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August 31

Thursday, August 31st, 2023

I could say or write on word and it would stir different thoughts. Depending on your circumstances past and present, your mind will form a picture.

The word? IDOLATRY.

For some that will lead you to think of a statue, something made with hands. Some will be astute enough to think of people or places.

If someone were to ask me what my definition of an idol is I would give them a very short statement as an answer: something that captures your heart.

That opens the page to a number of examples. The aforementioned image of wood or stone, which was very common in biblical times and in some religions, even today, comes to mind. Another broader example might be my job, my hobby, my spouse, my children, my possessions, etc.

Here’s the deal though: God is very plain and to the point when He says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” The main concern when He spoke those words was immediately followed up with “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness…You shall not bow down to them or serve them…” (Ex.20:3-5)  God would not be replaced by something stupid, something that could not respond. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote about that in Romans 1:22-23-“Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

But truthfully, idolatry doesn’t have to refer to an image. Anything that captures our hearts, demands our attention, takes our affections away from love for the Father is an idol. Not that those things are wrong in and of themselves, but when they take over or take precedence, then they have approached idol territory. If we find ourselves with something or someone besides Jesus Christ taking first place in our heart, we can be pretty sure idolatry has occurred.

And that is a dangerous state to find yourself in.

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June 21

Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Many years ago, whenever Jo and I would visit her parents/family, we would play a game called Trivial Pursuit. As you moved your disc-like piece sectioned off like a pie, you filled it with different colored tiles as you answered trivial questions from different categories. It was aptly titled: Trivial Pursuit. The questions in each category were random and often very, very trivial, unless, of course, you got a specialized game like the music of the ’60s or ’70s (I was good at both of those).

I thought of that game as I read Proverbs 21:21- “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” (ESV)

We pursue many things, most of them trivial. I knew a guy whose pursuit was to be financially independent by 30. I’m not sure if he ever made it or not; I lost track of him.  Others pursued being married and having a gaggle of kids. I used to hear that a lot. We all know people who pursue fame and fortune. From simple, everyday people to Hollywood stars who seem to have it all.

And yet, I just read the other day of some actors who pulled away from acting in order to spend time with family, to find solitude, or to move to another country to spend time with a wife who sacrificed much for him to pursue his career. Now he is turning the tables.I say, “Good for him.”

There is one pursuit which is not trivial. It is the one which really matters. It is the one with real eternal rewards. All the fame and fortune, accolades and possessions will amount to nothing. It all withers. We leave it all behind. We may be mourned, but eventually life moves on.

The only pursuit that matters is the pursuit of God. THAT one has eternal ramifications. Some may say, “I don’t believe that. I don’t believe in God or a hell.” That may be true, but do you really want to take that chance? You see, if you are right and I am wrong, I have lost nothing. BUT, if I am right and you are wrong, you have lost everything. Do you really want to take that chance? If Richard Dawkins was right and there is no God (as he proclaimed even on his death bed), he has lost nothing. HOWEVER, if I am right and there is, he has lost everything.

I don’t believe I’m wrong. Who or what will you pursue?

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June 6

Tuesday, June 6th, 2023

Do you remember a game called “Word Association?” Well…in case that was before your time…the game is played with someone saying a word and the other person(s) saying the first word that comes to mind. Charades is sort of this on steroids.

So…I’m going to give you a word and you write down in your mind or on paper the first word that comes to mind. Ready?

IDOL.

What word came to your mind? Statue? Religion? Carving? Ritual? Special place? Or maybe you thought of a specific one.

I’m guessing most of us would think statue or carving.  And we would think of some religion or tribe somewhere that would have a stone or wood statue. Or we may think of someone who has a place set up on a home.

But let me push you beyond that. The Bible explicitly states, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Ex.20:3) It continues by saying, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” and “You shall not bow down to worship them.” (Ex.20:4-5). Can’t get much plainer than that.

We wipe our hand across our forehead and say, “Whew! I dodged that bullet!”

NOT SO FAST.

An idol does not have to be a physical statue that we give homage to. An idol can be anything-ANYTHING-that garners our attention and affection. I have a 2-wheeled beast (a bicycle not the motorized kind) that has garnered a lot of miles and a lot of my attention over the years. Too much sometimes.  No, I didn’t bow down and kiss it. But I can guarantee I have put off some things and allowed it to have way too much of my thoughts and way TOO much importance in my heart at times. You might be thinking, “Well, Bill, how could you direct so much of your attention to an inanimate object?” I rest my case on what an idol is.

You see…God will not stand for 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or…) place in my life. Or yours. He wants to be #1. He wants to be the boss. He wants to be the object of our adoration and worship. An idol is anything that seeks to usurp God’s rightful place of importance in my life…and yours.

What about you? What or WHO is #1?

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May 25

Thursday, May 25th, 2023

Have you ever heard of compartmentalization? I think many people, especially Christ-followers, are experts at it.

So, what is it? Compartmentalization is the art of “sectioning off” our lives. This goes here. That goes there. It is good if you are purging your house or office, but I see it way too often in church people. Sunday is…well…Sunday.  That’s the day you go to church and do “church things.” I can remember once asking my grandfather to play cards when I was visiting with he and my grandmother one Sunday. His response was like this: “Bill, my dad and mom were not very religious in any way, shape, or form, but I asked him one Sunday to play cards with me and I was told Sunday was not the day to play cards or any game.” He went on to say, “We never did play cards on Sunday. Every other day, but not Sunday.” Sunday, even to a non-believer, was a sacred day.

It’s easy to get trapped into a religious vs. non-religious mindset. It is easy to say, “I listen only to Christian music or a Christian station. Never anything…wait for it…secular.”

Do you see what I just did? I compartmentalized religious music vs “secular” music. How easy it is to do that and to justify it.

But let’s look at it a different way. Years ago I memorized  a Bible verse and used it whenever I signed anything. It was Colossians 3:17;“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  That verse tells me that no matter what I am doing-singing praise, cleaning a toilet, cutting grass, reading my Bible, helping my neighbor, riding my bike or working out, WHATEVER-I am to do it FOR and IN THE NAME of Jesus. No religious vs secular. No matter what I do, it is to be done for Him and for His glory. A Christ-follower singing a rock song (within reason, of course) and doing it for His glory, is following the same path as a Christian singer singing, “To God be the Glory.”

Let’s see all we do as an opportunity to honor God.After all, what good is our faith if it does not affect every area of our lives? Let’s stop compartmentalizing.

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April 24

Monday, April 24th, 2023

The year was 1966. A strange Hindu mystic (yogi) by the name of Rao (not to be confused with the villain in Superman, although…) had gained a little prominence in his native land.  That happens when you claim to eat glass, bite a head off a viper, and swallow acid. He performed other feats of magic (tricks) and was soon invited to the U.S. by a promoter. After he realized he was in over his head, he went back to India. He soon began to say (brag/bluster take your pick) that he could walk on water.

For $100 a ticket he would prove it and a set date. On the day of his demonstration over 600 people-believers and curiosity-seekers- attended. The demonstration was held in a large garden with a deep pool. The white-bearded yogi appeared in flowing robes and stepped confidently to the edge of the pool. He prayed silently. He opened his eyes, looked heavenward, stepped over the edge, and sunk like a rock. After sputtering to the surface and struggling to get out of the pool, he pointed his finger and angrily said, “One of you is an unbeliever!”

We laugh. We roll our eyes at the asinine attempt to mimic Jesus. We also chuckle and shake our heads at the gullibility of people.

But the truth is that people have been trying to copy Jesus for years. They have been trying to do what Jesus did hundreds, maybe thousands of years.  No one can compare to Jesus.  He showed that in His life. He showed that in His death. He showed that in His resurrection. He ultimately will show it in His coming.  Men have tried to mimic His healing. They have claimed to be able to raise the dead (check out the story of Olive Heiligenthal). Jesus never staged anything. He never searched for someone to fake an injury in order for them to be “healed.” There is only one Jesus. There is only One miracle-worker.

Don’t waste your time or life following a man (or woman) who makes wild claims. A huckster. They are just cheap knock-offs of the real thing. Follow Jesus. He is the only Real Deal.

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March 22

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023

We often talk about being different. Diverse is the word that is used. And we are. God has made us different in personality, looks, reactions, intelligence, etc. But there are some ways we are all alike. One way in particular. Let me put it this way:

Taking things for granted is bad. Taking people for granted is worse.

That’s right. All of us are guilty of taking things and people for granted.

We walk out of the house in the morning and we expect our vehicle to start. When I hit the remote start for my truck, I don’t first stop and ask, “Well, will it or will it not start this morning?” No. Unless you have been having trouble with your truck/car starting, you just assume it will.

When I go to the office shortly, I’m not going to look at my X-chair and ponder the probability of it collapsing when I sit in it.

I just assume, I just take for grated my truck will start and my chair will hold me up.

Worse is taking people for granted:

  • Jo and I celebrate 50 years of marriage on June 16 (Lord willing). The way to destroy a marriage is to take each other for granted.  As the old song says, “I love her more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.”
  • A child/teen takes his/her parents for granted failing to appreciate their love or expressing love to them.
  • I take the folks in the church I pastor for granted if I fail to shepherd them and show them love.

Like many things, you don’t seem to appreciate people or what they do or how they added to your life until they are gone.

Taking things for granted is bad. Taking people for granted is worse. Taking God for granted is the “worsest.” (Sorry for the poor English).  🙂  In Revelation 2 the church at Ephesus is told “You have left your first love.” A lot can be said, a lot of questions can be asked about that and its meaning, but let’s just suffice it to say the church found someone or something else to draw their affection and attention. They found another “first place.”

That begs the question: have I left my first love? If so, what am I going to do about it?

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February 1

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

I read a short blurb recently about how some years ago, 300 whales were found marooned on a beach.  Scientists speculated that the whales had been chasing sardines and became trapped in shallow water when the tide went out. By chasing little sardines, these gigantic creature were ultimately lead to their doom.

The application to us is easy to make. How many people do you and I know who are now or will get “beached” due to chasing little things? What makes it even worse is that it happens before we realize it.

I’m reminded of several Scriptures-both from the mouth of Jesus.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Mt. 6:24)  {As an exercise, substitute another word for money-sports, fame, pleasure, people acceptance, etc and see how it fits}

The other is found in the same chapter of Matthew: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Verse 33)

I’m sure you can add more Scripture. Like the book of Ecclesiastes. Like Matthew 22:37-38.

I will grant you that it is a daily battle. I know it is for me. To stay focused on that which is important-on WHO is important-on WHAT is important-is a titanic struggle of great magnitude.

But it is one we must fight. To choose to chase sardines is a losing game. It only leads to “beached” lives. A dead end.

To choose to pursue God and His kingdom may not yield much fruit here on earth, but the reward is out of this world!

What will you choose to chase?

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January 10

Tuesday, January 10th, 2023

This past Sunday I started a preaching series on Revelation. Last night I was discussing with some men about Jesus’ coming and how we don’t know when it is going to happen (despite some so-called prophets saying they do). Then I said, “That’s why we have the JWs. One man got the idea and pronounced that Jesus was going to come on such-and-such a date. When that didn’t happen he recalculated and made another prediction of another date. As we know that didn’t happen. But he was not to be deterred. His answer for that failure was that Jesus did come but He’s just wandering around waiting to make Himself visible.”

Say what? People aren’t smart enough to see that is a bunch of crock? Evidently not. That cult started and exists even to this day (as we know).

There is one sure way to know whether we follow someone or not. I read of a man who wanted to start his own religion but soon found it didn’t go so well. He asked someone what he should do get coverts. The man told him, “I recommend that you get yourself crucified, die, and then rise again on the third day.”

Bingo! Jesus’ death and resurrection on the third day is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. No man-whether it is Charles Taze Russell (JW), Joseph Smith (LDS), Ellen G. White (SDA), Ron Hubbard (Scientology), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Scientist…which it is neither), Mohammed, Krishna, nor any other individual, can make the claim that Jesus can. No one else is worth following.

Only Jesus. And only Jesus went to a cross to die on our behalf, to satisfy the righteous demands of a holy God.  The cross made the difference. And only following the One who conquered death, hell, and the grave is worthy of our honor and worship. All else is a losing cause…no matter how sincere.

Whom will you choose to follow?

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December 20

Tuesday, December 20th, 2022

Last night the Owen County Chamber of Commerce hosted a movie night at our local theater, the historic Tivoli. You can read about its history here.

Tami, our daughter, has been a chamber captain for the past two years and her commitment is up. I have been asked to come back onto the board after a year off and I accepted. The movie was a thank you to the captains for their service to the Chamber.

The movie was one of my favorites, especially at Christmas time: The Santa Clause. It was part of my regular Thanksgiving Day staple to watch, along with It’s a Wonderful Life. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) puts on the Santa suit and thereby agrees to become Santa Claus. It’s a fun and funny romp, a light-hearted step back in time to the innocence of a childhood belief. Tim is in rare form (Can anyone say Home Improvement?).  I know what people say about Santa Claus. “You are teaching them a myth.” “You are teaching them mistrust.” “You are teaching them to believe a lie.”

Seriously? I was told all about SC, the Easter bunny (a bit harder to believe), the tooth fairy, etc and I turned out okay. (Although some do call that into question from time to time). 🙂

I’m not advocating the worship of SC.  But come on! Don’t you think we ought to let kids be kids? Let them learn from fantasies. Can anyone say Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars, or Back to the Future?

I have to admit I did a lousy job of perpetuating SC. I was a Scrooge. If I had to do it all over again, I would do some things differently. But I can’t, so there’s that.

But…I can help put (or keep) the wonder in Christmas for the little ones I meet.  Maybe even the big ones. I think we lose the wonder, the magic, the childhood “playfulness” of Christmas. No, I’m not saying adults should believe in SC. That would be ridiculous.

But how about reviving the spirit of Christmas in our hearts? Love. Joy. Peace. Wonder. Awe. Worship. Excitement. (and a whole lot of other words which fit). Can there truly be anything more amazing, more spectacular, more breath-taking, more captivating than God became flesh and lived among us?

You tell me.

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December 13

Tuesday, December 13th, 2022

There are all kinds of heartwarming stories told at Christmas. Just check out the Hallmark channel or the new Great American Family channel. Actually, take my word for it. 🙂

One of the best and greatest stories that I can find-other than the very first Christmas story about a baby in a manger-is the short story written by O’Henry called The Gift of the Magi. I’m guessing there is hardly a person on the planet who has not heard of or read the story.

It is the story of a young couple (Jim & Della)- in love and married- and wanting to celebrate that love at Christmas. But one obstacle stands in their way-they are poor. But that won’t stop them. (Spoiler alert: story revealed} Della has beautiful, long hair, her pride and joy; Jim has a family heirloom-a pocket watch. On Christmas morning they present their gifts to each other.  Jim bought Della combs for her hair; she bought him a chain for his watch. All well and good EXCEPT she cut her hair for the money to buy him the chain; he sold his watch to buy her the combs.

O’Henry finishes his story with these words:

“Let it be said that of all who give gifts, these two are the wisest. Of all who and receive gifts, such as they are the wisest. Everywhere they are the wisest. They are the magi.”

I was moved to wonder the first time I ever read that story and the irony of it. I still am. I want to be like Jim and Della. Keep nothing back. Hold nothing close. Except a profound love I receive from my Savior, my wife, my children, my grandson, and those I pastor.

May the gift of the magi be my story. May it be yours as well.

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