Make Spiritual Resolutions
The New Year will soon be upon us, and with it a list of “New Year’s resolutions.” For many of us that list will include items like “lose ten pounds” or “watch less TV”. Most New Year’s resolutions that I have made are items that should have and could have been addressed at an earlier time. I did not have to wait until the first of the year. But the New Year does speak of new beginnings, and serves as a convenient time for making some life changes. I have read where New Year’s Resolutions last for all of about three or four days in most cases. But if you can hold on to the resolution for six weeks – 40 days – most experts agree that you will have developed a habit.
I encourage you to make spiritual resolutions. Then give these resolutions six weeks of practice.
I think of Jonathan Edwards who wrote in his diary, “Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory and to my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now or never so many myriads of ages hence.”
Or Matthew Henry, who wrote, “I do in the beginning of this New Year solemnly make a fresh surrender of myself, my whole self, body, soul, and spirit, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, covenanting and promising, not in any strength of my own, for I am very weak, but in the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, that I will endeavor this year to stand complete in the Will of God.”
Are you puzzled about spiritual resolutions? Let me suggest a few.
• Resolve to read a Psalm or two daily (one if lengthy, two if short). This portion of the Bible will warm your spirit and bring you into God’s Presence. You will learn from the Psalms of God’s greatness and man’s frailty. You will learn to trust God in the disappointing experiences of life and praise Him for the pleasant experiences.
• Pray daily for someone else. Especially for someone you do not particularly like or with whom you had a dispute. Pray that God will bless and work in that person’s life.
• Purchase a good devotional Bible and read from it daily. Don’t know which one to buy or use? Try Seasons of Reflection, 365 daily readings from the Bible, published by International Bible Society (Colorado Springs, CO). If you already have a Bible reading plan, stick with it.
My prayer for you and everyone I know is that the coming year will be a year when you will draw close to the heart of God, experience God’s grace and peace in abundance, and mature in your spiritual life.
For that to happen,
Make spiritual resolutions.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Keep The Truth Central
I read in the newspaper a few days ago that “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” is to be shown on television. This is one of the many stories of Christmas, we think. This is one of the many stories of Christmas?
Fact is, there is nothing about the Grinch that has anything to do with Christmas - at least not the Christmas that I celebrate.
Please don’t get me wrong. I know that children enjoy the story. And I also know that the Grinch has a change of heart, going from a “bad one, Mr. Grinch” to a pretty decent resident of Whoville. I also realize that Christmas has taken on huge secular proportions. It is more a holiday for merchants than for Christians.
But we need to keep the truth central to the holiday. And the truth is: this is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, the God-sent Son. The coming of Christ is simply without a doubt, the most astounding event in history.
Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip, was an ordained minister. Many of his comic strips contain Biblical truth, though the casual reader may not know it. There is one production of Schulz’s that is remarkably clear and to the point, however. It is the program, A Charlie Brown Christmas, also seen on TV. In this particular program, Charlie Brown has failed in his attempts to find the true meaning of Christmas. Then Linus approaches and begins reciting a passage from the Bible:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Then Linus remarks, “That is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Linus is right. That is what Christmas is all about. There are not many stories of Christmas. There is one.
Keep the truth central.
I read in the newspaper a few days ago that “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” is to be shown on television. This is one of the many stories of Christmas, we think. This is one of the many stories of Christmas?
Fact is, there is nothing about the Grinch that has anything to do with Christmas - at least not the Christmas that I celebrate.
Please don’t get me wrong. I know that children enjoy the story. And I also know that the Grinch has a change of heart, going from a “bad one, Mr. Grinch” to a pretty decent resident of Whoville. I also realize that Christmas has taken on huge secular proportions. It is more a holiday for merchants than for Christians.
But we need to keep the truth central to the holiday. And the truth is: this is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, the God-sent Son. The coming of Christ is simply without a doubt, the most astounding event in history.
Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip, was an ordained minister. Many of his comic strips contain Biblical truth, though the casual reader may not know it. There is one production of Schulz’s that is remarkably clear and to the point, however. It is the program, A Charlie Brown Christmas, also seen on TV. In this particular program, Charlie Brown has failed in his attempts to find the true meaning of Christmas. Then Linus approaches and begins reciting a passage from the Bible:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Then Linus remarks, “That is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Linus is right. That is what Christmas is all about. There are not many stories of Christmas. There is one.
Keep the truth central.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus, You Soldiers of the Cross
I have sung a hymn from time to time that goes, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross.” I’ve wondered about the meaning of those lyrics occasionally. After all, they have seemed irrelevant for the most part to me and Americans of my generation. But not now.
The Manhattan Declaration was released on Friday, November 20, 2009. While many have not heard of this document, it was a strong statement by the Christian Church – Protestant, Orthodox and Roman Catholic. It is not unusual for Christians to come together on urgent matters, and this declaration addresses three critically significant issues. Christian leaders agree that the issues of the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage, and religious liberty are under attack as never before. These are moral issues of the most important type, and The Manhattan Declaration (www.manhattandeclaration.org) deserves a serious reading by all, whether Christian or not.
Thirty years ago warnings began that a “culture of death” was encroaching American society. Abortion as a convenient birth control method was then promoted. A fetus soon was referred to as “cell tissue” and compared by “feminists” to a cancerous tumor; euthanasia proponents seemed to be capturing headlines as they pushed for federal or state laws legalizing suicide. The putting to death of the elderly, against their will, was seen – and still is seen – as a way of relieving economic strain.
Sanctity of life means more than abortion and euthanasia today: it includes assisted suicide and the destruction of human embryos for medical experimentation. If this continues unabated, look for genocide and “ethnic cleansing” on the horizon. And do not think of “ethnic” as meaning racial (black or white) or national heritage (Irish or Russian). It will mean whatever group happens to be out of favor at the moment (Fox News commentators, Jews, Christians, bankers, illiterate or disabled persons, etc). And yes, the elderly are still vulnerable.
Marriage has been taking a beating in the courts recently. “What is marriage, anyway?” I was once asked. Before being able to reply, I was informed, “It is just a piece of paper issued by a court.” Really? Or is the “piece of paper” (the certificate) documentation of the commitment by a couple to one another? The redefining of marriage that is current is another blow against the long held understanding – and Biblical teaching – that marriage is between a man and a woman. If something is not done soon – now – to put the brakes on this runaway train the word “marriage” could soon mean a man and his dog or a woman and her cat. Think this is silly? Well, think again. There are already some persons who consider bestiality (human sex with animals) “OK” and are calling that society recognize its legitimacy. We need to understand that marriage is not just about romance, although it includes that dimension. Marriage is also about the generation, promotion and protection of life in what is known as “family.” Marriage is about romance, commitment, affirmation, nurture, procreation, values and emotional stability. And because marriage is precisely about those things, it is the union of a man and a woman.
The Manhattan Declaration says it better than me in stating, “…the use of anti-discrimination statutes … force religious institutions, businesses, and service providers of various sorts to comply with activities they judge to be deeply immoral or go out of business.” Incidents are then cited showing the erosion of religious liberty.
You may want to read The Manhattan Declaration and you may then want to sign it. I urge you to read it. Then pray and use your conscience about signing it. The time to be silent is over. For the sake of us and our children and grandchildren, it is time for Christians everywhere in America to take a stand.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross.
I have sung a hymn from time to time that goes, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross.” I’ve wondered about the meaning of those lyrics occasionally. After all, they have seemed irrelevant for the most part to me and Americans of my generation. But not now.
The Manhattan Declaration was released on Friday, November 20, 2009. While many have not heard of this document, it was a strong statement by the Christian Church – Protestant, Orthodox and Roman Catholic. It is not unusual for Christians to come together on urgent matters, and this declaration addresses three critically significant issues. Christian leaders agree that the issues of the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage, and religious liberty are under attack as never before. These are moral issues of the most important type, and The Manhattan Declaration (www.manhattandeclaration.org) deserves a serious reading by all, whether Christian or not.
Thirty years ago warnings began that a “culture of death” was encroaching American society. Abortion as a convenient birth control method was then promoted. A fetus soon was referred to as “cell tissue” and compared by “feminists” to a cancerous tumor; euthanasia proponents seemed to be capturing headlines as they pushed for federal or state laws legalizing suicide. The putting to death of the elderly, against their will, was seen – and still is seen – as a way of relieving economic strain.
Sanctity of life means more than abortion and euthanasia today: it includes assisted suicide and the destruction of human embryos for medical experimentation. If this continues unabated, look for genocide and “ethnic cleansing” on the horizon. And do not think of “ethnic” as meaning racial (black or white) or national heritage (Irish or Russian). It will mean whatever group happens to be out of favor at the moment (Fox News commentators, Jews, Christians, bankers, illiterate or disabled persons, etc). And yes, the elderly are still vulnerable.
Marriage has been taking a beating in the courts recently. “What is marriage, anyway?” I was once asked. Before being able to reply, I was informed, “It is just a piece of paper issued by a court.” Really? Or is the “piece of paper” (the certificate) documentation of the commitment by a couple to one another? The redefining of marriage that is current is another blow against the long held understanding – and Biblical teaching – that marriage is between a man and a woman. If something is not done soon – now – to put the brakes on this runaway train the word “marriage” could soon mean a man and his dog or a woman and her cat. Think this is silly? Well, think again. There are already some persons who consider bestiality (human sex with animals) “OK” and are calling that society recognize its legitimacy. We need to understand that marriage is not just about romance, although it includes that dimension. Marriage is also about the generation, promotion and protection of life in what is known as “family.” Marriage is about romance, commitment, affirmation, nurture, procreation, values and emotional stability. And because marriage is precisely about those things, it is the union of a man and a woman.
The Manhattan Declaration says it better than me in stating, “…the use of anti-discrimination statutes … force religious institutions, businesses, and service providers of various sorts to comply with activities they judge to be deeply immoral or go out of business.” Incidents are then cited showing the erosion of religious liberty.
You may want to read The Manhattan Declaration and you may then want to sign it. I urge you to read it. Then pray and use your conscience about signing it. The time to be silent is over. For the sake of us and our children and grandchildren, it is time for Christians everywhere in America to take a stand.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross.
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