Dual Citizenship

John 1:1, 14a,  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.....The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us......"

      A friend of mine sent me a video of a song entitled "On My Mother/Father's Side."  This song highlighted the Incarnation, the melding of humanity and divinity in Jesus.  There were pictures in the video depicting Jesus in the temple when he was twelve talking with the religious leaders in Jerusalem.  In the song, Jesus was asked, "What is your name, son?" And He replied,  "On my mother's side, my name is Jesus.  But on my Father's side they call me Emmanuel."  Next, He was asked,  "How old are you?"  He answered,  "On my mother's side, now I'm twelve years, but on my Father's side I've just always been." 

The next question was,  "Where are you from?"  His answer was,  "On my mother's side I'm from Bethlehem, but on my Father's side it's New Jerusalem."  The final question was,  "What are your plans?"  He replied,  "On my mother's side I'll be crucified, but on my Father's side in three days I will arise and will sit at my Father's side." 

Jesus truly had dual citizenship.

      Actually, we also have dual citizenship, although we are probably not as aware of that fact as Jesus was.  He had lived in heaven from eternity past until he began his thirty-three year sojourn on earth, and I think He must have often been homesick for heaven.  He frequently drew aside to talk things over with His Heavenly Father.  Some of us may be more like a friend of my husband's who said one day,  "I know heaven is my home, but I'm just not homesick yet."

      Some people have been described as being "so heavenly minded they are no earthly good,” but I would much prefer that to being "so earthly minded they are no heavenly good."

      If there were a song about our dual citizenship, it might go like

this:  "What is your name?"  "On my parents' side, it's Mary Love, but on my Father's side it's Christian."  "How old are you?"  "Well, mature women don't tell their age on their parents’ side, but on my Father's side I am eternal."  "Where are you from?"  "On my parents side I am from Scottsboro, but on my Father's side, I am His creation."  "What are your plans?"  "On my parents' side, it's to be a good mother, but on my Father's side it's to please and glorify Him."  I want to always be aware of my dual citizenship, of the fact that I am on my way to heaven, and that will be my eternal home.

Father, thank You that, while I am walking around on this old earth, I am also seated in the heavenlies in Christ.  May I always be aware that this is a temporary dwelling and that I will spend eternity with You.  May I live accordingly.  Amen.

Spheres of Influence

Matthew 5:13a, 14a, 16,  "You are the salt of the earth.....You are the light of the world.....Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Philippians 2:14-16a,  "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life....."

      If we are to be salt and light in the world, to hold out the word of life to others, we need to spend time with other people.  The more people we rub shoulders against, the greater our influence can be.

      Each person has four major areas of influence--where we live, where we work, where we play, and where we worship.  Many Christians have deliberately set about to expand their influence in one or more of these areas by reaching out to meet more people.

      Two couples I know on staff with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for

Christ) have moved often, and each time they move they invite their neighbors over to get acquainted.  This has resulted in some neighborhood Bible studies.

      Hospitality is a great way to get to know other people.  We can invite them for coffee, breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, cokes, dinner, or a picnic supper.  We don't even have to cook.  There are numerous places for us to "gather" our food.  In a seminar on Hospitality, the leader said you don't even have to clean your whole house.  Her suggestion was to clear a path from the front door to a place to sit, a place to eat, and a bathroom and then close all the other doors!

      One friend of mine sold Tupperware in order to meet new people. 

Another friend expanded her influence in her church by helping some of the young women set up church sponsored small group Bible studies.  One of my daughters teaches Bible studies for teen age girls in her home, and her husband cooks breakfast for them

      A minister in Colorado has been very deliberate in setting up situations where church members can mingle with people in the community.  His church sponsors a restaurant where church members cook and serve.  The church has a driving school where church members get to know and interact with teenagers as they teach them how to drive.  The possibilities for ways to interact are almost limitless.

      If you have a desire to be salt and light and hold out the word of life to people who so desperately need it in this dark, depraved world, you might want to ask God to show you where you could expand one or more of the areas of your influence for that purpose.  It is a prayer that He delights to answer!

Father, show us creative ways to expand our influence for You.  May we be salt and light in this old world and shine like stars because we walk with You.  Amen.

Peace of Heart and Mind

In John 14:27 we read some of Jesus' words to his disciples, and to us,  "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give."  (New Living Translation)

A friend of mine told me recently that when her son and daughter-in-law were celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary, her son said in a teasing tone of voice,  "Nothing but smooth sailing all the way!"  Every person who has been married for ten years knows well that there are rough patches in every marriage.  In fact, there are bumps in the road in the life of every person.  Unfortunately, life is not always smooth sailing.

My mother-in-law used to talk about "peace at any price."  Truly, peace is priceless, because without it we cannot enjoy anything life has to offer.  Lack of peace infects every relationship and every event we experience.  But, if we are going to have peace, we must be able to find it in the storms of life, because the winds of adversity howl and the rains fall in torrents upon us from time to time.  If we are going to have peace, not only can it not come from our circumstances, but often it must come in spite of our circumstances.

How, then, can we find peace in the middle of the storms of life?  The secret is found in a well known passage of Scripture, Philippians 4:6-7, "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."  (New Living Translation).  And never forget, when you are in the furnace of affliction, the One who was in the fiery furnace with the three Hebrew men is in your furnace too!

Father, thank You that we can experience Your wonderful peace even in the most trying of circumstances, because our peace is found in You.  Thank you that wherever we are, You are there too!!!  Amen.

Gifts from God

Scott Willis was my very good friend.  He was often described as a Renaissance man because He was multi-talented in the arts.  In fact, I have never known anyone else as greatly gifted in so many areas.  His beautiful voice ministered to his fellow church members Sunday after Sunday.  His exquisite flower arrangements gave beauty to weddings and a multitude of other festive events throughout this area.  Not only was Scott a talented painter but a great art teacher as well.  The appearances of many homes in Decatur have been enhanced by his advice on colors, decorating, and furnishings.  Scott was forty seven years old when he died, but he touched and blessed the lives of many, many people during that short time because he so generously shared his talents with others.

      Spiritual gifts and natural talents such as musical or artistic ability are not necessarily the same, but they are all gifts from God.  When God wanted the Israelites to construct the Tabernacle, He had this to say in Exodus 35:30-35, 36:1, New Living Translation,  "And Moses told them, 'The Lord has chosen Bezalel.....The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts.  He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze.  He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood.  In fact, he has every necessary skill.  And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab......the ability to teach their skills to others.  The Lord has given them special skills as jewelers, designers, weavers, and embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine cloth.  They excel in all the crafts needed for their work.  Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other craftsmen whom the Lord has gifted with wisdom, skill, and intelligence will construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded."  God gifted these men for the purposes of serving Him and blessing others with the beauty in the Tabernacle, and He gifts each of us for the same reasons--to serve Him and bless others.

Father, please show me how You would have me serve You and bless someone today.  Amen.    

A Good Foundation

Matthew 7:24-27,  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

      I am adding a screened porch to the back side of my house.  The footings are poured, and the blocks have been laid.  As I look at them, I realize again how important the right foundation is in building a porch or in building a life.

      It is easy to understand why people who are not believers in Christ build their lives on such worldly foundations as fame, power, wealth, beauty, athletic ability, good times, or possessions.  Unfortunately, other people build their lives on such destructive or corrosive foundations as greed, hatred, revenge, drugs, alcohol, or crime.  However, even Christians can build their lives on the wrong foundations.

      Notice in the parable that both builders heard God's word, but the wise builder obeyed God's word as well.  The foolish builder failed to put God's word into practice but instead went his own way and did his own thing.

      If a person is obeying God's word, yielded to the lordship of God's Spirit, we should be able to see the fruit of the Spirit evidenced in his/her life-love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.  We aren't the judge of each other because we cannot see into another person's heart.  My friend Howard Ball says,  "You can spot a Christian every time--if you are God."   But I do think God tells us to be fruit inspectors to discern where people are and what their spiritual needs might be tin order to see how we could be of help.

      The storms of life eventually come to everyone.  Those who have built their lives on obedience to God and submission to Christ will withstand the winds of adversity, but those who have built on any other foundation will one day find themselves swept away in the storm.

Father, there is only one sure foundation in life, and that is You and Your word.  May I be discerning of the needs of others and help them to build on the Rock.  Amen.

Honkers or Wavers

I Thessalonians 5:11a,  "Encourage one another and build each other up."

      All too often, we can fall into the bad habit of focusing on each others' flaws and self-righteously pointing out each others' failures. 

We all have shortcomings, but, at the same time, most people have much to recommend them--talents, personality, character, intelligence.  We could be encouraging each other, helping each other to grow and improve.  We could be enjoying each other and working together for our mutual benefit, if we would concentrate on the assets of other people rather than their liabilities, if our perspective would be positive rather than negative.

      One of my all-time favorite devotionals was written by a lady named Bonnie Lukes and was published in "The Daily Guideposts." 

Bonnie's husband was driving them home in rush hour traffic one day when their car began to sputter and stall.  She said,  "Impatient commuters careened past, blasting their horns and mouthing angry words."  It made Bonnie feel disheartened to encounter such irate behavior.

      The following day Bonnie was pushing her mother in a wheel chair across a wide, busy street.  The light changed when they were midway across.  Bonnie was relieved to see that the motorists were patiently waiting and were waving her mother across the street.  Her mother was happily waving back.  Bonnie's conclusion: " THERE ARE WAVERS, AND THERE ARE HONKERS."  My questions:  Which are you?  Which do you want to be?

      We have no way of knowing the battles that other people are fighting in their lives.  Surely we do not want to add to their burdens but instead would seek to lift their spirits.

      I don't know who wrote the following poem, but it gives us food for thought.  May it be our prayer for today.

                   "Lord, give me eyes lest I, as people often will,

                    Should pass by someone's Calvary and think it just a hill."  Amen.