Truth Telling
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Tuesday, November 21st, 2023
I’d like to follow up on my devotion from yesterday.
There is another rule of interpretation/Bible study besides the one from yesterday (“Let Scripture explain Scripture”). The one for today is “A text without a context is only a pretext.” Interpreted: the failure to see surrounding verses, historical narrative and setting can lead to a whole lot of problems.
Yesterday’s passage was from Matthew 7:1-5. With that I presented the very common comment, “You have no right to judge me, to tell me that I’m wrong, or that my behavior is unacceptable in God’s eyes.” That is used in defense of sin: adultery, homosexual activity, “white” lies, and just about any other sin we want to justify doing.
But remember the context quote? Check out Matthew 7:15-16- “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.” (NLT) That section ends with verse 20 saying, “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”
Question: how can we identify a wolf in sheep’s clothing if we don’t (ahem) judge them? It is called discernment. But here’s the thing: it is not discernment based on our bias or personal opinion. It is based on…wait for it…what the Bible says. Every thought, every opinion, every decision, every judgment we form or express MUST BE and MUST FIND its source in the Word of God! If what we say or do does not find its root in God’s Word; if it does not find its anchor in God’s Word, then its a pretty fair assessment that it is false.
We need to be “fruit inspectors.” (Matt. 7:16-20). Last I looked a fruit inspector has to form a judgment and decide whether the fruit is good or not. The Apostle Paul wrote, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (ESV)
So, judging/discerning is an absolute must. Always compare what you are being told and taught to the Word of God.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Bible/Scripture, Christian Living, Discernmenet, Fruit Inspector, God's Word, Judging, Leadership, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Truth Telling
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023
Some people today like to complain about the church: “It’s made up of a bunch of hypocrites.” (Most definitely true). “All the church does is tell you a list of what is right and what is wrong and the wrong is always longer than the right.” (There is some truth to that). “They are insufferable and no better than me.” (Given that we are all sinners that is a true statement).
So my answer to those statements? Yep. Yep. And Yep. And I’ll also say, “Welcome to my world.”
I don’t say that because I’m a pastor; I say that because they describe me. I am a hypocrite at times because I don’t always practice what I preach. (Shocker!!) I don’t always live up to the standard God has set. I am sometimes judgmental (although I try really hard not to be). And sometimes I am no better than anyone else, in that sin gets its grip on me.
All this hit me last night as I sat and read. I’m rereading a novel called Dancing Priest (DP) by Glynn Young, a fellow blogger. It is one of 5 in a series about a young man named Michael Kent. I’ve read DP several times before, but it has been a few years since I last read it. I look for books to read at home which are different from my normal fare, so I have decided to read the entire series again. In DP Michael is assigned a parish (church) in San Francisco…much to his surprise. He applied for Malawi in Africa. In the ensuing conversation with his sponsor, he found out why.
Michael, the future of our church is in grave doubt. If there is a future, then you and others like you are that future. It will be better for you to be on the periphery than at the center because the center is rotting and collapsing. The future of the church is at the edges, and there you’ll find a willingness to abandon what’s dead, to meet the spiritual need, to fearlessly preach the Gospel-that is our way to survival. (p.163). A few paragraphs later he tells Michael, “You are a remarkable young man. You will do great things, Michael, not as the world defines them, but great in the way God defines them.” (p.164)
Honestly? That’s what I want. At my age (71) I know I have less years to live than I have lived. But nothing says that with the remaining years I have to sit on the sidelines and watch the world go by. I want to abandon what’s dead and to fearlessly preach the Gospel.
To my way of thinking, nothing else will do.
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Note: Check out Dancing Priest and the whole series by Glynn Young on Amazon. Start with DP and I guarantee you will decide to get and read the rest. And no, Glynn did not pay me to say that! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Posted in InTheShadow | 14 Responses »
Tags: book reference, Christian Living, Church, Future church, God's Plan, Leadership, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Sin, Story, Truth Telling
Tuesday, November 14th, 2023
Perhaps you have heard the saying, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” That phrase is used to state the obvious: what you have just been told is a bold-faced lie. I just read this morning about someone who made a bold-faced lie.
It is probably a familiar story/Scripture to many of you. The wise men has followed the star and it took them to Jerusalem. There they inquired about the star and asked a question that set a lot of folks on high alert: “Where is the Messiah to be born?” (Mt.2:4). The one with the biggest knee-jerk reaction was Herod. Leave off the “knee” and you have the kind of individual he was. But he was far more. Power hungry despot. Suspicious. Vengeful. Mad (as in crazy). Jealous. Words fail me to be able to truly describe how bad evil this man truly was.
So when he says to the wise men, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.“ (2:8), the words which flow off our tongue are “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” He had absolutely no intention of worshiping the Messiah, except on the edge of a sword. (2:16-17)
Bob Dylan once sang “You Gotta Serve Somebody.” (1979). Herod did…himself. We all serve/worship some one or some thing. It may not be as blatant a lie as Herod’s, but the failure to serve the Living, Triune God when we say we do truly echoes “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” At least Herod’s was blatant.
WHOM/what to you worship? Before you answer, please remember we have Someone who knows our every thought.
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Lying, Opinion, Reflection, Revenge, Scripture look, Truth Telling, Worship
Tuesday, October 17th, 2023
Two verses stopped me in my tracks this morning. They are from Proverbs 17:27-28- “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” (ESV)
WOW! Or is that a GULP?
Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, “It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.” Whether he said it or not is not the issue here. What IS the issue is the truth of that statement. Don’t you think it sound strangely like verse 28 that you just read?
The truth of the statement rises to the top. How many times have you said something and as soon as it passed through the doorway to your mouth you wished you could suck it right back in? But we all know the truth of that. You can’t. What is said is said and what is heard is heard. There is no “Return Unsaid” button. I know I have been guilty way more than I care to admit. I know I have hurt a lot of people over my 71 years-a lot more with my words than I have with a gun or a weapon. Unless, of course, you consider my “rapier wit” and my “fire-breathing tongue” a weapon (I do and so does James in James 3). My words have bitten, hurt, wounded, damaged, and even killed people’s spirits. Oh, how I wish I could have them back.
But I can’t. You can’t either. Words cannot be unsaid. Worse: they cannot be unheard. In this case, though, words that do matter are “I’m sorry” or “Please forgive me.”
Two verses will give us the right perspective as well as close our thoughts today. Psalm 119:101 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” God’s words are words we ought to be feeding ourselves with. What goes in comes out. The other Scripture is one we ought to memorize and then paste it everywhere: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Ps.141:3 ESV)
Be careful of what you “eat” today and what you say.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Kindness, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Truth Telling, Words
Tuesday, October 10th, 2023
I had a good day yesterday…my birthday. I did absolutely nothing. That’s good and bad. While I worked in the office early and had a staff meeting that lasted all morning due to various reasons, I was unable to go to the Y or for a ride. 🙁 However, I had lunch with Jo and Tami (our adult daughter who is on Fall Break from teaching K kids…thanks Tami), then drove to Terre Haute to pick up my Pathfinder. It had been in the shop since last Thursday. That’s when the fun began.
I did absolutely nothing. Unless you count reading, laughing and eating ice cream nothing. I call it doing what I like to do when I don’t have anything else to do or want to do! 🙂
Honestly? I needed it. After a very busy weekend (I had a wedding rehearsal and ceremony), preaching twice in the morning, and small group I needed a slow day. Plus my schedule in 2023 has been full and hectic. Time away is needed by me and Jo, but such is our life right now and the holidays coming, that it isn’t going to happen. I do have several outlets (biking and the Y), but sometimes one needs more. Sometimes time away is essential. We are hoping 2024 works out for us.
What started me thinking of this (besides my own fatigue and realization)? I read a quote by former MLB player, Andrelton Simmons: “Most people carry scars that others can’t see or understand.” He walked away from baseball in 2020 due to mental health issues.
Several thoughts went through my mind when I read about him. First, we are sometimes very good covering up the real “me.” “Never let ’em see you sweat” is the saying that goes through my head. To let someone see who you really are is often seen as a sign of weakness to admit we even have a struggle. NO. NO it’s not! It is a sign of strength to admit it.
Second, no one dare criticize another who is going through a crisis. I need to constantly remind myself that “there but by the grace of God go I.” That could have been me. He is right. We all have scars. I know I do. And I need to remember to do as Joe Simon once sang about: “Walk a mile in my shoes.” Truthfully, we all need to walk a mile in someone’s moccasins before we dismiss or criticize them.
Jesus empathized with us. Hebrews 5:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” He knows. He understands. He stands with us. Next to us. Holding us up. Giving us His strength.
Don’t hide. Don’t pretend all is okay. Get help. Be honest. You are not alone.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Friendship, God, Jesus, Kindness, Love, Mental Health, Mercy, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Story, Suffering, Truth Telling
Thursday, October 5th, 2023
I suppose all of us, at one time or another, have jumped to conclusions. We decided what someone was like or what took place without having adequate information. I’m pretty sure all of us have figured out what a person was like before we really knew. We hear snippets; we observe random actions; we surmise without knowing all the facts.
That’s like the old legend of the blind men who were brought to an elephant and asked to describe it based on their experience. One touched his trunk and said it was like a big snake. Another touched his leg and said it was like a tree. One touched his tail and said it was like a rope. And the other touched its side and said it was like a wall. Each was right and each was wrong. It all depended on their perception. They were incapable of seeing the big picture.
When someone jumps to a conclusion-without knowing all the facts-there isn’t much difference from that and the blind men’s perceptions of the elephant. In their limited vision, they may have been correct, but in reality they were wrong. When we form preconceived ideas without knowing all the facts, we do ourselves and those we are forming opinions about a great injustice.
Limited in knowledge and limited by experience like the blind men, we fail to grasp the complete truth, to get it right. We cheat the other person. And we cheat ourselves. I decided to look up preconceived notions to see what some have to say. There are a lot of quotes to consider but here is one I thought was pretty spot on: “Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.”
Let’s not jump to conclusions. Let’s not be hasty in our preconceived ideas. Let’s gather facts. Let’s give people the benefit of the doubt. Let’s make informed and wise decisions about people. We all deserve that, at least.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Ministry, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Preconceived ideas, Reflection, Truth Telling
Wednesday, October 4th, 2023
When I was in college, there was a war going on. In fact, I’m going to date myself with this revelation. The war was in some southeast Asian country. You know…Vietnam.
While in college studying for the ministry, I met some guys who were only at that college for one reason and probably one reason only: they wanted to avoid the war. You see, if you were studying at a Bible college for some type of ministry, you were exempt from military service. I was naive;I didn’t know that. I guess I lived in my own world and didn’t really know much about Vietnam. I knew of the protests and sit-ins. I knew of the songs (“Four Dead in Ohio” by C,S,N,Y is one that sticks out in particular). There was a day or two when I had trouble finding a job for the summer and my uncle took me to a recruiting station (not that he himself would go). Fortunately, the recruiter called my parents to tell them and they talked some sense into me. I wasn’t ready for the military, and wasn’t ready for Vietnam in any way, shape. or form. (Who was?). Anyway, I did find a job-one that reinforced my idea of my life’s vocation. For that, I am forever grateful to God.
Back to the students. Their reason for being at a Bible college had almost nothing to do with the “calling” they sensed on their life to spend it in ministry. And to make matters worse, when they did serve somewhere, their heart and reason were totally out of whack. I’m not judging; I’m stating a fact.
The reason or motive for doing something may be far more important than what is done.
Now, I’m not saying what is done is inconsequential. But when a person serves out of guilt or shame or a sense of obligation, joy disappears. And where there is no joy in whatever one does, the task become mundane. Some people take great pride in what they do. Only that becomes the problem: pride. Not that we shouldn’t care about what we do and work at doing our best. But I’m talking here about having a servant’s heart. No task done because of the joy of service, but perhaps for the accolades or salve a hurting psyche.
Why do you do what you do? If you serve at a soup kitchen, for example. Why? If you help at a homeless shelter. Why? If you support a missionary. Why? If you preach or teach. Why?
Go ahead. Ask yourself that and then give an honest answer. If you deem the motive wrong, take steps to clarify in your own heart, why you do what you do. Then correct it.
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Generosity, Humility, Kindness, Leadership, Ministry, Motive, Opinion, Questions, Reflection, Service, Truth Telling
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023
I was watching a video yesterday at the request of someone and the man the video was about was asked by a reporter (as they were riding in his horse-drawn carriage. And no, he is not Amish), how he hears the voice of God. That was an interesting question, one I’m sure the non-believing reporter was sincerely curious about.
I’ve given some thought to that same question. Here are some common, and I’m sure, not all the answers:
“I follow my heart.” That is a very familiar one today. I could give you the name of a very well known movie and entertainment company whom I think has sort of adopted that moniker as their modus operandi. I’m going to be very open and honest here: I am really, really tired of hearing this same old drivel time after time. But it also is not new. I can remember a song back in the ’70s with the lyrics: “It can’t be so wrong; it feels so right.”
“I hear His voice.” Now…hearing His voice has a connotation that I’m uneasy with. If speaking about hearing His voice audibly, I have a real problem with since I don’t believe God speaks through a burning bush type of approach today. Many are waiting to “hear from on high” and for God to speak out loud before they make a decision or move ahead. Why do I have problems with this?
“He speaks through His Word.” God’s Word, the Bible, is His voice today. The psalmist says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and light for my path.”
Granted there are other answers to this question people give. We have to be careful what voice we listen to. Our culture will tell us that what used to be wrong is no longer wrong but acceptable. The Bible is out-dated and old school. Or possibly even worse, people will make outright attempts to reinterpret Scripture to make it mean what they want it to mean. They deny what is clearly defined as wrong and will either hedge on it or completely misfire because it doesn’t fit their narrative. That is why “follow your heart” is so troublesome. The Bible says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NASB2020) Long story short: our heart cannot be counted on to make or decide the right thing to do. Emotions enter the picture and convince us of what is not the truth or changes our view.
Don’t follow your heart; follow the Bible. Don’t allow our culture to convince you that the Bible is old and dusty and out of tune with today’s world. The Bible is the truth and it still stands. Jesus once said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words will never pass away.” I’ll stake my claim on His words and His Word.
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Bible/Scripture, Christian Living, Culture, Faith/Feelings, God's Word, Hearing God's Voice, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Truth Telling
Thursday, September 28th, 2023
IMHO I think one of the hardest things to do is to see that we are all the same. My sin. Your sin. It’s the same in the eyes of God. No matter how you shake it sin still spells S.I.N.
What makes it so hard for us to admit that is that we are really good at comparing. We choose the sin of someone else that-in our eyes-is bigger and worse than ours. When we do that we get a sense of self-satisfaction. We think, “Whew! I’m glad I don’t do THAT!” We develop this air of arrogance.
You know what I have noticed? Two things actually. One, we have a bad tendency to rate or number sin. #1 is the worst sin (in our eyes) and #10 is the least sin. Two, when we compare, we often see the worst in another while our sin falls down lower on the number list. We pat ourselves on the back (if we can get around our big head) because our #8 ranked sin is not as bad as their #2 ranked sin.
There are several fallacies with that type of thinking. One, God never classifies one sin as being worse than another. That is a human invention. My sin of impure thoughts is not worse than your sin of lying. James 4 (which I read this morning) say, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” (verses 1-2 ESV). So sin is in all of us due to the sin nature we all possess. What I want fights with what you want.
Two, James writes just a few verses later: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (Verses 6-8 ESV). Then in verse 10 James tells us to “Humble ourselves before the Lord.”
Pride. That is what James is talking about. “I want what you have.” “My sin. Your sin.” “My way. Your way.” Pride. Pride uses fine china and fancy linen. Humility (the way of Jesus) uses a basin and a towel.
“Pride goes before a fall” we are told. Let’s stop with the “I’m better than/more holy than” and get real to the sin in our own life.
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Humility, Ministry, Opinion, Pride, Reflection, Scripture look, Sin, Truth Telling
Tuesday, September 26th, 2023
You have probably heard the joke about 2 friends who were hunting in the woods when they saw a large, mean grizzly bear begin to approach them. One of the men turned to take off running and the other said, “You don’t think you are going to outrun that grizzly do you?” He said, “I don’t have to. I just have to outrun you.”
What a great friend! (I will now remove my firmly implanted tongue in my cheek).
I suspect we have all had friends like that. We call them “fair weather” friends, for that is truly what they are. They are with you until it gets sticky or too hot in the kitchen. Tragically, I have read and know of friendships that fell apart with an accusation, a word behind the back, a betrayal, or simply a lack of trust.
Here are a few questions to consider: When someone says something about a friend, what is your reaction? Do you defend your friend? Do you allow yourself to be swayed, to have some doubt? Do you betray your friend by piling on the accusations or simply by saying nothing at all? I remember many years ago defending a friend (Person A) against accusations made by a coworker (Person B). For the record, we did not work in the same place. It strained the friendship with Person B. Then years later I found out what he said was true. The other man’s (Person A) wife left him; he lost his family; he lost his ministry; and a lot of people were hurt by his duplicity. I apologized for my defense and the breach in our friendship to Person B when I heard the truth.
I honestly did what a friend should do. I heard the accusations from others. I went to the accused and was told they were all lies. I then defended the friend. But sometimes friendship is sticky, especially when you feel like you are in the middle. This time was like that. I don’t regret defending a friend. What I did regret is straining another friendship, only to find out what was being said was true.
Friendship takes work. Friendships are hard. Jesus once said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down His life for a friend.”
Be a friend, even when it gets sticky. I’d rather be loyal to a friend and maybe find out later that trust was misplaced, than walk out on a friend and find out my trust was really needed and the accusations were false.
Posted in InTheShadow | 10 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Friendship, Lifestyle, Ministry, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Reflection, Story, Truth Telling
