The World Needs Lights

By Mark McCrary
 
Viruses.  Racism.  Injustice.  Riots. Financial upheaval.
 
It is tempting to think that things have never been worse, yet our field of vision over the course of time is very narrow.  The reality is human existence has always been filled with all of the above, along with earthquakes, tsunamis, tornados, famines, awful diseases, conquests, pillagings, dominations, food and water shortages, mosquitoes, snakes, lions and tigers, and bears… and the lists go on and on.
 
Reasons to be upset, scared, anxious, concerned, frustrated and the like are nothing new.  They have been the constant companions of the human experience and while we travel this earth, they always will.
 
Despite these realities, the Bible holds several enticing possibilities before us: we can have hope (Psalm 42:11; 62:5-6; Romans 15:13; 1 Timothy 4:10), joy (Psalm 16:11; John 15:10-12; Galatians 5:22-23 ) and peace with others (Psalm 34:13-15; Isaiah 32:16-17; Luke 2:13-14; Romans 12:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:11)—even in this life.  It does not give us these things by taking us out of the world, but by giving us tools to use while in this world. What are these tools?
 
There are numerous passages we could look to, but let’s spend a few minutes contemplating Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…” (Philippians 2:14-16). 
 
Under inspiration, Paul gives us some simple, doable actions we can put into place in our lives.  First, he tells us not to complain.  All of us complain from time to time.  Sometimes, those complaints move from “time to time” to all the time.  Spend some time this week paying attention to your speech; look over your social media posts.  Be honest. How much do you see yourself complaining? It may be more than you think.  We can post all the Bible verses we like on Facebook or Instagram, but when we complain—especially when people know we are a Christian—we aren’t showing the world that we are any different than anyone else.  So, check your complaining. Complaints stem from too close a proximity to the world.  Paul’s attitude (and Christ’s for that matter) was radical because he focused on different things: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” ( 2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
 
When you make the decision to stop being negative, you must follow that up with an equal decision to being positive— shine as a light.  Point people from the chaos of the world to the love and peace of God.  You aren’t being self-righteous when you decide to model this; people need to see that it really is possible to have the peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) in the “midst of a crooked and twisted generation.” People need to hear that injustices are real, that life stinks sometimes, but when one sets their mind on God in obedience, it really can change one’s life and outlook.  We need to be living proof of this.
 
Finally, all of this is made possible because you “hold fast to God’s word.” Every day we are all tempted to cast aside the Biblical teachings to some degree or another. Don’t.  Always remember that real freedom comes from following God and His word (Romans 6:15-19). The more we submit to God’s wisdom rather than our own, the more peace we will have.  Hold on desperately to God and His word.  
 
God needs a hitter this week in this game we call life.  Let’s step up to the plate.

What I Love About God

By: Sean Reisch

A few weeks ago Mark challenged us to reflect on what we love about God. The idea was for each one of us to dwell on what we love most about His character. When we discover and dwell on that we will want to serve Him more deeply. There are so many places that our minds could go with that because there are so many aspects of God to love. I want to share with you one of my favorites.

God cares for the destitute; God loves the afflicted.

This is one of the most impressive aspects of God’s character to me. God cares for the lonely, the oppressed, the mistreated, and the forsaken. He loves those whom the world would ignore. You see this throughout the Old Testament in a number of ways.

First, you see this in the provisions God makes for the destitute in the Mosaic law. He repeatedly makes it clear that He wants His people to take care of the afflicted (Deuteronomy 10:18-19; 14:28-29; 15:11; 24:17-22; 27:19). This wasn’t a side issue to God. God expected the Israelites to care for the poor, orphaned, widowed, and foreigners in their land. These are the people that had no one to advocate for them, so God wanted His people to take special care of them.

Secondly, in the wisdom literature God makes it evident that He will be the Redeemer for those that don’t have one (Psalm 9:9; 35:10; 68:5-6; 69:33; 113:7-9; 140:12; 146:9; 147:6; Proverbs 22:22-23; 23:10-11). He will take up the cause of those who are afflicted in this life. He seems to take it personally when people take advantage of the downtrodden. 

Lastly, God takes the Israelites to task in the prophets for NOT caring for the afflicted (Amos 2:6-7; 8:4-6; Jeremiah 5:28-29; 7:5-6; 22:3; Zechariah 7:9-11). We often think about God punishing the Israelites for their idolatry, which He did, but He also punished them for their injustice and oppression of the needy. He condemned them for neglecting the outcasts.

Each of those things show us that there is a special place in the heart of God for those who are broken by life, and for those who have no one in this life to care for them. What I love about this is that it presents us with the tenderness of God. We see His compassion come to the forefront. Perhaps I find this most astonishing and impressive in light of His power. 

God is everlasting (Psalm 90:2), He is the Creator of all (Isaiah 40:26, 28), and He is reigning as King (Psalm 93:1; 95:3).  Yet our God, whose greatness is incomparable, reaches down to care for those in the lowest positions of life. I think I’m struck by this because we don’t typically operate this way, at least not naturally. We tend to reach up to those of greater power and authority in order to increase our own standing, but God does the exact opposite. 

I draw great comfort, encouragement, and exhortation from this truth about God. It puts a smile on my face and makes me want to burst out in praise! It comforts me to know that even when I was spiritually destitute and orphaned God cared for me (Romans 5:6-8). It encourages me with a message to share with those who are hurting in life about this great God who cares for them especially. And it exhorts me to make sure I am prioritizing what God prioritizes, caring for the needy (James 1:27).

That’s what I love about God. What do you love most about Him?

Weeding Dandelions

By Matt Hennecke

As was often the case, when I was a child, my Saturday plans conflicted with my father’s plans for me. I wanted to play all day and he wanted me and my brother to earn our keep by doing household chores before we went to play.      

This Saturday was no different. It was the middle of summer and my Dad didn’t like the way the lawn looked. There were way too many dandelions, so he called my brother and me to his side and issued a command: “I want you to weed dandelions this morning. Each of you are to fill a shopping bag with 100 dandelions.” Then he added: “Work until you’re finished and then come and let me count your dandelions.”

Dandelion weeding was not an unfamiliar chore for me or my brother. We had seen both my Mom and my Dad weed dandelions before. On occasion we had even been pressed into limited, weeding service. Proper weeding involved a long metal skewer-like object which one would jab down into and under the roots of the dandelion and then a downward motion to eject the plant upward from the soil, roots and all. That was the theory, but dandelions are ornery critters and their roots run deep, so it took some work to effectively extricate an entire dandelion.

Now little boys who’d rather be playing than working often develop a certain, devious creativity. My little mind was spinning, and the thought occurred to me that by simply pulling off the heads of the dandelions I could quickly achieve my 100-dandelion goal. But the thought quickly faded because I knew what quality, dandelion-weeding looked like. I’d seen enough examples of what a well “weeded” dandelion looked like – it was the entire plant, roots, leaves, and flower. Anything less would be unacceptable, and Dad was going to pass judgment on my work. There seemed to be no wiggle room to speed up the process. Play-time seemed a long way off.

Seeing no easy way out I got quickly to the task. I worked steadily in the heat of the morning sun, counting as I went: 10, 17, 38, 52…. wipe the sweat from my brow, 68, 77…. the end in sight….84, 96, 100! Finished! The morning was largely spent, but the rest of the day lay before me.

I took my bag of dandelions to my Dad for inspection. He carefully examined my work and counted the dandelions. “Good job,” he finally said, and my heart leapt at the thought of bike riding and time with friends. As I carried my bag of dandelions to the garbage for disposal my brother made his appearance. “Hey,” he said, as he sidled over to my side, “why don’t we dump your dandelions into my bag?”

Now you might think I would have rejected his proposal outright. After all, I’d worked in the hot sun weeding 100 dandelions, but I must admit I was awe-struck by the brilliance of his plan. Little brothers are enthralled with big brothers. My father’s command had been that we each fill a bag with 100 dandelions. If I gave my brother my dandelions, he could fill his bag with my 100 dandelions and technically satisfy my Dad’s command. So, we did just that. My brother filled his bag with my dandelions and took them to my Dad where they easily passed inspection. My Dad never learned of our ploy.

What is interesting, is that though we were little boys and had no clue how to define hermeneutics, we knew in our little brains what it meant: Dad had issued a command, he had showed us numerous times what an example of good dandelion pulling looked like, and he had even inferred we each fill our own bag with dandelions from our own labor. Funny thing is, we knew it was a necessary inference as evidenced by our consciously not telling Dad just how we had accomplished the task. If we’d owned up to our little deceit, there is no doubt Dad would have shown us just how necessary the inference was – probably by adding another 100 dandelions to our project!

These days the method of determining how to study the Word so as to understand God’s will – what is called hermeneutics – is largely discounted, even ridiculed. Some see it as a conservative church concoction. It's not. Command, example, and inference are at the very heart of all communication. It’s how all dads and moms communicate their will. Even little boys get it.

So, whether picking dandelions to satisfy one’s dad, or living faithfully to satisfy one’s Father, we must study the Word to obey His commands, follow His approved examples, and acknowledge His inferences so one day we may go live in His dandelion-free House for eternity.

Our Spiritual Heritage

By Kim Davis

Where are you from? 

It is a common question we ask one another when making new acquaintances.  The answer provides a little insight into one’s past. Maybe the question is asked because one is looking for a commonality, or wants to understand the background behind another’s dialect, or perhaps it is pure curiosity.

I research genealogy as a hobby.  I am captivated by it and can spend hours in front of the computer looking at census records, immigration records, ship passenger lists, and other ancestral information.   I often think about the time I spend reflecting upon the past.  Does it really matter who my ancestors were?  Of course, our salvation does not hinge upon it.  But in many respects, our individuality is a direct reflection of our ancestor’s and their decisions.   

Our ancestors decided whether or not to believe in God.  If so, how and where would they worship God?  They made decisions about what type of values they would instill in their children.  They determined how hard they would work at their marriage.  They decided how to teach their children to respect and serve others.

Each generation processes what they have or have not learned from their parents, grandparents, or other important figures, while also considering additional outside influences to then face the same decisions.

Generation after generation of imperfect Christians will face struggles, heartaches, disappointments, and discouragement.  Each generation will stumble along the way but they must continue to follow Christ to the best of their ability.  Each generation has a responsibility to learn, to grow in knowledge and faith, and to teach others about Christ.  This is the only way the perfect law can be spread to the next generation.  Deut. 6:5-7 says “You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

We cannot let Satan derail us.  I do not want to be the person in my family tree who decides to stop following Christ.  I want to do everything in my power to continue this tradition of worshipping God and serving him faithfully and influencing my children to do the same.  We often hear “it does not matter where you came from, what matters is where you are going?”  Where we come from determines our starting point in life but what truly matters is the point where we end.  Are we ready to meet our Redeemer when our time comes?

At Douglass Hills, we teach our children about their spiritual heritage.  When you think back to Abraham and the unbroken lineage that brought us our Savior, it is a marvelous wonder that certainly was planned. 

“Our children are a heritage from the Lord,” Psalm 127:3.  I believe the Lord shares John’s sentiment written in III John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 

How are we individually contributing to our own children’s spiritual heritage, or to the spiritual heritage of other children at Douglass Hills?  It is the single most important thing in their life and demands our full attention.  Providing for our families is important.  Leisure activities are important.  Family time is important.  Let us all make sure we are not letting the important things crowd out the most important, which is Christ.  Knowing Him.  Teaching Him.  Loving like Him.  Trying our best to be like Him.

Reflections on the New Star Wars Movies and a Disturbing Cultural Message

By Mark McCrary
 
I’ve been thinking about the new Star Wars movies.  No, this isn’t a review, a geeky complaint or admonition to watch them.  It is a consideration of what they are saying about us as a culture.  There’s a spiritual point, so please stick with me for a few minutes.
 
I remember walking out of the second new movie (“The Last Jedi”) wondering, “Okay… so, who’s the bad guy here?” The one I thought was the bad guy, Snoke, had been killed in the middle of the movie. I didn’t think it was Kylo Ren because while he was sometimes bad, he kinda acted like he wanted to be good sometimes.  So, who’s the bad guy?
 
Why’s it so important to have a bad guy? Because the original Star Wars movies were a morality play. They were good versus evil. In the first Star Wars movie, within the first 5 minutes we were introduced to Darth Vader.  He was dark, imposing, barking orders with his deep bass, slightly mechanized voice, lifting people up in the air choking them with the power of the Force… and that was the just the beginning of the movie.  Hands down, there were no questions as to who the bad guy was in this movie (and the subsequent original movies). But, there was no one like that in the new movies.  
 
I think—on reflection—that the possible reason why could be of significance to Christians.  You see, the original and new movies were made in two very different times in our nation’s culture.  In the 70’s (with all its problems), there was still an acceptance of some absolutes; in good and evil; black and white.  However, today, absolutes are by and large rejected.  Views about right and wrong are more “nuanced.” Rather than black and white, things are more gray and uncertain.
 
It is true that there is a lot of gray in life. But absolutes, black and white, right and wrong… these are things that can’t be ignored.  If they are, it is to our peril.  This isn’t just reality; it is biblical.  
 
God is good (Exodus 34:6; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 145:9). Not just sometimes, but always.  He is perfect, and all his guidances are right (Psalm 19:7-11). Jesus is the absolute perfect physical reflection of this perfect God (John 1:1,14; Hebrews 1:3), and He is the only way to Him (John 14:6).
 
The Devil is evil (Matthew 13:19)—not misunderstood; not confused.  He is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44), and to follow Him leads to certain, eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41-46).
 
There is light and darkness (1 John 1:5-10), and you and I have to choose which one we will walk in.  If we choose the light, we will go to heaven.  If we choose darkness, we will be lost in hell forever.
 
Now, I acknowledge I may be making too much out of this.  But, importantly, as our culture drifts more into a rejection of absolutes it will be reflected more and more in our entertainment.  Followers of God must not have our heads in the sand about this. While I am not suggesting we must abstain from entertainment because of these messages (though some may choose to), I am saying in no uncertain terms that we must be aware of them; and more importantly, aware of the biblical message and its truthfulness. We must stand by that message. Otherwise, we will be spiritually confused and liable to fall for any deception that comes our way (Ephesians 4:14).