Imaginary Doors

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

I watched an interesting video this past week. It is a compilation of dogs refusing to walk through doorways that had always been a barrier to them, but the glass panes or screens had been removed. Here's a link to the video so you can get the context.

After a lifetime of encountering these barriers, these dogs refuse to pass through the now open spaces, regardless the amount of coaxing from their masters. In the dog's mind, the barrier still exists because it has always existed.

The video is at once both entertaining and sobering. It's entertaining because we, as rational humans, think the dogs are being silly for not availing themselves of the freedom that awaits on the other side of the imaginary doors. It's also sobering to think that we "rational" humans exhibit some of the same behaviors when it comes to casting off the remnants of the past that keep us bound from enjoying the freedom we have in Christ.

In church today, Pastor Nathan spoke about the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14). But how often have we missed some of those spiritual blessings because we still feel bound by the imaginary doors of our past? We've all been held captive by something in our lives, whether bad habits, negative attitudes, past mistakes, abuse or injustice that we've endured, or any number of things that have created a virtual prison.

When we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are set free from the bondage that kept us back from receiving all of the spiritual blessings that God has prepared for us to enjoy: peace, forgiveness, joy, hope, love, faith, and so on. But often times, we fail to recognize that there is no longer a barrier separating us from those blessings. Christ has removed their power over our lives. But there we stand at the threshold, paralyzed by the things of the past, and unable to move toward the Master. 

Like some of those dogs, we may whine and cry and bemoan our fate, failing to see that there is nothing left to hold us back. It's interesting to see that there is an occasional dog who gladly walks or runs right through the imaginary door. These are the ones who trust their masters enough to know that it's okay to pass that threshold. They represent the believers who have found their freedom in Christ and are no longer restrained by the barriers of the past.

What's holding you back today and preventing you from experiencing all the wonderful spiritual blessings that God wants to bestow upon you? Your sins have been canceled out; they have no power over you. Your mistakes are in the past and do not define you. Those negative tapes that someone else recorded in your head when you were a child are lies and need to be replaced with the tapes of God's message of love, acceptance and deliverance. The people that abused you, bullied you, or deprived you of love and security as a child can no longer hurt you. Walk through those imaginary doors and enjoy the freedom that was bought with a great price, just for you.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Should ISIS Be Forgiven?

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:14-16

I read an article this past week where the author made the audacious case that Christians are hypocrites if they are not willing to extend forgiveness to ISIS (Islamic State). He drew that conclusion based on his understanding that Christians are commanded to forgive the sins of others. Since so many people who claim to be Christians are calling for the total annihilation of these murderous thugs, they must therefore be hypocrites.

I am bothered by this concept on a couple of levels. First, the author never offered any solution to the ISIS problem. His take was simply to castigate anyone who would call himself or herself a Christian and yet dare to want to put an end to the scourge of ISIS in the Middle East. Secondly, he has a very poor understanding of the Biblical concepts of forgiveness, which has allowed him to draw this conclusion. It is this second issue which I want to address today.

Throughout the Bible, the concept of forgiveness is divided into two distinct classes: those things that humans are supposed to forgive, and those things that God will forgive. In all of my studies of Scripture, I have never found anything that would suggest individuals are required to forgive offenses that only God can forgive. In fact, every command in the New Testament directed at believers is couched in terms of forgiving offenses against you. Some examples:

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25)

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:4)

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. (Luke 17:3)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

In contrast, Jesus went around forgiving sins of people who had not sinned against him, because He knew He had that authority as the Son of God.

Based on this concept of forgiveness for personal offenses, it is rather illogical that I, as a Christian individual in America, have the ability or responsibility to forgive the actions of an entire army of people in a foreign land. That's not my job.

It's interesting that my very first post in this blog was about my love for Muslims. However, I do not believe that the people who comprise ISIS are true Muslims, for they do not say and do the things that Muslims do. They have shocked and outraged the greater Muslim community by their vile and heinous acts of cruelty, torture and murder. These people are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and deserve to be punished the only way possible - total destruction. They will never surrender or agree to a truce. They are bloodthirsty, evil monsters who have indiscriminately destroyed countless thousands of lives. They make no distinction between Muslim, Christian, or anyone else in their quest for power. All are dispensable in their eyes.

That said, it is also not my responsibility (nor any individual's) to mete out justice to these villains. That is the purpose of world governments. The governments of the nations are responsible for maintaining law and order, and have no mandate to forgive criminals. If it were not so, we would live in an uncivilized society where crime and injustice would run rampant without fear of reprisal. Even if a person is forgiven by their victim for an offense, that forgiveness does not diminish or negate the consequences of that offense. The forgiveness simply precludes the offended party from exacting any punishment or revenge on the offender.

Many people are criticizing our current Administration for not doing more to stop the spread of ISIS' evil in the Middle East. It's easy to sit at your computer and play armchair Commander-In-Chief, but foreign policy, military strategy and international warfare are not games, nor are they easily navigated. As Christians, we should be spending more time praying for our President, Congress and world leaders to make the right decisions, and less time criticizing them. My prayer is that the scourge of ISIS will soon be extinguished. May it be, Lord.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Don't Give Up!

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Luke 5:4-7

About 15 years ago, I landscaped my front yard with drought-resistant plants and trees, and decorative rock. The idea was to have a low-maintenance yard. Over the years, a narrow strip of the yard to the north of my driveway began to be overtaken by some variety of unknown grass. Never mind that I had originally placed heavy landscaping plastic under all of the rock to prevent this from occurring. It was a constant battle to remove the grass, which refused to yield to any tactic I employed, whether spraying it with herbicides or pulling it up by the roots.

Finally, I had enough, and last year I pulled up all of the rock in this section (several tons), and removed all of the old plastic. I then scraped the ground to remove all of the grass and its roots. I then put down new weed barrier fabric, and replaced all of the rock that I had removed. Once again, that section looked as beautiful and pristine as the day I first landscaped it.

For about three months.

And then the grass came back. With a vengeance. Again, I have tried everything short of nuclear warfare to remove it, but it persists. With all of the recent rains, it now looks like I have a lawn with rocks.

As I was looking at this yesterday and shaking my head in disgust, I began to think about the tenacity of that grass. Against all odds, it has not only survived, but thrived. I wondered what our lives would be like if we had that kind of persistent tenacity when we face adversity and setbacks.

How often do we give up on a dream or a goal because there are simply too many obstacles, too many failures, or too many naysayers telling us it will never happen? How often do we give up on our friendships, our romantic relationships, or even our family members because it's just too much work to overcome the struggles, conflict and friction that is inherent in human interactions?

How often do we give up on the Church or God's people because they are so unlike God?

In the passage quoted above from Luke, we find Simon (later called Peter) and his partners discouraged after a fruitless night of fishing, having caught nothing. They had given up hope for a haul, and were prepared to go home empty-handed. But Jesus told them to give it one more try. What would have happened if Simon had refused, "knowing" that it was pointless? If they hadn't caught any fish all night long, when the fish normally are closer to the surface, why would they catch any now, in the heat of the day? But there was something about the way Jesus spoke, perhaps with authority, that made Simon turn around and go back out one more time. I can imagine him muttering under his breath, "This guy doesn't know anything. I can see from his hands and clothes that he's not a fisherman. Probably some carpenter that wouldn't know the difference between a herring and a halibut. I'll humor him just to shut him up."

When the fish started swarming into the nets, I'm sure Simon's tired eyes opened extra wide and his jaw dropped to his chest. It's interesting that they didn't just catch a few fish, but rather took in such an abundance that their boat and that of their back-ups began to sink.

In my experiences throughout my walk with Jesus, I have often found this to be true: If we just hang on a little bit longer and trust the Lord, He will pour out abundant blessings in our lives. When you feel you've given everything you've got, and there's nothing left to hope for, that's the time you need to take a deep breath, remind yourself that it's not over yet, and hold on to what you know is true: God always keeps His promises; He loves you and wants the very best for you; and His timing isn't always our timing.

Hang in there. The best is yet to come!

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Perfect Christian, Perfect Church

"Perhaps our imperfections make us perfect for each other."
George Knightly, from Emma by Jane Austen

I watched the 1996 movie, Emma, the other evening, and was taken by this quote toward the end of the film, as Emma and George are discussing their flaws as possible obstructions to them having a happy marriage. As I pondered on that thought as it pertains to romantic relationships, I also started to think about how it might be applied in a larger context, such as to the Church.

It is no coincidence that my pastor preached a message this morning about the importance of the regular assembling of believers. I took that as confirmation that I should share my thoughts on the topic of perfection as it pertains to Christians and the Church.

Whenever someone tells me they are looking for a church, I always tell them, “Don’t look for a perfect church. If you find one and join it, it won’t be perfect any more.” It seems that there are some people who refuse to go to church because of all the imperfect people there. Irony much?

The bumper sticker that proclaims, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven” is true. But it’s no excuse for trying, either.

As Pastor Rodger mentioned this morning, iron sharpens iron; it is by regularly brushing up against other imperfect Christians that we slowly wear away those imperfections to become the people that God desires.

In Colossians 3, Paul challenges us to strive for perfection in our lives, individually and collectively. After all, the Church is simply the reflection of the people in it. What if the church took this passage seriously and literally? What if each of us as individuals took this passage seriously and literally? Could this be the blueprint for “The Perfect Church?”

In 17 verses, the Apostle Paul lays out a comprehensive instruction manual on proper Christian conduct.

Let’s look closely at these instructions to see what is required of us:

Loyalties And Priorities (vv1-4)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

What occupies our hearts and minds?

Are we weighed down by the cares and concerns of daily life? Or do we regularly refocus on heavenly purposes?

Are we concerned with achieving satisfaction and success here on earth? Or is it our greatest goal to carry out the Great Commission so we can take as many people with us as possible when we leave this world?

The Greek word ZETEO is translated here as “set your heart”. It means to seek or strive for, and is the same word used in Matthew 6:33, where Jesus said,

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." 

What are we seeking or striving for in life? Where are our loyalties and priorities? 

Cleaning Out The Gutter (vv 5-10)

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

At some point, we all have to acknowledge that sin is sin. Sin is an integral part of our earthly nature, and does not go away without a fight. Paul tells us that we must put our sin nature to death. If we simply wound it, it will recover.

One should not think that this is an exhaustive list of sins. It is simply a sampler of some of the uglier ones. These sins seem to fall into two categories: what we think (and consequently act upon), and what we say. The mind and the mouth are sometimes our worst enemies. This is why Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

And James 3:6-8 says, 

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 

Paul gives us the motivation for cleaning up our act. He tells us that we have put on the “new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Who likes to put clean clothes on a dirty body? Likewise, it does not make sense that we should try to clothe ourselves with Christ while we continue to wallow in the gutter of sin.
 

One For All and All For One (v11) 

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 

Paul makes it quite clear that there should be no natural or artificial distinctions between believers. We should embrace each other without regard to race, nationality, economic status, profession, education, talent, appearance, ability, or any other factor. All of these distinctions will pass away when we enter into eternity, and only our immortal soul will remain, which is what God sees in each one of us. We need to learn how to look at each other the way Christ looked at us the day He hung on the cross.
 

All Dressed Up (vv12-14)

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Paul’s antidote to the nasty habits in the previous verses is found in 12-14. He suggests that we put on these positive, uplifting virtues as we put on our clothing. 

What if we were to take this instruction to heart? As you dress yourself each morning, equate each article of clothing with a virtue:

• Underwear: humility (covers our unmentionables)

• Socks: gentleness (provides cushioning and warmth)

• Shirt: compassion (covers our heart)

• Pants: kindness (consideration for others)

• Shoes: patience (learn how to walk in another person’s shoes)

• Coat: love (covers everything else)

We are instructed to forgive each other and bear with one another. We must always remember this simple fact: if God was as quick to give up on us when we fall short as we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we would all be toast by now.

The only sin you can hold against another believer is the one that God has not forgiven you through Jesus. And since He has forgiven your every sin, your only response to the one who offends you is to do the same. 

When All Is Said And Done (vv15-17)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 

How many of you enjoy living a life of drama and turmoil? We are called to live lives of peace. Strife and conflict in our lives are usually the result of us not yielding to God’s way of dealing with situations. The saying is true that it takes two to argue. Don’t let another person drag you into chaos.

We are instructed to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” This word “richly” is the Greek word PLOUSIOS, which means abundantly. The more Word we pour into ourselves, the more Word will come back out as we converse with each other. 

The Word is given for us to teach and admonish one another, not to condemn and criticize. The word “admonish” means to warn by instruction. We must always be on the lookout for each other, to guard against those things which will come against our fellow believers. 

Paul goes on to say that this Word which indwells us should infuse our praises as well. This is why we sing so many songs based directly on Scripture. What greater honor can we give the Author of the Bible than to sing back to Him the very words He inspired?

Paul sums up all of these instructions with verse 17, a sentence that is probably one of the most challenging in the Bible:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

To do or say anything in the name of Jesus means that we are acting as His power of attorney or personal representative. 

Honestly now, do you really think that Jesus would have done or said some of the things that you perpetrated on the human race this past week? I know that I regularly misrepresent Him as I go about doing my own thing. 

The motivation for doing everything in the name of Jesus is the gratitude that we are supposed to have because of all the things He has done for us. God knows that if we regularly refocus ourselves on Him and the love and grace that we have received from Him, then our outward responses and behaviors will greatly improve.

My personal goal is to strive for these ideals in my life, and I challenge you to do the same.

We need not worry that we might become perfect Christians or a perfect church in doing so, because we will never fully achieve these benchmarks of perfection.

However, in working toward them, we will become a perfecting church filled with Christians who are being perfected into the likeness of Christ.

Have a blessed week!
 

Pastor David

What Do You Smell Like?

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NLT)

Those of you who know me probably know that I volunteer for a local dog rescue here in Phoenix. My primary duties consist of serving as a transporter, a handler, and an occasional dog whisperer. Nearly every Saturday morning, I show up at our boarding facility, never knowing quite what to expect from one week to the next. Usually I just retrieve the dogs assigned to me for transporting to the adoption event we hold at a PetSmart in Scottsdale (I've had as many as 11 dogs in my Kia Soul - a virtual canine clown car). Other days, I am called upon to give one or more dogs a quick bath before we head out for the day. More often than not, I am not as fresh and clean by the time I arrive at the event as I was when I left home an hour earlier.

Throughout the day, I pick up dogs and hand them to prospective adopters. I clean up pee and poop. Lots of pee and poop. I walk the larger dogs who need a break from being in their kennels. I hold dogs who need to be socialized. I work with "fear" dogs (that's where the whisperer part comes in). Sometimes I just carry around a cute little puppy because I can. Did I mention that I clean up lots of pee and poop?

When the event is over, we pack up the dogs that didn’t get adopted and transport them back to the boarding facility. Then, while other volunteers clean out the kennels, I walk all of the dogs who stayed behind during the day, so they too can get some exercise and fresh air (and do their business). Often I am asked to do handyman types of tasks while I'm there. Without getting into too much detail, let it suffice that, being around so many dogs excited at the prospect of getting out of their kennels and going for a walk, sometimes I get "accessorized".

By the time I finally get home late that night, I have spent between 10 and 12 hours with up to 40 dogs and everything that comes with them. My two dogs practically maul me when I walk in the door, trying to sniff every inch of me in their investigation of all those aromas. Needless to say, I stink at the end of the day.

I was pondering this experience, and the above passage came to mind. On a good day, I can smell pretty darn good. On a day like my typical Saturday, not so much. If it's that easy to pick up the odors of the world around us, is maintaining a pleasant spiritual aroma any easier? As Christians, we are called to influence the world around us. Paul says that we are to bear the fragrance of Christ, like a sweet perfume. So what kind of a fragrance are we spreading to those around us? Are we a sweet perfume or a dreadful stench?

Sadly, some Christians today are determined to spread the stench of their narrow rigid doctrine. This noxious odor repels those who are looking for a relationship with their Creator. Rather than finding a people who are the embodiment of love, grace and healing, they encounter judgmental attitudes, fear-mongering and hypocrisy.

On the other hand, some Christians exude the sweet fragrance of Jesus wherever they go. They try to see the best in others, exemplify compassion and forgiveness, and model the gentle character of Christ.

Have you ever hugged someone wearing perfume or cologne and came away smelling like that person? God wants us to carry the fragrance of Christ like that. But we can only do this by spending time with Him. When we spend time with Christ, we take on His characteristics and attributes; we do the things Jesus did and talk like Jesus. We show love, mercy and compassion to those around us. We speak words of encouragement and hope.

Jesus didn't waste time forcing rigid theology on His followers. In fact, He criticized the religious leaders of doing this. Jesus always put people first. He made it very clear that rules were put in place to serve us, not the other way around. He taught us how to love our neighbors, how to put people before traditions and rules and doctrine. He told us that we would be known by our love, not our doctrine.

People are being driven away from the Gospel by those so-called Christians who carry the stench of death. The message of God's wrath, embedded in hateful, condemning language, will never draw people to the cross. God doesn't want followers who merely see salvation as a fire insurance policy. He wants people who will follow Him because they love Him and enjoy having His presence in their lives.

Let us be the sweet aroma of life that draws people into a loving relationship with the Lord. Don't be a stinky Christian!

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

At Rest With God

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Recently, my youngest niece sent some photos of the veterans' cemetery where my fathered was buried in February, including this one of his headstone:

This was the first time I had seen my father's headstone. Its simplicity is appropriate for a man whose life was characterized by his unassuming and humble demeanor. I was especially interested in the final line: "At rest with God." These four words punctuate a life spanning eight decades. The word "rest" and its variations are often used when referring to those who have passed on. I suppose this is because the toils of life have finally ended.

But I began thinking about this statement, "At rest with God." I understand the sentiment it is trying to convey on the headstone, that my father is now enjoying his eternal rest in the presence of his Maker. But do we have to die before we can be "at rest with God"? Is there no rest to be obtained while we walk this earth?

Sadly, the whole concept of "resting" has pretty much been lost on modern-day Christians, especially in this country. We have been sold a bill of goods that says, if you go to church for an hour (or two if you're a Pentecostal), you've satisfied your weekly "rest" requirement. But attending church services is not what God had in mind when He declared a Sabbath rest for His people, nor is it what Jesus had in mind when He called His followers to come to Him to enjoy rest from their burdens.

As a former pastor, I always struggled with the concept of a "day of rest" since Sunday was my busiest day of the week, if not the most spiritually exhausting. The most rest I usually enjoyed on a Sunday was a nice long nap in the afternoon. As a bi-vocational pastor, I still had to put in a normal work week starting Monday morning.

So how do we obtain this elusive "rest" while we're still drawing breath? In the Old Testament, God's instruction to the Hebrews was to abstain from doing their regular work on the Sabbath. This regulation extended to their beasts of burdens as well as their servants (Deuteronomy 5:13-15). God knew that we require a regular day of "recharging our batteries" - physically, mentally and spiritually. Modern medicine has proven that we have a regular seven-day cycle that has to be reset in order for us to maintain overall health. Those of us who continually override this cycle of work and rest eventually see the results in fatigue, health problems, sleep disorders, and general dysfunction in our relationships. Like many things commanded in Scripture, observing a Sabbath rest isn't just some random idea; it serves a very real and practical purpose in our lives.

In the New Testament, Jesus invited us to come to Him to enjoy a different kind of rest. Because Jesus follows His invitation to rest with some additional requests, I don't believe He was talking about the same type of rest that was implied in the Old Testament law:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

In order to understand this rest, we need to first understand who it is addressed to: those who are weary and burdened. But weary and burdened from what? Jesus gives us some clues in the following verses.

"Taking His yoke" implies being joined with Him in a common purpose, as when two animals are yoked together to plow a field or pull a cart. The implication is that when we are at odds with His divine purpose in life, we will become weary and burdened. So much of modern Christianity is performance-based, and quite frankly, it is creating a Church full of zombies. Christians who are burdened with trying to "act like Christians" have the appearance of being alive, but they really are somewhat dead inside. Jesus did not die on the cross so we could spend our entire lives trying to earn our salvation, or prove that we are saved. The mission Jesus called us to is pretty simple, but most churches would rather teach their rules-based doctrines instead. Jesus commanded us to love God and one another. Period. He wasn't interested in our doctrinal stances, our avoidance of anything "sinful", or the amount of time, energy and resources we devote to the church. He just asked us to love. And when we love, that love expresses itself in ways that are especially pleasing to Him. The parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 is an example of things that are done by those who love. He didn't commend the "sheep" for attending church, tithing, going on missions trips, or teaching Bible studies. He commended them for taking care of the needy, the downtrodden, the invisible people of our society - acts of selfless love.

Jesus said that, if we learn from Him, we will develop a gentle and humble heart. Gentle and humble hearts are often lacking in modern Christianity, yet these are what most closely resemble the nature of Christ. When we learn how to have a gentle and humble heart, we will find rest for our souls. We won’t be worn out from our attempts at self-promotion, comparing our spiritual progress against other Christians, competing with other ministries, or from any of the other things that are so prevalent in our modern churches which tend to put the spotlight on us instead of Christ. People with gentle and humble hearts will be more likely to notice the unmet needs of those around them, and do something about them. They defer honor and prestige to others while they quietly work in the background, yoked to Jesus.

Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If you feel burdened and weary, perhaps you're not properly yoked with Jesus, and missing out on the rest that He freely offers. Take some time to evaluate where you are in life, what you're spending your energies on, and who you are trying to please. Make changes where necessary so that you can enter into the Sabbath rest that Christ has invited you to enjoy, now instead of when there's a stone laying above your head.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day, and a blessed week!

Pastor David

Palm Tree Christians

"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

As I look out my office window here at home, I see them. They're everywhere, towering above the houses like sentinels standing guard against some imaginary invasion. They're palm trees. For some strange reason, people in Phoenix love palm trees. They are literally everywhere, lining streets, poking up out of yards and parking lots, even growing wildly in alleys and along the canals. New homes are landscaped with them. People plant them in the yards of their historic homes. You can't get away from palm trees here in the Valley of the Sun.

The funny thing about palm trees, though, is that they are not native to the desert. At least, not to this desert. Every single palm tree for hundreds of miles around was brought here or cultivated locally in a nursery. Many have sprung up on their own like weeds as the wind or birds have spread their seeds across the valley. And they're almost impossible to kill once they become established.

As popular as palm trees are, they really serve no useful purpose. I'm not sure why people like them, other than they seem to give off a tropical feel to the desert. Step outside in the middle of the day in July, and you will immediately realize that you are NOT in the tropics, regardless of how many palm trees are in your field of vision! Palm trees grow extremely tall, yet have no branches. They are very high maintenance (it's fascinating to watch tree trimmers rappelling up the trunks with a rope in one hand and a chain saw in the other). They're messy. Every time there is a storm or even a strong wind, they fall apart and drop their dead fronds and whatever has been nesting in them (they're a favorite roosting spot for pigeons - need I say more?). You can't rest under their shade, or hang a swing or a bird feeder on them. They really are good for nothing except show. And to suck up a ton of water.

As I was pondering about palm trees, I realized how many Christians resemble these odd plants. How many Christians do you know who really serve no useful purpose other than to stand around trying to look good? They don't provide anything of value to those around them. They absorb resources but give back practically nothing. They fall apart at every crisis and make a big mess. They are out of place and don't really fit in with their surroundings. And they are very high maintenance, requiring regular attention, and getting ugly if they don't get it. I'm pretty sure these are not the types of Christians that God intended to populate the world with. And they're certainly not the kind that I like to hang around with.

Rather, I prefer Christians who are more like the massive mesquite tree that grows in my front yard. Mesquites are native to the Sonoran desert region (where Phoenix is located). They belong here, and adapt perfectly well to our climate. My largest mesquite tree (I have numerous ones around my property) provides an amazing amount of shade; it nearly shades the entire eastern face of my house, which helps keep my house cool all day long. I hang a bird feeder and a hummingbird feeder from its strong branches. I suppose I could hang a swing as well if I was so inclined to want a tree swing. I haven't watered this particular tree in over a decade. It is extremely resourceful in finding the water that it needs deep underground. Its gnarled branches provide an interwoven canopy that not only covers most of my front yard, but also provides plenty of secret nesting places for the mourning doves that seem to enjoy living there, safe from the nasty pigeons. Several times a year, I will prune back the tree limbs that start to get too close to the roof, or start to hang too low to the ground. All this pruning helps the tree to become bigger and stronger and to provide even more shade (and I use some of the cuttings in my grill to give my food an amazing mesquite flavor). The tree weathers even the most severe storms without bending or twisting or breaking off branches (thanks to the interwoven nature of the undergrowth).

Needless to say, I love my mesquite trees. And I love to be around Christians who are like these trees. They're useful, resourceful, strong and protective. They even lend flavor to the world around them. They stand firm in the face of adversity and grow stronger as a result. They are a source of refuge for the weak, and nourishment for the hungry. I think these are the types of Christians God wants to plant in the world. And the kind that I want to be. How about you?

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David