February 15, 2013
“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing precious seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126:5-6)
The ancient inspired hymn writer is describing a father who is sowing seeds his family desperately needs because they are hungry. As a provider he knows that if he does not plant these seeds, there will be no food for them and they will starve to death. He therefore sows these precious seeds with tears streaming down his face.
The Holy Spirit leads the author to a beautiful application after he paints this solemn picture for us: sometimes when we are suffering to the point of tears, those tears are precious seeds our heavenly Father is sowing in the soil of our suffering. When that is the case, we will doubtless come again rejoicing and bringing the fruitful results of our suffering with us.
This is a truth that is often shared in the Bible. Sometimes suffering is not the setback it appears to be. It is rather the cutback of our heavenly Father who is like a divine Vineyard keeper. He cuts us back to increase the quality and the quantity of the fruit our life is yielding for Him.
I sometimes think God is more real and works more effectively in the lives of people while they are in the waiting rooms outside the operating theaters of our hospitals than He does in the sanctuaries of our churches. God does not waste our sorrows and we should not waste them either.
Listen to the wisdom of the hymn writer when he tells us our tears are precious seeds that will ultimately rejoice our hearts.
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Uncategorized | Tagged: comfort in sorrow, faith, faith & suffering, Psalm 126, religion, seeds of faith, spirituality, the Holy Spirit, theology | 
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Posted by Dick Woodward
February 12, 2013
“‘So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?'” (Luke 10:36)
I heard a businessman say, “There are two things to be gained in every business deal: money and experience. When you do business always get the money and give that other person the experience!”
According to the way the parable of Jesus ended with the verse above, when a devout disciple of Jesus is involved in a business deal, should they always get the money and give the other person the experience?
Jesus taught this parable in response to the question: “Who is my neighbor?” In His answer Jesus presented three philosophies of neighbor. “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours will be mine just as soon as I can take it.” That was the philosophy of the thieves in this story. “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours” was the philosophy of the religious people Jesus profiled here. Jesus’ philosophy of neighbor, however, was showcased by the Samaritan in this way: “What’s yours is yours and what’s mine is yours any time you need it.”
How should that philosophy of neighbor impact the way we do a business deal as committed followers of Jesus Christ? The way we answer that question should make us think about our entire philosophy of life and not just our philosophy about how we do business.
What is your vision statement and what are your mission objectives in life? Is your vision statement to get rich and are your mission objectives all the ways you can think making money?
What is your philosophy of neighbor? Is your own personal vision statement in alignment with the philosophy of neighbor Jesus taught us?
5 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: faith, Good Samaritan, Jesus Christ, Luke 10:36, marketplace faith, parable of jesus, Parable of the Good Samaritan, parables of Jesus, personal vision statement, philosophies of neighbor, Teachings of Jesus, theology | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
February 8, 2013
“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” (1 John 3: 20)
The apostle of love gives spiritual people a beautiful definition of depression. In the Bible the heart is related to our emotions and feelings. When we feel condemned John tells us some very good news: God is greater than our feelings. Our faith is not based on something as fickle as how we feel. He goes on in this passage to tell us that our faith is based on the fact that we keep our Lord’s commandment that we should love one another.
Throughout the history of the Church of Jesus Christ devout people have struggled with bouts of depression. Some extraordinary spiritual leaders have battled depression. This battle frequently takes place in isolation because it is thought to be inconsistent with faith. People of faith are ashamed of their depression.
While medical professionals are often pharmacologists who medicate depression rather than determine its cause, the Apostle John gives some devotional and practical counsel to a depressed believer. As a busy pastor when I had feelings that condemned me I went on a people binge. I often found that when I became a conduit of the love of Christ for others I affirmed this wise counsel of John.
The Holy Spirit lives in believing people. Although your depression wants you to isolate yourself, when you love other believers the Spirit passes back and forth between you with a healing effect on both of you. That’s why James prescribed that we confess our sins to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed (James 5:16).
John is prescribing something very similar when he tells us to treat our depression with loving one another.
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: 1John 3:20, apostle john, conduit of God's love, faith, faith & feelings, God's love, Holy Spirit, love of Jesus Christ, overcoming depression, spirituality, theology | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
February 1, 2013
“Without faith it is impossible to please God. He that would come to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
The author of these words is telling discouraged believers why they should not throw away their faith. He writes that they must believe because without faith we cannot come to God, we cannot please God, and we cannot experience the beautiful reality that God rewards those who diligently seek Him.
When Jesus died on the cross a great veil in the Temple that separated sinners from the divine presence of God was supernaturally torn from top to bottom. The significance of that miracle was, and is, that we can now go directly into the presence of God. We no longer need the intercession of a priest. The door into a relationship with God has been wide open since our High Priest Jesus opened it for us 2,000 years ago. How could we not come to God through that door by faith?
We must believe because we are not only saved by faith – we are to live by faith. As we live by faith our chief purpose in life is to glorify God. To glorify God means to please God and we cannot please God without faith. As we live our life in this world the greatest fact of life we know is that God is, and He blesses, enables, and rewards those who come to Him by faith.
The author then gives us what we call A Hall of Faith which exhibits for all time great examples of people who did not throw away their faith. In spite of great challenges they believed that God is, they came to Him, they pleased Him and God rewarded their faith.
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Posted by Dick Woodward
January 29, 2013
“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:7)
When Jesus declared that we should not marvel because He told us we must be born again, He meant that we should not marvel as if the new birth were unnecessary. Jesus explained that flesh gives birth to flesh and only the Spirit gives birth to spiritual people. When the Bible uses the word, “flesh,” it means “Human nature unaided by God.” History tells us human nature unaided by God is a monster. So, Jesus said we should marvel not as if the new birth were unnecessary.
Jesus also told us we should not marvel as if the new birth were impossible. God can work a miracle of creation in the life of a human being. David prayed: “Create in me a pure heart, O God…” (Psalm 51:10). The apostles refer to the new birth as if it were the answer to David’s prayer (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We should not marvel as if the new birth were incomprehensible. We do not see electricity. But we believe in electricity because we see the effects of electricity. When we see trees bending and objects flying we say, “Look at that wind!” But we do not see the wind. We only see the effects of the wind. It is that way with the new birth. We cannot see the Spirit. We only see the effects of the Spirit in the life of someone who is being born again. But as we believe in other things we cannot see – like the wind and electricity – we can believe in the new birth.
And finally, Jesus meant you should not marvel as if the new birth could not happen to you.
Believe Jesus and it will happen to you!
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Born Again, Christian discipleship, Christian faith, faith, Jesus Christ, John 3:7, spirituality, the New Birth, theology | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
January 25, 2013
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again… no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3: 3, 5)
John Wesley preached so often on the text “You must be born again” that people asked him, “Mr. Wesley, why do you preach so often that we must be born again?” His answer was always the same: “Because you must be born again!” In the two quotes from Jesus above it is almost as if someone has asked Jesus why we must be born again.
Jesus gives us two answers to our question. Without being born again we cannot see the Kingdom of God and we cannot enter the Kingdom of God without being born again. The Kingdom of God is therefore the end to which the new birth is the means.
People have misinterpreted and misapplied these two answers of Jesus. They replace the concept of the Kingdom of God with the concept of heaven. They would answer our question by telling us we cannot see heaven or enter heaven unless we are born again.
Jesus was not talking about heaven after we die. The Kingdom of God is the concept that God is a King and He wants to make us His subjects. To see that concept and enter into that relationship with God whereby He truly is our King and we are His subjects we must be born again.
Have you ever seen that truth? Have you entered into a relationship with God where He truly is your King? If you have not seen that truth or entered into that kind of relationship with God then you simply must be born again!
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: being born again, Born Again, Christ the King, christianity, faith, Jesus Christ, John 3:3-5, John Wesley, Kingdom of God, new birth, Relationship with God, theology | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
January 22, 2013
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you… for your fellowship in the gospel…” (Philippians 1: 3, 5)
As Paul begins this letter he uses a beautiful word when he writes: “… your fellowship in the gospel.” The basic meaning of the word is partnership, but Sam Shoemaker paraphrased it as: “two fellows in the same ship.”
I met with a man who was on the threshold of coming to faith. He had many, many problems. So, I said to him, “There is a word you’re going to be learning soon: “fellowship.” It means “two fellows in the same ship.” I want you to know, Charlie, I am in the ship with you!” As he took a long drag on his cigarette, with tears in his eyes he blew smoke in my face and said, “Well row, *bleep* it!”
Charlie was saying to me that he did not fully understand this new word but he wanted to know what difference it was going to make. Was I just going to take up room, or rock the boat or was I going to grab an oar and row?
I often said to others what I said to Charlie. But Charlie added to my paraphrase of this word. After Charlie, when I said those words I found myself asking, “What would it look like if I got in this person’s ship with them and rowed?”
When Jesus got in Peter’s little ship He surely made a difference. He filled Peter’s ship and his partner’s ship with fish (Luke 5: 1-11).
What difference does it make to others when you get in their ship with them? Think of the difference it could make because you are bringing Christ with you into their ship.
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Posted by Dick Woodward
January 19, 2013
“I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)
When we have economic downturns and other challenges if we are spiritually oriented people we cannot help but ask ourselves the question: “Where is God in all this?” Most people have no doubts about God being the Source of prosperity and good times. But when hard times happen few of us consider the hard reality that God could be the Source of our challenging circumstances.
God tells us through the Prophet Isaiah that He is the Source of our calamities — sometimes. A man who was considered in his day to be the wisest man who ever lived wrote: “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)
There are many Scriptures that tell us God does His most effective mentoring when we are challenged by hard times. My favorite is in Chapter Fifteen of the Gospel of John where Jesus tells us He is a Vine and we are His branches. When we are fruitful branches because we are aligned with Him, His Father, Who is the divine Vine Dresser, cuts us back, or prunes us, that we might bring forth better quality and quantity of fruit.
Therefore, what often seems like a setback is the cutback of a loving heavenly Father who is pruning us so we will be more fruitful. Jesus told the apostles in the Upper Room that He wanted them to be more fruitful so their joy would be full (John 15:11). More fruit, ultimately more joy. That can be why God is the Source of our calamities—sometimes.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: cutbacks not setbacks, faith, faithful fruit, Isaiah 45:7, Jesus Christ, loving heavenly father, prophet isaiah, spirituality, theology, Trusting God, Where is God? the Vine & the Branches | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
January 11, 2013
“… but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 3: 13, 14)
As we move into a new year so many of us could say, “These forty/eleven things I dabble in” as we consider our priorities. Spiritual heavyweights like Paul can write “One thing I do.” They can write that they have their priorities sifted down to one thing because they forget those things that are behind.
We all have things we need to let go of so we can press toward the goal of what God wants us to do now and in the future.
The story is told of a man who fell over a cliff but managed to grab hold of a little bush that was growing out of the cliff about forty feet from the top. He frantically shouted “Help!” several times but his voice simply echoed back to him. Desperately he yelled, “Anybody up there? A subterranean voice answered, “Yes!” He then yelled again “Help!” Then the voice said. “Let go!” After a brief pause the man shouted, “Anybody else up there?”
Sometimes it takes a lot of faith to let go. It may be that we need to let go of things that we cannot do and only God can do. It may be we need to let go of things we cannot control. And, sometimes we need to let go of hurts that people have inflicted on us and we cannot forgive them and just let it go.
Do you need to let go and let God so you can unload baggage and move forward with God?
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: faith, Faith priorities, letting go & letting God, moving forward in faith, Philippians 3:13-14, religion, running the race of faith, spirituality, Trusting God | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
January 9, 2013
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)
The greatest obstacle to inner healing is un-forgiveness. Those who work in ministries of healing claim that the lack of forgiveness on the part of a victim that has been terribly violated can retard their own inner healing.
Can you see why Jesus instructed His disciples to pray every day: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors?” The original language has it, “As we have already forgiven our debtors.” Do you think Jesus knew how important it is to our inner healing that we should forgive those who sin against us?
Some are bothered by the way Jesus offers commentary on this petition in the disciple’s Prayer. He commented that if we do not forgive we are not forgiven. It almost sounds as if we are forgiven because we forgive. He defuses their confusion with a parable that is recorded in Chapter Eighteen of Matthew. A man is forgiven a very large debt in the millions of dollars. He does not have to go into debtor’s prison and see his wife and family sold into slavery.
But on the way home he meets a man who owes him twenty dollars. He grabs him by the throat and orders him to pay him every cent or he will have him put into debtor’s prison. Both events are observed and told to the one who forgave him the large debt. He is recalled and his forgiveness is revoked. Jesus comments on that story, that if we from our hearts do not forgive, we are not forgiven.
The point is that if we are a forgiven person we will be a forgiving person. If we are not a forgiving person we are not really a forgiven person.
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: faith, faith & healing, Forgive us our tresspasses, Forgiveness, inner healing, Jesus, Matthew 6:12, prayer, religion, The Disciples' Prayer, theology | Permalink
Posted by Dick Woodward
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