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Pray for Wise Peacemakers

A Word for the wise
A Word for the wise

My heart is filled with grief at the picture of Muslims affiliated with IS lining up Christian Copts for martyrdom. My mind reels. In addition, religiously motivated shootings in Denmark and France are shocking as the specter of anti-Semitism appears. The potential in humans for barbarity is surfacing in several places.   On another front, I am saddened also at the losses and broken promises in the war in Ukraine. One country invading another to take over more territory – sounds like greed in action, lightly covered under the pretext of a rebel cause. There is so much fanaticism and aggression!

Is there a word of wisdom for our warring world today? This morning I was reading James 3:13-18 and was impressed by it.   It is a rebuke to the spirits both of fanatics who kill and to aggressors fulfilling their selfish ambitions.  A popular paraphrase brings it down to a more personal level and warns, “Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats” (James 3:16 The Message).

In New Testament times the fanatics were the Zealots.   The word translated envy in this passage is the word for zeal that they used. The Apostle James warns that in contrast to hearts filled with bitterness and selfish ambition and behavior marked by evil, “true wisdom is the wisdom of peace not of violence” (IVP Bible Background Commentary on the NT). A person who is truly wise shows gentleness and consideration for others. They are merciful, impartial, reliable and straightforward in their dealings. Those who sow bitterness and violence reap bitterness and violence.   But the harvest of peacemakers is joyful. I pray for wise peacemakers in our world.

 

 

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Journal Meditations

Observations on the 2011 NIV

NIV2011Now they’ve done it! They changed my favorite verse, my life verse.   “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Co. 9:8 1984 NIV) becomes “And God is able to bless you abundantly …. (2011 NIV).   At first I felt the gut reaction of reading a new translation. It is different. I resist change to that to which I have become accustomed and especially hold dear.   But then I thought about the new version. It’s so accessible to the uninitiated, so immediately plain; it requires no accompanying explanation of the varied meanings of the word grace in the NT in order to understand it.   I could not help but be impressed that for many readers, probably for most readers, the new version was more understandable, more in today’s language.   That is really the point of this new translation in a nutshell.   And I could not help but approve, in spite of myself.

I have been working on a comparison of the 1984 NIV with the 2011 NIV for some time. I have now been using the 2011 NIV for my sermon text at church for more than a year. I like it very much and find it to be in keeping with the reformation principle that the Bible needs to be in the language of the people.

10 Observations

  1. First of all, reading this translation is so easy! One morning, I easily read Galatians through in morning devotions.
  2. Second, I am much impressed with the gender sensitivity that has been used to respond to the fact that modern English usage of gender pronouns has changed. It has resulted in a translation that is gender friendly yet does not sacrifice the patriarchal nature of OT culture or impinge upon the ubiquitous divinely chosen metaphor of the Fatherhood of God.
  3. The 2011 version will be more easily understood by new Bible readers. I think the translators of this version have tried to keep them in mind as they worked.
  4. Perhaps more than any other version I have read, there is excellent feeling for the overall outline of passages rather than just verse by verse translation (Example 2 Cor. 9).
  5. Often the 2011 has moved a little more away from the tradition of translation into English and toward increased accuracy. A relatively trivial but noticeable example is the dropping of the traditional “O” in front of “LORD” in translating in the Psalms (Example Ps. 8:1).
  6. The exceptions to the move toward tight accuracy are when the 2011 includes more explanatory phrases to help newer readers (Example Rom. 15:4).
  7. The new version tries to translate more for the immediate context with less intent of creating general quotable wise sayings as previous versions have done (unfortunate example Ps. 19:14).
  8. Subtitles make it much easier to skim for pericopes and follow the thought outline of the passage. John 17 is a good example.
  9. Female leaders in the NT church get better treatment in the 2011 version.   In Rom. 16:1, Pheobe is called a deacon – using the usual translation of the Greek word.   In Rom. 16:7, Andronicus’ companion is called Junia, rather than Junias (The Greek form can be either m. or f.).   1 Tim 3:11 refers in the 2011 version to the “women” rather than the “wives” (1984) leaving open the possibility in English that is open in the Greek that the reference may be to women leaders—to deaconesses as well as other leading women.
  10. The treatment of Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53-8:11 seems problematic for contemporary translations.   In the 2011 NIV, the language of the notes setting apart Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53-8:11 has been softened and in the case of John 8:1-11 also balanced. This is an improvement over the 1984 version, but I would have liked to have seen the notes moved to the footnotes. In my red letter version, the publisher made things worse by not putting the words of Jesus in red in these passages. They should be!
Continue reading “Observations on the 2011 NIV”
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Journal Meditations Wisdom

A 10 point strategy for dealing with the many charitable requests we receive?

Question:   One of my parishioners recently wrote me about a dilemma that is certainly common to all of us today.

“I received email from 6 organizations wanting donations from me today. This is pretty much a daily happening and it’s causing me mixed feeling. The question is how do I handle this situation? I have my pet charities; but I don’t feel I should support them all.   Some of them do grab at my heart when it comes to children and animals, and even disabled or blind vets.  The list is getting longer and I feel guilty when I discard them. This is not counting the many calls I get via phone – please give me some advice.”

Answer  from the Pastor’s Desk:

It is unfortunately part of the modern world that we are able to receive so many calls for donations. As you mentioned, some come by phone and some by email, not to mention TV.   Many come from automated mailing systems.   I’m sure before long they will figure out how to send them in other ways as well.   Even at church we have plenty of fund appeals. There are twin spiritual and emotional dangers. On the one hand, we can become overwhelmed by them and laden with guilt so that we hardly know what to do.   On the other hand, and this may be even worse, we can become immunized by the barrage of them to the point that our compassion atrophies and we can no longer respond when we should.

Here is a strategy that I recommend that I believe will allow us to respond in compassion appropriately while protecting ourselves from overload.

1. Pray about where God is calling you to help.

2. Then choose a few charities that are very reputable and that deal with issues that are dear to your heart.   Use your passion for issues and world needs as a guide.  For example, if you feel strongly that you would like to eradicate cancer, then you might choose the American Cancer Society as one of your charities.

3. The number of charities you choose may depend on your means but for most people, I think it will probably be from 3-6. Keep the list small enough so that you can respond occasionally to all of them every year.   Don’t worry if you don’t respond to every call. I don’t think anyone does that. Most of us can’t.  Married couples may decide to each add some favorite ones to a joint list or they may each have their own.

4. Your local church will likely be your number one charity.

5.  I recommend that all Christians in developed countries like ours include at least one charity that ministers to needs in the third world in their list.   It might be UMCOR or World Hope (the one JoAnne and I have chosen), or Samaritan’s Purse or World Vision, for examples (Gal. 2:10).

6.  Consign all other email solicitations ruthlessly to the junk email box. For most of the repeated ones, you can get your browser to do this for you before you even see them. Trash both email and snail mail from other charities without even opening it.

7. For phone calls, tell the person up front if their charity is not on your list and if they won’t take “no” for an answer, they deserve a hang-up.

8. The fact that you are obeying God in generosity to the charities you have chosen helps you to not feel guilty in disregarding the others.  Seek to be at peace with your level of giving.   God does not want you to feel burdened with guilt about it but to be a joyful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).

9  Follow faithfully the charities that you have chosen, allowing God to use you to help them.  Read their materials and become knowledgeable about them.

10. Annually evaluate your overall participation in your chosen charities.   If you do taxes, that is a natural time to evaluate.  Your ultimate goal as a Christian steward is God’s well-done for your handling of the wealth he has entrusted to you.   A term that I have found helpful in measuring my response is to ask whether or not I have been generous.   God loves generosity and his economy rewards it.   As the Proverb says, “The generous will themselves be blessed” (Pr 22:9 NIV 2011).

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Journal Meditations

Meditation on Prayers for Healing

 A thoughtful discussionprayerfor healing1

I have a good friend, Eva Boswell, with whom I have a running theological discussion about God’s will concerning healing. It is a good-natured discussion between friends and I think we both learn from each other’s perspectives. Both of us believe strongly that God does miraculously heal in answer to prayer and we both pray for ourselves, our families and others that God might bring physical healing as well as spiritual healing to them as needed and we both have received answers to such prayers.   I have learned to have a great deal more faith through Eva’s example and positive expectation. 

Eva’s perspective

Eva takes a very positive position regarding God’s will for healing.  In a recent Facebook post she begins with the following quote from Gloria Copeland, follows it with an example that she has discussed with me before and concludes with verses from my favorite Psalm.  I include her post in its entirety and then my own perspective. 

God is not schizophrenic. But the way some people talk about Him makes it sound like He is–especially when it comes to the area of divine healing.” Some people say things like, “God puts sickness on us to teach us something, a lesson. Then sometimes He heals us, if it’s His will. You just never know what He’s going to do.” Such statements, as well-intended as they might be, are wrong. God does not have a split personality or a divided will. He is not the source of disease AND its cure! He doesn’t will to make people sick one day….and then will to heal them the next. — Gloria Copeland

 

 If you, as a parent were to “give your child a sickness” just to teach them a lesson, or if you were to place their hand on the hot stove and burn them to teach them not to touch the stove, or if you were to break their leg to teach them how dangerous a situation could be, you would be called a child abuser and your child would be taken from you. God is not a child abuser. — Eva Boswell

 Psalm 103:1-2 Bless the LORD oh my soul and forget not all His benefits. He forgives ALL my sins and He heals ALL my diseases. AMEN

My meditations on God’s desire for our wholeness

I suggest that the healing theology of Mrs. Copeland and Mrs. Boswell needs a tweak to account for some of the data of Scripture and experience.  Here is the kind of summary I would make.

God wills our wholeness always.   However, God’s definition of wholeness is usually bigger than ours; it includes spiritual wholeness, emotional wholeness, mental wholeness, moral wholeness and physical wholeness.   Not only does it include these different facets, but it includes appropriate maturity levels as well.    His idea of wholeness also has eternity in view and because of that, He prioritizes spiritual wholeness which prepares us most for eternity.   On the other hand, our idea of wholeness is centered mostly on our physical bodies now. This is partly because our physical bodies affect so much about our mental, emotional and spiritual lives, and partly because we just simply crave comfort.   Paul compared the relative value of the two spheres in his writing to Timothy.  “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Ti 4:8 NIV).

There are repeated examples in Scripture of times when God allowed, at least, physical illness/infirmity to persist as a means of testing or discipline, each time for a higher spiritual purpose.   One example is Job.   While God was not the immediate author of his suffering, it is clear in the theology of the book that God allowed the suffering to happen. But it is equally clear that a key result of that suffering was the purifying of Job’s attitude, from arrogant self-righteousness to humble dependence on God.  One of the key points of the book and the reason Job’s three comforters were rebuked is the idea that righteous people do suffer.    A second example is in 1 Corinthians 11:30–32.   The text clearly says that some in the church had become ill as a direct result and as a “judgment” from God because they had misused the Lord’s Table.   The purpose was that they would “not be condemned with the world.”     A third example is what Paul refers to as his “thorn in the flesh.”   Most commentators believe it was some physical affliction, though we do not know exactly what it was.  Paul believed it was allowed by God for the spiritual purpose of keeping him from becoming conceited because of the great revelations that had been given to him (v. 7).   In each of these three cases, God, in allowing physical illness/infirmity to persist, had in mind the purpose of greater wholeness.

All this does not mean that we should hold back from praying for release from physical illness.  We should pray as both Job and Paul did in the circumstances cited.  

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven (Jas 5:14-15 NIV). 

We should pray both that we might be healed and that we might be taught any lessons that God wishes us to learn as long as the physical infirmity persists.  It is instructive that the promise given us with this exhortation to pray has both a physical and a spiritual result.   God’s desire is that wholeness return quickly.  It is also important to understand that the great majority of physical illnesses and infirmities are not for the purpose of discipline, but rather simply results of the fall, of the groaning of creation as Paul teaches (Romans 8:19-24).  Thank God the creation is being liberated from this bondage to decay through Jesus Christ.  That glorious fact also encourages us to pray with faith for healing. 

But creation will not be completely liberated until Jesus makes all things new.    Only then will the curse of death cease.   Until then some disease/infirmities will happen as a part of aging and leading up to death. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Co 15:26 NIV).   It’s important to think also that God’s plan is that any illness of ours be temporary in some sense.  If it is not temporary from the perspective of this life, then He will heal it when we meet Jesus and so it will still be temporary.  Praise be to God for the great healing of the resurrection.  When we pray for healing of an illness, we are praying that God’s ultimate purpose for complete healing be made real—break into our lives— now as a present witness to the eternal purpose of God to renew his creation in wholeness.

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Journal Meditations

About Ash Wednesday

Some of you have been asking me for more info about Ash Wednesday.  As I was researching, I ran across this web articled by former pastor, Mark D. Roberts.  It is excellent  and worth passing on.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/ash-wednesday-practice-and-meaning/

I also found an excellent shorter article with more historical details by a Lutheran writer,  Richard P. Bucher

http://www.orlutheran.com/html/ash.html

I have also put this post on our church blog.

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Journal Joy Notes Meditations

A Plan for Quiet Times Alone with God in the New Year

 

A time to read the Bible and pray
A time to read the Bible and pray

“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” (Mt 6:6 NIV).

“The first thing the Lord teaches his disciples is that they must have a secret place for prayer; every one must have a solitary spot where he can be alone with his God.  Every teacher must have a schoolroom.”   [Andrew Murray, With Christ is the School of Prayer p. 23]

Make plans now to refresh your quiet time

One of the first planning tasks of the New Year for me is to plan what I will do during my devotional times each day.  I find that if one always does the same things, then quiet time gets boring and fails to inspire as it should.   If time alone with God is to be fresh and renewing, then I need to renew the plan that I use at least every year.   Most of us think about starting things in the New Year, and most devotional books begin in January, so January is usually a good time for starting a new devotional plan. 

Quiet time basics

There are several related basic considerations.  How much time am I able to spend?  What will my Bible reading plan be?  What enhancements will help me at this time?   If I am planning a more ambitious reading program like reading the Bible through in one year, I may chose a devotional guide such as Your Daily Walk from Walk Through the Bible Ministries.  It is designed to encourage and assist in just such a plan.   Or perhaps I want to coordinate my readings with a devotional book I am using.  One of the best of this type for a longer devotional time that I have used is A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants by Upper Room.   Another great plan that works for shorter time frames is to find a devotional book by a classic author that you enjoy.  I have greatly profited from more than one devotional by E. Stanley Jones (no relation), the most recent being 365 Days with E. Stanley Jones, Mary Ruth Howes, editor.  You can also use a short booklet such as “Daily Bread” or “The Upper Room.”   If I have a Bible reading plan that is not related to a devotional, I might not use a dated devotional book but instead read a chapter from an inspirational book, either classic or contemporary.   Three contemporary ones I highly recommend are Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson, Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala and Listening for God by Marilyn Hontz.  This coming year I will be continuing my repeated reading of the Psalms and then moving to the NT, followed by starting again in the OT.   For my extra reading I have chosen a book called Rooted in Faith, Meditations from the Reformers, Compiled and edited by Bernard Bangley.

Setting is important

Another important matter is the setting

Continue reading “A Plan for Quiet Times Alone with God in the New Year”

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Journal Joy Notes Meditations

A child’s Christmas wonder is catching

17 22It happened in the middle of the children’s program at church — the moment that crystalized the essence of the Christmas sermons I have been preparing.   Little Parker, who is barely tall enough to see over the edge of the altar table,  stopped in front of the table and peered into the middle of the white ceramic manger set.  There was wonder written all over his face in that instant.   I was blessed in that moment with an inspiring insight.  Even if I don’t get any more this season, this one will make this Christmas memorable.  It distilled what I have been trying to say in my sermon series too.   I, and probably many of my readers like me, need to recover that sense of wonder at what God has done at Christmas.   Just as Parker in a child’s way was filling with awe at the beauty of the manger scene the children had just put in place as a part of the children’s program; so I need to think about the Christmas story and reflect on the life of Jesus enough to be filled with wonder once again at who Jesus is, how he humbled himself to be born in Bethlehem, what a wonderful life he lived, and how he died and rose again for me.  I need a refill of awe and wonder.  Then there will not be a danger that I am just going through the motions of Christmas; I will be truly able to worship at the manger this year.

Thank you to Nancy Collins for capturing the moment with her camera too.

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Church Leadership Journal Meditations

Nursing home visitation will be rewarded as a ministry to the least of these

A friend, Phil, in Kirkville wrote me that he was joining a ministry of nursing home visitation.  I thought my comments to him, might be of encouragement to others too.  So here they are as a post.

May God bless you in your new ministry venture, Phil, and all like you who minister in nursing homes.  It is a ministry of love just to talk to isolated people there.   I served as a chaplain in one during my seminary days so I know from experience how lonely some people are and how difficult others are to communicate with.  The first job of the visitor is just to show love by being present and caring about the person genuinely.   Most people they see are there to do a job.  Then, after you have listened to them, by listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will find openings to talk about your own journey of faith and that will open doors to talk about their spiritual journey or spiritual emptiness too.  Offering to read Scripture or pray for them or for loved ones if they would like often provides openings too.

Nursing home visitation definitely fits in with the ministries Jesus was talking about in Mt 25:37-40 NIV.    It might not be mentioned but it has the same characteristics.    37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

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Forward Look Journal Meditations

Downsizing a library

 

Books to give away to mentees
Books to give away to mentees

 

At this time in my life, as I get ready to move, and try to sort through the accumulations of 22 years living in one house, I’m reminded of the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4-6 (NIV)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: …

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away…

This has been particularly obvious as the time has come for my wife and me to sort through our libraries.   While the parsonage that we are moving into may have more square footage than the current one, the amount of book space and office space may be less.  That is because my office will now be in the parsonage as opposed to having a separate office in the church.   In addition, there is the simple issue of weight. Movers charge by the weight of the shipment and books are heavy; so it is best to take only what you will need.  Furthermore, there is the whole issue of what is happening in our culture with regard to books; books you hold are slowly losing ground to electronic ones.   A few weeks ago we sorted out four or five boxes of used books from our home and took them to two used-book stores.  One bookstore owner sorted out a few and paid us about enough to buy one new paperback; the other did not want any.   So we donated the rest to the Salvation Army.   A great deal of this is due to the rise of electronic books.  As a result of these facts, my wife and I have set a goal to downsize our libraries by at least one third.    

How are we doing it?  Here are some guidelines we’ve used to achieve the goal.

  1. If I haven’t read it in all these years, is it going to make it to the top of my list anytime soon?  I’m giving away some brand new books because I felt the answer to that question was “no.”
  2. Is this a reference book that I do not need to use any more because I have access to the material in a program or on-line?   My Bible program has replaced several of my books, including at least one set.
  3. Will this book help one of those I have been mentoring more than it will help me?  If so, let it go. 
  4. Is this a book I do not need because by a combination of experience and material I have read, I have covered the material?  If so, I should let the book help someone else, even if it is one I have valued in the past. 
  5. Is this a book I have quoted often and will probably continue to cite?  If so I should keep it.
  6. Everyone has favorite authors.  I’m keeping almost all the books by my three or four favorite authors – John Maxwell, Jim Cymbala, E. Stanley Jones, Bruce Wilkinson.
  7. Is the book outdated?  Unless an older book is by a famous person, it will not be that useful to quote.   A few may be useful to read anyway.  They might be by someone else’s favorite author.
  8. Is the book a classic I wish to pass down in my family?    We don’t have many of these, but there are a few.

With these guidelines, I am getting it done, as the picture shows.  My mentees and church teachers will be able to choose from the sorted books before we figure out what to do with the rest.

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Church Leadership Journal Meditations

An interesting graphic about giving

The generous will themselves be blessed.  (Proverbs 22:9  NIV2011)

Are those who tithe better off financially?

How much people choose to give to charity is a very personal question.  Certainly no one should have to compare their giving to that of another.  And we also resist the idea that our giving could be guided by some universal standard.   But in biblical times there is little doubt that such a standard did exist.  It was the tithe, ten percent of the yield of field and flock (Lev. 27:30-32).  The concept shows up early in the Bible narrative when Abraham sets the example by giving a tithe of the plunder to the priest of Salem, Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20).   Later, it was standardized in the Levitical code.  Research says that few people today practice this Biblical idea.    Most probably feel that if they were to use such a rule in modern times it would impoverish them.  But according to the interesting study of tithers summarized in the graphic below, that is apparently not the case.  The chart is impressive.

Somehow, we should not be surprised

In the last book of the Old Testament God had promised, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”  (Mal 3:10 NIV2011).  It is the only area of life where God ever invites us to test him.  In the New Testament we find a parallel truth.  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”  (Lk 6:38  NIV2011).   So the principle of God’s economy is this.  God honors generosity.    And his standard for giving raises the bar for us as to what generosity might look like.

Is it an investment scheme?

We’ve all heard of crass preachers who misused this principle by promising earthly financial rewards, sometimes even with percentage gains attached, for gifts to their ministry.   What charlatanry that is!   While God has promised to bless those who are faithful to Him, God’s blessings are often of different character than money.  And even when God’s rewards are financial, they sometimes do not coincide in timing or mode with the financial sacrifice made by the offerer.     For example, there was a time in our ministry as pastor and wife when we felt led to make a significant gift (for us) to a special project of the church.  It was a sacrificial gift that did draw down our finances.  Now God didn’t refill our coffers per se, but it just so happened that we “co-incidentally” during that time frame received several unexpected non-monetary gifts of things we needed to help us along the way.   One such blessing was a huge scholarship that our daughter received to go to graduate school.    But giving, like deeds of service, is definitely a future investment.  The Bible does say, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:20-21 NIV84).

 

1-tithing