Monthly Archives: September 2014

“And as you have become a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, let your hands be strong.” Zechariah 8:13

All of the prophets fulfilled their callings during dark and difficult days. This is no less true for Zechariah. He, like his colleagues, pronounced God’s judgment upon a faithless and cruel nation. The words are harsh, and often make these minor prophets hard to read.

However, as I have recently read through these usually brief books at the end of the OT, I have noticed that against the darkness of the words of doom, the promises of light stand out even more clearly. The Scripture for today has its share of darkness. Israel and Judah would fall and would become a “byword of cursing.” Yet we also see the light. God would save them.

What I want you to notice is the purpose for which He saved them. It was not for their comfort, consolation, or to make life easier, or clearer. God saved them so that they will be a blessing.

God’s blessing in your life is sometimes wholly intended for you. He will reassure or comfort you. He will give you insight or courage. Wonderful! Receive that kind of blessing with joy. Your Father loves you deeply.

But remember that most of God’s blessings are intended to make you more capable of serving other people. You may very well be the blessing that God has for someone else today. Don’t neglect the opportunity to encourage, to guide, to pray for another person. Write the note, or visit. Help in some way.

I encounter many Christians who long for a more meaningful faith but are unsure of how to get it. The way to deepen your faith is to give it away, and that does not mean standing on Bourbon Street preaching to all the sinners. God rejoices when we give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, companionship to the lonely. Needy people are all around you. Just look for them, see them as God's children, and serve them with a pure heart. You'll be surprised by how much a simple act of grace lifts your spirit.

Find a way to be a blessing to others. You fulfill God’s purpose in saving you. You will complete today’s assignment.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

September 28, 2014

"I came that they might have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Joy was an early melody I heard from God. Our verse for the week to be a promise that in Christ we can have a joyful life, life as God intended it. From an early age I believed in a kind of sacred fun. My God smiled. I thought we were supposed to also.

Contrast that with what often passes for Christianity. J. B. Phillips, in his book Your God Is Too Small, wrote that many Christians labor under the illusion that God is like a “Resident Policeman” who always uses a guilty conscience to motivate us. God is so oppressive to some people that they cannot imagine the words fun and Christian in the same sentence.

This tradition of denying oneself any pleasures of the world (asceticism) has a long and unfortunate history in Christianity. Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12^th century monk, would not allow himself to enjoy the beauty of the world. John of the Cross (16^th century) taught that Christians should shun all joy and hope. These men and others like them view pleasure as far too tempting and dangerous to have any place at all in the Christians life.

The legacy of their teaching is seen in many people even today who are vaguely suspicious of any Christian who smiles too much! Some of the meanest people I know are Baptist ministers. Their favorite biblical story is the cursing of the fig tree. I made that up, but the point stands. Many Christians are undoubtedly Christian, but they’re not happy about it.

Perhaps Nietzsche summed up the challenge best. He was asked by a friend why he was so negative about Christianity and replied, “I never saw the members of my father’s church enjoying themselves.”

How out of step this thinking is with the life and teaching of Jesus Christ! He sought out people with whom to enjoy life. He went to wedding feasts and other parties so much that he was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton (Luke 7:34). He made friends with all kinds of people who really needed friends. He even taught that at the end of time he would throw a huge banquet for all of his followers. As any Cajun might put it, this Jesus, he knew how to pass a good time, yeah!

Abundant life, the kind that Jesus came to give, certainly means that we can have a laughter of the soul no matter what takes place around us. The object of our hope lies beyond circumstances. It is grounded in God, who, in turn determines our very existence in Him. Once we find secure and abundant life in God, then we are free to enjoy the life He has given us here. And that should be the “serious” business of every Christian.

God is neither oppressive nor concerned to instill guilt in us for everything we have not done right or well. The fact of the matter is, abundant life is far closer than you probably realize and much more accessible. Take the gift He offers you today. It’s there. God really does want you to enjoy yourself. So smile.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

September 21, 2014

“Then the Lord answered Job out of a whirlwind.” Job 38:1

Sing it with me: “He’s got the whole world in His hands, He’s got the whole wide world, in His hands. He’s got the whole world, in His hands, He’s got the whole world in His hands.” We’re all familiar with the song. God’s got the little bitty babies, you and me brother, you and me sister, and everybody in His hands. That’s the gospel according to Glen Campbell. It’s a comforting thought to believe that God’s got the whole world in His hands.

Except when you feel like you’ve slipped through His fingers. We all spend some time wondering if life has spun out of control. Is God in charge?

That’s where Job is as we near the end of the book bearing his name. He has gone head to head with God and with friends that no one needs. You will often hear it said that the Book of Job is the biblical explanation for suffering. But that’s not true. Job is not an explanation. It’s an answer.

You know the story. Satan wants to put Job to the test, but really to put God to the test. “Sure Job worships you. He’s got everything going for him. But take away all the blessings, and he will curse you!” God takes the challenge. Poor Job has no say in the wager.

Satan takes away everything but Job’s life, and at one point in the story Job is sitting in ashes, dressed in old, rough, brown sackcloth, and scarping his sores.. He wonders where God has been. He thinks He’s been unfair. He fends off accusations from his friends, and turns his own accusations toward God. “You’ve worn me out.” Life hasn’t turned out well for Job. He doesn’t deserve what he’s getting and is honest enough to take his complaints to God who, up to this point, has been silent.

Then God shows up. Out of a whirlwind God shows up. A tornado. An F-5 answer from the Almighty. Job cowers, awestruck before the roaring vortex (he would have said it sounded like a freight train if he’d known back then what a freight train was). The swirling, roaring winds, picking up dirt and tents and straw and wheat and anything else lying around. A mighty twisting cloud rising from the ground, reaching up to heaven, lightening flashing. God showed up.

And He spoke. “Gird up your loins, son. I’ve got a few questions for you. Let’s hear your answers.” And the beautiful, poetic questions begin. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?…When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy?”

God asks Job to explain oceanography: “Who shut the doors of the sea and prescribed bounds for it and said, ‘Thus far shall you come and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed.’”

And astronomy: “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?”

And particle physics: Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And where is the place of darkness?…You surely know for you were born then! The number of your days is great!”

And meteorology “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt?…Has the rain a father or who has begotten the drops of dew?”

For two chapters the questions continue. You can hear a little irritation in God’s words. He had listened patiently to Job’s accusations and complaints. He held back even when Job crossed the line, but there comes a time when God shows up, and He has some questions of His own.

So what’s the point? We can have all of our questions, contentions, complaints, musings, all of our sophisticated, post-enlightenment, post-modern, brilliant insights, but there’s a time when we need to remember a simple truth: “There is a God, and you’re not Him.”

Life is complicated enough without thinking you’re in charge. I do believe I have a say in what goes on in my life. Personal responsibility and God’s sovereignty both happen at the same time. But if I put too much emphasis on me, I edge God out and end up in a dark, lonely, and exhausting place.

Let’s give God His due this week. Surrender is not a bad word, especially when you don’t have anything left to fight with. So surrender. Let God show up. Live safely in His hands. He’ll give you what you need to handle problems and open your eyes to all the praises.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

September 14, 2014

“Have no anxiety about anything, but in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

The interplay of God’s will, our will, and the place of prayer is a fascinating topic, and unnecessarily thorny for many people. Do our prayers make a difference to God? If He knows all things, and knows what we need before we ask, then why do we need to ask?

If our lives were merely mechanisms then prayer would be unnecessary. But if God, in is His wonderful way, is sovereign AND honors our free will then we have a frankly incredible possibility of the merging of our will with God’s.

C. S. Lewis, as he often does, comes to the rescue. He wrote that we best imagine the world not as a state governed by a potentate but as a work of art, something like a play, in the process of being created. This means that God has decided to include us in the work of art, not merely as objects or actors saying our lines, but as fellow artists and authors. We have a hand in His hand.

What a thrilling thing life then becomes! As God works His will into the world and into our lives He invites us to talk with Him about all that is going on. Then He wonderfully and marvelously works our will into His will. He does not overpower, ignore, or erase us. He honors us as His children. We are His sons and daughters in whom He has created His very image. He includes us in His providence.

A different example:

I have had the privilege of going into the Amazon Valley some 8-10 times. We fly into Manaus, the largest city on the Amazon River. We board a boat and begin our journey down the river and soon we encounter a startling site. The river is two colors, side by side for miles. This is the Encontro das Aguas, the meeting of the waters. At Manaus, two rivers converge, the Amazon which is sandy brown, and the Rio Negra which, as the name suggests, is nearly black in color. They maintain their separate identities for quite a while because of differing densities and initial speeds where they meet, but eventually flow together and become one.

I think of my will and God’s will as something like that. We meet at the place of prayer, where my will may have come at a different speed from God’s and may be at an awkward angle. But if I persist in prayer then soon God graciously works my will into His. Together we become part of the mighty River of Providence. Through prayer I experience the meeting of the waters, and then the merging of the waters.

An example. I have become more acutely aware in the autumn of my life to fears and anxieties. Reluctantly I have concluded that any fear I have is due to a lack of trust. In fear, I have declared God undependable.

So I carry my fear to God. The waters of my will are roiling. They are a different speed and at an awkward angle from God’s peaceful and patient will. The difference is obvious as I try to justify my fears. The waters flow side by side. But soon, and this has never failed to happen, there is a merging of the waters. God reminds me of who He is and soon peace returns to my soul. The waters have merged.

I encourage you this week to take your troubled will to God. Be honest. Be humble. Be open. Trust that He will give you what you need to handle the challenges that come your way. Then watch for the merging of the waters where your will becomes God’s will.

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

September 7, 2014

“But Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying ‘It is enough now O Lord. Take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.’” 1 Kings 19:4

Good theology is not always filled with Latin terms and German names. Karl Barth, a true star of 20^th century theology, was once asked about his greatest theological insight. He replied, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Because God is very practical, good theology is simple.

With this standard I want to look at a familiar story in the Bible that illustrates God’s practicality and simple theology. But first I want to share with you an acronym that will help you through any day. It is HALT: Don’t get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. The story of Elijah after his victory at Mt. Carmel illustrates this wisdom.

Elijah had just won a contest against the prophets of Ba’al. In the rush of excitement, he had run ahead of King Ahab’s chariot for a distance of about 17 miles. Queen Jezebel was not impressed. In fact, she vowed to kill Elijah for destroying her favorite pagan priests. She had a bit of a temper.

Upon hearing this sentence, Elijah ran for his life to Beersheba, a distance of about 130 miles. God’s prophets were apparently very fit in those days. While in Beersheba we see Elijah make four basic mistakes, and using the HALT acrostic we’ll see a very practical God correct those mistakes.

HUNGRY. Twice, God sent His angel to tell Elijah to “rise and eat” (19:5 and 7). The meal was a cake baked on hot stones and some water. Nothing fancy. But apparently Elijah had neglected to eat properly. God agrees with the Snickers commercials: “You’re not yourself when you’re hungry.”

Depression is a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom, and Elijah shows all the symptoms of depression. He lost his appetite and didn’t even think to eat. God took care of his dangerous oversight. Our practical God wants us to eat regularly. Three meals a day, even simple meals, are needed to keep this important part of our balance intact. Don’t get too hungry.

ANGRY. Elijah was not necessarily angry, but he had let his emotions run riot. He wanted to die, thought he was no better than his fathers, and even believed he was the only one in Israel to still believe in God. None of this was true, but Elijah was not thinking clearly and became emotionally unstable. God corrected him by saying that over 7,000 people still believed in Him, and then told him to get back to work.

Self-pity is a dangerous and damnable emotional state. When we feel sorry for ourselves we’re likely to manufacture and multiply every real or supposed slight. No one likes to be told they are feeling sorry for themselves, which illustrates the very problem. I want you to affirm my misery, not call me out of it! Anger is even worse, and is a corrosive emotion. Most people will claim they have a right to be angry. Perhaps. But hanging on to it and nurturing it is dangerous! God wants us to keep our emotions in check, properly feeling them, and even expressing them, but never allowing them to overrule His wisdom or the brains He gave us. Don’t get too emotional.

LONELY. Elijah made a fundamental error of running into the wilderness by himself. Solitude is good and necessary experience sometimes. Loneliness is never good. In his self-pitying, exhausted loneliness, Elijah had no one to encourage him and correct his thinking. Fortunately for Elijah, God intervened directly.

When we’re overwhelmed we often retreat. Usually this is the exact opposite of what we need to do. God created us to be social creatures. We need one another, especially when we’re faced with trying times. A good exercise when very stressed is to ask a wise friend if you’re thinking or acting wisely. God will send people into your life to help you, but you must be open to them. Don’t get too lonely.

TIRED. With all that running, Elijah was exhausted. And all those self-pitying emotions only magnified his exhaustion. When he finally arrived at Beersheba he slept. After God fed him the first time, he slept again. The man needed rest.

God created us with a rhythm. We need regular and extended rest. As one who struggled with sleep for twenty years, I can attest personally to the frustrations of feeling like bed time was the beginning of a night-long struggle. I can also attest that working with a doctor and therapist, I sleep well now. More importantly, when I do have trouble, I don’t worry about it. I trust the rhythm. When I’m tired enough I will sleep. So will you. Don’t get too tired.

When someone suggested the HALT acronym to me it simply made sense, and it brought Elijah’s story into a clearer focus. Good ideas are simple. We make life much more difficult by ignoring some very basic personal care. Chances are our practical God is trying to help you in some very practical ways. So HALT!

Grace,

Dr. Terry Ellis

September 1, 2014