Pray In The Spirit

We're asking why Jesus teaches us to pray to the heavenly Father to "lead us not into temptation." As noted in my previous post, temptations to sin are inevitable, because we live in a world of sinful men that is under the control of the dark powers led by the devil, the god of this world. We pray that we will not have to deal with such battles, but if we do, Father, and if You believe it is best, then please equip us for such spiritual warfare.

from Jay's Roman History

In another blog three years ago I wrote in detail about putting on spiritual armor. Using the image of a Roman foot soldier, the Apostle Paul outlines the whole armor the Father provides and which we are to wear in such warfare. Please turn to that blog for further instructions about wearing this armor. It includes . . .

• Belt   - truth
• Breastplate  - righteousness
• Shoes   - gospel of peace
• Shield  - faith
• Helmet  - salvation
• Sword   - Word of God

Paul urges us to 

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Eph 6:11-12 ESV

Following up on that, the Apostle urges us to pray at all times in the Spirit, praying about everything in every way you know how! And keeping all this in mind, pray on behalf of God's people. Keep on praying feverishly, he urges, and be on the lookout in your prayers for those who are assigned to proclaim the gospel, pastors and teachers. 

Above all, don't be afraid. We're part of the winning army. We're the children of God. And even when you don't know how to pray or what to say, be at peace. The Holy Spirit who lives in your heart and who has given you faith to trust in Jesus will help you in your weakness. Often we don't know what to say or how to put our prayers into words. The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings and sighs that go beyond words. The Holy Spirit knows the will of our heavenly Father. And therefore the Spirit intercedes for our children, our parents, our friends and loved ones in ways we don't understand. 

So be at peace and let that peace fill your heart with joy in the LORD. Everything will turn out according to the will of the Father whom we humbly call Abba, Daddy, our Father who loves us and who sent our Brother Jesus to rescue and redeem us all. 

The Promised Helper, The Spirit of Truth

I was invited to proclaim God's Word to a small congregation in East Texas last Sunday, the Sunday after Jesus' ascension into heaven. Based upon the Gospel lesson, I focused on the anxiety so many of us feel in these unsettled times. Take a brief look at but a few of the events here in the U.S.:

• Boston marathon bombing
• Slaughter of kids in Newtown, Connecticut
• Abortionist doctor convicted of murder
• Jodi Arias found guilty of murder
• Devastating explosion in West, Texas

I've referred only to a few of the recent frightening events in the United States. Yesterday I touched on the extreme hatred and persecution of Christians around the world. Why? Why does all this continue? Where is the Lord God? Why does it seem like Satan and the vast powers of darkness, confusion and death are winning? When will it end? 

To help us in this struggle the Lord Jesus said something we all need to keep hearing: 

"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. - Jhn 15:26-27 ESV

The Helper, as the ESV translates it, is no one less than the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, called by Jesus the Spirit of Truth, sent by the Father to bear witness about Jesus. In the original language used by Jesus the Helper refers to one who stands at your side to guide, comfort, defend you from the demonically inspired thoughts of despair and doubt that plague so many of us. The KJV calls the Spirit the Comforter. Of this Spirit of God Jesus further taught, 

"he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." - Jhn 14:26 ESV

The Holy Spirit at work in God's Word lifts up for us these important truths: 

• We have no right to expect anything other than that God would reject us and this world we live in altogether. If you followed the Jodi Arias trial for the past four months to the point where she was declared guilty, you learned that the trial is divided into two parts: the guilt phase followed by the punishment phase. Fox news reported that she prefers the punishment to be death. Would that be your preference? In God's eyes there is no righteous person on earth (Ecclesiastes 7:20). All are guilty and deserving death. But the Spirit reveals that death does not mean one ceases to exist. Rather death means that you continue forever in lonely despair and darkness, finally given the arid hell you ask for by your disobedience (Luke 16:19-31). Speaking for that same LORD, the prophet Jeremiah puts it this way: 

". . . for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." - Jer. 2:13 ESV

• But the Spirit speaks again and again a vital second truth in God's Word. Jesus has already endured that hell for you on the cross. This is what was behind his loud, despairing cry at the ninth hour, 

"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Mark 15:34 - ESV. 

• And the Father accepted that lonely sacrifice by raising Jesus up on the third day. All this was foretold by the prophets like Isaiah who spoke about the Suffering Servant who 

"poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors." Why? The prophet continues, "he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors." - Isa 53:12 ESV

• Speaking to our hearts, the Spirit confirms in this way that we are God's children and that despite everything else our Father will not forsake us, but will also raise us up with Jesus on the great day when Christ returns in victory and glory. 

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. - 1 Cor 15:21-27 ESV 

Comforted and strengthened by our Helper and Comforter, we set out again each day to give witness to our faith and pray that our witness will be used to lead yet others to know and believe in their Savior.  

Are You Sick? Its Because You Don't Believe!

Today we pick up the question about whether all sickness comes from the devil and the conclusions drawn from that claim. Those who make this claim argue like this.

• If God is all-powerful and all-good, why is there suffering in the world?  Why especially do faithful Christian suffer? Their suffering demands an interpretation.
• Jesus is the Son of God who has revealed the will of His Father. He said, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." - John 5:30 ESV
• Jesus never made anyone sick. By His words and actions He revealed that the will of God is to heal ONLY! 
• If you believe your sickness is God teaching you, correcting you or testing you; then you must conclude that it is something good based upon James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
• But is sickness ever good? Is wife beating ever good? Is child abuse ever good? If you think these are all good things then you are clearly confused and vastly deceived. I do not know of anything good about sickness. Sickness and disease is a thief and a robber of your well-being, strength, your life and substance.
• So where does sickness come from? God clearly calls sickness satanic oppression. Consider passages like this: John the Baptist proclaimed, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. - Act 10:38 ESV
• In the revelations of God in the New Covenant given to the church we hear that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3:13 - KJV). 
• The curses of the Old Covenant included all forms of disease and sickness (Deut. 28:61). If Jesus Christ came to redeem you from sickness and disease then there is NO WAY that God is sending you sickness or disease to kill you. These things come from the devil. 
• Christians who have a zeal for God, but no knowledge of God's complete will as revealed in Christ, suffer and are sick because they do not renounce Satan in the all-powerful name of Christ.  
• Those who trust in Jesus and God's Word will follow the example of Jesus who freed a woman "whom Satan bound for eighteen years" (Luke 13:16).  When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. - Luk 13:12-13 ESV

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Conclusion: If you, as a believer in Jesus, follow this rationale and are still sick, then it must be that you do not fully trust Him. You have not taken Him at His Word and renounced the devil. You have permitted Satan to have power over you. Its your problem, not Jesus'. He wants to heal you, but you won't let Him! 

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In a January, 2011 post I examined Jesus' healing of that woman bound by Satan as recorded in Luke 13. I urged confession of sins and the promise of forgiveness for the sake of Jesus. This is the true freedom from satanic slavery. In Christ the devil can no longer accuse us of sin. We are free indeed. And this freedom leads to wholeness. Quite often the mental or bodily sickness or dis-ease disappears. Body, heart, mind and soul become one under the blessing and power of forgiveness and the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are at peace or shalom in Christ, as Paul writes in his beautiful letter to the Philippians, 

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Phl 4:4-7 NLT

 Yet there is so much more that needs to be said, for there are many among us, faithful believers in Jesus as Savior and Lord, who remain sick or disabled in mind, heart and/or body. Their struggle continues even as they believe in Jesus and God's forgiveness. I must speak to them lest they be overwhelmed by the terrifying burden suggested by those "you-don't-have-the-right-faith" teachers referred to above. More on that in my next post. 

Thank God For Good Government

A couple months ago I found myself in the emergency room of St. Lukes Hospital, Houston, hooked to a monitor, waiting for the results of some tests. I had experienced angina pains and the doctors were concerned that I had suffered a heart attack, that my heart had been damaged. For hours I waited with my wife and children in a small room, waiting to be admitted to the hospital's cardiac care unit. Finally, shortly after midnight, they wheeled me into an elavator and up to my room where I was hooked to blinking machines and monitored throughout the night. In the morning the doctors came by to announce that I had not had a heart attack and could go home.

I mention this personal incident as an analogy of secular government. We live in a rebellious, fallen world. Satan and his minions are behind this rebellion against the good and gracious rule of our Creator and rightful King. Consequently our bodies and all of creation suffer. As the apostle says, God subjected creation to futility in hope that it will finally be set free from its bondage and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:20-21).

I was born into that rebel world. Like all mankind, I suffer from the futility the apostle Paul speaks about. I was born into sin. My very nature is to sin. And so my body, together with the rest of creation, suffers. For nearly eighty years my sinful body has been growing old and dying. One day this body will indeed die, as have all men before me.

But even in this fallen world of men, our heavenly Father provides us with an emergency room otherwise known as governments. By means of these worldly or secular governments the Father continues to preserve life. In this way He demonstrates His continued love for His creation. This is why Jesus told us that Pilate, Caesar and all governments derive their authority from God. When they  do their proper work, good governments preserve order, punish evildoers, protect citizens and provide for their well being. In this world such governments operate by means of  law and that law is enforced by the fear of punishment and rewards for those who do good.

Jesus answered (Pilate), “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36 -ESV

The Jews had falsely delivered Jesus over to Pilate in a trumped up and illegal trial. Jesus said to Pilate that if he was indeed a king with a worldly kingdom there would have been a battle. Jesus' soldiers would have fought the Jews to protect their king and his right to rule. But he was not such a king, though king he was. Pilate, however, was a worldly ruler, with authority ultimately derived from above, from God (John 19:11). 

So Jesus teaches that good governments must be respected. Pilate at that moment represented such a government of good law and order. The Jewish Sanhedrin on the other hand was operating contrary to its own nation's laws. The members of that worldly government—for that is what it was—were driven by greed, a desire for personal power and wealth and hate. As such Jesus' servants would be within their rights to resist that government's decisions, even with force if necessary. 

It is not within the scope of this blog to spell out the details of what is and what is not good government. I must leave that task to those better equipped to study and write about natural law. Even as I write the citizens of my own nation are arguing back and forth about the election of a new president and other rulers. Voters will soon cast their votes to decide by this democratic process who these rulers will be. These rulers will pass laws and argue back and forth in the coming years about what is best for the citizens of this country.  These laws will be based upon the Law of God written into our hearts. And in this way our gracious Father will continue to provide a measure of  peace, unity and goodness within my country— but it will always be imperfect, because we live in a fallen and rebellious world, a world of men ever tempted to follow the ways of the prince of darkness and his kingdom. 

But the day approaches when our true King will return. And then all will be put right and true peace, harmony and goodness will reign forever. Meanwhile we Christians join with others in whatever ways we can to promote peace and care in love for our neighbors. And, going back to what I mentioned in an earlier blog, this is why the church I served joined Interfaith in The Woodlands, Texas, to assist in caring for the very human needs of our community. 

The Tragedy of Divorce

As we continue our discussion of the tragedy of divorce one of you writes, 

I have been in a marriage for 28 years and my husband verbally and emotionally abuses me daily. When other people are around his whole demeanor changes and he is attentive to me and speaks highly of me. When we are out of earshot of our friends the verbal abuse begins. He is always angry at me. I am 63 years old now and do not want to be alone, but find myself dreaming of starting a new life away from this mental abuse. What does the Lord teach about a woman divorcing her husband because he does not love her?

Pretense, anger, mockery, contempt, demands, neglect, shouting, physical and mental abuse—over and over and over again. How often have I seen these things, poured upon a marriage partner sometimes by a husband and, yes, sometimes by a wife. Where is love? What indeed does the Lord teach about divorce in such instances? Are these legitimate and proper reasons for divorce? Or, as we have so often heard, is fornication the only ground for divorce? Others have written that malicious desertion with no intent ever to return to the marriage is also a reason for divorce, because by that disertion the marriage has already been broken. In that connection they quote Paul (1 Corinthians 7:15): 

But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 

The critical word in the above quote from Paul is peace. What does the Apostle mean to tell us by reminding us that God has called us to peace? The word has its roots in the entire teaching of the Old Testament. Among God's Hebrew speaking people it is called shalom. In its verbal form shalom points to the act of finishing what you started, completing your transaction, paying your debts and making a permanent covenant.


Consider the way the people of Gibeon made peace (shalom) when Israel moved in to conquer the promised land. When the Gibeonites heard what had happened to Jericho and the little town of Ai, they were frightened out of their wits. So they tricked Joshua and the Israelites into thinking they were a group of travelers and "Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them" (Joshua 9:15). There would be no war or fighting among them. The Gibeonites became servants to the Israelites.


The whole idea of shalom means more than the absence of war, however. It refers to wholeness, harmony, unity, oneness, completeness. This is what God offered to His people after King David's reign. David had been a man of war. Under him Israel had become a mighty nation, but it did not have true shalom. That was to come from David's son, Solomon. His very name meant shalom. He would be a Prince of Peace. The Lord promises, "Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace (shalom) and quiet to Israel in his days" (1 Samuel 22:9).


Yet even Solomon could not bring permanent and lasting peace. At best it was rest from all of Israel's enemies. Lasting peace was yet to come in the greater son of David. Solomon was but a type, an example, pointing to what was yet to be. So the prophet Isaiah saw in a prophetic vision the coming of the true Prince of Peace:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

This is what the angel proclaimed to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born: 

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14). 

This is what Jesus brought to the earth through His life, death and resurrection. So the Apostle teaches,

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2:13-14).

Marriage is to be the earthly sign of that peace, that shalom. Later in his letter the Apostle writes that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, His body, and gave Himself for her. A man's wife is his body which he feeds, nourishes, protects and cares for. That is his bonded responsibility, his joyful obligation. She and he are one, bound together in this mysterious union that is renewed day by day. In this union we glimpse what is yet to come when Christ presents His bride, His body, the church to His Father on the last day (Ephesians 5:26-33).


It remains yet to answer my correspondent's question, "What does the Lord teach about a woman divorcing her husband because he does not love her?" It seems that your husband has broken the covenant between you. He has built a wall of hostility and hatred between you. You and he are no longer at peace, one in Christ and one with one another. It seems that you are not married and have not been so for quite some time.


Of course, I do not know your husband. I do not know his heart. Nor do I know you. This I do know. Marriage always involves both of you. Things have happened between the two of you. You both have brought your past with you into the marriage and continue to do it daily. For whatever reasons you no longer have a oneness between you. Only mutual sorrow and repentance, plus mutual forgiveness in Christ can truly break down the wall that now divides you. I urge you both to go to your pastor or to a Christian counselor. See if there is any chance, any possibility of shalom in your marriage.


Ultimately—and I speak with deep concern and humility—if your husband persists in building that wall between you, you may have to treat him as the one who has abandoned the marriage, deserted you. No one can stand in your way. God has called us to peace! 



  

Learning More About Reconciliation.

This will be a fairly short post, because—well—I'm tired after a nearly 12 hour day in conference here in St. Louis, MO. I'm here training with a couple organizations called Ambassadors of Reconciliation and Peacemaker ministries. Since I am on the clergy roster of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, I was asked to assist individuals, churches and clergy in the process of reconciliation one with another. Like Christians of all denominations, we too still struggle with the power of sin in our lives.

A word about peacemakers. This is a quote from a small brochure adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande.

"Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. Inspired by the gospel, they draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then breathe out his love, mercy, forgiveness and wisdom to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice and model repentance and reconciliation."

We are being reminded that we all need reconciliation since we all stand condemned before the Judge of all. As the Apostle said, no one is righteous, no not one (see Romans 3:11-18). That's why we should not be surprised when conflicts arise, even among us Christians. Here are some reasons:

•  We are misunderstood and we misunderstand one another. Our teacher told about an airplane pilot who got off the plane after it landed, only to find a blind man with his dog waiting to board. When he asked the blind man if his dog needed to be walked, the man said yes. So when the pilot started to walk the seeing-eye dog several of the would-be passengers ran for the exits. Misunderstanding. 
• We have different values, goals, interests, etc. 
• We're involved in conflict because of competition over limited resources. 
• And, of course, we're sinners, with sinful thoughts, attitudes and ideas. We covet, fight, quarrel, become envious, etc. 

So this week we're involved in gathering together some valuable tools to help us use God's Word and the power of Christ's reconciling to bring reconciliation and peace to people and churches. 

More on this as the week proceeds. 

 

The Whole Defensive Armor of God

Today I want to complete our brief study of Paul's comments about spiritual armor in Ephesians before moving into a discussion of the warrior's instrument of attack, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. 

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:11-17).

For long, hard work there's nothing like a good, sturdy pair of boots. I know from personal experience of hiking in the mountains that you can quickly develop some very painful blisters if your boots don't fit and protect you. It was the same for Roman foot soldiers. These men had to march long distances and then stand on their feet to fight. Without the proper boots they were vulnerable and even helpless.

So Paul emphasizes that the spiritual warrior must have a good standing, a good binding around his or her feet. This is nothing less than the Gospel of peace. This good news is ours because Jesus has gone before us and prepared for us a permanent and good standing before God by His sacrificial death upon the cross. We are at peace with our heavenly Father (John 14:27-33; Romans 15:13). Our accounts have been settled, our sins forgiven. The Father has declared us His children for the sake of Jesus. Therefore, no matter what the accuser may throw at us, no matter  how true it is, we can always return humbly to Jesus and be washed by His sacrificial blood. We have a sure place on which to stand.

Further, when the dark powers throw flaming darts, we may raise up the shield of faith as our protection. What are these “flaming darts of the evil one”? They are the schemes and stratagems of Satan. These “flaming arrows” come upon us in various forms. The attacks will always focus upon our weakness, that point where we are most vulnerable. This was particularly so for a Roman foot soldier in the field. What did he have to protect him? He certainly did not have a fortress in which to hide. All he had was the shield he carried with him into battle. So the Apostle speaks about the "shield of faith" that is able to extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one.

These flaming darts or arrows come in many forms. For some believers they come as the temptation to give in to sexual lust. For others it is greed or pride. Further, for over a hundred years a whole volley of arrows have been coming at Bible students to suggest that we can no longer trust or believe in the truth of the Biblical text. These arrows lift up human reason and exclude any notion that God had a chosen people or that He was involved in their history. Consequently there is no Word of God, no Word from God. He did not speak to His chosen people. He does not speak now from that history to us. He is silent and removed. He has not revealed Himself. We are alone in this mystery called human life. We face the vast darkness of death without hope or promise. I will discuss this issue in a later blog.

Paul's advice to all believers under attack is to take up the shield of faith. What is this faith? It is the belief that we are righteous in God's eyes for the sake of Christ. Such a belief is a gift from God worked by His Spirit in His Word. Study carefully what the Apostle says in his letter to the Romans (Romans 10:5-21). There he emphasizes that no one can climb the ladder to heaven to claim personal righteousness. Nor can anyone unlock the gates of hell to release those sent there by a just God. Only Christ can do that. And Christ has done that. In His rich and eternal mercy Christ has descended into hell to proclaim His victory over sin, death and satan. He has in turn ascended into heaven to plead for us before the judgment seat of the Father. He has accomplished for us sinners what we cannot do for ourselves. Thus we stand forgiven before the throne of God. This is God's Word to us. Such a faith comes from hearing in ones heart the Word of Christ.

So we stand firmly planted on the Gospel of peace. We lift up the shield of faith against the flaming arrows sent our way and we keep the helmet of salvation securely tied to our heads. With such armament we are well protected and may now move forward to the offense. That instrument of attack is the Word of God. I'll take that up the next time.

Learning the Language of Peace

"Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly" (Psalm 85:8). 

My wife claims that I speak 'dog' or at least I speak the language of our dog. I should. I've been walking up and down our neighborhood with him for the past six years. By this time I pretty well know his moods, his great interest in smells, his body language when he wants to chase the neighbor's cat and when he's plain tired of walking and ready to go home. 

Now if I could only learn to speak 'wife'. That's a far more difficult language, one that I've been working at learning for these many years. I know a few of the verbs and many of the nouns and certainly some of the adjectives, but I'll always have more to learn about this language. 

I note with great interest that the Sons of Korah are praying in the psalm that they might learn to hear the LORD God speak 'peace'. Peace is a fascinating language, one that I desire to know better.

To hear peace implies that I quiet my life. There are times when so much is going on, so many voices screaming for my attention, that I cannot hear Him speaking to me. All I hear is guilt, anxiety, fear, tension, pain, hunger and desire. Where is the voice of the LORD speaking peace? Listen.

• "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 43:10). 
• "But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him" (Habakkuk 2:20).
• "Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling" (Zechariah 2:13). 
• "Be silent before the LORD God! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests" (Zephaniah 1:7). 
• "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" (Romans 9:20).

What do all these exhortations mean other than to humble yourself before him. He is the Sculptor who has formed us from the dust of the earth. We are but clay in his hands. We too often ignore him. We are in grave danger of him speaking words of judgment. We are too ready to listen to all those other voices, even though he longs to speak peace to us.

What a beautiful language peace is. It tells of harmony and unity with our Creator. It speaks of oneness with His creation. It draws us to one another. It is not the language of this fallen world. That's why our LORD says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (John 14:27).

Peace is a gift, purchased for us by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Only he can give it to us, leave it with us. No where else can it be found. Yet when we receive it, our hearts are calmed and fear leaves, for peace with Him brings new life and hope.

Today, LORD, I will come away from the noise all around me. I will seize that quiet time and I will listen to you. Speak peace to my heart and help me to turn not again to the foolishness and emptiness that surrounds me. Speak peace and I shall be at peace.

How I Deal With Stress

A couple months ago I went to my ophthalmologist for my annual checkup. I've had dry eye syndrome and the possible beginning of cataracts. He checks to see if those conditions have changed and whether I have any signs of glaucoma. He also tests my eyes to see if I need a new prescription for my near sightedness. He said everything appeared to be good and that I'd need no new glasses this year.

As he was about to leave, I told him I was seeing jagged flashes of light along the edges of my vision, sometimes on the left and other times on the right. All of a sudden he became very concerned and began to question me at length. The next thing you know, he had me doing a number of other tests. I even had to submit blood and come back for another appointment. All this had me quite concerned and, as I usually do, I began to fuss and worry that I was about to lose my eyesight or something.

When I came back a week later he looked at my eyes with his instruments again, lights out, look up, right, down, look ahead into the light and all that. Then he turned on the room lights and said, "I find nothing unusual in your blood work, and for a man your age, your eyes seem healthy."

We talked some more in that fashion before he excused me. "Perhaps you need to calm down and rest when this condition occurs," he said. "Other than that, I have nothing to suggest."

Calm down? Me? I'm not under stress. Or am I? As the weeks went by it happened again and again. Each time it did I thought about his words. So I decided to take the good doctor at his word. I stop, sit in my easy chair, elevate my legs, close my eyes and focus upon nothing but being calm, letting my shoulders relax, breathing slowly—all the calming exercises I've ever learned. I also find it helpful to turn on quiet music, like Calm Radio, an Internet station featuring the peaceful, soft music of piano, wind and string instruments. I love it.

In those moments of quiet and peace I give myself back to my Creator from whom all good things come, quietly thanking and singing praises to Him.

And what do you know? The flashes gradually disappear. Perhaps the doctor is right. I'm putting myself under stress and pressure and the flashes are a result.

It's so easy in our pushing, running, go here, get this done life to become tensed and stressed. Stress is not all bad. It's a response built in my our Creator to help us deal with what we perceive as a threat. Whether physical or emotional, our nervous system responds to threats by releasing stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones get us ready for emergency action, ready to fight or flee, whatever seems appropriate. Our hearts pound faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and our senses sharpen. These changes increase our strength and speed our reaction time.

All that's good—except when it isn't. In my own case, I create these situations inwardly and the stress puts pressure on my eyes. The flashes seem to be the result, one of my signs of stress. When that happens, I'm learning to stop, slow down and get into my calming process. 

Words like these from Holy Scripture also help me.  

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound" (Psalm 92:1-3). 

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer. . . You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD , make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:1,7-8). 

Peace and Fingers

We worship in a liturgical church. Among many other things, that means that we take the time to touch, sometimes hug and greet one another. However, we don't do it in an off-handed or casual manner. Rather, there is a set time in our worship service when everyone present is invited to turn to his/her neighbor and speak the blessing of peace. And we take peace quite seriously, even if not all of us understand the implications of what we are saying.

Peace is a very interesting Bible word. The Apostle speaks his prayer for peace at the beginning of his first letter to the Corinthians as he writes, " Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." A word or two about peace in that context.

First, peace is so much more than the cessation of war. Many articles about warring nations begin with a comment about the search for peace. For instance, we often read, "The search for peace in the Middle East dates back to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948." The assumption is that peace can be found by stopping the fighting and building some type of economic ties between Israelies and Palestinians. Peace in the Bible means so very much more than that.

Of course it refers to the cessation of war between nations, but it also refers to concord and harmony between nations, communities and individuals. How vital, for instance, it is for us to be at peace in our marriages and how difficult it can be to bring about this type of reconciliation. I'm thinking this may be one of the reasons why the Holy Spirit ties grace with peace in the greeting.

Grace refers to the undeserved and unmerited mercy of God offered in the work and life of Jesus Christ. Paul writes to the Ephesians, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast" (2:8,9). And then he goes on to say that Jesus himself is our peace, who has made both Jew and Gentile one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. No room for boasting when you are saved by grace.

In my years of working with couples and families to restore peace and harmony in their homes I soon discovered that little progress could be made until all stopped boasting and accusing to acknowledge the need for undeserved forgiveness and grace. When all parties acknowledged their faults and contributions to the conflict we began to make progress. We began to move toward peace, especially when the couple or the family members accepted the fact that we are all beggars in the eyes of God and by faith all receivers of forgiveness and mercy in Jesus Christ.

That's at least one meaning of the greeting of peace in our worship services.

If you are looking for reconciliation in your personal relationships, start with taking a good, hard look at yourself. To quote an old canard, "There are always three fingers pointing back when you point your one finger at another." Then accept God's grace, given in spite of the fingers pointing at you and begin anew.

Seek The Peace Of The City

My grandson Patrick stopped by for an overnight visit this weekend, joined by his brother Shawn, Shawn's wife Marian, accompanied by Shawn and Patrick's parents, my daughter Cheryl Lee and husband Derrick. Sylvia and I joined them for a steak at Salt Grass Steakhouse to celebrate an important milestone: Patrick received his senior ring at Texas A&M University this weekend. He has only the spring semester left before graduation. We're all quite proud of him. He's quite aware of national events, but voices a deep distrust of all elected politicians.

Of course, his upcoming graduation brings back memories of my own, now nearly 54 years ago! And that takes me back to the world of the fifties, the hopes, plans and dreams of my generation. Any thoughts of the lives of my grandchildren back then were vague at the very best. Yet, from what I recall, we were positive and hopeful about our nation's future.

I paid relatively little attention to the 1954 national elections of representatives and senators. General Eisenhower, a Republican party war hero, had already been elected two years before during a time when Cold War tension between our nation and the Soviet Union was escalating. Eisenhower's election ended twenty years of the Democratic party's control of the White House. There was much concern about the stalemated Korean War and Senator Joseph McCarthy was finding communists hiding in closets everywhere. Yet with all those momentous events going on, I focused primarily upon my studies and my personal life. I was preparing for a lifetime vocation as a clergyman.

From what I hear, young voters broke voting turnout records this year. They doubled and in some cases tripled their presence in caucuses like Iowa, energized by the heated contest to decide whether, for the first time, a black candidate was to become the Democratic nominee and later president. They responded to intensive youth outreach from Republican and Democratic campaigns by volunteering, and used social networks to amplify their own opinions.

Perhaps that says something about the media making our youth more conscious of what's going on around them or perhaps they're feeling more pressured than many of my classmates and I did in the fifties. Each generation, it seems, brings its own uniqueness to the national scene. Yet each generation of believers must heed to what I did not give much attention in my youthful zeal for the kingdom of God. It is summarized in the words of the prophet Jeremiah (29:7).

"And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."

The Israelite nation had lost its land to the marauding Babylonian empire over 600 years before the birth of Christ. For seventy years they remained slaves, their homes destroyed, relatives, parents and children slaughtered. And yet the LORD commanded them to seek the peace of the city and pray for it.

That word 'peace' is Shalom in Hebrew. It is an all-encompassing word, referring to safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship, peace (from war) and above all, a peaceful relationship with God. And note that in the peace of the city or town where you live "you also shall have peace." In other words, when we Christians are prayerfully involved in the affairs of our towns and cities, the blessings abound for all.

Many are the issues facing our nation: poverty, immigration, financial crises, care for the elderly, education, the end of a most hated war and on and on. My prayer is that all of us in my generation, my children's generation and my grandchildren's generation take very seriously the guidance of the LORD and, according to our various callings, seek the welfare, health, prosperity and peace of this wonderful land in which we live. And, above all, let us seek to share that peace that surpasses all others, the peace offered by our heavenly Father through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.