Treasures From the Past

   
 In Hebrews 12:1, we are told:  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...."  Never was I more aware of this than when I went through some boxes I had in a bedroom closet the other night.  I was looking diligently for some precious pictures of my father to share with friends and family on Facebook in honor of Father's Day.
What I came across blessed me to the core.
     Buried deep in the two boxes of pictures were items my mother had held on to throughout her life.  There was a beautiful baptismal certificate showing when my mother was presented for baptism.  I came across her confirmation picture and certificate as well as her Bible.  Then, I found my great, great grandfather's catechism book written in German for he came from Germany as a boy.  It was the Heidelberg Catechism that he had studied.  There it was for me to see.  My mother, her mother (my grandmother) and my father's great grandfather all had studied the same catechism and been raised in homes where it was taught and believed.  They are a part of this great crowd of witnesses who have gone on before.  How blessed I was as I looked at these treasures knowing that because they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ I will see them again in heaven when the Lord calls me home.
     As I have thought about this rich heritage, I am reminded that the Lord has called us to likewise pass on to our children and grandchildren the faith that was once delivered to us.  The greatest treasure we can give those we love is to tell them what we believe and why we believe it.  In the book of Deuteronomy, the Lord called upon families to teach their children the truths about Him.  Deuteronomy 11:19 tells us:  "You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."  This covers nearly the entire day, but what riches there are in God's Word and His laws.  God's admonition in these verses are for the church today not just for time past.
     Unfortunately, many today think of catechisms as old relics rather than viewing them as aids and summaries of important doctrine and beliefs in the Christian faith.  Certainly they do not replace the Bible which is our one true foundation for life and practice, but they add to our understanding.  However, it is important that instruction begins in the home and then, is augmented by the church.  This is how we pass on the truth about Jesus Christ by instruction and living it before them.
     When it comes to acting on our faith, we are further instructed in Hebrews 12:1 to throw off everything which hinders us and the sin that can entangle us.  We are told to persevere.  In the second verse of the chapter, we are likewise instructed to keep our eyes on Jesus and follow His example of selfless love.  This is how we can leave a legacy for our children.
      As my mother was taught the Heidelberg Catechism in her home, so she assisted me in learning the Westminster Catechism.  Little did I realize in my teen years what a great treasure had been passed on to me.  Now, I can look back in joy knowing their lives are hidden with Christ in heaven.  What legacy will you leave your children?  Will they look through your papers one day and find you faithful to the call of Christ in your life?  I pray for all who are reading this that we may rise to the occasion and teach our children the truth of God's Word for His glory and their salvation.   Selah!
     

Practice Makes Perfect

     My mother had a favorite saying.  If you want to be good at something then "practice makes perfect."  I think her mother drilled that into her thinking.  Wherever the phrase originated it does make good sense.  If we want to become good at something, we need to practice and apply what we have learned.
     One of the things I have learned from our youngest son who is a firefighter/EMT is that they never stop learning or rehearsing for the day a large fire or other accident happens.  He attended the Lexington Fire Academy in preparation for becoming a firefighter.  However, as he has learned, this is just the beginning of a life long process of learning and
practicing his skills.  I admire that because firefighters always have to be ready.  In the same way, we, as Christians, need to follow this same pattern if we want to be salt and light in this world.
     All too often we attend church, small group, or have private devotions but never put into practice God's Word.  Why is that?  If we want to retain a math fact, it requires practice; so why would we think that we do not have to practice what we are taught in the Bible through preaching and teaching?
     James, the Apostle who never minced words, says plainly how important it is to be a doer of God's Word.  In James 1:22-25 says:  "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  This is the key to a strong Christian life.  When we listen to a sermon, it has been my observation that if we would take notes it would help us learn better what was said.  Then, we can review, read the Word and meditate on what we learned.  The next step should be to put it into practice.  If we do not live out the Bible, what good has it done us to merely hear it?
     Jesus came into this world that we might have life in Him and life in abundance as a result of His sacrifice for us on the cross.  However, this new life requires us to "take up our cross and follow Him" (Matthew 16:24).  In this same verse, Jesus also said we would have to deny ourselves in the process.  This means we cannot be lazy in the Christian walk.  Like firefighters, we need to study, prepare and be ready all the time to take action.  We have to learn how to put into practice what we have learned so that when the enemy of our soul attacks, we are ready.  Being faithful in this will bring blessings as well as a good witness.

Our son Nathan and his fiancee Becca

     Think about the many people who watch us and listen to us each day.  They hear us talk about the Lord and what He means to us.  Yet, if they never see us put into practice those things which we say we believe, they will be led to question if we are really followers of Christ.  The Christian life is not meant to be passive but active.  As we are doers of the Word, we will bring glory to God as well as blessing to others.
     When we think about the admonition of the Apostle James, let us also remember the firefighters and EMT's who practice their skills in the event of emergency.  Would any of us want someone to come to our rescue if they had not been on a call for months and did not keep current with their skills?  I don't think so.  Likewise, if we do not put into practice all that we have learned, we will lose our saltiness in this world and will be good for nothing.  May God give us the ability to be doers of His Word so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.  Selah!

For the Praise of Men or God

   As a long time devotional writer, it is easy to get into a slump where you wonder if anyone is reading what you write.  That's when my dear husband reminds me, "Are you doing it to please men or God?"  For me, that is easy to answer.  Twenty some years I have been writing that I might encourage others and stimulate their thinking.  I do it because I felt led by God to do it.  However, my husband makes a very good point and one that all who serve God in some capacity need to ask themselves.
     Long ago, I counseled with a pastor during a difficult point in my life.  He said something that has stayed with me all these years.  He said that when anyone ministers to others out of their need to be accepted or applauded they will end up hurting others.  He went on to say that he knew of ministers who crashed and burned because they were more interested in advancing their agenda rather than God's.  What they needed, he indicated, was to deal with old wounds and acknowledge the sin of pride in their lives that kept them from truly serving others without the need for recognition.   This does not apply only to those in ministry but to all of us as Christians in whatever capacity we serve.
After all, how can we point out the speck in our brother's eye when we have a log in our own? (Matthew 7:4-5).
     When it comes to performance, the Pharisees were the best.  They prayed on street corners, wore longer tassels on their robes, chose the best seats in the synagogues, gave alms to the poor and were well acquainted with the scriptures.  In short, they looked good in public and people were impressed.  Yet throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught about what really matters.  Matthew 6:3-4 says:  "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."  This was a direct contrast to what the Pharisees were doing.  They wanted men to praise them and notice what kind things they were doing.  Jesus goes on talking about prayer in verse 6 of Matthew 6:  "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."  Again, the Lord tells us not to stand up on the street corner as the Pharisees did so everyone can see us pray, but we are to go into our private prayer closet as we come to God.  Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts the life of performance for the benefit and adulation of others with a life of service lived out for God.
     In His teaching of the disciples, Jesus made it clear that if they wanted to be great they must first be a servant of all.  Mark 9:35 reads:  "And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.'"  He also instructed them concerning their witness and ministry.  Matthew 5:16 says:  "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Notice that Jesus says that our good works will give glory to God.  No where does He state that our good works should gain us praise, recognition and fame.  No, we were created for God's glory not for our own.
     Our world is so performance oriented that it is easy to get caught up in wanting to be famous, recognized, and patted on the back.  There are many award shows that do just this for outstanding music artists as well as actors, and it is easy to get caught up in this mentality.  However,  the Lord has called us to live, instead, for His glory for He sees all we do on this earth and is a rewarder of those found faithful.
     Naturally, we all need encouragement and kind words from one another.  This helps all of us keep on doing our job, our ministry or persevering during hard times.  I know I love hearing from those who have been touched by something I write.  It helps me know that in some small way the Lord has used my offering to bless another.  Our goal should not be to become famous, but to make God famous through whatever ministry and service we offer to others.  Do we see the difference?  May we never be like the Pharisees that Jesus warned us about seeking the praise of men, but rather, let us be humble in our hearts and servants to all for the Lord who sees what we do in secret will reward us.  Selah!