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A Good Case of "Me First"

4/25/2016

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      Usually a “me first” attitude is nothing to praise. But occasionally it is.

    The Old Testament prophet Isaiah demonstrates how “me first” can be a good thing. In the words of the ESV Study Bible, Isaiah lived at a time when God’s people “no longer trusted the promises of God, aligning themselves instead with the promises – and the fears – of this false world” (p. 1235). That could just as easily be said about today’s world. Living in such a time must have been trying for someone like Isaiah. 

    Isaiah 6 records the prophet’s call via a one-of-a-kind encounter with God. Upon experiencing a glimpse of God’s holiness, the prophet bows himself in utter humility. “Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips . . .” (Isaiah 6:5).

    Seeing God in His fullness helped Isaiah see himself in his fullness. He recognizes his uncleanness and brokenness with fresh eyes that have seen God’s glory. At the same time, he recognizes the collective brokenness of his people. By speaking to both his and his people’s “unclean lips,” he confesses his contributions to his society’s spiritual condition.

    It is always easy to see the brokenness of others. How often, though, do we first recognize our own shortcomings and their potential impact on others? Isaiah’s “me first” attitude reflects Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1-5. Both passages show the power of transformation that begins with the self and moves to beneficent influence upon others. 

    Isaiah’s “me first” mindset continues when God asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Without hesitation, Isaiah replies, “Here am I! Send me.” In a time when few were living for God, Isaiah could have pointed the finger at what others should be doing. Instead he first took responsibility for himself and what he could do. 

   Like Isaiah, we live in times of “unclean lips.” It is easy to recognize the uncleanness of others before considering my own faults and contributions to our collective uncleanness. It is also easy to think about what others need to be doing instead of simply doing what I can do. By adopting Isaiah’s “me first” spirit, however, I will be blessed and will be positioned to be a blessing to others. 

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Treasures in Earth

4/18/2016

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      Last year I came across the sad story of 67-year-old Poor Wu Chen of China. Five years ago, Mr. Chen buried his life savings (approximately $5,400 US) in the ground because he didn’t trust his local bank. When the time came to make a “withdrawal” last year, he discovered that much of his money had been devoured by worms and bugs. He thought he had taken the right precautions to prevent such a situation, but those precautions proved fruitless.

    In Matthew 6:19, Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” 

    Poor Wu Chen illustrates the truth of Jesus’ words all too well. You and I may react to Mr. Chen’s story by saying, “He should have just put his money in the bank,” or “He should have used a better container for storing it.” If so, we would miss the lesson of his example.

    Treasures on earth and treasures in earth will decay, be left for others, or lose their value. Whether you have five thousand dollars, five billion dollars, or no money at all, each of us will leave this earth with nothing. He who dies with the most toys in many ways will be the greatest loser of all because he left the most behind.

     What kind of investment are you seeking? If you pursue this earth’s treasures, they all guarantee the same return – nothing. If you pursue heaven’s treasures, they guarantee an eternal return of love, joy, and peace. We each will receive the treasure we pursue, but only a life given to God holds eternal value. Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. If you do, you will be blessed and you will bless others along the way.

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Happy Spiritual Siblings Day!

4/11/2016

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Happy Siblings Day! If you’ve been on Facebook over the past couple of days, you couldn’t escape the nostalgic pictures and sweets posts shared among families. As Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

I am blessed to be a big brother. I was about to turn 6-years-old when my sister was born, but I still remember the joy I felt then to know I would have a little sidekick through life’s ups and downs. Our shared experiences have created a bond that uniquely belongs to the relationship of siblings, and I can’t imagine my life without her.

I am also blessed to be the father of two girls and a little boy. One of my greatest joys is to see the joy that they share in one another. Even though our boy is only a year old, it’s obvious that he finds a unique delight in his big sisters. I can’t help but think that the bond of siblings is God-sent. 

When writing to his protégé Timothy, the Apostle Paul instructed the young man to treat older men and older women like fathers and mothers and to treat younger men and younger women like brothers and sisters (1 Timothy 5:1). Timothy might have been an only child, but his church family provided endless opportunities for experiencing the mutual blessing of having brothers and sisters.

More specifically, Paul tells Timothy to “encourage” these people like brothers and sisters. When siblings function as they should, they encourage each other through life. They are the first to come to the other’s aid and to pick each other up. They are the first line of defense against threats and dangers. They know best how to correct and challenge the other when necessary. They share their struggles with one another and keep secrets that no one else will ever know. They celebrate each other’s victories, but they also share in the hurts and disappointments of the other. They know each other’s imperfections and failings, and in spite of knowing the other so well, they continue to love and encourage each other. They get mad at each other, and they forgive each other. They share laughs, tears, hugs, and memories. 

Christians have historically been known for calling fellow members “brother” or “sister.” The Bible shows, however, that these are to be more than titles. They are to reflect a way of life in our relationships. No matter what physical family you come from, the church should be where anyone can experience the blessings of family. Just like physical families, church families are often messy, complicated, and far-from-perfect. But we should continue to encourage one another. Why? Because we’re family.

Make today and everyday a happy day for your spiritual siblings. Be blessed by them, and be a blessing to them.

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The First Amendment & The First Commandment

4/4/2016

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Ratified into law on December 15, 1791, the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

In a discussion about the laws of their day in Matthew 22, Jesus told a lawyer that “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” is “the great and first commandment.”

Especially in an election year, many people are discussing the meaning of certain rights provided and/or protected by our laws. Among them is the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. 

It is a gift to live in a nation where such freedoms exist. But what if we didn’t? What if the First Amendment did not exist? Would it change the way we felt about Jesus or our devotion to him? 

And since the First Amendment does exist in the United States, what do we value more – the First Amendment or the First Commandment? You see, there are some who loudly defend and debate the rights found in the First Amendment. They may even declare that they’re willing to die to preserve and protect these rights. Is the same (or greater) devotion given to the First Commandment?

Christians can vigorously defend the First Amendment and then turn around and do nothing with it. It is one thing to love the freedom to worship as one chooses. It’s quite another to love the Lord your God with everything you have.

There are Christians living all over the world who do not enjoy the legal protection to believe and assemble for worship as they choose. Yet they still do. Some – like those who were killed last weekend in Pakistan – believe and worship in spite of ever-present dangers . . . and they continue to do so after such horrific events. They don’t debate the existence of a First Amendment. They just live out the First Commandment.

A Christian in the United States can debate the First Amendment throughout the week, and when his/her church gathers on Sunday, choose not to worship the Lord. That’s well within our rights under the First Amendment too. But it falls far short of fulfilling the First Commandment.

What matters more to you – having the freedom to believe and assemble or actually being one who loves the Lord and assembles with his people? Political freedoms are nice, but they can spoil us. The spiritual freedom found in Christ is the only thing that truly frees us from our sin and self-indulgence.

What matters more to you – the First Amendment or the First Commandment? Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. If you do, you will be blessed and you will be a blessing to everyone around you.

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    Blaine Kelly

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