THE TWILIGHT ZONE

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”  (John 8:12 NIV)

It’s amazing how easily we adjust to darkness. When you go into a dark theater, you grope around until your eyes adjust. And then the darkness becomes quite comfortable. But go back outside, and your eyes water and you’re reaching for your sunglasses. The light actually hurts your eyes.

Our world lives in spiritual darkness, separated from God. Jesus said He is the Light of the world. But too often, people become comfortable in their own personal twilight zone, where the goal becomes reducing the Light, or even extinguishing it altogether so they can stay comfortable. We see this happening in our schools, our governments, and our social gatherings.

But the Light of Christ is stronger than any darkness. In a world of comfortable darkness, stay out of the twilight. Walk in the Light. Then be a light to guide others out of the darkness. 

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus”

#6172

LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS – Part 1 of 2

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”  (2 Corinthians 4:4-7 NIV)

Let us remember that it is a full salvation that we offer. Some… have been content to save their people and leave them to heaven. John and Charles Wesley insisted that we are saved so that we can grow. They believed that their somewhat ragtag group of butchers, miners, and household servants could become saints. We are challenged to believe as grandly for the computer generation, for a century of skeptics, and the spiritually cautious.

And we are saved to serve our present age. Traditionally, we have believed we could spread scriptural holiness throughout the land. Now we must do so in a time when family structures are under assault, while political systems build their new Babels, and when the evils of misery, poverty, and war seem more entrenched than ever. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “Our First Song: Evangelism in the Hymns of Charles Wesley” (1984)

#6144

LIFE’S FINAL CATEGORIES

Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  (Matthew 7:13-14)

Vance Havner (1901-1986) once wrote that “When the Titanic sank in 1912, it was the ship that was supposed to be unsinkable. The only thing it ever did was sink. When it took off from England, all kinds of passengers were aboard -- millionaires, celebrities, people of moderate means, and poor folks down in the steerage. But a few hours later when they put the list in the Cunard office in New York, it carried only two categories -- lost and saved. Grim tragedy had leveled all distinctions.”

The Titanic's tragic tale carries a profound spiritual truth. In those dark hours as the "unsinkable" ship descended into the Atlantic's depths, all worldly distinctions -- wealth, fame, political party, social status -- dissolved into meaninglessness. In those final moments, the only distinction that mattered was between the lost and the saved.

This mirrors our spiritual reality. We spend our lives building reputations, accumulating wealth, and establishing our place in society's hierarchy. Yet in eternity's light, only one question remains: are we lost or are we saved? Just as the Titanic's passengers faced a stark binary outcome regardless of their cabin class, we too face an eternal choice that transcends all earthly categories.

The world may define us by our achievements, possessions, or social standing, but God sees only the state of our hearts. Have we accepted His salvation in Christ? Are we walking the narrow path? These are the questions that truly matter. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources 

#6124

COMMUNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT

“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.”  (1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NRSV)

It is essential to remember that our differences do not make us superior or inferior to one another – in churches, in communities, in politics. As members of the human family, we must strive to understand the other, reducing our tendencies to be arrogant or rude. Each of us has unique gifts to offer and roles to play, and it is through recognizing and valuing these differences that we can foster a sense of community and mutual respect.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:21, "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" This powerful metaphor illustrates the importance of interdependence and collaboration. In politics, as in life, we all need each other to create a harmonious and functioning society.

Arrogance and rudeness often stem from a failure to acknowledge our interconnectedness. When we appreciate the diversity of our gifts and functions, we are drawn into a deeper understanding of our common humanity. Let us strive to approach political discourse with humility and respect, recognizing that every voice and perspective has something to offer. By doing so, we can build a more compassionate world. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

#6036

KINGDOM PROMISES: TAMING THE TONGUE

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.”  (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

The Greek word for “unwholesome” is sapros. It means rotten, putrid, or worthless -- and in this context I believe Paul means to describe, in part, the words we use to destroy others, for in the rest of the verse he contrasts this first form of speech with that which is “helpful for building others up.”

James is perhaps best known for his words about how we speak about others. He writes, “The tongue… is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of [one’s] life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell… No one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse [human beings], who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers [and sisters], this should not be.” (James 3:6, 8-10 NIV)

I would ask, does the Lord give us an exemption from practicing the Scriptures when it comes to our political leaders, those who hold office, and others with whom we disagree? Are we allowed to lay aside the Golden Rule? Do James’ and Paul’s and Jesus’ words regarding our speech and our enemies no longer apply when discussing those whom we disagree with politically? As James says, “This should not be so!”

This does not mean that we are not to practice discernment. Nor does it mean that we should remain silent in the face of wrongdoing. Yet we can make known our disagreements with others while doing so in love and with respect for the other.   

-- Adam Hamilton in “Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White”

#5979

KINGDOM PROMISES: LIKE SHEEP AMONG WOLVES

Jesus said, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” (Matthew 10:16 NIV)

The church is always at its best when it goes into the world humbly, like sheep among wolves. Ironically, a few centuries after Jesus, when the church did get some political and financial power, it lost much of its spiritual power. One Christ follower, John Chrysostom, was reflecting on this verse about being sent by Jesus like sheep among wolves and how the concept was getting lost as the church gained power. He said, “Let us then be ashamed, who do the contrary, who set out like wolves upon our enemies. For so long as we are sheep, we conquer… But if we become wolves, we are worsted, for help of our Shepherd departs from us: for He feeds not wolves, but sheep.” 

-- John Ortberg in “All the Places to Go: How Will You Know?”

#5978

REVOLUTIONARY

“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”  (Colossians 3:12 NRSV)

This election cycle in the U.S. is pulling people apart. The rhetoric, name-calling, and polarization is extreme. Rather than working together to move our country forward, nothing happens.

I have often thought that a good analogy for what’s happening is this: Two brothers are pulling a red Radio Flyer wagon carrying their little sister. Each has a grip on the handle. They are moving steadily down the street, one gently tugging one way, then the other gently pulling the other way, and the wagon moves steadily forward. But as time goes on, the angle of the pulls gets more extreme and the force exerted has gotten stronger and stronger. Instead of talking about their common goals for the wagon, they are yelling at each other over who is right. And the wagon is no longer moving forward. It is being jostled to the point of dumping its precious cargo.

Josh Wilson sings a song called “Revolutionary” (written by Jason Mater, James Tealy, Steven Fee, and Joshua Wilson). I resonate with the perspective he shares. 

REVOLUTIONARY
 
Maybe you're not like me
Maybe we don't agree
Maybe that doesn't mean
We gotta be enemies
Maybe we just get brave
Take a big leap of faith
Call a truce so me and you
Can find a better way
 
Let's take some time, open our eyes, look and listen
And we're gonna find we're more alike than we are different
 
Why does kindness seem revolutionary?
When did we let hate get so ordinary?
Let's turn it around, flip the script
Judge slow, love quick
God help us get revolutionary
 
I'm turning the TV down
Drowning their voices out
'Cause I believe that you and me
Can find some common ground
See, maybe I'm not like you
But I'll walk a mile in your shoes
If it means I might see
The world the way you do
 
What would Jesus do?
He would love first
Yeah, He would love first
So we should love first
 
God help us get revolutionary

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

#5974

A WORLD IN NEED OF A SAVIOR

Let us remember that it is a full salvation we offer. Some movements have been content to save their people and then leave them to heaven. [From early on] Methodism has insisted that we are saved so that we can grow. John and Charles Wesley believed that their somewhat ragtag group of butchers, miners, and household servants could become saints. We are challenged to believe as grandly for the computer generation, for a century of skeptics, and for the spiritually cautious.

And we are saved to serve our present age. Traditionally, we have believed we could “spread scriptural holiness throughout the land.” Now we must do so in a time when family structures are under assault while political systems build their new Babels, and when evils of misery, poverty, and war seem more entrenched than ever.

There could hardly be a better time to preach the gospel of Christ, and surely no better time to sing it. The gospel has always been needed, since it is God’s solution for the human race, but in our day the need is more poignant and more dramatic. Whether one looks at the penultimate threat of nuclear destruction, or the private anguish of the lonely soul in an impersonal society, one cannot imagine a world more starkly in need of a Savior. There could hardly be a more demanding, more exhilarating time to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

But we must have a song to sing. Without a song, we will only add to the dissonance of our times… On one of his birthdays, Wesley wrote:

          In rapture of joy
          My life I employ,
          The God of my life to proclaim:
          ‘Tis worth living for this,
          To administer bliss, 
          And salvation in Jesus’ name.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “Our First Song: Evangelism in the Hymns of Charles Wesley”

#5969

 

CONFRONTING GOSSIP

Gossip's main purpose is to spread misery. It's certainly not to build people up or minister to them in the name of Jesus. A gossip's wake is littered by damaged families and broken relationships: "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends" (Proverbs 16:28).

As Christians, we're called to put the brakes on the spread of gossip. And not only gossip about people we know, but also gossip about those we don't know. Like others, I've been guilty of spinning pretty little stories about certain political figures, even though I had no proof that what I was saying even resembled the truth. I foolishly thought that spreading gossip would make me more popular.

How about you? Are you modeling God's standard of truthfulness and honesty? Are you known as someone who confronts gossip? Or do you pass it on with a few added details of your own?

…As you move beyond gossiping about others, you'll find more time to show them the unconditional love of Jesus. And you might just make a few new friends in the process. 

-- Matt Donnelly, ChristianityToday.com

#5944

BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER

The apostle Paul offers instructions for Christians to conduct themselves in all areas of life. These words are particularly pertinent when it comes to politics:

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. … Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another." (Ephesians 4:29-32)

Paul notes that when we act in belligerent ways we “grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” The Greek word for grieve means to “inflict distress or intense sadness upon.” That is what Christians do to God when they speak words that tear others down, or that slander them. Christians are called to speak words that “give grace” -- that is, undeserved kindness -- to all. 

-- Adam Hamilton in “When Christians Get It Wrong” 

#5927

A SERIOUS CONCERN

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul says (in Eugene Peterson's translation The Message): "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I'll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common." (I Corinthians 1:10)…

We live in a time when there are too many conflicts, too little cooperation, and too few people who are willing to get along. Simple courtesy, the ability to compromise, and the willingness to think of the larger good -- those things seem to be in short supply. We are reaching the point where the very social fabric is coming unraveled…

I suggest the following steps for each of us and all of us to take:

1. Start by saying "I could be wrong" when expressing your opinions. That simple caveat allows room for the other person to have a different opinion. And it is also the truth – we may well be wrong, even when we have a strong opinion.

2. Practice stating opposing opinions without labeling or cynicism. The ability to explain positions with which we disagree means that we have truly listened and learned. It also makes it more likely that we will convince others to consider our opinions.

3. Agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable. There is nothing which says we must always agree, but our disagreeing can be civil and polite.

4. Don't go thermo-nuclear on every issue. Most issues are not ultimate, so don't ramp up the rhetoric on every little thing.

5. Allow God to speak for Himself and don't presume God agrees with you on every one of your opinions.

Will these five steps eliminate all of the divisions and violence in our society and all the divisions in our churches? Of course not. But we must start somewhere. As the Apostle Paul says, "We must get along with each other." We must. 

-- U.M. Bishop Mike Coyner (1949-2020)

NOT BY MIGHT NOR BY POWER

God works through weak and obscure instruments to do His work for Him. How often we look to the rich and famous to get the job done. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said:

“We Christians often quote ‘not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord’ (Zechariah 4:6b), and yet in practice we seem to rely on the mighty dollar and the power of the press and advertising and politics. We seem to think that our influence will depend on our technique and the program we can put forward and that it would be numbers, the largeness, the bigness that would prove effective. We seem to have forgotten that God has done most of His deeds throughout history through remnants. We seem to have forgotten the great story of Gideon, for instance, and how God insisted on reducing the 32,000 men down to 300 before He would make use of them. We have become fascinated by the idea of bigness, and we are quite convinced that if we can only stage, yes, that’s the word, stage something really big before the world, we will shake it and produce a mighty religious awakening. That seems to be the modern conception of authority.”

But as Jesus said, “What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15b). God does not look for powerful instruments but for instruments that can be wielded by His power. 

-- Adapted from “A Beacon in the Darkness: Reflecting God’s Light in Today’s World” by David Roper

#5868

THE REALITY OF THE NEW CREATION

“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NRSV)

If the gospel is to challenge the public life of our society it will not be by forming a Christian political party, or by aggressive propaganda campaigns… It will only be by movements that begin with the local congregation in which the reality of the new creation is present, known, and experienced, and from which men and women will go into every sector of public life to claim it for Christ. 

-- Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998) in “The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society” (1989)

#5693

THE OBJECT OF OUR TRUST

"It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people.  It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in princes." (Psalm 118:8-9)

Pilots put confidence in their planes.  Commuters place confidence in trains, cars, or buses.  Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone.  If you are willing to trust a plane or car to get you to your destination, are you willing to trust God to guide you here on earth and to your eternal destination?  Do you trust Him more than any other human being?  How futile it is to trust anything or anyone more than God.

-- From the “Life Application Bible” 

#5467

JUSTICE AND MERCY - Part 2

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8 NIV)

You can’t have one without the other. But just as we so often separate evangelism and social action, many in the Church today divide justice and mercy as well. Even worse, they secularize these holy terms. Conservatives seem to emphasize justice over mercy, then compound the problem by adopting the secular definition of justice, that is, punishing wrongdoers and seeing that everyone “gets his due.” So every man, woman, and child must carry his or her own weight -- no matter how heavy the odds against them -- as if poverty could only be God’s judgment and punishment for indolence.

Meanwhile, many a liberal latches onto mercy, believing it requires him to provide food, shelter, clothes, and entertainment for anyone who cannot provide for themselves. So justice and mercy have been divorced from one another, and Christians take up sides, choosing their church -- not to mention their political party -- according to a destructive dichotomy.

This false dichotomy between justice and mercy creates unhealthy extremes in our political and social policies in the United States. I think it is because believers have not stood in the gap. The church has too often bought into the secular definitions of these godly terms, thus ruining the possibility of a witness of what our Lord requires of us -- to do justice and to love mercy. Nor have we been a particularly convincing witness of “walking humbly” with our God. 

-- Charles Colson in an article entitled “Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking Humbly” in “Discipleship Journal” No. 63

#5183

OUR UNITY IN CHRIST

I believe that Paul's epistle to the Colossians speaks a word of hope -- of good news which can unite us, and which offers the possibility of true harmony in the Church... First of all, Paul tells us: Jesus Christ is the center of our faith. “He Himself is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." (1:17) Jesus Christ is the focus of our life together in the church. “He is the head of the body, the church.” (1:18) Jesus Christ is the One who calls us to obedient discipleship. “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in Him,... just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (2:6-7)

In other words, these words from the epistle tell me that our center -- our unity -- our harmony is not dependent on our efforts, nor on whether we are in agreement with one another. It is not dependent on our speaking the same language [or having the same ethnic background. It is not dependent on our political views or our position on social issues.] Our unity is found in Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:17). And that comes to us as a gift of God’s love. Because of that gift, we know who and whose we are. “You are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,” Paul said. That is our identity; we are persons chosen by God, invited to a new life in Christ, and clothed in the brand-new wardrobe given to us by God. We are holy and beloved, living out a life of faith and thanksgiving and prayer. 

– Adapted from Harriet Finney in a message entitled "Perfect Harmony" 

#5057

TO ALL WHO ARE WEARY

You are tired. You are weary. Weary of being slapped by the waves of broken dreams. Weary of being stepped on and run over in the endless marathon to the top. Weary of a year-long pandemic. Weary of political polarization and fighting. Weary of putting your trust in someone only to have the door slammed in your face. Weary of staring into the future and seeing only futility.

What steals your childhood zeal? It is weariness that makes the words of Jesus so compelling. Listen to them. "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Come to Me… The invitation is to come to Him. Why Him? He offers the invitation as a penniless rabbi in an oppressed nation. He has no connections with the authorities in Rome. He hasn’t written a best-seller or earned a diploma.

Yet He dares to look into the leathery faces of farmers, the tired faces of stay-at-home parents, the anguished faces of those fighting for social justice, the fatigued masked faces of front-line healthcare workers… and makes this paradoxical promise: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

The people came. They came out of the cul-de-sacs and office complexes and hospitals of their existence and He gave them, not religion, not doctrine, not systems, but rest.

As a result, they called Him Lord. As a result, they called Him Savior. Not so much because of what He said, but because of what He did. What He did on the cross during six hours, one Friday. 

-- Adapted and updated from “Six Hours One Friday” by Max Lucado

#5051

A PRAYER FOR THE U.S. ELECTION

“The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6b NLT)

O God, we acknowledge You today as Lord, not only of individuals but of nations and governments as well. As the Scripture says, we know that the government rests on Your shoulders, yet we act as if it all depends on us. Grant us the grace and the courage to put our trust and hope in You. You are our God, and there is no other. We acknowledge You are Lord of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We confess that we are experiencing fear and anxiety today, yet we know You are greater than those things that come against us. We pray for the 2020 Presidential Election and ask for peace and safety for all, and for Your guidance.

We are grateful for the privilege of being able to organize ourselves politically. We are grateful for the freedom to vote and to express our political loyalties.

We confess to you sometimes we are so loyal to our politics that we lose sight of our brothers and sisters. We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters. We are one in the Body of Christ because we, all humanity, are created in Your image.

We confess our actions, our words, our rhetoric have caused divisions. We pray for this deeply divided nation. May we come together for the common good and do as you have called us to do - to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You through creation. Help us act out of love, mercy, and justice rather than out of arrogance or fear.

God, our Creator, guide us in truth and love.

Help us to listen in love, work together in peace, and collaborate with one another as we seek to make our community and world the creation You intended from the beginning.

In the name of Jesus, our Savior, we pray. Amen.

-- from First United Methodist Church in Ormond Beach, Florida

#4964

WINSOME AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV)

What our culture needs these days is a vibrant, plausible, winsome Christianity. Intellectual and philosophical arguments are important and good, but they cannot stand alone. They must come from lives of people who have evidentially been changed for the better by the God they profess. Do we love people enough, we must ask, to showcase -- by how we talk, how we do business, how we do politics, and how we treat people -- something of the goodness, justice, loyalty, beauty, and love of our true home? Why does Christ get such bad press in our day -- or why does He often get no press at all? Could it be, at least in part, because we are not the winsome ambassadors we should be? 

-- Charles D. Drew in “A Public Faith”


#4429

A REFLECTION OF OUR DISCIPLESHIP

For Christians, perhaps the most distressing aspect of political campaigns is the lying, name calling, mudslinging, and personal attacks that do not help us determine the qualifications and policy ideas of the candidates. Our country has become so polarized that we now divide ourselves off from those who do not share our political views. This division and antagonism between the parties extends even into the church, disrupting congregational life and foreclosing opportunities for fellowship, witness and cooperative ministry.

John Wesley famously advised his parishioners how to conduct themselves in an election: “1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy; 2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against; and 3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.” (Journal, October 6, 1774)

How we engage with each other in the political process is just as much a reflection of our discipleship as the particular conclusion we draw on various issues or candidates. At all times, we ought to embody the Spirit of Christ, treating each other with love, humility and respect.

-- Rev. Thomas A. Lambrecht in an article entitled “Participation in Political Process Is Opportunity and Responsibility”, Interpreter Magazine, Nov/Dec 2016

#3976