Herding cats...

Ephesians 4:3  "...being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

I love to watch our kindergarten students walk from one place to another.  Their teacher has trained them to walk quietly in a line with their hands clasped behind them.  She wisely appoints a responsible student to be the "line leader" while she walks at the back to maintain order.  Keeping 5-year-olds in order is hard work.  It's akin to herding cats.

I think I'm like those little children.  Left to my own, I tend to wander, distracted by whatever might catch my attention.  It's easy to get off track, to lose focus, to get out of line.

Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23 that each of us has an innate tendency to "go astray".  We are naturally self-centered, self-absorbed which, in a group setting, produces confusion and disarray.   On the other hand, our new nature, directed by the Holy Spirit, is "others-oriented" and produces unity within a fellowship of Believers.

There exists in every Christian a perpetual state of tension between the old and new nature, a constant struggle for control.  Thus Paul's admonition to "be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit".  Yielding to the Holy Spirit, subduing the natural  inclination to insist on my "rights", is tough.  Preserving unity sometimes feels like a daunting task.

I see the Holy Spirit as the kindergarten teacher, constantly vigilant and ever making individual course corrections.  He is determined to keep the line orderly and functional as we make our way toward the Destination.

Lord, thank You that You haven't left us to fend for ourselves on this journey to Heaven.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit, Who is so adept at "herding cats"!  Please help me to listen and respond to Him as He guides me today.  Amen.

A work in progress...

Ephesians 4:1-2  "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with long-suffering, showing tolerance for one another in love..."

"It's not about you."  That phrase, made popular as the first sentence in Pastor Rick Warren's best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life", is at the heart of what Paul calls my "worthy walk".  Rather than self-centered,  I ought to be focusing outward, concerned more about the needs of others than my own.  My interaction with others should resemble that of Jesus.

Paul's words in Philippians echo in my mind... "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, not counting equality with God something to be clung to, emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant..."   Jesus, King of the Universe, breathed life into the words, "humility, gentleness, long-suffering, tolerance".  He is my example, the pattern after which the Holy Spirit is conforming my life. God intends for me to look like Him, both inside and out.  That's not easy.

Too often I am more self-centered than others-oriented.  I think of my needs more than theirs.  As a result, my attitudes, words, and actions are less than humble, gentle, long-suffering, and tolerant.  It bothers me and I'm sure it must embarrass my Savior.

Lord, thank You for being so patient with me.  I am a work in progress, but sometimes I just get stuck. Please help me to be more like You than me today, to see others through Your eyes and love them with Your heart..  Amen

Are you a little off balance?

Ephesians 4:1  "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called..."

The other day I was watching an episode of the old TV show, "Adam 12".  Malloy and Reed had pulled over a suspected drunk driver and were administering the field sobriety test.  The driver was ordered to walk on a line, heel-to-toe, but he was unable to do so.  Because he was under the influence of the alcohol in his system, he kept losing his balance.

The word, "worthy" has its roots in the concept of balance.  It describes someone using a set of scales.  A thing was deemed worthy if it weighed the same as the standard with which it was compared.

Paul says that my conduct ought to balance with my calling.  As a child of my Heavenly Father, there should be a family resemblance.  Put as a question, "Does my walk match  my talk?"

My ability to "maintain balance" is tied directly to what I allow to influence me. That to which I give my attention will fill my mind and determine my behavior. The more consistently I spend time reading and contemplating God's Truth, the better I am able to maintain balance in my daily walk (Joshua 1:8; Romans 12:1-2).

Dear Lord, I don't want to fail your "field sobriety test".  Today, please help me to be under Your influence rather than the influence of this world.  I want people to see a Family resemblance in me.  Amen.

Why do you serve Jesus?

Ephesians 4:1  "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called..."

At the beginning of each year, I look back over the calendar and evaluate how I invested my time during the past 12 months.  Did I make progress on the goals I had set?  Did I consistently keep my priorities in order?  How did I do as a husband and father?  Was I faithful in the ministry to which God called me?

In that process, a question worked its way to the surface: Why do I do what I do?  More specifically: Why do I serve Jesus?  As I pondered, it occurred to me that one of the great contrasts separating Christianity from all other religions is "get to" versus "have to".  In Christianity, ministry is a privilege.  In other religions, it is an obligation.

Paul begins this chapter with a simple, yet profound word, "Therefore".  It is a transitional word, pointing backwards and forwards.  It is the link between the first three chapters and the last three.  Chapters 1-3 describe our blessings, all of them undeserved.  He chose us, adopted us as sons, redeemed us, revealed His eternal plan through us, gave us an eternal hope, sealed us with His Spirit, designed a ministry for us, empowers us with His strength.  Chapters 4-6 set out the practical aspects of our Christian walk.

When I allow the enormity of His grace towards me to "sink in",  I am overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude that moves me to serve Him.  I want more than anything else to demonstrate my thanks in a life devoted to ministry. Serving Jesus is marked by delight rather than drudgery, motivated by love instead of fear, flowing from my heart - not legislated by rules of conduct.

Lord, I desire nothing more than to serve You.  As I walk through this day, please let my attitude, my speech, and my choices reflect a thankful heart.  I love You, Jesus!  Amen.

Gladly a prisoner...

Ephesians 4:1  "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called..."

I've never been in jail, but occasionally I have found myself imprisoned.  The first time was in 1980 when I encountered cancer  The day following surgery, my doctor walked out the door after announcing in a sterile tone that there was no effective follow-up treatment available and that I had a 25% chance of surviving the next  5 years.  Left alone, I felt the walls closing in, the oxygen being sucked from the room, my hopes of a future suffocating.

How could Paul have not felt similarly?  He had given himself completely to the Ministry; he had sacrificed everything - status, influence, friends, possessions - only to have some of his trusted protégés desert him.  He was falsely accused, nearly beaten to death, dogged by his enemies in town after town,  maligned in the churches, and jailed more than a few times.

Yes, Paul often found himself in desperate situations that threatened to suffocate his faith.  But he refused to give up hope.  He was able to see beyond the immediate circumstance and recognize God's hand in it.  But how did he do it?  First, his relationship with Jesus was vibrant, dynamic, deeply personal.  Second, he had a few true Christian brothers who stood by him, suffered with him, and they encouraged each other.  Ecclesiastes says that "a cord of three strands is not easily broken."  Paul's faith, God's presence, and his friends' encouragement kept his perspective balanced and helped him to see Jesus' hand in every circumstance.

I am still learning to see beyond the confines of the obvious.  I still get trapped occasionally.  Thankfully, God has surrounded me with encouragers... my wife, who knows me better than anyone and loves me in spite of it... my friends, whom He uses to keep my outlook aligned with the reality of the Word... the Holy Spirit in me, Who directs my steps each day.

Lord, I am so grateful that You are in every situation.   You will never abandon me.  Please help me to trust You more.  Keep my spiritual eyesight clear.  Let me see beyond the obvious and the "logical".  When things become difficult and I begin to feel imprisoned, let me rejoice in the knowledge that, like Paul, I am a prisoner of Christ.   Amen.

A heritage of faith...

Ephesians 3:21  ..."to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

I've been thinking a lot about "generations" lately.  Yesterday I drove my mom and my aunt to their sister, Mary's, house.  Mary had moved, changed residences, early that morning.  She had been sleeping in her bed in Long Beach and woke up in the arms of Jesus, in her fully-furnished home in Heaven.

The last couple of years have been a period of "address changes" in our family.  Not only have most of my mom's siblings moved to Heaven (only 2 of 7 left), some of my cousins have also made that transition.  It is in that context that Paul's words impact my heart.

In his doxology, Paul ascribes glory to God in the church, in Christ, unto "all generations".  While that phrase refers to the entire family of man, it also speaks to my family.  As my earthly family ages and relocates to Glory, I feel a growing sense of urgency to be sure my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are walking the same path of faith.

It is so easy for me to be caught up in the day-to-day routine of life.  My focus narrows and my field of vision becomes limited to my calendar and task list.  More and more I  feel God's hand under my chin, gently but purposefully, lifting my face and broadening my scope so I can see from His perspective.  I sense the Holy Spirit urging me to realign my attention, to be more involved in my "next generation".  He wants me to be sure His "family name" is passed down to my children, their children, and so on.

Lord, thank You for the heritage of faith You with which You have graced me.  I feel Your love for my family and I ask You to keep their spiritual well-being at the center of my field of vision.  I want to leave a heritage of faith.  Amen.

He is able...

Ephesians 3:16   "...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man..."

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,"

Occasionally I wake up at 3:00 a.m.  I haven't set the alarm.  I just wake up.  Then the battle begins.  As the Enemy reminds me of my growing "to do" list,  he resurrects feelings of inadequacy and failure.  To top it off, he throws in my fears of the future, my worries about "what next".  Often I will bolt upright, anxious for action, only to realize that there's nothing I can do at that ungodly hour.

How do I fight back?  One thing I've learned to do is to keep a notepad and pen on the nightstand.  Listing the tasks that keep me awake seems to help.  More importantly, I turn to God's Word.  I don't have to open the Bible.  I've memorized verses like the ones above and I pray them back to my Father.

He reminds me that I'm not alone, that it's not all up to me.  He lives in me and He stands ready with resources beyond my comprehension.  I truly am inadequate, but God is able!  I will never in this life grasp the vastness of His ability to bless me.  It is "far more abundantly beyond what I can ask or think!"   As I lie in bed contemplating His promises, the battle wanes, and I fall back asleep with praise and peace in my heart.

Thank You, Father, for Your promise of provision and for empowering me to trust and serve You.  Thank you for seeing beyond my inadequacies and for reminding me that in every circumstance, You are able!  Amen.

It takes a village...

Ephesians 3:18 -19   "that you...may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

In 1996 Hillary Clinton published a best-selling book, It Takes A Village.  Based on an old African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child", the book asserts society's role in a child's development.

While I don't necessarily endorse all of Clinton's views,  I think the concept is transferable when describing how Christians develop in their understanding of Christ's love.  Paraphrased, it would be, "It takes a church to comprehend the love of Christ."  Paul wrote, "that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints..."

I don't think Paul is demanding perfect attendance in the worship service.  Rather, I think he's describing a relational aspect to growing in our understanding of Christ's love.  It's practical, hands-on,  learning by doing. It is in our interaction with each other that we experience the qualities of Agape love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13.  That's where "the rubber meets the road", where theory becomes practical reality.

As the Holy Spirit moves me to demonstrate Christ's love to other Believers, I begin to comprehend that which "surpasses knowledge" and it begins to fill me up and control me.   As that occurs throughout the church, non-believers will take note and will be drawn to Jesus.

Dear Lord,  thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Thank You for helping me, through them, to better grasp what Your love looks like.  Please help me today to demonstrate it as I interact with those You bring across my path.  Amen.

Superhuman strength... Are you strong to the finish?

Ephesians 3:16-17  "...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love..."

As a little boy, one of my favorite cartoons was Popeye.  Each episode would find him in an apparently helpless situation as he tried to save his girlfriend, Olive Oyl, from the bully, Bluto.  Just when all seemed lost, he would open a can of spinach, devour its contents, and immediately find himself empowered with superhuman strength.  After saving Olive and disposing of his nemesis, he would burst into his victory song, "I'm Popeye the sailor man, I'm Popeye the sailor man!  I'm strong to the finish 'cause I eat my spinach.  I'm Popeye the sailor man!"

Although I learned to eat spinach, it never had the same affect on me.  I have, on the other hand, found the true source of supernatural power.  Paul prays for the Ephesian Christians (and for us!) to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit,  It goes far beyond bulging muscles.  It is strength deep within us and its power  is measured by the "riches of His glory"!  How much is that?!  Strength without limits!!

Why do we need such power?  So we can live each day walking in faith.  Paul calls it "Christ dwelling in our hearts".  It's the concept of moment by moment communication with Christ, having Him direct us step by step.  As this occurs, our "roots" sink deeper, our "foundation"  becomes more solid -- our relationship with Jesus grows more intimate, and we are able to trust Him even more.

Lord Jesus,  I know You live in me.  You took up residence in my heart when, as a child, I prayed to receive You.  I confess that too often I have confined you to the  "guest room" rather than giving You full access to my life.   I'm opening the door this morning and asking You to fill every "nook and cranny" of my heart.  Please give me the power to trust You with every aspect of this day.  Like Popeye, I want to be strong to the finish!  Amen

Excuse me....Are you busy?

Ephesians 3:12  "...in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him."

"Excuse me, Mr. Brown, are you busy?"  I hear that a lot.  I don't think it's a questioning of my work ethic. Translated, it is more like, "Do you have time for me?"  I usually leave my office door open.  I want to be accessible to staff and students.  It occasionally hinders my concentration, but it also demonstrates that my priority is people rather than paperwork.

It's that way with God.  The door to His throne room is always open to His children.  Unlike Queen Esther, who feared for her life when she entered uninvited into the king's presence, our Heavenly Father waits expectantly for us to drop by.

That the Almighty, the Creator, the King of the Universe would make Himself available to me is mind-boggling.  I can't comprehend it, yet I rejoice in that relationship.  It's not because I deserve it.  It's because one day His Son, Jesus,  personally introduced me to Him.  Through my Savior, I became part of the family!

The other day, when I stopped by to ask a favor, my Father greeted me with, "Hello, it's been awhile since you were here.. Where have you been?  I've missed you!"  How is it that I take this amazing privilege of fellowship with God for granted?

Lord, I come to You this morning grateful and ashamed.  Please forgive me for not spending more time with You.  It seems that the only time we talk is when I want or need something from You.  Thank You for Your patience and grace.  I'm not asking anything from You right now.  I just wanted to say hello and tell You that I love You.  Amen.

I know something you don't know...

Ephesians 3:10   "...so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places."

I used to hate it when, as a child, a friend would flaunt the  fact that he possessed some secret knowledge, something I desperately wanted to know.  I loved it when the shoe was on the other foot!  Holding a secret brings with it a sense of power, of privilege.  There's a rush of excitement when we finally "spill the beans."

Paul declares that we (the church) are in that position.  For ages the angels ("rulers and authorities in the heavenly places") longed to know God's plan for His people.  One translator says they were "standing on tiptoe trying to see".  When the time was right to reveal His secret, God chose us to make it known.

I find it humbling, yet empowering, to realize that angelic beings are watching us as we demonstrate God's plan to bring all people together (Jews and Gentiles) through His Son.  In us they are seeing His blueprint unfold.  I don't want to mess that up!  This knowledge drives me back to His Word to make sure I get the message right, and it brings me to my knees in prayer as I seek God's direction, wisdom, discernment and power.  As always, with privilege comes responsibility.

Lord, I am amazed that You would use me to reveal Your secrets to angels!  I feel privileged, yet inadequate, for the job.  Please help me to "get it right" today.  Let my choices, my words and attitudes reflect Your grace and mercy and love today.  Amen.

Seeing through other eyes...

Ephesians 3:8  "To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ..."

Romans 11:33  "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!"

I am intrigued by some of the crime shows on TV.  It always amazes me how detectives and forensic scientists are able, with the tiniest of clues, to reconstruct a murder and apprehend the  perpetrator.  It seems that no matter how careful the criminal, he inevitably leaves something that will trace the deed back to him.

The gist of the Paul's words in these two verses is that no matter how hard we try, we cannot search out, fully understand the blessings we have in Christ.  The English word "unfathomable" refers to the concept of being unable to measure the depth, to get to the bottom.  The Greek word  has the idea of not being able to track, to find the footprints.

My ability to comprehend the resources available to me in Christ is woefully inadequate.  I feel like Gehazi, Elisha's servant, when he was despairing their apparent fate at the hands of the Syrians (2 Kings 6:16-17).   All he could see was the vast army arrayed against them.  Then, after Elisha's prayer, his eyes were opened to the reality of God's fierce host of Heavenly soldiers in chariots of fire poised to attack their human enemy.

I need to take my eyes off of what is seemingly obvious and shift my focus to what is real.  I long to see more clearly through eyes of faith, to realize more fully the incomparable resources God has at my disposal.  I want to see angels rather than armies!

Lord, I confess that I don't trust You enough.  My vision is so short-sided.  I continue to perceive the obvious as being reality when, in truth, You have such a bigger plan behind the curtain, ready to be revealed.  Please give me eyes of faith today, give me a glimpse of what You have in mind for me.  Thank You!  Amen.

Fitting in...

Ephesians 2:21-22   "...in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."

Ephesians 4:16   "...from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."

Like many couples, my wife and I are opposites.  She is, by nature, neat and tidy, highly organized, structured, and usually sees things "black and white".  I, on the other hand, tend to be a slob,  loosely organized, spontaneous, and I perceive things more flexibly. Needless to say, in our 46+ years of marriage, there have been occasions when we frustrated each other.

God knows us both intimately -- He created us with these tendencies -- and He knew that we needed each other.  I can't imagine my life without her.  I would be a mess!  Over the years He has used our differences to temper one another and to "complete" us.  Together we are better; the sum is greater than the two parts. We've known each other since we were 15 and we are still in the process of becoming who God wants us to be, both as individuals and as a couple.  He is smoothing off the rough spots, is "fitting us together" and, as He does, our love for each other grows deeper and stronger.

God's Word describes the church in similar terms, both as a building and as a body.  In both pictures He is in the process of "fitting together" the individual pieces.  Paul, in describing the body of Christ (Romans 12,1 Corinthians 12), points out that each of us is uniquely designed and gifted by the Holy Spirit, and He has a specific function for each of us to perform.  Our differences,when controlled by Him, instead of tearing the body apart, make us stronger, more complete, able to function as He intends.

Just as I would be incomplete without my wife, so the church is lacking when members of the body merely "attend" or worse, withdraw and isolate themselves.  God designed us to be interdependent and, as Christians, we cannot fully become Who He intended us to be if we don't allow Him to "fit us in"  to the body.

Lord, I recognize that You did not design me to be alone.  Thank You for my lovely wife and for using her in your process of shaping me into Your image.  Thank you also for fitting us into Your body of believers and for using that relationship for Your glory.  Please help me today to show my gratitude so that others can see You in me.  Amen.

Are you a little "off"?...

Ephesians 2:20  "... Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone,  in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit."

I'm not a mason.  I usually work with wood instead of stone, but I have occasionally tried my hand at laying brick.  In one of our remodels, I had to raise the height of the chimney to correspond with the increased pitch of the roof.  I did a fair job, but a trained eye would immediately notice the difference between the old and new.  I learned the importance of carefully following the angles and position of the the bricks upon which I built.

Paul, in describing the foundation upon which the church (and our individual lives) is built, calls Jesus the cornerstone.  The term refers to the most important stone in the building.  The cornerstone is set at the top of the foundation, in a critical corner.  Its position and angles must be perfect because the rest of the building is keyed to it.  If the cornerstone is imperfect, if its angles are not square, the walls will be "off".

So it is with us, so it is with the church.  If we align ourselves with a cornerstone other than Jesus Christ, everything else will be skewed, misshapen.  I must be careful in what I believe, in the choices I make, in the paths I follow, to constantly be checking the Cornerstone.  I must align myself with Who He is, what He says, and what He does.  I want Jesus to determine the shape of my building.

Dear Lord, I am grateful that You are my Cornerstone.  Please keep me focused on You.  Holy Spirit, thank You for being my "building inspector".   Please warn me when I am not properly aligned.   I want to build according to Your code today.  I want to pass the final inspection when I stand before my Savior.  Amen.

Faulty foundations....

Ephesians 2:20    "...having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets..."

Looks can be deceiving.  The house we purchased in 1979  was a "fixer-upper", but after a couple of year's hard work, it looked quite presentable.  Little did we know that it was structurally unsound.  When it was constructed in 1965, the builders cut corners with the foundation and slab.  The dairy soil was not properly prepared and compacted, and the concrete was inferior and not poured to the correct thickness.  To top it off, many of the interior bearing walls had no foundation at all.

More than 100 homes in our tract were "rebuilt" in 1986.  The "shell" of each house was left intact, but the slabs were jack-hammered out, soil replaced and compacted, new slabs poured, and the interiors remodeled.   What a process!  We were in temporary housing for 11 months.

Many churches and many Christians are like my house.  They look good from the outside, but are really unstable, built on inferior foundations.  They attract crowds, do good works, claim to be God's house, but their foundations consist of false teaching, an amalgamation of God's Word and man's "wisdom".  Their words and teaching may sound familiar, but as you dig deeper a faulty foundation is revealed.

God is the architect and engineer of His church, and Paul reveals the plans.  He tells us that the foundation for God's house is His Truth  ("the apostles and prophets").  Anything more or less produces an unsound structure that will not survive the scrutiny of Christ's judgement.

Thank You, Lord, for revealing Your "building plans" so clearly.  Thank You for leading me to a church with a solid foundation.  Please help me to continue building my life on Your Word.  Anchor me securely to Your foundation.  Amen.

Tear down this wall!...

Ephesians 2:14  "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall..."

Somewhere in my desk drawer is a nickel-size piece of concrete.  It is irregularly shaped, having been been chipped off a large wall.  Not just any wall.  It is a souvenir a friend gave me from a trip to Germany in the early 1990's, a small remnant of the Berlin Wall.

For decades the Berlin Wall stood as a formidable barrier, a death-if-you-dare-cross-it divider between East and West Germany, between Communism and Democracy.  On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood before the Brandenburg Gate and issued the now-famous challenge to the leader of the Soviet Union, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall..."  Two years later, in November of 1989, the wall came down.

Jesus is the ultimate destroyer of dividing walls.  By means of His death, He fulfilled all the demands of the Law and made it possible for all people to find peace with God and with each other.  Paul refers to the barrier between Jew and Gentile, but the ramifications are much more extensive.  Jesus is our peace in every situation, in every relationship.

We inevitably find ourselves in occasional conflict with one another.  Satan, the wall-builder, uses misunderstandings and hurts, sin and suspicion, anger and frustration, to erect seemingly insurmountable barriers between us.  But Jesus is the "barrier-buster".  Because we are His children, His Spirit - the "Spirit of Peace" - lives in us and relentlessly urges us to dismantle the walls.  Forgiveness, given and received, is His wrecking ball.  If we allow His grace and mercy to live in us, no wall can stand forever.

Lord, please shine Your light of truth in every corner of my heart this morning.  Examine me thoroughly. Reveal any walls, any barriers that I have erected and help me to tear them down.  Remind me of unresolved conflicts and give me the courage to confront and resolve them.  I need Your Peace.  Amen.