Thursday May 3

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Proverbs 3:3  Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Last night was such a beautiful evening.  Donna and I sat outside and just enjoyed the perfect temperature and the cool breeze.  I had earlier completed mowing the lawn so it looked great.  Then there were spring flowers blooming in the gardens and the trees swaying with the breeze  We just enjoyed everything and each other.

Lawns and gardens don’t have red idiot lights that indicate attention is needed NOW!  (They’re called idiot lights because only an idiot ignores them.)  Lawns and gardens simply need someone who cares and takes the time to notice – and attend them.  It also helps if that person enjoys the beauty they can possess.

While well-tended lawns and gardens can become an ego thing (not good), they hopefully reflect a desire to faithfully take care of what one has – being faithful.  Whether the yard and gardens are big or small, their beauty is enhanced by the tending they receive.

Isn’t it interesting that left unattended, lawns and gardens have their beauty diminished?  The beauty is overshadowed by the neglect of the one responsible for them.   While the flowers and colors might be noted, passers-by are more struck by the neglect than they are by the beauty.

Lawn and gardens – love and faithfulness – all need regular tending.  The ‘flowers’ of love and faithfulness are mercy, kindness and truth.  What are the detractors from love and faithfulness?  The ‘weeds’ are selfishness, hatred, hypocrisy or falsehood.

We have the opportunity to display the goodness and kindness of our God wherever we go.  We have the privilege of representing Him and His character – His living Word made alive in us.  The exciting thing is that our Christ-like character has a fragrance and attractiveness that draw people to Him.  We get to be used each and every day as expressions of His beauty.

We’re not perfect and there are always going to be ‘weeds’ in our lives to be tended, but they are going to be minimized in the lives of those who are truly Jesus-followers.  Such lives live out the marvelous command of Jesus in Matthew 5:16,

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

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Wednesday May 2

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Genesis 1:1   1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

If a person is an atheist, they definitely have a problem with the concept of God creating the world.  Likewise those who might believe in some kind of divine ‘entity’ but hold the view that that ‘entity’ is and has always been uninvolved in this world.  Maybe once upon a time it (the entity) initiated a spark that set a process in motion but that was it.

The Theory of Evolution is just about the only thing you are left with if God cannot be a part of the process.  Over the past few decades its proponents have accomplished moving it from theory to accepted fact – at least in their minds and in academia.  This is their faith venture.

Consider some Evolution terms:  (But note how positive they all are)

Evolve = change, grow, progress, advance, go forward, develop

Evolution = development, growth, progression, advancement

Mutation = change, alteration, transformation, modification

Enter my college Genetics class that I took my senior year – big class with over 500 students in it.  [FYI – The professor happened to be an atheist. I learned that, months later through discussions with him.] I had been a Christian a little over a year and hadn’t given a lot of thought to the evolution / creation issue.  But from earlier college courses, I knew that mutations were the foundation of the Theory of Evolution.  It couldn’t exist without them.

In Genetics class we dealt with the subject of mutations and that provided a stunning eye-opener.  Most mutations are harmful or negative – or at best neutral.  Let’s say that again but in a different way – Most mutations are NOT beneficial or positive!!!  In addition there is the whole issue of dominant and recessive mutations.  The rarest ‘critter’ out there in the world of mutations is the ‘dominant and beneficial mutation’.

Yet, that very ‘critter’ is what the whole evolution house of cards is built upon.  We read and hear how Evolution is predicated upon mutations – zillions and zillions of them – and unlimited time for them to occur.  But the theory is based upon the ‘given’ (read fiction) that the mutations are all overwhelmingly positive, beneficial and dominant.  This is the very opposite the reality.

While this whole experience was helpful, I don’t believe in Scriptural creation because of it.  My belief is settled firmly on the Rock that is Christ:

John 1:1-3  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with  God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

The good news was that the more I experienced the power and wonder of God, it became a no-brainer that God could do anything! – except lie, sin, be unfaithful, be caught off guard, and a few other things.  Experiencing His supernatural power can have a profound impact on a person.

Come to think of it, creation pales in comparison to what was accomplished through Jesus: His life, death, resurrection, freeing us from a life of sin and making us new creatures in Him.   Creating the world and everything in it was not a big deal – maybe the equivalent of God snapping his fingers.

Note:  My atheist Genetics prof felt he was comfortable with his own explanations for describing my experiences with Jesus.  BUT – I remember him looking at me and saying with a serious thoughtfulness, “I don’t know what to do with the miracles.”

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Tuesday May 1

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Don Schmidt

1 Peter 3:15  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Imagine sitting in any kind of class or gathering where the speaker/instructor belittles a particular belief.  If there is an individual in the group with that particular belief and he makes it known, the focus likely shifts to him.  Typically it probably isn’t mean spirited, but more in the category of “Oh my!  How can anyone still believe that??!!”  Laughter, polite ridicule and condescension are a powerful combination.

Unfortunately if the person proves to be resistant to the ‘accepted wisdom’ or political correctness, the speaker/instructor can manipulate the nature of the atmosphere to become more aggressive, ‘seasoned’ with anger, intimidation and biting ridicule.  In a classroom setting, a subtle intimation can be communicated that good grades are not obtained by those with such beliefs.

This phenomenon can occur over a vast range of subjects depending upon the views of the speaker and the group.  Consider some topics: abortion; homosexuality, voter IDs, government healthcare; God; Jesus; evolution; the Bible; the list is long.  If we are that person and the recipient of such treatment, how we respond is critical.

Our faith identifies such situations as opportunities not victimhood.  Christ is our rock and it’s upon Him that we stand.  Sometimes we might hesitate to speak up because we don’t want to be a recipient of the verbal attack.  That might be wisdom or it might be fear of what people might think of us; or fear of persecution.  Maybe we’re just too casual with our faith and feel too inadequate to speak up, or to stand with another believer.

We have a hope that is grounded in eternal reality.  We must be prepared to express our faith in ways pleasing to God – not attacking those who oppose but sincerely allowing our light (His light within us) to shine.  It might take the form of those Christian students walking out of the obscene anti-bullying assembly.  We must be spiritually and prayerfully prepared to glorify our Lord when such opportunities arise.

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Monday April 30

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Don Schmidt

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.

Do you ever get the impression from seeing what appears in the news that the major problems faced by society and our culture include troublesome Christians?  There are crosses on federal land; government meetings that begin with prayer; peaceful protests against abortions; students wanting to pray in graduation ceremonies; providing Bibles for soldiers; and God forbid the problem of preachers and Christians wanting to talk about Christian values!

Then there are the problems in most of the Middle East and Southeast Asia where even the existence of Christians is an insult to their culture worthy of death.  I sure was surprised to discover from a major TV program recently that Israel is a serious player in persecuting Christians too (sarcasm).  You almost get the feeling that the world would be such a better place if Christians and Israel just ceased to exist.

Yesterday we wrote of the spiritual forces behind this opposition to Christianity because of the threat that Christianity is.  Here is a serious reminder of what we face,

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. (Eph 6:12 MSG)

Today’s admonition is critically important,

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

We cannot succumb to fear but must be the men and women that God enables us to be and requires us to be.  And to do it in love!”

In response to some of this treatment this past week we had Christian students walking out of an assembly.  They and the Bible were being insulted and scorned by a government representative who was there to speak against bullying.  A bully speaking against bullying!

Then we have Christian leaders opposing government policies being forced upon them by governmental fiat.  These policies significantly violate their faith.  The important thing is that Christian leaders are standing – and not giving in.

We must pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing these hardships – and for ourselves that we will respond righteously and faithfully to every such situation that we encounter.

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Sunday April 29

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Don Schmidt

John 12:42-43  Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

We have this problem today that we encounter everywhere –  and it is a major problem.  In Scripture it is reflected by Nathanael’s blunt comment to hearing Philip excitedly telling him about Jesus of Nazareth, the one written about by Moses and the prophets, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46)

Substitute the word Christianity into Nathanael’s sentence for Nazareth and couple it with an attitude of condescension and we have the problem we are facing nearly everywhere in Western Civilization. It’s in academia, business, media, government, courts – basically everywhere.  It’s similar to evolution in that it’s poor theory that’s accepted as true (I will deal with evolution this week).  Of course Christianity is viewed as a waste if your ‘given’ is there is no God.

But this perception and accompanying attitudes don’t exist in a vacuum.  They are rooted in forces that have no doubt as to deadly threat posed to them by scriptural Christianity that is truly lived out. Most of the world has no idea they are pawns in the hands of evil powers. Paul addresses them in Ephesians 6:12,

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Their goal is to stamp Christianity out!  Do anything to keep Christians from tapping into the power they truly have in Christ.  In the face of this politically correct societal dismissal, the issue becomes how are Jesus followers going to respond?

Unfortunately, when our walk is weak, we have a tendency to follow the path painfully described by today’s verse – we respond out of fear because we love the praise of men more than the praise of God – OUCH!  That’s why we have been provided with the armor of God and the command to put it on. (Ephesian 6:10-18)  This armor is vital to being strong in the Lord and able to stand.

When we stand, we don’t respond with anger, shaking our fists at those who oppose us.  But we stand strong and secure in our Lord with our response reflecting our faith, rooted in righteousness and glorifying Jesus.  At times we’ll suffer negative consequences, but even then we must do so with fruit of the Spirit attitudes.

After all, our joy and our lives are centered in pleasing God – not men.

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Saturday April 28

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Don Schmidt

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Have you thought about the power inherent in humility? It enables us to see and respond to truth and wisdom.  Humility prevents the bulwark of pride from being built into a wall of unteachableness that prevents us from recognizing truth when we see it.

A frightening thing about the blindness of pride is that we can be completely unaware at how faulty our judgment is when it comes to recognizing wisdom and truth.  There’s an example in Scripture of a type of blindness that is useful.

In 2 Kings 6:8-23 we have the story of the king of Aram becoming enraged because whenever he planned an attack on Israel, the prophet Elisha warned the king of Israel exactly where the attack would take place.  Time and again the planned attacks failed.  So the king Aram sent his army to Dothan to capture Elisha.

Elisha prayed that the Lord would strike them with blindness and He did.  But when we read the account it’s apparent that this blindness is really unique.  The army can all still see but they are unable to recognize the reality of what they are seeing.

Elisha goes out and tells them that “this is not the road and this is not the city.  Follow me and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.”  He then leads them to Samaria and when they enter city the Lord opens their eyes.  Fortunately for them, Elisha tells the king of Israel to have mercy on them.

I’ve found this story to be a very helpful one because it describes a blindness that simply prevents them from recognizing reality.  Although this one was supernaturally induced, a similar type of blindness is apparent repeatedly in Scripture.  Just think of the inability of the religious leaders to recognize the reality of Jesus!

An attribute of those who are perishing is that wisdom is deemed to be foolishness.  This is blindness that fails to recognize reality.  The message of the cross is the power of God.  Hopefully our lives will always be a wonderful demonstration of the wonder of His salvation – and help the ‘blind’ to see.

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Friday April 27

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

I have really enjoyed some of the Indiana Jones movies.  A couple of my favorite scenes are in The last Crusade when they get to the cave and encounter the old Crusader still guarding the ‘Holy Grail’ – believed to be the cup used by Christ at the last supper.  There is only one problem – the room has a whole bunch of cups without any indication which is the right one.

Of course the wealthy, learned leader of the bad guys insists on choosing and picks out a magnificent ornate cup, in his mind worthy of the Lord.  He drinks from it expecting some sort of heavenly wonder but unfortunately he chose the wrong cup.  He ages a few hundred years in a few seconds and is no more, to which the old Crusader responds, “He chose poorly.”

Due to the wounding of Indy’s father (Sean Connery), Indy has to choose quickly among the cups.  The story line attributes miraculous power to the cup – like the Ark in the Old Testament – and Indy needs to get it to his father to heal the wound that would kill him.  Well, Indy learned from the bad guy’s mistake and scours the table for the cup of a carpenter and chose a very humble plain wooden cup; to which the old Crusader responds, “You chose…wisely.”

We find ourselves in a world filled with gods – all being represented as the true God. When we look at all of these competing gods, how do we know what He (the True One) looks like?  This isn’t simply an intellectual exercise – this is true reality!  While He doesn’t put a gun at our head or a sword at our throat forcing us to choose, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The good news is that the One True God didn’t leave us to our own devices to figure out which ‘cup on the table’ was Him.  He has made everything available for all to ‘choose wisely’.   He even works with us to guide us in the path that leads to finding Him.  He has communicated that it’s not His will that any should ‘choose poorly’!

Fortunately, He has given us a vibrant, living picture of Himself.  He even enables us to recognize that it is Him – we then, simply have to choose.  And when we do, He confirms our wise choice by allowing us to experience the wonder of Him.

Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being!  When we become His, He begins the transforming wonder whereby we become like Jesus.  The more we are transformed, the more others will see Jesus when they see us – and they too will be drawn to Him.

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Thursday April 26

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Ishmael and Isaac  – Which one is the child of promise?

When are two sons, not two sons? Answer: God’s view of Abraham’s offspring – Ishmael and Isaac.  While both boys had Abraham as their father, only one was the child of promise.

Genesis 17:3-6 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.  No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.  I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

Genesis 17:18-21 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”  Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.  And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.  But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”

Genesis 22:2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Genesis 22:16-18  and said, “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Hebrews 11:17-18 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.

Galatians 3:8-9 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Galatians 3:26-29 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 4:28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

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Wednesday April 25

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Luke 5:11  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Luke 9:57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

This morning I was thinking of the decision made to follow Jesus and I thought of this well-known hymn. I didn’t know that it came from India.  The story behind it is truly moving.  Think of missionaries in a region of India risking their lives among violent people groups to share the story of Jesus.  This song describes what happens to one family when they decide to follow Jesus.

Here is a 5 minute YouTube that includes both the story and the song:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALP9f4QVIoA&feature=related

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

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Tuesday April 24

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Don Schmidt

Luke 5:10b-11  Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Picture yourself a fisherman.  That is your livelihood.  You and your partners have just spent the entire night fishing and come up empty.  You’re on shore washing your nets when this new friend, a carpenter by background who is doing some amazing things comes up with a crowd around him listening to him teaching.

He sees two boats at water’s edge and gets into one of them – yours – and asks you to push it out a bit.  He then sits down and teaches from the boat.  When he finishes speaking (to the crowd) he says to you, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  I wonder what goes through your mind at that moment; maybe something like, “Yea – right!”

Maybe you roll your eyes, but who he is gets the better of you – although you do let him know the facts of the situation.  “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.

Maybe you’re thinking that he should stick to what he knows.  Even so, you go along with it.  All of a sudden you and your companions catch such a large number of fish that the nets began to break.  You signal your partners in the other boat to come and help, and they come and both boats are filled so full of fish that they began to sink.

To say everyone is astonished is an understatement!  But this strikes you in a unique way.  This is a miracle and it involved you.  You’re struck by your own unworthiness to be in the presence of something divine.  You fall at his knees and say, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

But instead of listening to you, he says something far more profound that what you’ve just experienced!  These words come from his mouth addressed to you, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” The group of you that hear this, pull your boats up on shore, leave everything and follow him.

The marvelous thing about this story is that Jesus is inserting himself into the everyday lives and situations of his followers today – just as he did then.  He will do something to get our attention – causing us to turn aside and focus upon him.

We might not understand everything that is going on but we know it is Him.  Then he calls us to be fishers of men – just as he did with them by the shore.  And we get to follow Jesus just as they did into the callings he has for us.

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