Often Communicate We Don't Well!

When we lived in Africa we tried, (emphasis on tried) to learn the languages of the local people. We were successful to a limited extent, but we understood that often we spoke as a small child might as we tried to communicate.

 

You probably noted that the title of this article is somewhat mixed up, but what is the best way to say what I am trying to say? (1) Often communicate we don't well, (2) We don't communicated well, often, (3) or, Far too often we fail to communicate clearly?

Our world is in a huge transition in communication at the present. Things are in flux, or undergoing changes, which it always has since time began. Admittedly, those of us of "the mature generation," may have more difficulty than those who are younger in adapting to the transition. Personally, I still have refused to embrace "text messages,"
"chat rooms" and such (I'm still stuck on emails and blogs). I understand that makes me quite "Old Fashioned" and out of touch in some folks minds. I know that I will eventually be dragged into the modern world if text messages, but honestly, I don't want to spend that much time learning a new language (text shorthand). I can envision being involved in something like the following incident.

It seems that on a cold winter day a husband received this text message from his wife: "Windows frozen." Having had to deal with the problem of the windows in his car being frozen shut in the past he replied with a text message that said: "pour some lukewarm water over it." A short while later his wife sent him another text message that read, "Now the computer is really messed up."

How we communicate with one another is important, whether we do it face to face, by text, email or over the telephone. Through the years I have made my fair share of mistakes in trying to communicate, but failed in the trying. Thankfully, those with whom I "miss communicate," have been very forgiving.

Where am I going with this? The goal of these thoughts is to cause you to consider how we communicate with God. We can't email or text message God, it takes a real heart to heart conversation to communicate with him. There are no short cuts, no abbreviations, no way to get around talking with him and expressing our love, our thanks and the needs of our heart.

I understand that for some folks, all they know is some prayer they have been taught to repeat. They really don't know how to think freely and communicate from the heart with God. It's really not that hard if we stop and think about what God tells us he wants from us in His Word. You say, "I don't know how to pray." God speaking though his servant Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."  (NLT)

It's a simple process, pray for and about everything. Share like you are sharing with your best friend. Tell God what we need and thank him for all he has done, tell him what is going on in you life, about your struggles and your successes. Communication doesn't get any easier than that.

Books by Russ Lawson @ http://www.lulu.com/russlawson

NEW THINGS

This week we finally had a new sound system installed in our building. This new system is primarily about sound and allowing people to hear better, but it is much more than that. This system allows us to come into the modern world more fully, making available DVD's, CD's and Digital recordings in general as well as posting to the Internet in the future.

I believe it is money well spent as we look for more ways to reach out to our modern world. Now there is always some grumbling when we "modernize". Some folks are bound to hold on to the idea, "the old way of doing it was good enough for our parents, so it should be good enough for us."

Let me assure you that "Modern" is not always a bad word. In fact it is defined as, "relating to, or having the characteristics of the present or most recent period of development," (Webster). I know from experience, that as we age we tend to look at some of the new ideas and trends of our world with skepticism. It's natural for us to do so I think. I personally try my best to hold back some of my natural prejudices and think outside of the box in which I was raised. I'm not always successful, some times my thoughts are based upon "my feelings" or "my likes and dislikes," and to a certain extent that's OK, its how God put us together as humans.

I would suggest though there is a better criteria for deciding whether a new or modern idea is acceptable or not. In his instructions to the early believers Jesus said, "Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NLT)

Here we see that we art to go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching them to obey all of the commandments of God. Going and making disciples are the primary command; teaching about obedience in "ALL" of God's commands is next. So sometimes we need to modernize our thinking as to how to "GO and TEACH," but never about keeping all of the commands of God.  We need to think outside of the box in which we were raised and sometimes live, but never compromise the truth of God's Word.

THREE INCHES FROM GOD

I wonder how often something keeps us from God. How often does something keep us from believing and trusting in him enough to really live up to the definition of what faith is all about. I'm sure you remember the scripture: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (KJV) or perhaps a more modern translation would explain it better: "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (NLT) (Hebrews 11:1)

What keeps us from having that assurance about things we cannot see? If faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, why do so many of us who claim to have faith worry so much about the future?

Many times I think we are like the man in this little story: It seems that a man descended into a deep well by sliding down a rope which was supposed to reach the bottom, but when he came to the end of the rope, his feet still could not touch the bottom. He held on, but because his strength was gone and he could not climb back up. Finally he could hold on no longer and he let go fearing the worst. He fell three inches to the bottom.

This is the same problem some of us have today. Some of us are just 3 inches from trusting God, but we are using all of our strength to hold on to our doubts and fears. We can't make ourselves trust God and refuse to trust anyone but ourselves. One man said, "He who cannot let go, cannot hang on," he's talking about holding to faith in God and really trusting him. Before we can let God help heal our hurts and comfort us in our difficulties we must have faith enough to let go.  We must believe in God, his strength, his power and his ability to help us.

Sadly far too often we to try and hold on to our sanity, to try and reason everything out for ourselves, to "fix" things, make them all better, to solve all of our own problems and then we are crushed when we can't do it.

At some point in our Christian walk we are going to have to follow the old adage, "Let go and let God." In other words, some time we are going to have to let go of the rope, stop trying to fix the unfixable and turn it over to God. I don't know about you, but I'm not so worried about having a faith that can move mountains as I am having a faith that will help me make it through tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. The writer of Hebrews also tells us in Hebrews 13:5, "… For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."

That's the faith that I'm trying for, how about you? What is it that is keeping you three inches from God? Maybe it's time to let go and let him handle the problem and fix the unfixable!

Russ Lawson, Messages From The Heart

BLOG: http://messages-from.blogspot.com

Messages from the Heart is sent several times each week written by Russ Lawson.

To subscribe send a blank email to: join-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

To Unsubscribe send a blank email to: leave-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

Send any comments or questions regarding this article to: rlawson@mfth.net

Books by Russ Lawson @ http://www.lulu.com/russlawson

Planing for the Future

Everyone you talk with has plans, or most do anyway. I talked to an out of state friend today and we ended up talking about our plans. We are going to do things, go places, keep appointments, talk with others, visit, phone, text, email, attend or something of the sort at all times.

Being a minister, perhaps I am more to inclined to ask than others, "how important are those plans," and "do you clearly understand what your plans mean to your life?"

I love the humorous story of a new young minister. He felt he needed to challenge his congregation to plan on doing one big thing for the coming year. As he thought about it, he walked into the auditorium and noticed, as he had often before that it was dark and dreary. The idea came to him that perhaps he could unite the church behind the idea of buying a chandelier to hang in the middle of the meeting hall.

He spent the next several days preparing his sermon. On Sunday morning he spent twenty minutes telling the congregation how great it would be to have a chandelier,  He chandeliered this and he chandeliered that and finished his sermon with a big pitch for funds with which to buy a glorious chandelier.

He really felt he had done well, and people were very complementary of his lesson. But after several weeks he still had heard of no action being taken by the leadership. So, he dropped in on one of the elders for a visit and finally broached the subject of the chandelier and whether they were making plans to raise funds for one.

He was rather surprised by the elder's response: "Oh, we talked about that and decided against it. You see nobody around here knows how to spell that word and even if we got one of them things there's not a soul within a hundred miles who knows how to play one. Besides that we decided what we needed more, are more lights in the meeting hall!"

Well, that's the way it is with some of our plans isn't it. We think that we have thought out all areas of the matter, but when we begin to make plans we find out there were some areas of the problem which we didn't clearly understand. If there is one point I want to make it is that plans for our churches are important, good and necessary! However, plans for our lives are more important!

What is the chandelier in your life? What is it you really want to do or accomplish? Do you really have a clear understanding of it and is it what you really need to bring light to your life? James gives us an important lesson in life in the matter of making plans when he says, "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that, the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining." (James 4:13-15)

If you want more light in your life, you need more of Jesus, not a chandelier! Do any other plans you make really matter?

SANDY HOOK - Jesus Calms the Storm

SANDY HOOK - WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO?

This past week with the national tragedy at Sandy Hook as well as the many personal tragedies which many of you suffer are difficult to deal with. I know that to each of you the shootings were terrible, but I also know that many of you are dealing with heart aches and heart breaks of which few others will know.

We are often torn by feelings of guilt as we see something as terrible as the killing of innocent children and adults. We do mourn for their loss, but feel guilty for mourning for our personal losses. Many in our world have had terrible losses in their lives this past week also, do we forget them or act like they are unimportant because another tragedy seems worse that our own? Of course not, we can't do that, it isn't in our human nature to refuse to grieve just because someone else is grieving.

Sadly our cultures and our media have tried to make one terrible thing seem worse than another, when in reality terrible things that happen are terrible to all who are in involved. I heard a statement a while back that went like this. Someone said about something bad that had happened because of their actions, "It was nothing personal."  The response was, "It was nothing personal to you, it didn't hurt you, but it was plenty personal to me! I was the one who was hurt."

You may be grieving right now and few, if any even know about it. Don't hide your grief just because you think someone may think you are insensitive to what has been termed "a greater tragedy". Don't feel guilty if your personal difficulty or tragedy affects you more than the stories coming of Sandy Hook.

We can have the greatest sympathy for the families of those who lost loved ones, but often our personal pain tops that and because of that we feel guilty. Don't! Don't feel guilty, mourn as you need and give comfort as you are able, that's all God expects of you.

What do you do when there is nothing you can do? You share your pain and your hurt with others to let them help bear that burden. Paul urges Christians in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." And in Galatians 6:2, "Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."

So, I urge you to pray for those who have suffered this great loss and turn your own cares over to God. Peter urges us in 1 Peter 5:6-7, "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."

THOUGHTS ON THE MAYAN CALENDAR

I saw a headline today that said, "The world is going to end, guess we can all stop flossing."  The article started in this way, "The world will come to an end in just four days, and that's a huge relief because it means we can all finally stop flossing. I doubt your dental health is going to dramatically change before 12/21/12. You can also stop taking out the trash and paying all your bills."

Of course this is based upon an interpretation of the Mayan Calendar that says the world will end this Friday (if you are reading this later you know this was wrong). This interpretation is not like the Y2K days where much of the world was afraid of some catastrophe on January 1, 2000.  Those who anticipated that happening, prepared for the worst, while those who believe in the Mayan Calendar just want to stop doing anything.

Why pay bills, why send Christmas cards, why be nice to co-workers when (and if) the world ends on Friday? People stop living for the future because they don't think they have one!

This is not a new problem, we see something quite similar in the city of Thessalonica, (located in modern day Greece) somewhere around 60 AC. The Apostle Paul had been there and introduced them to Christ. He made a tremendous impression upon the people and many became Christians. They took to heart the message of the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior as well as the message that he is coming again to gather the faithful to him. In the first letter to the Thessalonians (4:13f) Paul specifically teaching about what will happen when Christ returns. He encouraged them to keep looking for Christ's return as if it could happen at anytime in Chapter 5.

Those who read this believed it and began to prepare for it… somewhat. It appears though that some believed the teaching of Christ's imminent return so strongly, that they just quit living their daily lives or even going to work. They just wanted to set around and pray or read the scriptures because Christ was coming back at anytime and nothing else mattered. That is one of the reasons I believe that Paul penned 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 where he writes: "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you: that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some among you who walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that they work with quietness and eat their own bread."

Here is the problem for us today. We need to live our lives as if Christ is going to return today, but live everyday as servants of God, doing our work the best we can do it (as  unto the Lord). Yes, God is coming back some time to claim his own. When? No one knows when, except for God himself, (Matthew 24:36-37).

So, Keep on flossing, keep on going to work, keep on paying your bills, keep on being nice to folks and in general living your life like you will live forever! Because, if you are right with God, you will! Philippians 3:20 tells us, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

The True Meaning of Christmas

What a great time of the year! Most folks are just a little happier. They decorate their homes; they have more friends and family in to share meals and fellowship. Most give gifts of some kind with someone.  In general, it is a happy if not joyous time of the year.

I realize of course that is not true for everyone, some folks are overwhelmed by the season. The business, the gift buying, the traffic and the expectations are somewhat nerve wracking.

What is the TRUE meaning of Christmas, or does it really have any meaning other than a great big party to our world. I like what Charles Tucker has to say about it. Notice below:

"This time of year we talk about “the True Meaning of Christmas.” OK, I know that Christmas isn’t mentioned in the Bible; Jesus nowhere tells us to observe His birthday. But the fact that Jesus was born into this world to live among us as one of us is indeed at the very center of the gospel. It was “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). We must believe that Jesus was born as a real flesh and blood baby in order to accept that He gave His body and shed His blood on the cross (1 John 1:1-2). Jesus became flesh and blood like us in order to redeem us (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus was Immanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23). Because we connect this time of the year to the story of the birth of Jesus, therein is really the 'True Meaning of Christmas.'"

I agree with Charles. If this season puts Jesus more in the forefront of people's hearts and minds, then it does give a meaning to Christmas, which is truer than any of our other World Holiday's.

No, Christmas isn't in the bible, but Paul tells us in Romans 14:4-6,"Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval. In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him."(NLT)

So, Paul tells us that if we want to set aside special days to honor God, then do it, but do it wisely. A day to honor God is not about giving gifts or feasting with friends, it's about remembering our God and what he has given us.

Russ Lawson – Messages From The Heart

BLOG: http://messages-from.blogspot.com

Messages from the Heart is sent several times each week written by Russ Lawson.

To subscribe send a blank email to: join-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

To Unsubscribe send a blank email to: leave-messages-from-the-heart@hub.xc.org

Send any comments or questions regarding this article to: rlawson@mfth.net

Books by Russ Lawson @ http://www.lulu.com/russlawson