Thursday, December 13, 2012

No Resumé Building Needed


"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord'" (I Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV).

Imagine getting a letter from a close friend who, upon hearing of your recent job offer, wanted to offer his congratulations.  And in this letter your friend reminds you that you weren't one of the smartest guys in college and that you really didn't have a strong resumé.  He says that is probably why you were given the job.  You would be much easier to train and would be loyal because your success would be as a result of company training rather than your own expertise.

In essence, this is what Paul wrote to the Corinthians.  He was reminding them that their status as Christians, as part of God's family, was not based on their own accomplishments, on their resumé, but on God.  And if there was to be any boasting, it was to be about God's grace and power.  

It is easy in our world to get caught up in "resumé building."  We are told to garner work experience in our fields of education.  We are encouraged to seek out volunteer experiences to "pad" our resumés with good works, showing prospective employers that we will be conscientious workers. And when it comes time to look for a job, we put a lot of stock in our resumé.  

That may work well in the job market, but the principles governing your selection for the Kingdom of God are totally different.  Instead of choosing the most qualified, God most often chooses those without the proper credentials.  For example, look at the 12 disciples.  Not a theologian among them, not even anyone with a formal education.  Instead, they were men of low standing, unskilled in the ways of the ruling class.  Yet, of all the people of the world, the Lord chose them for the most important job in history.  Even Paul, the most educated man mentioned in the New Testament, was not chosen without first being humbled by divine intervention.

The tone was set with Micah's prophecy: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times" (Micah 5:2 NIV).  And that prophecy was fulfilled some 700 years later in a feeding trough outside an inn.  Jesus did not come into our world in spectacular fashion.  And it was by design.  God was saying to us then, and is saying to us now, the trappings do not matter—whether we are smart, good looking, talented, popular or rich.  

Today, recognize what matters is that we humbly offer our lives to Him, just as he humbly offered His Son to us.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A Heart Devoted to God


"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:8-11 NIV).

When the President of the United States prepares to make an important announcement to the nation, beforehand he gathers important congressional leaders together to give them the news first.  Always the leaders are informed before the common folk.  

How amazing then it is that when God decided the time had come for the coming of the Messiah to earth, He didn't send his angelic representatives to appear to the High Priest of Jerusalem or to a group of Pharisees.  They were the religious leaders of the day.  Instead God chose a group of working class folk to whom to make His announcement.  

From this we can deduce that God is not interested in trappings, be they religious or socioeconomic.  He is concerned with the heart.   He demonstrates this throughout the Christmas story.  Mary was just a teenage girl and her fiancé, Joseph, was just a carpenter.  Their extraordinary child was born amidst stable animals because they could find no place else to stay.  Simeon, who prophesied about the baby in the Temple, was a devout man, but nothing else is mentioned about his status.  Anna, the prophetess, was an old widow who lived at the Temple.  Being a woman and a widow, she literally had no status in her society.  

Yet God chose to use these men and women to play key roles in this cosmic event.  A perusal of biblical history shows a definite pattern of God using what we might consider the most unlikely of people, David, Esther, and the disciples to name a few more.  

It is easy in a world where status is held in such high esteem to be found wanting in matters of the heart.  But if we want to be used of God, then we need to resist this temptation and become like the men of women of Scripture--having hearts that are, first and foremost, devoted to God.

Today, like the men and women of the Christmas story, seek after God, desiring to be the man or woman He wants you to be.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Real Story


"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn"(Luke 2:6-7 NIV).

During this time of year, many churches put on "living nativities", scenes of the birth of Jesus using real people.  Typically, those portraying Joseph and Mary look very relaxed and joyful, without a care in the world.  From the written record, I cannot imagine that is a correct portrayal of them. They were a very young couple who for the past nine months had been trying to explain how Mary had become pregnant.  They had just ended a long journey from Nazareth (imagine riding on a donkey in desert conditions when you are nine months pregnant!) to Bethlehem, upon which they found no soft beds awaiting them.  To top it off, they just became parents to "the Son of the Most High" whose kingdom would never end.  It is more likely that Joseph and Mary were exhausted and bewildered, and perhaps quite frightened about where they found themselves.

It is not surprising, however, that the events of the Nativity are often, to use a very old phrase, "gussied up."  Just as we apply make-up to ourselves to make us look better than we really look, we often try to make events in the Scriptures look a lot better than they were.  Take the Crucifixion for example.  Most portrayals of this, with the exception of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”, are very tame compared to the reality of it.  Jesus had been so badly beaten by the Roman soldiers that he was barely recognizable; yet most paintings present a very tidy (relatively speaking) Jesus on the cross.  The cross itself was an instrument of execution, comprised of two pieces of rough timber; yet what we wear around our necks and hang on the walls of our churches is quite different.  Our renditions of the cross indeed look lovely.

As we celebrate the coming of our Lord into the world, it is befitting of the event to remember it as it was, not as we would like it to be or as we have often been told it was.  For in doing so, we will recognize and honor the great sacrifices made on our behalf, as well as seeing the humanness of the characters.  During this season of celebration, take time to read the accounts of the birth of Jesus in Matthew (1:18-2:23) and Luke (1:5-2:39) with objective eyes.  Read them as if for the first time and allow the pictures of the events to unfold in your mind.  For our faith is not one based on myth, but on actual history, which is lived out on the pages of Scripture.

© Jim Musser 2012

Monday, December 10, 2012

That Gut Feeling


“Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. 
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:1-5 NIV)

You can hide it, but you can’t ignore it.  That feeling in your gut that just won’t go away.  You know you’ve done something wrong, but you don’t want to acknowledge it.  I can imagine David having it the morning after he slept with Bathsheba. (II Samuel 11) And Sapphira after she and her husband kept back part of the money they had pledged to the Church. (Acts 6) And John Mark after he had deserted Paul and Barnabas. (Acts 15:37-38

We know when we have sinned.  The question always is, will we be willing to confess it?  David used manipulation and, finally, murder in an attempt to cover up his sin.  In the end, however, after being confronted by a close advisor, he finally confessed and repented. And John Mark, too, obviously confessed and repented because, first Barnabas and then, Paul were willing to have him rejoin them in their evangelistic efforts.  Sapphira, however, failed to confess.  And she paid for that mistake with her life.  

The Lord won’t necessarily strike us dead if we fail to confess sin in our lives, but He does take sin very seriously. And that “gut feeling” is a way of getting our attention.  It is the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  He wants us to deal with our sin so that He can forgive it and clear it out of our lives.  

What sin lies unconfessed in your life?  Can you feel it in your gut?  Today, acknowledge it and lay claim to the promise of the Lord, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9 NIV)  Then begin experiencing the joy of a life unburdened by sin.

© Jim Musser 2012

Friday, December 7, 2012

Finding Our Way to Animated Worship



“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit
 and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things
 so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.  The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:1-12 NIV)

I had just finished my message on pursuing the heart of joy—God’s heart that is full of joy over His creation.  I challenged the students with basically the same message as my devotion yesterday.  There was energy in the room and I was excited to sing songs of praise with them. The worship band played and they sang with more enthusiasm.  I was encouraged.  

As the evening came to a close, to have a little fun, the band played “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”  To my shock, the room literally came alive.  The voices were loud and the bodies animated, more so than at any other time during the night or the semester.  Students had their arms around each other and dancing and laughing as they sang.  My point during the message was our joy in the Lord should be reflected in how we live and how we worship.  Now I was seeing it demonstrated—in singing a song about a fictional reindeer.  I hope the students recognized the irony of that.

How is it we can be so animated at a sporting event—cheering, raising our hands in celebration—or so lively singing our favorite songs, but when we are gathered to worship the Lord of the Universe, who is abounding in love and forgives all of our sins, we are often as stiff and lifeless as a memorial statue?  

I honestly don’t have a definitive answer.  Perhaps it is how we were raised—religion is private and somber, or Baptists and Methodists just don’t do that.  Perhaps it’s just more comfortable because everyone gets excited at ballgames.  I don’t know, but even on the face of it, I think we must admit that something is amiss.  Should not the Lord of Creation, the Savior of our souls, generate more excitement within our hearts than anything else?

Today, join me in meditating on this.  Think about what holds you back from expressing the joy of the Lord when you have no problem showing excitement about other things.  Let us figure out how, like David, we can praise the Lord with everything we have within us.

© Jim Musser 2012



Thursday, December 6, 2012

Grace Worth Praising


“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (I Timothy 1:15-17 NIV)

Nothing will produce authentic praise and worship like humility.  When we realize how undeserving we are, how far short we fall of being truly godly, then the recognition of God’s grace towards us naturally and spontaneously generates praise.  

Paul was a notorious persecutor of the Church.  Then he became a famous leader of those he used to persecute.  Yet Paul never forgot who he really was—a sinner and a former enemy of the Lord.  Thus, he could not keep from bursting into praise when he thought of his former life.  

For those of us who grew up in a Christian home or became Christians many years ago, it is very easy to forget how lost we really were, and how dependent we are on God’s amazing grace to find ourselves where we are today.  

Today, let us remember where we would be without the wonderful grace of the Lord.  And as that reality sets in, may praise and thanksgiving pour forth from our hearts!

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Walk, Run, Soar


“Do you not know? 
Have you not heard? 
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
He will not grow tired or weary, 
and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV)

“I am so ready for this semester to be over!”  “I have so much to do in the next two weeks!”  “I’m so stressed!”   These comments and others I have heard recently as our campus approaches the end of the semester and final exams.  The student populace is generally stressed and worn out.  

But for the Christian there is hope.  We serve a God who does not grow weary and who gladly gives away His limitless strength to any who ask for it.  We do not need to be like all those around us who are dead tired and stressed to the max.  Our Lord offers us a different path, if we will only take it.

And that is the challenge.  It is much easier to go with the crowd. Everyone at work complains about his or her jobs, so it is easy for us to join in and complain.  And when a whole campus is stressed and anxious, it is very easy to get caught up in that.  Yet, I think as followers of such a powerful God, we are called to something higher than what is common and predictable.  

We have a God who has promised us an abundant life (John 10:10), not a life that is common to all humanity.  And He wants us to experience it, but that is dependent on how much we are willing to rely on Him and trust Him.  If we truly trust Him, He can lead us away from a life full of complaining, anxiety, and stress.  

Life is indeed difficult and challenging, but it need not always wear us down and stress us out.  The Lord is there from which we can drink deeply of His strength and endurance.  

Today, do just that.  Let Him renew you and lift you up so that you can walk, run and soar no matter what you face.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Monday, December 3, 2012

The Other Side of Grace


“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14 NIV)

Grace is often thought of in terms of escaping punishment.  “I know I sin, but, whew, thankfully I am covered by God’s grace!”  This is indeed a correct view, but there is another side to it.  While we are wholly dependent on God’s grace, it doesn’t just come into play when we sin.  It also is to lead us into a purer, more godly life.  As Paul says, grace is to teach us how to avoid ungodliness and giving into worldly passions. 

If we are destined to eternal judgment because of our rebellion against God, then is our only response to Him to be a “Hey God, thanks. Appreciate it.”?  God does not show us grace just to let us off the hook. He shows us grace in order to give us the opportunity to draw nearer to Him and to become the man or woman He created us to be.  He is not obligated to do it; He does it out of His deep love for us.  But He will not be satisfied if His grace is accepted but there is no transformation in our lives.  

God’s intent for His grace is two-fold: to bring salvation and, secondly, to bring transformation.  They were never intended to be separated.  

Today, know that if you have accepted God’s grace and received salvation, that is not the end of the story.  He fully expects His grace to bring about a transformation in your life, where you are consistently and eagerly are saying “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions.  That is the other side of grace and it cannot be separated from the first.

© Jim Musser 2012

Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Worthlessness of Wealth


“Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 11:4 NIV)

News coverage, as it always does, began to build this week as the Powerball jackpot climbed to over 500 million dollars.  National and local news reporters stood outside convenience stores interviewing people waiting in line to purchase tickets.  Facebook posts were made by supposed ticket holders encouraging readers to “like” their posts, promising to share their winnings if they won with those who responded.  And, not surprisingly, these posts were being forwarded throughout the FB universe.  

What is it about the prospects of extreme wealth that gets our hearts all a flutter?  Most people think a half a billion dollars would go a long way to solving their problems, but studies show that, more often than not, more problems are created than solved.  

Wealth has a way of doing that.  I recently learned of a man who is willing to disown his daughter in order to protect the wealth he has accumulated during his life.  The Apostle Paul says that money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10).  Jesus said that wealth, and the pursuit of it, can enslave us and replace God as the one we serve (Matthew 6:24).  And this proverb warns against the ultimate worthlessness of wealth.

At the end of our days on this earth, only one thing will be of any worth: our righteousness—that which we gain through the grace of God through Jesus (II Corinthians 5:21) and that which we live out in our daily lives (I Corinthians 3:11-15).  Everything else—our houses, our stock portfolios, all of our stuff—will be of no value in eternity.  

So we would be wise to heed this proverb’s warning and put our energies into pursuing things in life that have lasting value.  Because at the end of the day, even a 500 million jackpot will be worth nothing.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Very Strange


“They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (I Peter 4:4-5 NIV)”

I remember in high school when my girlfriend and I used to sit out on her parent’s front porch and listen to the “holy rollers” in the church across the street.  They even played drums in their worship services!  I thought it very strange.

I remember after becoming a follower of Jesus hearing others talk about serving the Lord overseas.  It was okay for them, but the thought of me ever doing that was very strange.  I couldn’t imagine it.  

As I was thinking about what to do with my life early in college, it never occurred to me to consider vocational ministry.  Me, a pastor or missionary?  Too strange.  

In reality, none of this was strange.  It was just my ignorance coming into play.  I didn’t understand the things of God nor His power to shape and transform lives.  I didn’t see clearly and, so, made a lot of wrong assumptions.  

There are people who come into a church, see people lifting their hands in praise and think it strange.  There are people who see the excitement and commitment of a believer and think it a bit too much.  There are people who think it strange to give up a summer and pay to go work in some Third World country.  

They think it strange because they are ignorant.  Ignorance makes the ways of God appear odd and different.  The key is to realize the potential of our ignorance to skew reality.  We need to understand that our perceptions may be wrong and in need of adjustment.

What do you find strange today?  Reading the Bible every day?  Having conversations about the Lord apart from church or a small group Bible study?  Spending the summer (or two weeks) in a foreign country serving the Lord?  Fasting?  Giving 10% of your money to the work of the Lord?  

Today, may you be open to the fact that your assumptions could be wrong; that, in fact, what you now see as strange is in reality quite normal for citizens of the Kingdom.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Expressions of Thanks

(Author's Note: With the Thanksgiving Break upon us, I will be taking a break as well.  WftW will return on November 26th.  May you have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday! Jim)

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (II Corinthians 9:10-12 NIV)

When President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1863, the country was in the midst of civil war.  Much sacrifice had already been made and much more was still to come; yet Lincoln found there was much for which to thank God.  

What I find so encouraging is the leader of our nation in a time of war would humbly say, in spite of the circumstances, that he and his fellow countrymen had much for which to be thankful.  The entire country was making huge sacrifices, but in the midst of the hardship came thanksgiving.

As I read Paul’s words here, it comes to mind that generosity is, in essence, sacrifice.  When we give generously, we are sacrificing, and that generosity/sacrifice leads to thanksgiving.  So, in the midst of war and much sacrifice, Lincoln could declare a “Day of Thanksgiving” and people embraced it.  

In the midst of 1st Century hardship, the Corinthian Christians gave generously to help their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem, and the result? Many expressions of thanks to God.  And when God sacrificed His Son, that generosity has resulted in centuries of thanksgiving to Him.  

As we approach our nation’s Day of Thanksgiving, let us remember that thanksgiving results from the sacrifices made on our behalf—those of parents, teachers, soldiers, fellow believers, and, most of all, God.  Let us recognize those and let us give generously of ourselves for the sake of others in order to continue the expressions of thanks to God.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Monday, November 19, 2012

Praying Together


“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.  Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:13-16 NIV)

Do you notice any theme in this passage?  When we are in trouble, what should we do? Pray.  When life is so good we just can’t help but smile, what should we do?  Pray prayers of praise and thanksgiving.  If we or someone else is sick, what should we do?  Pray in the name of the Lord for healing.  If we have sinned, what should we do?  Confess to one another so we can pray for one another.

As we are told in other passages (e.g., Acts 2:42; Ephesians 6:18), the community of believers is to be praying.  Yet, this is one of the great struggles within the body of Christ.  We spend little time praying, particularly together.  Why would that be when it is so obvious in Scripture that this is to be a focused priority?  Two words—spiritual warfare.

The enemy knows the power of prayer and the devastating effect it can have on his schemes, so he works hard on persuading us not to pray. It’s too scary or weird.  I don’t know how to pray.  It takes too much time. I’m not good enough.  The list can go on and on.  The fact is, whatever the reason, the end result is a lack of prayer in our lives, which fits quite nicely into Satan’s strategy of weakening the Church.  

If this is to change, we need to acknowledge what is going on.  We need to confess our prayerlessness and begin to fight back.  We need to look for the opportunities to pray with one another, fighting through the fear and awkwardness.  Prayer is powerful and effective and we would be wise to put it to better use.

Today, consider how you can begin to cultivate a life of prayer with other believers.  Perhaps you can start with a question: How can I pray for you?  And then follow that up with, here’s how you can pray for me.  Then pray.  It may be a little awkward, but the rewards will be great.

© Jim Musser 2012

Friday, November 16, 2012

Counting the Cost


“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ’If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.”

‘Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.’” (Luke 14:25-33 NIV)

“Ilse” attended a workshop I taught on how to hold on to our faith in the midst of suffering.  Normally when I teach this to college students, questions are rare.  Many will tell me how much they appreciate what they heard, but very few will ask any questions.  Ilse was different.  She was not a Christian, not American, and she had a lot of questions.  I finally had to tell her that I was willing to address her questions later, but that I needed to cover material I was asked to present.  

Later we did talk and she explained the reason for her many questions. She was interested in Christianity, but had a lot of questions and she didn’t want to be in a relationship with Christ before making sure it was something she wanted to do and to which she could commit her whole life.  

Ilse gets it.  To make a commitment to follow Jesus is a huge decision.  It is not something to be entered into lightly.  To follow Jesus is life-changing and life-altering.  So often, by our language and our practice, we downplay the radical nature of the decision.  We talk in terms of “accepting Jesus” or “asking Jesus into my heart,” descriptions that bring to mind someone sitting in a chair rather than one in motion following behind their Master. By wanting to make it so easy for someone to become a Christian, we misconstrue what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  

Following Jesus, being a Christian, means to give up everything, to release our control, our ownership of every aspect of our lives.  They are now at the disposal of the Master, and He has the say over whether we keep them, change them, or get rid of them.  This is why Jesus tells us, before deciding to follow Him, to count the cost, to understand the fullness of the commitment.  He doesn’t just want our hearts; He wants our lives.  

Today, think about what it really means to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus.  Ilse has and she is counting the cost to see if she really wants to pay the price.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Imitating God


“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 4:32-5:2 NIV)

Children are great imitators.  They will say things they hear their parents say.  They will do things they see their parents do.  And they will imitate their heroes, whether they are television or movie characters, or an athlete. They will try to sound like them, look like them, and act like them. 

It is in the nature of children to imitate those they admire. It is, in a way, an attempt to honor them and demonstrate respect. Paul tells us in this passage, as children of God, to imitate our Heavenly Father, and specifically, to imitate His kindness and compassion by forgiving others. By doing so, we honor and respect Him.

I recently read an article citing the increase of atheism in this country and in Europe.  The writer concluded this increase was due to the fallout of the 9/11 attacks and the so-called “culture wars” over abortion, stem cell research, and gay marriage.  People, the writer said, were concluding that religious faith is the cause of much trouble in the world and we would be better off without it. 

I agree, at least to the point that religion causes a lot of problems.  If you question that, just read any of the four Gospels and pay close attention to the dialogue between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day.  He did not have much good to say about their practice of religion.  

Paul is not saying, nor did Jesus preach, that we should imitate God by becoming more religious.  We are instead to imitate His character and the actions that flow from it, specifically kindness and compassion, the traits that lead Him to forgive us. 

What people see from many “religious” people is not a reflection of God’s character.  They see almost the opposite.  It is understandable why they might think the world would be better off without God.  But I wonder if some would change their minds if they saw God’s children imitating Him as He really is.

Today, realize that imitating your Heavenly Father’s kindness and compassion is not only a way to honor Him, but also a means to show the world what He really is like.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Hand of Discouragement


“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.  Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west.  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

‘Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.’" (Joshua 1:1-9 NIV)

Discouragement can come in small amounts or in heavy doses.  It can come after an extreme high (think Elijah), or after a long, difficult period (think Joshua).  We are never immune to discouragement, no matter our circumstances.  I think this is why God exhorts us through the Scriptures ten times directly, “Do not be discouraged,” and indirectly many more times through the descriptions of His power and character.  Life in a fallen world can be very discouraging.  People disappoint us.  We disappoint ourselves.  Events go different than we planned.  Unforeseen things like illness and death plop down into our lives like uninvited guests.  Any of these can weigh on us and bring down the hand of discouragement to rest on us.     

The Scriptural prescription is always the same: Know the Lord your God will be with you.  Even under its full weight, the hand of discouragement need not crush us.  God is there and He will protect us and lift us back up.  The key is not to wallow in our discouragement, but to allow the Lord to lift us out of it.  Like a drowning man, we should not flail about in the water and keep the lifeguard at bay.  He is there to save us, but he can only do it if we cooperate with him.  

Today, if you are discouraged, do not lose heart.  Put your trust in the Lord because He is with you, and He will never leave you or forsake you, no matter your circumstances.

© Jim Musser 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012

What Do You Need?


“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

Perceived needs are very relative.  For a toddler, it may be a beloved stuffed animal.  For an older child, it may be getting a new bicycle or computer game.  For a college student, it might be getting a coveted internship or entering into a romantic relationship.  

“In everything” covers the whole gamut of what we think we need and what we really, really want.  God wants us to come to Him with all of our requests.  Objectively, many of them may be less than crucial to our lives, but I don’t think any of us intentionally ask the Lord for foolish things.  In the moment they are important and I think God understands that.  

Good parents take into consideration the maturity level of their children when considering their requests.  When a three-year-old is begging for her stuffed bear that’s in the washer, Mom doesn’t say to her, “Oh grow up!  You don’t need that stupid bear!”  No, she takes her seriously, because to the child this is a crisis.  Years later she will laugh at the story her mother tells, but not now.  

As children of God, our Heavenly Father respects where we are in our spiritual maturity.  He does not demand from us adult thinking when we are still children.  And if truth be told, none of us will ever be spiritual grown-ups in this world.  Our requests, even as we grow older, still will often be rather immature if we look back from a heavenly perspective. Still, God will always be patient with us.  And, like a good parent, He will say “No” when He needs to in order to protect us from ourselves and our own ignorance.

Today, know that God wants to hear your requests, no matter what they are.  You are His child.  He will never turn you away or ridicule you.  So what do you need today?  He is waiting and listening.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Noise


"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

I remember talking with a young man who grew up in a large city, but had come to a Midwest farm as part of Christian leadership experience.  I asked him what it was like to live “in the middle of nowhere,” and he said one of the hardest things to deal with was the quietness of the country. He was used to the noise of the city, the constant noise.  

A few years ago during a retreat, I asked students to spend 30 minutes of silence in the woods around the retreat center.  No talking, no i-pods, just silence.  I don’t think any of them managed to do it.

What is it about silence that makes us so uncomfortable?  In part, I think it’s because we rarely, if ever experience it.  Our lives are full of noise nearly 24 hours a day.  Think about it.  When do you ever experience complete silence (the absence of artificial noise)?  And if you occasionally do, how do you respond?  Uncomfortable?  Do you seek to immediately fill the void with some type of noise?  Most of us do.  And that leads to the second reason silence can make us uncomfortable.

In the silence, God can be known and heard.  When our heads are not filled with noise, God’s still, small voice can be heard.  When we are not distracted, our focus can be entirely on Him.  As my wife likes to remind me, if I am on the computer or watching TV, I cannot fully listen to her at the same time.  Silence enables God to have our full attention.  

Today, will you accept this challenge?  Find 30 minutes sometime this week where you can spend it in complete silence and undistracted by your computer and cell phone.  Perhaps by a lake or on a mountain overlook, or maybe a walk on a trail or country road. Or maybe just alone in a room.  Be still and listen.  Instead of the usual noise, let God fill the void with His voice and presence.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Praying for Those Who Lead Us


“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:1-4 NIV)

It is finally decision day for the United States.  Today the majority of citizens go to the polls to elect a president, a new Congress, state governors, state legislators, and other state and local officials.  By tonight or early tomorrow morning, we should know who our leaders will be.  And then the only responsibility left for us is this: to pray for them.

Many will find this difficult if their candidate loses.  If social media is any indication, there is a lot of disgust and even hatred for the opposing candidates.  It will be much easier to despise and mock them than to pray for them, just as it has been during the past four years.  

It is always easier to pray for those we love, for those with whom we have a connection or a history, for those with whom we share similar values and concerns; yet the context of Paul’s letter to Timothy challenges us to stretch ourselves beyond what is comfortable and easy.  

The emperor of Rome at the time of Paul’s writing was the infamous Nero, who had his first wife beheaded because she was unable to bear him a child, who crucified followers of Jesus and then set them on fire to light his garden, and who burned Rome and blamed believers as a means to destroy them once and for all.  When Paul urges Timothy to pray for “all kings and those in authority,” he was not living in some alternate universe where leaders were docile and kind.  He was living under the ruthless rule of Nero!  

Think about that.  During the past 18 months, billions of dollars have been spent trying to convince us how bad the other candidate is and why he or she should not get our vote.  Countless tweets and Facebook posts have been made mocking Obama or Romney.  Countless hours have been spent in debating why one or the other should be elected and the other should not.  But how much time has been spent in prayer for these men and women who lead us or seek to?

Regardless of who wins the election today, whether the ones you voted for or not, you have the responsibility to pray for those elected to lead our nation, your state, and your local community.  You may think he or she is a liar, a cheat, or is going to lead in the wrong direction, but surely that leader could be no worse than Nero.  If Paul urged Timothy to pray for the likes of him, then there is no excuse for any of us not to do the same.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Going Deeper


“In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.”  (II Corinthians 7:13b-14 NIV)

There have been many times where I have felt like Titus—refreshed in spirit by spending time with Christian brothers and sisters.  I remember a prayer gathering in a rural Hungarian village, Christians praying in different languages, but united in a common bond.  I remember visiting in the Tennessee home of a former seminary classmate and his wife, having a delicious meal of homemade soup and bread and then talking for several hours in front of a fire about the Lord.  I remember semi-annual meetings at Denny’s with two colleagues to share about our mutual ministries and to encourage one another.  And I remember just recently sitting with friends and listening to how the Lord is changing the direction of their lives into a new area of ministry.  

And what I remember about these encounters and many, many others is how refreshing they were.  Not all our meetings with other Christians are necessarily refreshing.  Many, frankly, are often mundane with little spiritual encouragement resulting from them.  Often that cannot be avoided, but I think in many of our encounters with Christians we can strive for something better, deeper.  

It is easy to skip along the surface in our relationships with other believers.  Our conversations gravitate toward school, work, relationships, and the like.  There is obviously nothing wrong with these because they are part of our daily experience, but there is so much more if only we are willing to go deeper.  And it is at the deeper levels where we find true refreshment.  That is why they stick in our memories and we remember them so fondly.  

Today, make strides toward taking your conversations with fellow Christians deeper.  As you do, you will find greater refreshment and experience Christian fellowship at a whole new level.

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

In the Midst of the Storm


“Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.  They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.  They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.  

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.  He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm, 
and he guided them to their desired haven.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.  Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
 and praise him in the council of the elders.” (Psalm 107:23-32 NIV)

Those of us living in the eastern quarter of the country are experiencing an historic storm.  From the Carolinas up the eastern seaboard, Hurricane Sandy is bringing record snow and rainfall, and record flooding. Fortunately, where I live we still have electricity, though the wind is gusting furiously and snow is falling sideways.  But other areas are not faring as well.  Damage from wind and flooding is extensive.  

It is in the midst of a storm like Sandy that we realize how small and vulnerable we are, and how dependent on the Lord.  When life is good, we can tend to feel secure and often that security leads us to a lack of appreciation for the Lord.  We can easily forget who is behind that security.  Like a small child who wanders off from a parent and turns suddenly to find mom or dad out of sight, we quickly realize our need for the presence of the Lord.  

This psalm, in its entirety, tells stories of vulnerable and needy people crying out to the Lord.  They are experiencing various storms in their lives and plead for rescue.  The writer tells of the Lord’s faithfulness in rescuing them.  He then encourages them to give thanks to God for saving them from the peril of the storm.

What about you?  Are you in the midst of a storm in your life?  Then cry out to God and He will come to your rescue.  And when you are once again safe, don’t forget to thank Him for what He has done, and let it be a reminder of how much you need Him. 

© Jim Musser 2012

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Producing Fruit


“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:16-26 NIV)

We are in the final weeks of the presidential election.  I know that because my phone keeps rings with automated voices of candidates on the other end making disparaging comments about the other political party, my mailbox is filled with letters and fliers from candidates telling me how terrible their opponents are, and my Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds are filled with pointed comments about one or the other presidential candidates.  

I am not surprised for the most part.  This is the way politics is done in America and it’s been done this way for a long time.  I think what is more difficult to accept are those claiming to be followers of Jesus engaging in the same type of behavior.  I was talking with a friend the other day who witnessed a debate between two men running for state office.  One, my friend said, stated clearly that he was a Christian, but then went ahead and bashed his opponent and his party in harsh tones.  Sadly, there is a lot of that going on today, not only in the political spectrum, but also in everyday life—people claiming to know Jesus being very harsh in their comments and actions toward others.  

The question I want to ask is, what difference does Jesus make?  One can say, “I’m a Christian,” but how is that relationship with Jesus impacting your day-to-day life?  What difference is it making in what you say to others and how you say it?  Or in how you treat other people?

Paul is asking the same question of the Galatians, who were struggling with living the Christian life.  And he gives them a straightforward template of how their lives are to reflect the presence of Jesus.  He refers to them as the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  If they truly have Jesus in their lives, then they will have His Spirit as well.  Like an apple tree produces apples or a peach tree peaches, so does the Spirit produce fruit.  And, Paul said, the fruit of the Spirit should be present or emerging in anyone claiming to follow Jesus.

Today, examine your life, comparing it to the fruit of the Spirit.  If you are a follower of Jesus, then there should be ample evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life through the presence of His fruit.  If there is not, then it’s time to get serious about pursuing the One who can produce it.  It is His fruit and no one other than Him can make it grow.

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

A God Who Tends to Shrink


“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:17b-21 NIV)

In C.S. Lewis’ “Prince Caspian,” the second book in his “Chronicles of Narnia” series, Lucy, upon meeting Aslan on her second trip to Narnia, remarks that he is bigger.  Aslan replies, “It is because you are older.”  

As we age and mature, does our God get bigger or does He shrink? Jesus said that unless we become like little children, we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3), and that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to little children (Matthew 19:14).  Of course, He was not talking about physically being a child, but having the trusting attitude and the imagination of a child.  

Children are not doubters by nature; they just believe.  And they trust.  If Mom and Dad tell them there is a Santa Claus, they don’t doubt it.  When a boy says he wants to be a firefighter when he grows up, he has no doubt that is what he will be.  And they have wonderful imaginations.  My neighbors’ children are always out in their yard having some battle or on some adventure.  Children show little constraint in imagining a world far different than the one in which they are living.  

It is amazing sometimes how we have such trust in the Lord as children, but then as we grow up, that trust diminishes.  God shrinks instead of getting bigger.  Or even as new believers, we are enthralled with the Lord’s power and mercy, but as we move along in the Christian life, we are less enthralled, less moved.  He begins to shrink.  

I think Lewis was trying to say through Aslan that as we grow older and mature, God is supposed to get bigger.  We are to become even more enthralled with, more impressed by, and more imaginative with His power and mercy.  And this requires that we resist both the natural tendency and societal pressure to “grow up” which means to put aside “fairytales” such as someone dying for sin and being raised from the dead, people being healed through other than medical means, trusting God to provide, and so on.  We must recognize God is bigger and more powerful than what we could ever believe or imagine.  This is why as we are growing older, He should be getting bigger, because it takes a lifetime, or more correctly an eternity, to fully grasp how big He really is.  

Today consider, as you are growing older, is the Lord shrinking or getting bigger?  

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Needing an Advocate


“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27 NIV)

We recently had new Internet service installed at our office.  When I returned from Fall Break, I found out I was unable to send e-mail from the Entourage program on my computer.  For a time, I searched the web for solutions, but none of them worked.  I then e-mailed the company (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) and received no response.  I finally called the tech support number and the automated voice gave me a website to access for help.  It didn’t.  I called again, rudely interrupting my automated helper by saying “tech support!”  The first tech person I reached told me he was not familiar with the email program I use and that the company doesn’t offer support on “third party platforms,” so I asked to be transferred to someone with greater knowledge.  I was told that privilege would cost me $99.  I hung up and called again, hoping to find someone more willing to help me, who recognized the unfairness of a company installing a service and then telling you, basically, good luck on solving that problem, because we won’t help you.  Again I was told the company doesn’t offer free support on anything involving “outside software.”  Frustrated, and still frugal, I hung up again.

I then asked my tech-savvy associate if we would take a look at the problem.  He agreed, but couldn’t resolve it either.  So he, too, called the company.  As I sat listening to his side of the conversation, he began describing the problem and all he had done to try to fix it and, literally, within a couple of minutes, she had given him the information needed to solve the issue, at no charge.  I sat dumbfounded and asked how he managed to do that, and he said he had previously worked for the company and just knew how to talk to their reps in a way to get things done.  He was a very effective advocate as a result.

Paul describes the Holy Spirit in a similar manner.  When we’ve reached the end of our own efforts to pray, when we are at a loss for words, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.  He knows what to say because He is familiar with the Father and His will.  

Thankfully, our Heavenly Father is not anything like the Internet company with which I was dealing.  He is more than happy to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).  But there are times when we just don’t know what to say or how to ask.  Such as when a devastating tragedy envelops our lives or when we reach a fork in the road and the choices are similar.  We just can’t find the words to describe our feelings or what to ask to get an answer to our question.  

It is then that the Holy Spirit does His best work.  He goes before the Lord on our behalf to express what we really need.  Words may fail us, but He will always know what to ask.

Today, if you are at a point where in your prayers you don’t know what to say, know that you have an Advocate who will pray for you, who will go before the Father on your behalf.  Do your best on your knees, but if you are still unable to get an answer, trust the Holy Spirit to help you.  He is very familiar with the Father and knows just what to say.

© Jim Musser 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

What We Need to Hear


“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” (II Timothy 4:1-5 NIV)

This was an encouraging message to me this morning.  In the midst of a volatile political season, the Chick-fil-A protests of the summer, and some of the reality checks of working on a university campus, I felt like Paul was writing this to me.  More and more, people want to hear what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.  Politicians know this and rarely speak the whole truth, regardless of political party.  Increasingly, the university culture is making policy that prohibits speech that students may find offensive.  In other words, proclaiming that certain behaviors or lifestyles are sinful may find you in trouble with the university if a student complains.   And in the church, pastors are often dismissed when they begin to confront issues of doctrine and personal conduct.  

As fallen human beings, we often have a hard time hearing and accepting the truth.  We much prefer hearing what we want to hear.  And there will always be people we can find to tell us soothing things.  And therein lies the danger.  The temptation is to run away from the one telling us the truth to the one who will tell us what we want to hear.  In the extreme, we want to prevent the person from saying anything we deem offensive to our ears.  

But the reality is, given we are fallen creatures and prone to error, we all need words of correction and they will not always be pleasant to our ears. As Proverbs 12:1 bluntly observes, “Whoever hates correction is stupid.” So the current trend of having the right not to be offended is troubling because it is easy for the church to get sucked into it, as I have already experienced with some students in recent years.  And what it does is inhibit our growth and maturity.  Like children who grow up without discipline, we remain immature and, for many, eternally lost.

Today, as Paul encourages Timothy to do, keep your head in these times where truth is considered relative to one’s personal understanding.  Don’t get carried along by this deception.  The truth is found in the Word and we all need to be open to its correction.  For what we want to hear is not always what we need to hear.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Veiled Hearts


“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:12-18 NIV)

It happens every week, sometimes even for a lifetime.  People will hear the Word of God preached and leave totally unaffected.  I have known people who have been faithful churchgoers their entire lives whose only purpose for being there it seems is being there.  The only change that takes place in their lives is they grow older.  I have seen students involved in campus ministry for three, four, even five years that remain unchanged spiritually.  They come, they hear, they leave, totally unmoved by the Word.

How can people be exposed to years of teaching from the Word and remain unchanged by it?  Paul provides a clue.  For centuries the Word of God was read in the Jewish synagogues, but, as Jesus correctly pointed out (Mark 7:5-7), the hearts of the Jews were far from Lord.  He says a veil covered their hearts.  That veil is religious ritual, the performance of religious activity without any real life or belief behind it.  

There is only one cure according to Paul: Jesus.  Only Jesus can take the veil away.  Only a relationship with Jesus can open up the heart to be changed and transformed.  And the relationship to which we refer is ongoing and dynamic, not the “I once asked Jesus into my heart” kind where the beginning is in reality the end.  The prayer has been said and now there is nothing more to do.  

No, this relationship is like a marriage.  We fall in love, make a commitment and live it out the rest of our lives, falling deeper and deeper in love as the years go by and being transformed by the relationship as our hearts open wider and wider.  

I was a churchgoer much of my young life, but it meant little to me.  I really didn’t understand it.  I was there.  I sang the songs.  I listened to the sermon.  I left unchanged.  It wasn’t until I decided to give my life to Jesus that my eyes were opened and my heart unveiled.  Then my life began to be transformed.

In what state is your heart today?  Is it veiled by years of religious ritual? Does your life remain unchanged?  There is a cure and it is Jesus.  Only He can take a heart and infuse it with life.

© Jim Musser 2012 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Surviving the Roller Coaster of Life


“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (II Timothy 2:11-13 NIV)

It is that time on our campus.  Gone are the carefree days of the first week or two of the semester.  Students are stressed and tired.  Like a rollercoaster, they started the semester on top, but as the weeks have passed and the assignments have mounted, they find themselves plunging into a valley.  Last week’s Fall Break was a welcome respite bringing refreshment, but now they are back to the grind.  

Apart from school, life is like that.  We have our moments of great energy and motivation, but then they are followed by a plunge into a valley where we struggle and are stressed.  For the most part, this is the course of life, and of the faith journey.  Up and down.  

The challenge for us is to not to define our lives by the moment in which we find ourselves.  We can revel in the highs, but should never assume we will remain there.  And we can dislike the lows, but can be confident we will once again ascend to greater heights.  This is living a life of endurance.  As has often been said, life is a marathon, not a sprint.  Good times will come and go, bad times as well.  Our lives should never be defined by the moment.  

Faith in and faithfulness to the Lord are what carry us through the ups and downs of life.  But even then, sometimes our faith may not be enough to sustain us.  Our faith may just run dry.  It is at that moment we have a choice: we can disown the Lord, saying He is not worth all the trouble, or we can just keep on trudging along, one foot in front of the other, allowing the Lord’s faithfulness to push us along.  “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself.”  What a promise!  And what a relief!

When I come to the end of myself, to the end of my faith, the Lord is there to carry me.  It doesn’t all depend on me.  As long as I don’t give up to the point of disowning Him, He will remain faithful even when I have lost faith. And, thus, that gift allows me time to regain my faith and keeps me from having that momentary loss of faith define my entire life.

Today, remember life is very much like a rollercoaster, and when you plunge to depths far greater than your faith, the Lord will be there to lift you back up.  

© Jim Musser 2012

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Avoiding an Embittered Heart


(Author's Note: Tomorrow begins ASU's Fall Break, so I am taking a break as well.  WftW will be back on October 15th.  Jim)

"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come close to me.'  When they had done so, he said, 'I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!  And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.  For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping.  But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.  He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.'" (Genesis 45:4-8 NIV)

The account of Joseph (Genesis 37, 39-50) is one of my favorite stories of the Bible.  It is chocked full of intrigue and suspense, and the plot has several unusual twists and turns, particularly for those accustomed to the plots of Hollywood.  For if Hollywood had written the story of Joseph, you can bet it would have been much different.  Potiphar's wife would likely have seduced Joseph.  He would have probably led a revolt while in prison, and he would likely have gained revenge upon his brothers through torture or death.  His character would be very sympathetic because he is the ultimate victim, betrayed several times by those closest to him.  

Yet, a fair reading of the actual account shows Joseph acting anything but a victim.  He sees himself as a servant of God, doing His bidding.  What an attitude!  And it is this attitude that saved Joseph's brothers from a terrible fate.  Rather than seeing them as betrayers, he saw them as instruments of God's will to serve a greater purpose.  The great irony being that their act of treachery led to the saving of their own lives!

Joseph faced choices all along the way in his life.  In Potiphar's house, he could have accepted his wife's advances, justifying it by the fact he had been ripped off in life and deserved a little pleasure. He did not. He could have sulked in prison, doing nothing good for anybody, just wallowing in his bitterness and resentment. He did not.  Upon being promoted to Pharaoh's household, he could have used his power to exact revenge on the people responsible for imprisoning him and his brothers.  He did not. Rather, He chose to trust God and see his life as being in the Lord's hands.

Your life may not be going the way you had planned, but know that God has everything under control and that His plans are much bigger than yours.  Today, trust him with the direction and happenings of your life, believing, as did Joseph, that in the end God will work all things for the good in your life (Romans 8:28).  By doing so, you can avoid the terrible fate of an embittered heart.

© Jim Musser 2012

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The God Who Cares about the Little Things


"Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  He called out to them, 'Friends, haven't you any fish?'  'No,' they answered.  He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.'  When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.  Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!'  As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, 'It is the Lord,' he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.  The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far form shore, about a hundred yards.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread." (John 21:4-9 NIV)

I can still remember the smell of bacon frying in my mother's kitchen on Saturday mornings as I awoke.  What a pleasure it was to have breakfast awaiting me when I got up!  It was a little thing in the whole scheme of life, but what a wonderful memory it is for me.

Sometimes we think God only cares about the big things--His Word being proclaimed, people being saved, justice being done.  Yet, God has shown time and time again that He cares about the little things, like breakfast. Picture this: The Son of God, the One by whom everything was made (Colossians 1:16) on a beach making breakfast for a bunch of tired, smelly fishermen, men that He knew and loved.  It is such a small thing, but such a BIG thing given that it is God who is doing the cooking.  And it made an impact because John chose to record it in his biography of Jesus.  The man who was known for His extraordinary teaching, for His powerful miracles, and for His death and resurrection, is also remembered for His fresh fish and bread breakfast!

This tells me something about Jesus: He cares deeply about each of us and at His core is the nature of a servant.  My needs, even the smallest ones, are important to Him.

Today as you go about your day, think of Jesus on that beach making breakfast and remember how much He cares about your needs, even the smallest ones.  What a wonderful God we serve!

© Jim Musser 2012

Monday, October 8, 2012

Allowing God to Lead


"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." (Psalm 55:22 NIV)

There I was with my two hiking companions just below the summit of Long's Peak (14,255 ft.) in Colorado, making my way down the only way I knew how--on my butt.  The descent down "the chute" was a 70-degree grade and I was very unsure of my footing.  I wasn't alone.  My companions and several others were taking the same approach as well.  

As we scooted our way down to more level ground, I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me and turned to see who it was.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  A man was walking upright confidently and swiftly descending from the summit.  He was obviously a very experienced climber.  What was even more amazing was that he was guiding a woman who appeared to be a novice.  Holding his hand, she carefully followed his exact steps.  When she hesitated, he gently reassured her.  As they passed us "scooters", he said, "The footing is not that bad," and then they quickly went on their way down the mountain.

I expect that couple was off the mountain several hours before us because he was confident in his abilities and she trusted him and kept up with his pace.  We, on the other hand, had no such confidence in ourselves and no leader to show us a better way.  We were all tentative on that mountain.  If the woman had been with us, she likely would have sat down, too.  She stood only because she had someone in whom she could trust and followed his lead.

Today, you may be finding yourself on a steep slope and unsure of your footing.  Perhaps you are scared of the new challenges you will face in the coming weeks or when you graduate.  Or perhaps you feel God is leading you into very unfamiliar territory.  A lot of people are in the same spot, but many of them proceed with tentativeness and fear.  It does not have to be that way for you.  Know that God can be trusted.  He will not let you fall.  Take hold of Him and you can confidently face whatever challenge is in front of you.

© Jim Musser 2012