Hope for Life Blog

I like people who take in strays.  I recently preached a funeral for a friend who loved stray dogs.  He was drawn to dogs that had been abandoned and hurt.  He liked to love them, heal them, and make them into functioning pets.  My children had that same heart for stray animals, especially my daughter.  She would bring home every stray dog and cat she came across.  She thought all they needed was a good home with lots of love.  Everything else could be fixed.

Of course, every stray dog cannot be healed.  Some were too far gone physically, while others never could function in a healthy environment.  It was as if they did not want anything better. But they got a chance at a new and different life … a life where they were valued and loved.  And some of them did make it.  They lived a long time as healthy pets.  Loved by a family, and loving their family. 

It makes me think about Jesus and people – you and me.  I think in many ways we are like stray dogs in this world.  Some of us feel unloved, beat down by life, unworthy to belong to a family.  Others of us function well in this world, but realize that we are not worthy enough – good enough – to be part of God’s world.  God is perfect and holy.  We are not.  Spiritually we are unlovable, hungry, mangy, and slinking through life with our tail between our legs. 

But God sent His Son into this world to bring strays like us into His family.  God loves us, offers us a home and a family, and gives us value.  Jesus, God’s own Son, died on the cross so we could become part of God’s family.  He makes the stray part of the family.  It seems too good to be true.  Maybe that is what some stray dogs think when they are rescued.  Why would someone love them, feed them, pet them, and give them a home?  It is because people like my friend and my daughter have a heart for strays.

Why would God send His Son into this dark world to find someone like me?  Why would He offer me a home and a family?  It is because He has a heart for stray people like I used to be.  And I love God and Jesus because they found me when I was not lovable.  They are looking for you.  It seemed too good to be true, but I believed it.  And it changed me forever.  You can make that choice too.

Blessings,

steve

All the houses in my neighborhood are getting new roofs.  A recent hailstorm did significant damage and there have been scores of roofing companies working the area to get business.  I spent many years in the roofing business so I enjoy watching the way roofers do their business.  And I see a great many parallels to how Christians go about God’s business. 

The best way to get a roofing job is by a good referral.  I always counted on the quality of my work to get additional roofs.  It works the same way for Christians.  The way you live your life is your referral.  Jesus has made all the difference in my life and it is easy to see that.  As a Christ follower, I am the evidence of God’s workmanship. 

The real test of a new roof is how it holds up during the first storm.  The real test of a Christian is his testimony during the storms of life.  I never promised that my roofs would not have any problems, but I did promise that I would fix any problems.  That is exactly how Jesus has worked in my life.  Christians are not exempt from life’s problems, but we are confident in the One who fixes our problems.

I even think some people approach their Christian life the way some people roof houses.  Some just shingle over what is already there.  This way is easy and cheaper than tearing off the old roof and replacing it with new shingles.  But sometimes the old shingles cause problems for the new roof.  That is the way some would live their Christian life.  They want the easiest, cheapest way to follow Jesus.  Trying to live a new life without getting rid of the old life is not going to work well.  It cannot.

I have even known roofers to tear off the edges of the old roof and then put new shingles down.  At first glance it seems right, but it is an illusion.  They want it to appear as if the old roof has been removed but in reality it has not been.  Some try that approach with Jesus.  They want to look different while still clinging to their old life.  It does not work.

The best way to have a new roof is to first remove the old one.  Then replace it with new shingles.  That is what Jesus wants to do for you.  He wants to tear away the old life with its problems and pain and then replace it with a new life of hope, peace, joy, and purpose.  Every time I see an old roof being torn off, I am reminded that my old life of bad choices and failures has been done away with.  And the new roof reminds me that I am created new in Jesus. 

Blessings,

steve

One of my favorite phrases is this:  God is the great fixer.  I believe that God is the fixer, healer, restorer of broken hearts, shattered relationships, and meaningless lives.  There are wonderful stories you can read in the Bible of David, a man after God’s own heart, who battled anger, lust, and pride.  Or of Peter, the man who preached the first sermon after Jesus died and was raised.  This is the same Peter who two months earlier cried bitterly after he denied knowing Jesus.  Have a Christian tell you the story of Legion, the Samaritan woman at the well, Bartimaeus, or the woman caught in adultery.

Today, I know alcoholics made sober, sexually immoral made pure, greedy people made generous, and angry people made sweet.  I have seen broken marriages restored, wasted lives given meaning, and people with no hope find purpose.  I have seen lonely people find belonging.  I have seen the hungry fed, the sick healed, and orphans and widows become part of a family.

God is a great fixer.

But not always.

Read the story of Cain who murdered his brother and was driven from his family.  Or the story of Saul whose arrogance and jealousy caused him to lose his family, his kingdom, and eventually to commit suicide.  Learn about the rich young man who left Jesus sad because he valued his money more than God.  Ananias and  Sapphira were struck dead by God because they lied to Him.

And I know marriages that ended in divorce.  I know bitter, angry, hateful people who have no hope.  I know alcoholics who have destroyed relationships.  I know people who have died all alone.  These people knew about God and Jesus.  They were not fixed.

So some people God fixes… some He doesn’t.  What makes the difference?

It is a choice.  Our choice.  Every one of those people that God fixed were those that turned to God, cried out to God, begged God to enter their life and do whatever it took to be fixed.  And He did.

Every one of those people that were not fixed rejected God, ignored God, turned away from God, or left God.  Or they refused to do what God asked of them.  So he didn’t fix them.

He can fix you.  I know because He fixed me.  It’s your choice.

Blessings,

steve

We Christians often make the statement that the church is a hospital for sinners.  We mean that to be a warm and inviting description for any of you who do not know Jesus.  It is our attempt to say that we are not perfect, but forgiven.  It is an effort to say that messy lives are welcome in our midst.  It is our confession that we often have messy lives too.  It is a plea for you to know that we are a place of hope for the hopeless, a community for the lonely, a place of healing for the broken, a place of joy for the heartsick, a people of peace in a world at war, and a church of purpose for the life without meaning.

But we are not just a hospital, we are also a wellness center.  If we have given the impression that church is simply a place where everyone is broken, wounded, or hurting …  then we have misled you.  We are a place where people like this can come.  If fact, many of us were like that when we first showed up.  But we do not stay like that.  Church is where healing happens.  It is where broken lives are restored.  It is where joy, peace, purpose, and hope can be found. 

Yes, church is a place where critical care for spiritually wounded people takes place.  And sometimes those of us in church find ourselves in need of emergency spiritual care.  We still have struggles with living out our faith and we still battle with Satan.  But most of us are in the wellness center, not the hospital.  We are learning together how to live as healthy followers of Jesus.  We are learning how to extend care to each other and to those who wish to join our community.

So in one of our churches, you will see people who are bleeding from the wounds inflicted by a hard world of sin and trouble.  They are receiving emergency care.  You will see people with bandages and wounds that are still healing.  They are receiving ongoing care.  But what you will see more than anything else is those of us with scars.  We are healed.  We are healthy.  The scars are our reminder of the God who heals.  It reminds us of how God saves.  And they remind the wounded that they too will be healed.  Just like we have been.    

Blessings,

steve

I did not wake up in a cold sweat.  It was more of a hot sweat.  Kicking the covers off, I went to see what the Air Conditioner thermostat was set on.  It said 72 degrees.  Then I noticed the temperature register.  It was at 82.  Time for panic.  We were living in Texas in the middle of a record string of days with temperatures over 100 degrees.  And now the air conditioner was not working.  We were not the only ones among our friends and neighbors to suffer from the heat.  Civil authorities were issuing constant warnings for the elderly to be aware of the dangers.  Pets, construction workers, and athletes were all recipients of special concern.

Jokes about hell were rampant.  Messages were posted for Satan to come retrieve his residence.  The phrase “hotter than hell” was used often.  People would even joke about needing to go to church if this is what hell was going to be like.  The outbreak of wildfires across the state contributed to the jokes about hell.  And every one of them was missing the point.  It wasn’t just that the heat and fire here cannot really compare at all to what the reality of hell will be. It is that the heat and fire are not the worst part of hell.

The most frightening part of hell is that we will be separated from God forever.  Our rebellion against God – our sin – has separated us from God.  He is perfect and holy.  Sin cannot exist is His presence.  Yet He loves us so much that He could not stand the thought of us being out of His presence.  So He sent His only Son to this earth to do what we could not.  His Son came and lived a holy life here.  He did what He should do and never did what He should not have done.  He was perfect and holy.  And then He died to pay for our sins.  So that by sharing in His death we could be restored to relationship with God. 

God fixed it so that we could live forever in His holy presence.  Unholy people can be made holy by the gift of Jesus.  Believe in Him and live with God forever.  Choose not to believe and be separated from God forever.  That is that scariest part of hell.  God has fixed the problem with hell by offering His Son.  Believe it.  It is the best news you will ever hear.

Blessings,

steve

We had been talking about Jesus when he asked me this question.  At first, I thought he wanted to know what to do to become a Jesus follower.  But that was not what he meant.  He was concerned to know what following Jesus meant in terms of his daily lifestyle.  He was convinced that Christians spent most of their time consulting a massive list of do’s and don’ts.  That was his experience and he was wondering if that was how he would have to live.

I explained that being a Christian was not about following a long list of right and wrong actions.  Instead, living a Christian life is about being in a relationship.  The relationship with Jesus is what determines how you live your life.  Christians act and think in certain ways because of our connection with a real and personal Savior.  But he insisted I tell him what it meant in terms of life choices he would have to make every day.  So here is what I told him.  Three things.

1.  Do what Jesus did.  Treat people the way Jesus treated them.  Connect to God like Jesus did.  Live like Jesus lived.  Walk in his steps. 
2. Don’t do what Jesus did not do.  Get the things out of your life that are not like Jesus.  Wrong relationships, damaging attitudes, and hurtful actions.  If Jesus would not be that way, don’t do it.
3. Tell everyone about Jesus.  Share the story of what God has done thru Jesus.  Tell how he has changed your life.  Invite them into a relationship with him.

That’s it.  That was my list.  I told him that was exactly how I thought Christians decided how to live their lives.  We make a series of choices every day based on the relationship we have with Jesus.    

I assured him that he would get lots of help in figuring all this out.  God left a book that has lots of examples about how to do this.  Christians live in community as family to help each other live this way.  And God gives His people His Holy Spirit to help them live these things out.

It is really not that complicated.

Blessings,

steve

It was a headline made to grab my attention, and it worked.  This was what I was looking for:  a way to be fit and fat.  Or fat, but still fit.  It seemed to promise an easy way to health without much effort on my part.  Then I saw the pictures.  The two people in the ad did not have an ounce of fat between them.  They looked nothing like me.  In fact, I am fairly confident no one in real life has ever looked that way.  So now I was confused. 

I wonder if that is the way we Christians have advertised the Christian life.  Have we invited people to a life that promises a spiritual walk with Jesus while letting them still live life on their own terms?  Do we try and offer the “best of both worlds”?  Christianity that requires little effort and will not inconvenience anyone.    The image we show is of a life with no problems, no worries, and no pain.  So do people see the image and become skeptical?  Do they realize that something in that view of the Christian life does not add up?

I think a more honest health ad would be a picture of a real person sweating on a treadmill with a caption that talked about months of hard work to lose a few pounds.  Maybe it would even declare that there are no shortcuts and that the way to real health involves a commitment to a lifestyle of exercise, proper rest, and a reasonable diet.  Deep in my heart I know that is the only way to look and feel better.  There are no shortcuts.  The image ad is not really fooling anyone.  They know it, and I know it.

Christianity works that way too.  It is a call to a lifestyle that is radically different.  Honestly, it is an invitation to a life that will still have trouble in this world.  But it is an invitation to be in a relationship with the One who has overcome this world.  So to follow Jesus is not easy.  It is not without pain and it is not without struggle.  It does, however, work.  It gives purpose and meaning in a world of confusion.  It is real.

 Blessings

steve

I was helping clean up my sister-in-law’s yard after a recent wind storm when it happened.  The neighbor’s dog got me.  I knew he was not happy with the chain saw, the activity, and the work going on.  After all, he kept barking at us.  I was carrying a load of wood to the back gate, walking about one foot inside the fence.  All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of this dog trying to jump over the fence.  As I jumped sideways, he managed to extend his head over the fence and catch my arm.

There was not any lasting damage.  My arm was swollen and stayed bruised for a couple of weeks.  The dog was as surprised as I was.  My father-in-law worried about whether the dog should have gotten shots.  Ha, ha.  The neighbors were apologetic.  The yard got cleaned up, and we all stayed several feet away from the fence.

And I thought about how much like life this was.

We all know there are dangerous things in this world.  There is war, crime, and evil.  People steal, lie, gossip, and murder in our world.  We just do not expect it to happen to us.  Until it does.  Tornados, fires, hurricanes, and tsunamis occur around the globe.  We assume those things happen to other people, not us.  Until it does.  We even know intellectually that people get sick, sometimes even sick enough that they die.  We just do not think it will happen to us.  Until it does.

Hard things, bad things, tough things happen.  They happen unexpectedly.  Sometime it is our fault.  Sometimes it is someone else’s fault.  Sometimes it is no one’s fault.  Life happens.  Life goes on.  So how do we cope?  How do we survive?  How do we find hope, peace, joy, and purpose in a world like this?

I have found the answer in God, and so have millions of others throughout the ages.  He will get me through anything this life throws at me.  He has, and He will.  He gives my life hope, peace, joy, and purpose.  And He gives me life forever.  He has done this through His Son Jesus. 

Blessings,

steve

I have the greatest remote control anywhere. It is amazing what it can do with my television. If I miss something, I can replay it until I catch it, and then jump back into real time. If I cannot watch a program when it is scheduled, I just record it and watch it at my leisure. If it is boring, I just fast forward right until I reach the parts I like. I can watch anything I want, any time I want, and any way I want. I am in complete control. So where is my remote control for life?

The trouble with life is that it is so unpredictable. It just happens. If I am not ready, it goes on anyway. Birthdays come, children grow up and leave home, cars break down, and teeth get cavities, whether I am ready or not. Even the exciting things of life can come and go without giving you time to get ready: a baby’s first step, a first kiss, a “take it or leave it” job offer. Sometimes the unexpected is not exciting, just painful: natural disaster, life threatening illness, or a child’s crisis. If I am going to handle the surprises of life, I need a way to be as prepared as I can be for the road ahead.

I need to understand what is important in life, I need to know what my purpose is for living, and I need to know how to make sense of what happens when life interrupts my living. Something needs to make sense out of all this. So here is what works for me. I believe God is in control of my life, I believe he has a purpose for me during my life, and I believe I will live forever because of his love for me.

So the unexpected curves and events of life make sense to me; not that I understand everything that happens, but because I trust in the one who does understand everything that happens. And frankly, if I didn’t believe someone bigger than me was in charge, I am not sure I could take it. However, I know I am part of a bigger plan and I have a purpose within that plan.

You too can know that your life makes sense because it has purpose. Let me help you find it.

I believe that God exists with every fiber of my being.  I have given my life to following that conviction.  But I cannot prove that He exists by scientific standards.  How can I?  If He is God the Creator, how can those he created understand and prove His existence?  I am not sure I would want to follow a God so ordinary that His Creation could prove His existence.  So my decision to believe in God is very much an act of faith.  But there is a basis for my faith because I can see evidence of God.

Creation is evidence to me that there is a Creator God.  It may not be definitive proof, but it seems reasonable that there is a Creator.  I marvel at nature.  It is beautiful, it works, it is astounding in the way it functions.  Our bodies are amazing.  Mind, heart, and body working together in a way that is incredible.  The way of a man and a woman made for pleasure and procreation.  Some would attribute all of this to randomness and chance.  That seems more a leap of faith to me than accepting the existence of God. 

Changed lives point to God.  I have seen broken marriages healed, families restored, alcoholics made sober, angry people made gentle, and sexually immoral made pure.  And they give credit to God.  I have seen prayers answered.  I have seen people’s health restored after asking God for healing.  This is where some would ask me to explain why every prayer for healing is not answered.  I do not know how or why God acts in the way He does.  He is too far above my understanding to explain.  And it is absurd for the created to attempt to defend the Creator.  So I choose to believe. 

Creation, changed lives, answered prayers.  To me, that is evidence of a God greater than my understanding.  I cannot prove He exists because I am one of the created.  So I choose by faith to believe in the unbelievable.  Because I have seen where He has been.  Because He has touched my life and changed me. 

Blessings,

steve