of all time. The best reenactments, in my opinion, have been those that have taken place in obscure places around the world and had children for their casts. Nervous directors, bath-robed shepherds, funky props, and the doll playing baby Jesus dropped on its heads innumerable times. Messed up lines, made up lines, forgotten lines. Squirming, fits, accidents, and plenty of sickness decimating the cast. Embarrassing moments, hilarious improvisations and glitches, proud and frazzled parents, and a good time had by all, at least most everyone, especially afterwards.Obscurity, humility, simplicity, love - somehow a high dollar, super polished, performance struggles to embody those realities of the God coming to us in the flesh. The Son of God, the creator and sustainer of all, chose to meet us, engage with us in obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love. And I believe He calls us, those would love and live with God, to embrace them as well. Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, is not something God wants us to just know about, but to engage in.My prayer for you and me, for William, Kate, and their baby, is that we embrace Jesus Christ fully, worship Him faithfully, and imitate what He chose to redeem us – obscurity, humility, simplicity, and love.Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 (MSG)Merry Christmas, love you, Pastor Hans
A Fine Time and Christmas
Lucille picked a fine time to leave, skipping out on four hungry children, a husband, and don’t forget the crop in the field. But undoubtedly Kenny Rodgers had a fine time singing about it all the way to the bank.It seems when our kids were little they had a knack for picking a fine time to get sick, for having us make hospital runs in the middle of the night.Our cars also seem to be very adept in picking a fine time to break down, usually waiting until there is little money and some form of high stress.Like most kids, my brothers and I became very adept in figuring out when things around home qualified as a fine time or wrong time. But the thing about a dysfunctional home is that a fine time can blow up in your face any time.So much in life depends on figuring out the right time, and even more importantly responding right regardless of whether or not it is the right time, fine time, or outright wrong time.If you would have asked when to set up a Christmas tree before I came to the USA I would have told you, “Christmas Eve, of course!” One thing’s for sure, most stores seem to be utterly confused about the right time to put out the Christmas goods.Maybe this is a fine time to actually get to the point of this pastor’s note. Christmas is about the “right time,” “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, …” Galatians 4:4 (NLT).In fact all of Jesus Christ’s life, work, and even his death happened at the right time. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” Romans 5:6 (NIV).We have made Christmas into a fine time to go shopping, to give presents, to take time off and have a holiday. But for God Christmas is about redemption, hope, forgiveness, and salvation. Christmas is a fine time to unwrap the reality of Christ, the meaning of his incarnation, the depth of his love. As far as God is concerned, today is not only a fine time, but also the right time, to commit your life to Christ, to call on His name for the forgiveness of your sins, to receive His gift of salvation and eternal life, “God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation”. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT).This 2012 Christmas season is indeed a fine time to embrace Jesus Christ, to make a new beginning with God, to return to living for God, to pray, "Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:9-10 (NASB), and then live that prayer.It would make for a fine time Christmas.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Wisdom and Horses
I have been encouraging you to become a person who consistently makes wise and godly decisions. So you might as well know that I am taking horse riding lessons. With our youngest daughter off to college we were left to take care of her horse, and I determined to become more than a ranch hand, or more precisely, someone who feeds and shovels. I have to admit I am a fairly accomplished horse feeder and pucky shovelor, but I know absolutely nothing about working with, training, and riding a horse. So I am paying Rhonda Dumolt for lessons to one day earn the right to wear Wranglers®, a big belt buckle, snazzy boots, and a Stetson® hat. I suppose those four are somewhat like a drivers license when it comes to horses.Yes, what you read above is correct, I am paying to learn something that will cause me to spend more money guaranteed. Just today, during lesson number two I found out that my work boots are not ideal (I told Susie it was a big mistake to sell my cowboy boots at a yard sale twenty years ago). Yes, I am paying to learn to control a beast that has serious potential to hurt me. In fact I have heard it is not a matter of if but simply when. Yes, I am paying for something that makes me feel like when I was sixteen and learning how to drive. Who knows, by the time I get the hang of this equine stuff my daughter’s horse will be so messed up I will have to pay a horses psychologist to straighten him out. And yes, I have put the horse magazines my daughter gets with my car/truck magazines next to the toilet. This past week I was tempted to enter a contest in “Young Rider”.Before I started this pastor’s note I looked up horses in the Bible hoping to make a super spiritual discovery that would directly relate to wise decision making and justify my horse adventure at the same time. Alas, the first scripture that mentions horses (Genesis 47:17) tells about the ancient Egyptians giving up their horses in exchange for food because they were starving.However, the last horse mentioned in God’s Word (Revelation 19:11-21) is a white horse ridden by the “King of kings and Lord of lords” – Jesus Christ himself, executing judgment, triumphing victoriously. And I was reminded that the wisest decision of all is to trust and believe in him both in this life and for eternity, because the day will come when “at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:10-11 (NASB).How I encourage you to not be among those who simply horse around with the unshakeable and unchangeable truth of Jesus Christ, or even more sadly dismiss it as a bunch of religious horse pucky. It is the most unwise and foolish decision a person can make. Commit yourself to Jesus Christ today.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
The Lake Don Pedro Baptist Church Mouse Is Dead!
The Lake Don Pedro Baptist Church Mouse is dead! Of all the ways a mouse could find its demise in the end this true Baptist rodent drowned in the baptistry. However, the jury is out whether or not this was one final act of religious devotion gone wrong or simply a life of heathen rodency catching up.If it was the former then this mouse was seriously deficient in its theology. A good Baptist mouse would have not just gnawed on Bibles but actually have read the scriptures. Then it would have understood that baptism cannot save you. True repentance does not lead one to religious rites but to confession of sin and trusting in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of those sins, because he alone has conquered both sin and death. This mouse would have known that baptism cannot wash away sins but rather is a public confession of faith in Christ, who grants forgiveness of sins based on the sacrifice of himself, his own blood (Hebrews 10:19, 1 John 1:7). This mouse would not have trusted in religious performance but in the mercy and grace God offers everyone through Jesus Christ. And finally this mouse would have been clear on the fact that it was a mouse and not a person, that mice don’t need a savior but that people like you and me do.If it was the latter, which I am inclined to believe (except for the “heathen” part), then this mouse services as a reminder of several truths. Carelessness can kill you, cost you your life, and religious labels offer no protection against it. Stupidity is not confined to just those outside of the church. God gives us one life to live, live it wisely. Being careless with the things of God, or God Himself is dangerous. Death stinks, all of creation yearns to be delivered from it, and Jesus Christ is the only hope for that deliverance (Romans 8:19-39).In 28 years I have seen many things in the baptistry of the Lake Don Pedro Baptist Church, various bugs, an assortment of arachnids (spiders), ants, scorpions, puppeteers, kids hiding, equipment, and one solitary and very dead church mouse. But the very best that has been in our baptistery has been men and women, young and old, who through Jesus Christ found forgiveness of sin, went from death to life, from darkness to light, and were transformed from being enemies of God to children of God. Glad and grateful women, men, young people, and children who were gloriously saved by the love and power of God in Christ. It might be that God is calling you to be one of them.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
wisdom and godly decision making
Wisdom and knowledge, there are few things the God’s written word (the Bible) encourages us to pursue more. On the other hand God warns against all foolishness and ignorance. Thus, if we want to consistently make good and godly choices the acquisition of wisdom and knowledge is indispensible, as is the avoidance of foolishness and ignorance.The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever. Psalm 111:10 (NASB)Acquiring wisdom and knowledge takes more than prayer. A quick cry for wisdom, for discernment, for knowledge and understanding, in the midst of a life of foolishness, of a life that lacks discipline, and is missing any consistent practice of spiritual habits will rarely produce the kind of insight that is needed. Wisdom, knowledge, discernment, and insight have to be learned, pursued, applied and practiced in a consistent and ongoing manner, so much so that they become habitual. Foolishness, shortsightedness, impulsiveness, ignorance, lack of discipline, and bad habits don’t just magically disappear simply because we pray. They have to be avoided, abandoned, replaced, so much so that they will become distasteful, un-natural, foreign to us. But don’t just take my word for it.Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. Psalm 119:66 (NASB)The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding,To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion,A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:1-7 (NASB)My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go.For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Proverbs 2:1-11 (NLT)There is no future, no blessing in dumb decisions and ungodly choices. Decide today to become a lifelong learner, a pursuer of wisdom. Reading the “Proverbs” (a chapter a day) and the epistle (letter) of “James” over and over is a great place to start. Surrounding yourself with wise and godly people is another essential practice, as is staying away from all foolishness and ignorance. But start today, not tomorrow. Fools always start tomorrow, wise men and women pursue and practice wisdom today.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Peace and Decision making
After finishing Bible College, after being out of work, surviving on food stamps, odd jobs, and the generosity of others, finally a church in Rancho Cordova offered me a job as an assistant pastor. On the way home from that second interview Susie and I were silent for a long time. This was an open door, this was the kind of opportunity we had been praying for. Finally Susie asked me what I thought. “I have no peace about this,” I answered. “I don’t have any peace either,” was her reply draped in a look of gladness and relief. When we got home I called the pastor and told him we would not be coming. He asked me to think about it, but I told him we would not go against what we were not at peace with.Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 (NKJV)What is “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding/comprehension?” Is it a feeling? A difficult to describe inner disposition? An absence of worry? A state of mind? A conglomeration of all of the above? Maybe even more important, when can I trust inner peace? When or how can I be certain that the sense of peace I have is from God? How much room for self-deception is there in using a sense of inner peace to discern God’s will and make decisions? And why so many questions?Our sense of peace is influenced my many factors, such as: our values - it’s tough to be at peace with things and decisions that transgress our values; our culture (both larger and sub culture) – it impacts our values and our sense of what is and isn’t permissible; our conscience – it is shaped by both our values and culture as well as by a God-given inner sense of right and wrong; our experiences – they impact how we handle things, stress over things, deal with things; our attitude – it impacts our hopefulness, outlook, and so much more; our desires –we are prone to legitimize our desires regardless of whether they are godly or not. This means it is entirely possible to have a sense of peace and be far from experiencing “the peace of God.”If we want to rely on “the peace of God” in coping with life, discerning God’s will, and making godly decisions we need to take all of Philippians 4:4-9 into account, otherwise we will make feeling some kind of peace another way of self-directing our lives and decisions. Paul assumes some preconditions to experiencing and knowing “the peace of God”:
- A God/Christ-focused life in attitude, disposition, and behavior.
- An awareness of the presence and return of Christ.
- A commitment to life by faith not fear and worry.
- An ongoing practice of prayer, gratefulness, and reliance on God.
- A dedication to good and godly thought and speech (we talk about what we think about).
- A determination to follow the word of God and godly examples.
In the practice of the above we shift from simply wanting some kind of peace of mind to resting in God and evermore desiring only that which God is at peace with. It is then we can completely trust “the peace of God, which passes all understanding.”After I turned down the job and hung up the phone our lives did not get any easier. Things didn’t just get magically better, in fact in some respects they got worse, but as to that decision the peace of God has never left us to this day.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Signs and Doors - knowing God's will and making godly decisions
Signs and Doors,Often people try to figure out God’s will, make decisions, based on signs or “opened or closed doors.” There is no question that God can direct us through signs and He certainly can open and shut “doors.” However, on its own a signs or doors approach is a rather fickle way of discerning God’s will and making godly decisions.It is possible to designate almost anything as a sign, “God, if you want me to buy this car have the salesman wear any color shirt but green.” “Lord, if you don’t want me to buy this car make the loan application not go through.” Even better yet do the wide open sign approach, “Father God (might as well use real spiritual language) just give me a sign if I should/should not …..,” and then determine what is a sign after doing what you wanted, which has the benefit of being able to claim divine guidance and approval. And if we don’t like the outcome of the first sign there is always the follow up sign to go to.When it comes to signs we need to take into account that God isn’t the only one who can produce signs. We can produce our own. The devil, the great tempter and deceiver, is good at signs as well, in fact I think he would wholeheartedly endorse us using the above mentioned sign strategy. Beyond ourselves and Satan, people around us will often chime in and confirm our “sign.” We are naive if don’t think that signs can be arbitrary, misleading, or outright deceiving.The dangers with the open/closed door approach are similar to the sign method. If we like what is behind the door in question is a small crack enough for a definite “Yes?” It certainly is enough to begin prying the door open. Kicking in the door and then declaring it open is an option as well. If the door seems tightly shut checking for a back door to make really sure can’t hurt, can it? What if I don’t like what lies behind the open door and really want what is behind the closed one? If I continue to knock will it eventually open (a favorite strategy of children)? And are we supposed to walk through every open door and capitulate in front of every closed door? Satan opened the door to all the “kingdoms of the world and their glory” (Matthew 4:8-9) to the Lord Jesus Christ, but with an entrance fee.All too often what lies behind the signs and door method of discerning God’s will and making decisions is laziness and an undisciplined spiritual life. When the Apostle Paul talks about open doors is in connection with gospel and the work of Christ’s kingdom, not purchases, relationship decisions, career choices, wants, etc. Signs and open/closed doors are no substitute for faithfully living for God, knowing the written word of God (the Bible), incorporating the values of God into our lifestyle and decisions, investing ourselves in the kingdom of God, loving the presence of God, practicing the love of God, and growing a heart that beats for God. These require diligence, developing godly habits, and making decisions that bring our lives and hearts into conformity with all God has already told us concerning His will. Until we navigate by the signage God has already posted, until we step through the doors God has already opened, and until we respect the doors God has lovingly closed seeking signs and pleading for doors to open or close is anything but spiritual and wise.Can I encourage you to take a few minutes and take some honest inventory in regard to how you make decisions? How big of part do signs and open/closed doors play in your discerning of God’s will in making decisions? Are there some decisions you need to revisit and change because they do not square with God’s will and word? List three things you need to continually practice to grow in your ability to know God’s will and make godly decisions.To God be all glory, love you, Pastor HansPS. I asked God to give me a sign as to whether or not the church should double my salary. Right after that the phone rang. Not quite sure if I could trust that I asked God to not let the phone ring until I got to the end of this pastor’s note. It didn’t, and a bird flew right up to my office window, perched itself, and just looked at me. Right then I had complete peace. So I am placing the doubling of my salary on the upcoming business meeting agenda.PSS. If I ever say something like the above and am serious about it that would be the right time to fire me and look for another pastor.
The Word of the Lord Came to Jonah a Second Time
“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time,…” Jonah 3:1 (NASB)Have ever gotten a letter that said something like, “This is you second notice?” or worse yet, “This is your final notice?” I know this much, without a couple of those we would have lost our home owners and car insurance a few times. Somehow we simply forgot to do our part and send in the payment.Jonah hadn’t forgotten, he didn’t like what God told him the first time. God had given him an assignment that challenged his prejudices, his patriotism, his dreams for the future. It wasn’t that he was ignorant about God, he just didn’t like the way he knew God operated. He wanted his and ancient Israel’s enemies dead and out of power.Jonah didn’t just put what God told him with the stack of all the other “bills.” No he tried to get as far away as he possibly could from doing what God wanted him to. Somehow, with all he knew about God he fooled himself into thinking that he could actually get away from God. He couldn’t anymore than you and I can.When God speaks to us, when “the word of the LORD” comes to us, we can be certain that God really means it. When God directs, when He assigns, when He says, “Go do …,” He is not asking us for our opinion or inviting us to discuss things. He is not trying to figure out how we feel about it, nor is He trying to generate some kind of buy-in on our part. He is looking for faith that responds with obedience.The “second notice” Jonah got was an act of God’s mercy and grace. God does not owe us any second chance, any second word. Jonah didn’t really get that either. He finally did what God had asked him to do but about as grumpily and ungrateful as possible. To my amazement God spoke to him a third time (4:9) addressing his proud and cold heart. How quickly he forgot his rescue prayer in the belly of that fish.Enough about Jonah, has God sent you a second notice? Is there something God has clearly told you and you have been pulling a Jonah? Have you have discarded the “word of the LORD” and are doing what you want? What are you going to do? Run some more? Act spiritual when you are totally out of sync with God? There is only one way to get back on track: respond with gratefulness and an obedient faith to what God has said – preferably the first time, but definitely if God has had to repeat it.To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
When God says, "No"
When God says, “No.”Having been involved in the raising of a handful or so of kids, and since I once was a kid myself, and having worked with people for more than three decades I can say with some confidence that we, people, young and old, don’t like to be told “No.” That little word just doesn’t come in any flavor we like. It is prone to ruin a good day, sour our attitudes, make us mad, cause us to forget good manners, make us instantly ungrateful, invite us to scheme, turn on defiance, and engage us in rebellion.What about you when God says, “No?” And He does say “No,” any parent with even a little bit of maturity and wisdom does so, not because they are mean but because of precisely the opposite, because they desire what is good and best. There is no one better to guide us then God, our Heavenly Father. There is no one wiser, more loving, and better than Him. Yet somehow we still don’t like to be told, “No,” not even from Him. It is another indictment of our sinfulness, we would rather chose our own desires and impulses, engage in our own plans and lusts than trust in the infinite wisdom and goodness of God.Both the Bible (God’ written Word) and human history are full of illustrations of people being told by God, “No,” or “Don’t,” and then doing what they want to do anyway. The consequences and results of living a life that defies God, blows Him off in some way or another is predictable, it lacks the blessing of God and reaps the discipline, judgment, and wrath of God.However, there are also those who heard God say, “No,” and responded well:
- When King David wanted to build a temple, God told him, “No, not you” (1 Chronicles 22:7-8).
- God told the prophet Jeremiah not to marry (Jeremiah 16:2).
- The apostle Paul asked for healing and deliverance and God told him, “No, my grace will do” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
We need to learn from these and others like them how to handle it when God says, “No.” No tantrums, no unfaithfulness, no grumpiness, no scheming or rationalizing our way around it, no complaining, no feeling sorry for ourselves, but rather continued devotion, full obedience, and a willingness to adjust our lives, our hearts, our minds, and our attitudes to every word from God, even if that word is, “No.”
Making Godly Decisions
Making Godly decisions – Christian decision making – God’s will
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.”
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:13-17 (NLT)
For a follower of Jesus, a Christian, God’s will is paramount in making both small and big decisions. Yet far too often we make decisions based on our intellect, our own wisdom, our experiences, the advice of others, how we feel, what we want, or by looking for some open door. The problem with that it that none of these require any kind of thinking about God’s will. Even adding a quick prayer and ending it in “if it be your will” does not necessarily indicate any real concern regarding God’s will.
James indicts the business men and women in the text above because they made decisions based on their own abilities, their pride, and the potential profit (their own benefit). When he tells them that they should say, “If the Lord wills,” he never meant for that to become a thoughtless phrase to rubberstamp our own plans. What he wanted them to do is to make their decisions based on considerations that made God, His will, His kingdom, His ways, and what He wanted them to do central.
Anyone who is serious about knowing God’s will, and make decisions based on His will, has to make a fundamental determination: Whatever God reveals concerning His will is not a discussion item, it is what I will follow, what I will do, what I will submit myself and the decisions I have to make to. Without making that determination God’s will merely be one option among many, and we will continue to have difficulty discerning God’s will.
In order to know and do God’s will we will have to learn to walk in the Spirit, die to self, know and obey what God has already revealed, pray, develop a spiritual mindset, serve, and be connected to the body of Christ/the church (Galatians 5:16; Romans 12:1-5; 1 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 6:9-13; 1 Peter4:10).
The beginning point is what God has already revealed concerning His will. The word of God, although written by men, is authored by the Holy Spirit. God uses the Bible to show us His will in general and often in the specific. It is the first thing to apply to any decision that faces us, and the more we apply it the better we become in discerning God’s will. When it comes to God’s Word (the Bible) you begin with applying diligence in knowing and understanding it, and the second thing, but equally important, is faith which is expressed in doing what it says. In between those two, being diligent in understanding the Bible and acting in faith by doing what it says, are prayer and meditation which help us to make specific application to our own personal situation.
The time to start making godly, thoroughly Christian decisions is now. List three decisions you are currently facing. Now think of as many scriptures that you can think of that are clear revelations of God’s will and look them up and read their context. Next talk with God about both the decisions you listed and the scriptures you read. Follow that with some thinking time/meditation asking yourself tough questions as to whether or not your life is in sync with those scriptures and what adjustments/changes you need to make to be obedient what God has already told you, and what obedience looks like in the decisions you listed. Then go and make that obedience a reality.
Freedom - I am concerned
I am blessed to live in this country. The freedom, opportunity, and prosperity that we are privileged to are truly amazing. How many people around the globe dream of what are daily realities to us? I can still picture the Mom we encountered in Africa who wanted us to take her son with us so he could have a better life and future.However, like many I am concerned. As much as we are blessed by the convergence of national, political, religious, and individual freedoms embodied in the DNA of this great nation, we are falling victim to the temptations that come with them. This is nothing new, greed has been one of (if not the) flaws that has plagued the American experiment from the beginning. It has dug a deep divide between the rhetoric of exemplary freedom and daily reality.I am concerned because we are spurning the wisdom of God’s word, the Bible, choosing instead to lean on our own understanding. So much so that the opinions and philosophy of Ayn Rand are deemed wiser than the ageless wisdom of God, with disastrous results I might add. The following is an excerpt from Time Specials regarding Alan Greenspan, “The Federal Reserve chairman — an economist and a disciple of libertarian icon Ayn Rand — met his first major challenge in office by preventing the 1987 stock-market crash from spiraling into something much worse. Then, in the 1990s, he presided over a long economic and financial-market boom and attained the status of Washington's resident wizard. But the super-low interest rates Greenspan brought in the early 2000s and his long-standing disdain for regulation are now held up as leading causes of the mortgage crisis. The maestro admitted in an October congressional hearing that he had "made a mistake in presuming" that financial firms could regulate themselves.”1 He presumed the idea of the basic goodness of man, which stands in stark oppositions of God’s declaration that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). One can quote the philosophies and opinions Ayn Rand, Hollywood and TV personalities, prominent business men and women, and most anyone with a PhD behind their name and somehow it has credibility, but dare to mention a scripture and immediately it becomes unprintable and illegitimate for discussion in the public square.Take deficit spending as an example. The Word of God discourages debt, borrowing, cosigning, and living beyond your means. Proverbs 22:7 sates, “…, the borrower is the lender’s slave.” As a nation, as a people daily we are voluntarily enslaving ourselves to a mountain of debt that is unfathomable and a curse to our children’s children and beyond. “No problem, we can make the payments,” is the refrain echoed from our houses of government and the mouths of millions.Godlessness, greed, and self-gratification, freedom does allow us to heed their siren call, but those who do will end up not being free at all. God encourages and warns us, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love” Galatians 5:13 (NIV). “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God” 1 Peter 2:16 (NASB). Freedom is a gift from God. At its core it allows us to chose Him and His wisdom and ways and reap His blessing. If we chose to use our freedoms to divorce ourselves from God we will deceive ourselves into thinking we are smarter, wiser, and better than we really are and be slaves to sin in all of its forms. “While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, …” 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (NIV).I am concernedTo God be all glory, Pastor Hans
1(25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis. The good intentions, bad managers and greed behind the meltdown– Alan Greenspan)
Don't plow with your car
A hammer can be used for lots of things but drilling a hole isn’t one of them. A fork is a super handy eating and kitchen utensil but I use a knife to cut up meat. Our little speed-way blue Toyota Matrix is a great car to get around in but I wouldn’t plow a field with it. My neighbor has an awesome New Holland tractor with all sorts of attachments. It mows, digs, discs, plows, augers, pulls, and even makes a great engine hoist, but I wouldn’t use it to drive across the country, it’s not what it’s made for.What are we made for? What purpose do we serve? Why are we here? Is it just to survive; to propagate the human race? Are we merely accidental, the result of chance cosmological and biological processes, here today and gone tomorrow, and it really doesn’t matter much what we live for as long as we’re happy – good with it?The truth is we anything but random and temporary, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1 (NASB). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created” John 1:1-3 (HCSB). We exist because of God. We have life because of God, who created us “in His image” (Gen 1:17), to have a relationship with Him (John 3:16, Mark 12:30), and to honor and glorify Him, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created" Revelation 4:11 (NASB).We are not meant to live for ourselves; we were not created for that purpose. We find true meaning, real fulfillment, lasting joy, everlasting life only if embrace Jesus Christ and live for Him, “For by Him (Jesus Christ) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him” Colossians 1:16 (NASB, parenthesis mine).Few things are more important than for whom and whose purposes we live for. Watching someone trying to plow a field with a car or trying to drill a hole with a hammer might make us laugh, however, living for anyone but our Creator, Jesus Christ, and not embracing His purposes and meaning for our lives is tragic. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” Matthew 16:24-27 (NIV).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans
Are you ready to graduate?
Graduations, without a doubt Americans love graduations. When I first came to this country in 1976 I had never experienced anything like it. Robes, Mortar Board hats, Tassels, pageantry, speeches, dignitaries, the handing out of diplomas, it was all new for me. In the years since I have been to numerous graduations including those of my children from Elementary School, High Schools, Colleges, and Grad School. I have prayed at graduations, helped set up for graduations, and have cheered for graduates of all kinds.Graduates have to have finished something, a course of studies or training. That’s why I am not quite sure about Pre-school graduations. What have these little tikes accomplished? What course of studies have they completed? Anyway, some graduate with honors. These are the ones who have excelled, have done more than the bare minimum, have worked hard. Others graduate by the skin of their teeth and with a considerable amount of anxiety, wondering if they have enough credits or if they pulled it off at the last minute. Some just throw in the towel for a variety of reasons, some of them not being all to wise.Graduating always entails graduating from (I am sure glad I don’t have to do High School over again) as well as graduating into a life with what you have graduated from has equipped you for. Graduations are also Commencements.At some point we will all graduate from this life into eternity, “… it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV). At some God-appointed time our earthly lives will end. The question is whether or not we will graduate with honors, or barely, or not at all? Will you and I be prepared and ready, or will we be filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and regret? Will you be at peace or will you be riddled with doubt and fear?The Apostle Paul and the men and women mentioned in Hebrews 11:1- 12:2 show us how to prepare for the most important graduation all, encouraging us and cheering for us to graduate with honors, “ As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT).Are you on course to graduate like that?To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans