advice

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Rejection

I collected some poems,
      formed into a book.
I sent them away,
      for a publisher’s look.
“No one likes poems,
      at least not to buy.
For us to publish it,
      we’d rather not try.”
They passed on some info
      and welcome advice.
To print it myself,
      I didn’t think twice.

Sometimes we give up
      what we’re called to do.
When our first efforts
      end up falling through.
We don’t like persistence,
      or suffering long.
When God says to do it,
      then a “No” is just wrong.
We give up too easy
      when our way seems to fail.
We should listen to God
      and the rest of the tale.

I have no doubt,
      that these poems I must share.
So when a door closes,
      I must look elsewhere.
I may not know why,
      and may never see.
A different way’s better,
      or God’s teaching me.
God loves His children,
      and He wants us to know.
He sees where we’ve been,
      and where we should go.

Yes, there’s a lesson
      that God wants to give.
In the midst of rejection,
      just how should we live?
To reject what you’re doing,
      may be hurtful, that‘s true.
But it’s just not the same,
      as rejecting you.
So how do you take it,
      when your way doesn’t fly?
And you’re left uncertain,
      and wondering why?

Look past the surface
      at what is unseen.
Examine your heart first,
      make sure it is clean.
Selfish desires
      and motives not pure.
Can ruin a plan,
      of that I am sure.
When you’ve looked deeply
      at what is inside.
Then hold tight to Jesus
      and enjoy the ride.

When you find yourself
      in the other shoes.
Pay close attention
      to how you share the news.
Perhaps you must say no
      to what’s asked of you.
Then make your best effort,
      to share what is true.
Truth hurts for a moment,
      until we do see.
God’s truth always longs for,
      the very best in me.
©

 It is an exciting day as I’ve been working on a sermon for tonight and continuing work on a book.  As I took time to rest in the recliner, God put this poem in my mind as I considered the process of getting a book printed and the helpful advice and contact links I received from a publisher even though they rejected the manuscript I sent them.  While I thought that would have been the easy way to get the book printed, God continues to give me peace that the whole process is in His hands — and His hands are just as capable of getting these poems printed as they have been in giving them to me.  I pray that you fully seek God in all your ways and that He would carry you through when it seems like people reject your ideas and  plans.

In prayer,
Tom

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Brotherly Advice: How to ACT (James 2)

Brotherly Advice:  A Study Through the Book of James

There are times in life when we could all use a little advice.  I pray that you have people in your life that you can go to for wise, godly counsel when your way seems uncertain.  Many times we have a brother or sister, whether biological or spiritual, that has already been down the road we’re travelling and is equipped to help us along our journey.

For me, the book of James is one of those methods God uses to pass along some brotherly advice.  Most scholars seem to be in agreement that the person writing down the words in the book of James is James, the brother of Jesus.  Here’s a guy that grew up around Jesus yet did not believe through most, if not all, of the life of Jesus on earth.  Yet eventually James came around and believed that Jesus was more than a brother, He was the Son of God! 

James concluded chapter one with some advice on what God considers pure and faultless religion.  It has a lot to do with the actions that flow out of our heart.  Here in chapter two, he gives us some great advice on how to ACT! 

  • Advice about Accepting:  How do you treat people you don’t know — or even those you do know?  What determines the level of interaction you have with them?  It is far to easy to make  judgments about people based on their outward appearance because that is what is most apparent.  It takes a deliberate effort for most of us to be able to see a person and take the time to really know them.  The advice James would give us is to open our eyes and see each person as God does!  We must stop showing favoritism and giving special treatment to someone just because they look like they could benefit us.  We must quit looking down on people and treating them like second-class citizens simply because they don’t appear to have anything to offer us.  As a Christian culture, we have gotten very good at recognizing and applauding those who look just right, talk, just right, and act just right.  We are quick to invite them in, to lift them up, and to shower them with praise  all the while ignoring, putting down, and even mocking those who don’t look, talk, or act just like us.  Unfortunately, that is the way the world works — not the way God’s people ought to work.  As God moves you along in your journey with Him, take some brotherly advice from James on how to ACT and grow in your attitude and action of Accepting. 
  • Advice about Commandments:  Sometimes we struggle with accepting people because we need to have a better understanding of the advice James gives about Commandments.  It has been said that most Christians are not so much against sin as we are against people who sin differently than we do.  When it comes to the commandments, James tell us we are all equal — if we’ve broken one point of the law then we are guilty of all of it.  Call it what we like, God makes it clear that the favoritism — the lack of accepting — that we engage in is sin!  We must stop acting like we are better than anyone else and start acting as one who has been shown mercy.  To be clear, James doesn’t advise us to ignore the commands of God, only to see ourself accurately in light of them and in our inability to keep them perfectly.    We are able to grow in the way we ACT toward others when we have a Biblical view of God’s Commands and the level field we are all on .
  • Advice about Touching:  We live in a time where there is so much concern about inappropriate touch that we need some good brotherly advice about Touching.  Unless we choose to be oblivious, we are faced with the needs of people on a regular basis.  As Christians, that need ought to touch our heart in a way that calls for some kind of response.  James calls us to examine both what we say and what we do to see if they match.  To wish someone to be fed and clothed is not a bad thing.  To pray that God would supply their every need is always appropriate.  For most Christians, those are not hard responses.  The trouble comes when God calls us to be a part of the very answer to the prayer we just prayed.  When it is time for  our talk to hit the road and reach out to touch those in need.  James tells us that our claim of faith in God has absolutely no value if it doesn’t drive us to do something with that faith.  I believe that in the context of chapter two, James is calling us out on our refusal to touch the lives of people who both live differently than us and sin differently than us.  If our faith in Jesus is alive, it will be touching people at their point of need.  As we live life on the basis of our faith in God, we must take the brotherly advice from James on how to ACT so that we will step up and touch people with the living and active love of Jesus.

So, how are you doing with the brotherly advice on how to ACT that James would pass along?  As you move from where you are to where God wants you to be, do you listen to the advice about Accepting?  Are you open to recognizing, and responding to, the advice given about God’s Commandments?  Are you living your life in such a way that you have taken the advice about Touching and look for ways to serve and meet needs?  I pray that you will pay close attention to the brotherly advice James wants you to hear so that you would know how God wants you to ACT!

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MATH Advice (James 1)

Brotherly Advice:  A Study Through the Book of James

There are times in life when we could all use a little advice.  I pray that you have people in your life that you can go to for wise, godly counsel when your way seems uncertain.  Many times we have a brother or sister, whether biological or spiritual, that has already been down the road we’re travelling and is equipped to help us along our journey.

For me, the book of James is one of those methods God uses to pass along some brotherly advice.  Most scholars seem to be in agreement that the person writing down the words in the book of James is James, the brother of Jesus.  Here’s a guy that grew up around Jesus yet did not believe through most, if not all, of the life of Jesus on earth.  Yet eventually James came around and believed that Jesus was more than a brother, He was the Son of God! 

What do you do when life doesn’t seem to add up?  Who do you turn to?  James is a great place to turn for some brotherly advice in those circumstances.  In the first chapter, we find what I will call some MATH Advice to be used when life doesn’t add up for you.  Let’s take a look at the four elements of this advice. 

  • Maturity Advice:  When life doesn’t add up and we turn to God for some MATH Advice, we often need a good dose of Maturity advice to begin with!  James opens with this incredible equation that at first glance may not make much sense.  He says we ought to consider trials of many kinds to equal pure joy.  The laws of mathematics state that what is on one side of the equation has to equal what is on the other side for the statement to be true.  While this one may seem difficult at first, it is a fun “proof problem”  to go through the steps God shows us are necessary for this equation to be true.  The end result of the trials of many kinds is maturity that makes us complete and equipped with everything we need.  When life doesn’t add up, it is important to hear the brotherly advice passed along by James that God wants to use everything to bring you to a greater maturity.  He also want to use the trials and hardships of life that you go through to help others reach a greater maturity as well.  Your story of faithfulness can be a great encouragement to others if you are willing to share it.  As God moves you along in your journey with Him, take time to listen to some MATH Advice and consider the greater Maturity He is calling you to. 
  • Attitude Advice:  As we continue to look to our brother James for some MATH Advice when life doesn’t add up, he turns to giving us some Attitude advice.  Sometimes life doesn’t seem to add up for us because we need a serious look at our attitude.  James addresses two extremes that we tend to gravitate toward and they both need corrected.  He says the person in humble circumstances needs to take pride in our high position while the one in rich circumstances should take pride in their low position.  While that may sound like some upside down math advice, it is just the advice we need when our attitude seems to be upside down.  When our attitude is down in the dumps and we begin to believe we can’t be useful to God, James would give us some brotherly advice to look up and recognize the value we have in God’s sight.  As much as that attitude advice is needed, many times we have problems with the other side of thinking too highly of ourself.  It is in those circumstances that James passes long some brotherly advice to remember where we came from and that without Jesus we are hopelessly lost.  We are able to grow in the MATH Advice that James wants us to learn when we allow God to examine, and adjust, our Attitude.
  • Temptation Advice: One of the reasons that life doesn’t seem to add up for us is because we need to spend more time listening to the MATH Advice that James gives us in the area of Temptation.  James begins this advice with a reminder that God is not the author of temptation.  While we would rarely claim that God tempted us, many times we live as though we believe just that!  James makes it clear that it is our lusts and desires that carries us down the path of giving in to temptation.  When we excuse our behavior and act like God doesn’t care, or we even blame God for putting us in a position where we feel we have not choice, we live as if God has tempted us.  James tells us how the seeds of temptation are planted through desire and we allow it to grow by keeping it fed and watered rather than rejecting it completely.  The advice James gives us in dealing with temptation is to always remember that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.  God does not tempt us, He has promised to provide a way of escape — a way to overcome the temptation — if we look to Him and trust His Word.  As we live life that doesn’t seem to add up, let’s take some MATH Advice from James and learn how to recognize and deal with Temptation.
  • Hearing Advice:  James closes out his MATH Advice in chapter one with some much-needed Hearing advice.  Sometimes life seems to not add up because we are in the midst of learning a lesson that brings us to a greater maturity.  Sometimes it is because God is adjusting our attitude.  Other times we are in need of greater strength in rejecting temptation.  Many times though, our life seems upside down because we are not doing what God’s Word says!  We attend church, we may even read the Bible and pray, but if the Word isn’t getting into our actions then we really do need some hearing advice from James.  Our time with God ought to call us to action.  If we are really hearing the Word of God, people ought to notice it coming out in our lives.  And in case you’re wondering what that means or looks like, James gives a very clear picture in his hearing advice — look after orphans and widows and keep yourself from being polluted.  If you are in fact taking in the Word of God, how is it being displayed in your life?  In what ways do you care for those that are helpless or without care?  How diligent are you in keeping your mind, body, and spirit free from the pollution of the world?  If you are not sure how to answer those questions, then perhaps it is time to sit at the feet of James for some brotherly advice!    As we grow in the MATH Advice James gives us, it is important to understand that real Hearing involves real doing.

So, how are you doing with the brotherly MATH Advice that James would pass along?  As you move from where you are to where God wants you to be, do you listen to the Maturity Advice?  Are you open to recognizing, and responding to, the Attitude Advice that God would give?  Are you living your life in such a way that you have taken the Temptation Advice and set your path far from evil?  Are you spending regular time with God to understand that His Hearing Advice is as much about the rest of your body as it is your ears?  I pray that you will pay close attention to the brotherly advice James wants you to hear so that when life doesn’t seem to add up, you can turn to his MATH Advice to have a better understanding of God’s perspective!

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The Act of SAIL (Acts 27)

“When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.”
Acts 27:1

As we near the end of the book, I have to say it has been a joy to preach through the book of Acts!  It is filled with examples and lessons that I need to learn and apply.  As I continue to look at the “Acts of Acts” in this sermon series, it seems like each chapter has the apostles, or early Christians, involved in an act that we have a tendency to try to avoid.  Yet it was these very acts of God in their lives that transformed a fledgling group disciples in disarray into a mighty force that turned the known world upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We live in a time where we need such a transformation in the church and in the lives of the individuals who follow Jesus.

Paul continues his journey toward Rome in Acts 27 as the decision is made that it is time to set sail.  Paul knew that he had a mission to complete.  He had been called by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles and to speak about Jesus before kings and authorities so Rome was the place to go to speak before the highest human authority of the day.  While we may not board a ship, many times in our life God uses this same Act of SAIL to move us from where we are to where He wants us to be. 

  • Storms:  As we consider the Act of SAIL, probably the best place to start is with a reminder that there will be Storms!  For some reason, even when we know better, we begin to believe that the journey from where we are to where God wants us to be ought to be smooth sailing.  Paul had warned of storms to come but it seems as if everyone on board were caught off-guard and unprepared when the storm did arrive.  Jesus warns us that in this world we will have trouble but to take heart for he has overcome the world.  We read that, and we know that, yet when trouble does come we are often quickly overwhelmed and surprised.  It is as if we expect, and even demand, that walking the path Jesus calls us to has to be easy or He wouldn’t have led us in that direction.  Instead of seeking Him in the midst of the storm we tend to give up and assume that we must have been sailing in the wrong direction.  Sometimes that is true . . . remember Jonah? . . . but the only way we know that is if we turn to Jesus in the midst of the storm and see where we’ve been and where He wants us to be.  As God moves you along in your journey with Him through the Act of SAIL, be sure that Storms will come but also that He will be with you in them. 
  • Advice:  The Act of SAIL also involves us in the act of Advice — both giving and receiving.  The dictionary defines advice as being “one person’s opinion of what another person ought to do.”  At first read, you may wonder what does it matter what someone else thinks I ought to do.  God tells us often, especially in the book of Proverbs, that good advice is necessary for great success.  Yes, we must weigh the advice and consider if it is godly advice or ungodly advice but too often we dismiss it more because of the source than because of the content.  As Paul set out on this journey, he gave advice to the captain of the ship that continuing to sail beyond a certain time of year would not be wise.  We also read that this advice was not taken and I can think of a several reasons why!  Paul was a prisoner trying to give advice to a ship captain.  Paul’s background was that of a religious leader — pharisee turned preacher — what did he know about sailing on the open sea?  And then you have the captain himself who seems to be pretty confident at the beginning that he knows what he’s doing and doesn’t really need any advice.  Change the names and the occupations and do you see yourself in those statements?  How often do you say or hear, “I know what I’m doing!”, “What do they know?”, “Who do they think they are?”, and the statements could go on of the ways we say, “I don’t need or want your advice!”.  We are able to grow in the Act of SAIL when we are willing to give and receive Advice that we can filter through our time with God.
  • Instruction:  While at first it may seem similar to advice, the Act of SAIL requires that we can take, and give, Instruction.  The dictionary defines instruction as “a spoken or written statement of what must be done.”  Did you notice the difference?  Opinion versus what must be done.  Are we guilty at times of treating God’s Word as advice rather than instruction?  Even though Paul’s advice was not taken by the ship’s captain, there comes a time in the journey when Paul moves from giving advice to giving instruction.  As the storm presses in, Paul shares instructions he received from God.  He even points out the difference, noting that they had not taken his advice but now he had instructions from God that must be followed in order for the lives of everyone on board to be saved.    As we move from where we are to where God wants us to be in the Act of SAIL, it is critical that we realize that God’s instruction is not optional but is given that we, and others, would know what we must do to be saved.
  • Listening:  The key to moving through the Act of SAIL to where God wants us to be centers around our Listening!  It was Paul’s constant listening to God that put him on the path to Rome to begin with.  It was also his connection with God that would lead others to listen to the words he would share about how to be saved.  We must begin with listening in order to hear clearly the direction God is calling us to.  As we move toward where God wants us to be, it is our listening to Him that carries us through the storms that are sure to come.  It is our listening to God that helps us to sort through the advice we give and receive so that we can distinguish between good and evil.  It is only through listening to God’s Word that we know the instructions necessary that we, and others, might be saved.  The Act of SAIL gains its real power from our willingness and consistency in Listening.

So, how are you doing in living out and growing in the Act of SAIL?  As you move from where you are to where God wants you to be, do you anticipate the Storms that you will face?  Do you surround yourself with people who will give good and godly Advice?  Are you willing to accept Instruction from God’s Word on the things you must do?  Will you actively be engaged in the process of Listening as you proceed down the path God is leading you on?  I pray that your involvement in the Act of SAIL will boldly take you from where you are to where God wants you to be as you show, and tell, the world that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior!