Food for Thought: Revelation 21:3-4

Here is a something worthy of meditation:

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:

Look! God's dwelling is with humanity, 

and he will live with them.

They will be his people,

and God himself with be with them 

and be their God.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Death will no longer exist;

grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, 

because the previous things have passed away (Rev. 21:3-4, HCSB).

What a glorious day that will be, when death is swallowed up by life.  I long for the day when we enter into our Savior's rest.

As Luck Would Have It

Are you the superstitious sort? Does Friday the 13th, broken mirrors, and ladders blocking your way strike terror into your heart? I guess we all have our quirks. I decided a long time ago that Friday the 13th would be a good day for me, and it usually is.

Luck is what you make of it. If we aren't careful our concept of luck will negate the role of providence in our lives, and keeps us shackled to fear. Every good gift comes from the Father above. A penny on the ground, a chance to share in the joy of others, a phone call from an friend; they all are from above. If we experience blessing, the kind hand of providence has order it so.

What about bad "luck" or hard circumstances. Surely a good God can't use bad circumstance to bless, can he? The short answer is yes. The cross is a great reminder of the harder providences of God. Sometimes, God allows hardships in our lives so that the comfort we experience before him can flow into the lives of others later on.

There is no need to fear a day or a broken mirror when you have entrusted yourself to the one who orders all things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. As it has been said, "Luck favors the prepared." Providence is just favor. God bless.

Thursday Humor: Children

Running a tad behind today. Here is a little humor to end your day or start your morning if you read this on Friday. Enjoy!

What's In a Name?

Shakespeare's Juliet once posed this question: "What is in a name?" She concludes, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Juliet's dilemma centered on dating a boy from the "wrong" family. It may be easy to cast aside a name for romance, but it is not always easy under other circumstances. Today, names are given as based on preference.

But in other times, and other cultures names were given to demonstrate the character of person or the hopes of the parents or the recognition of something significant. For example, as she lay dying, Rachel names her child, Ben-oni, son of my sorrow, but Jacob renames the boy Benjamin, son of my right hand.

What is in a name? It really depends on why the name was given in the first place and on who gave the name. A name may bear no significance at all. It may be devoid of all of its original meaning. A child may grow up wearing a label that was chosen simply for its pleasantness to the ears. Then again, it may tell you everything you need to know about a person.

For that reason, a study of the names of God is a fruitful study. God has revealed some of his invisible attributes through nature, such as, his omnipotence and eternality. However, if we are to truly know God he must reveal more of himself to us because it is beyond human ability to figure God out on our own. God has revealed himself to us through his Word. One of the ways that he reveals himself to mankind in his Word is through his names.

Each name or title reveals a facet of his character, nature, or being. The names help to illuminate our understanding of our Creator and Redeemer. As the various names of God were used for various circumstances, they serve to strength our faith that God is able to meet us in any situation.

More importantly, God reveals a concern for his name and his desire that his name should be treated as holy. The Third Commandment forbids the misuse of God's name. During the Exodus, the Lord told Pharaoh, "But I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth" (Ex. 9:16). Concerning his patience with Israel, the Lord states, "But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it form being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out" (Ezek. 20:22). Even Jesus stressed the importance of God's name when he taught his disciples to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matt. 6:9).

God honors his name because it is synonymous with who he is. I invite you to join us on Wednesday nights (7:00 PM CST) at Monticello where we are studying the names of God. Each mediation is meant to draw us closer to the God who has revealed himself. He is great and greatly to be praised.

Spiritual Songs: Your Great Name

Although, "Your Great Name," isn't a "new" song, I only heard it recently and was captivated by it. Not only is Anthony Evan's voice powerful, but the words are captivating. One of the themes of Scripture is that God is making a name for himself. His name is synonymous with his character and glory.

Through Malachi, the prophet, the Lord says, "'For my name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,' says Yahweh of Hosts" (Mal. 1:11).

Speaking of the incarnation and death of Jesus Paul reminds us, "For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him a name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow--of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth--and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).

"Your Great Name," draws on some of the names (and titles) given to Jesus, and moves us to meditate upon them. The simple, repetitive nature of the song adds to its beauty. I hope this song moves your heart to celebrate the Lord's great name.

Lessons from a Funeral Procession

Where I grew up people pulled over when they passed a funeral procession. There was an unwritten rule about respecting the dead and contemplating mortality. I fear things are changing.

As a pastor, I have been in several funeral processions. I'm usually between the police escort and the hearse, so I get to watch as people approach the procession. For some, as soon as they see the hearse, they move to the side of the road and patiently wait for procession to pass them. Others, begrudgingly follow the example of the those drivers, and pull to the side of the road. Some try to creep passed the procession unnoticed. Today, I witnessed a car keep driving as if everything was normal. Maybe they had an emergency. Maybe they were talking on their phone and didn't notice the police lights and the hearse with its flashing lights or the dozen cars crawling up the road with their lights on. But the sight saddened me.

It saddened me because it demonstrated a lack of respect for life (and death). It saddened me to imagine that we live in a world so busy we don't have time to pause a few moments and contemplate the deeper things of life.

Just because things change, doesn't mean respect has to die. We can keep a tradition of respect alive and well. I hope you will pull over the next time you see a funeral procession. Here are somethings you can do while you wait for the procession to finish passing:

1. Thank God that you are alive and well. Even if you are battling a serious illness, you are not in a box headed for your final resting place. God has given you the grace of one more day.

2. Resolve to make the most of the life you have been given. None of us knows when it will be our turn to die, so make the most of every opportunity.

3. Remember those you have lost and the ways in which they impacted your life. 

4. Contemplate your mortality and make certain you are prepared to stand before your maker.

5. Pray for the family and friends of the person in the back of the hearse.

The simple truth is that even the longest funeral procession will be passed you in a matter of moments. Life as you know will resume, but a new life is dawning for those in the funeral procession. It is a life with a hole in it. Your moments of discomfort on the side of the road serves as a silent reminder that their loved one truly mattered. Your display of empathy will also remind them that life in this different world is possible.

Sermon Recap 7-8-12

Morning: The sermon, "The Joy of Forgiveness," explored Psalm 32. This passage reminds us that true joy is rooted in being forgiven by the Lord. David teaches us some important truths.

1. Holding on the unconfessed sin is dangerous. Shame and guilt have emotional and psychological price tags. They also lead to physical trouble as well. However, the greatest trouble with unconfessed sin is the spiritual price that comes with it. John states, "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). A key word in this verse is "if." If we confess we get forgiveness and cleansing. If we do not confess, we remain in our sin.

2. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Sin sends us looking for a hiding place. When we turn from our sin to the living God, Christ becomes our hiding place. When God grants us an opportunity to confess and repent of our sins, that is the time to seek him.

3. Don't be stubborn, it only makes it worse. Sin tries to get us to withdraw, but God compels us to come to him.

What do we do with this?

A. We confess our sins. We confess to the Lord first, and those we have hurt next. Our confession should be a public (or private) as the sin. If you get caught in sin on the front page of the daily news, then a public confession is in order. If you have a squabble with your spouse, then confess your sin to them alone.

B. We trust the Lord to forgive. The blood of Christ has purchased our pardon. There is no condemnation in Christ (see Rom. 8:1).

C. We must develop a culture on confession. It should be normal and natural for Christians to share one another's burdens. We should be able to openly and honestly share our faults and failings without fear of rejection.

D. We need to seek the Lord. He is calling us to walk with him. We can only do that if we have entrusted ourselves to his care.

Evening: No service.