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Emails to God – Sharing Information So We Can Pray About It (a.k.a. Gossiping) (Matthew 18:15-17)

14 Mar

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Dear God, I think I’d just rather gossip about the person doing the wrong thing than confront them with it. That’s the truth. When I read this passage my default church mind, full of the platitudes I have heard my whole life, agrees and says, “Of course, that is what I should do. And that is what I do because I believe in this teaching.” But then when I stop and think of examples in my own life when I have come across someone who I think is doing the wrong thing, what are the actions I have taken in those situations? As near as I can tell, I usually don’t confront them, but I might just point out their flaw to someone else. Really, don’t most of us do that?

One of the sayings I love is that Christians don’t gossip. We just share information so we can pray about it. The other wonder saying we use here in the South is, “Well, bless their heart, they just shouldn’t be doing [this, that, or the other].”

So what would it look like if actually refrained from gossiping, but followed Jesus’ admonition here? How could I better be a constructive confronter and not a gossiper? How would it change my life and how others see me if I never talked negatively about anyone, but only took my negative thoughts to the person if I deemed it important enough to do so?

Father, this is a good word for me. It is a good reminder that I need to really watch my tongue and also allow myself to be more confrontational for the sake of those I know and love. So help me to do this. Help me to glorify you. Help me to be the kind of person that people will respect enough so that you can speak to them through me. Help me to confront constructively. And speak to me through others as well. I am sure there are things about me that people see and feel are wrong. Help me to hear you through them.

 
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Posted by on March 14, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Wandering Children (Matthew 18:10-14)

12 Mar

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11]

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dear God, I have to say that I have always really liked this story. It is nice to be one of your children, and it is nice to know that you will come looking for me if I wander off. Of course, if I wander off, you will also let me live with some of the results of the mistakes I make while I am gone.

As a dad of teenagers, I can understand this concept. When they were in grade school it was easy to keep my eye on them and know that they were safe. Now that they are teenagers, however, it is harder to know. I have to let them wander a little. I am blessed in that neither of my kids has wandered too far or done anything that makes me fear, but I can easily see that fear sitting over my shoulder, waiting to grip me. So there are a couple of lessons here. First, it is okay to give your children age-appropriate freedom to live their lives and wander a bit, but, second, it is also important to go after and look for them if they wander too far.

Father, I don’t know how you do it. I have felt rejection as a father, but it is nothing compared with the rejection you feel as our father. I even reject you far too often, and make foolish decisions that must just frustrate you to no end. But you are merciful to me. You are kind to me. You love me. Help me to do the same for my children. And please forgive me for the frustrations that I cause you and those I love.

 
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Posted by on March 12, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Do I Cause These Little Ones to Stumble? (Matthew 18:6-9)

09 Mar

6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Dear God, part of me wants to explore the idea of how literal Jesus was being in verses eight and nine, but I think I’m going to leave that one alone. Too complicated.

I am interested, however, in the idea of not being the cause of others to stumble. I was talking with a man yesterday who is leading a “new member class” for a given denomination. I’ve been in the class since September and I’ve decided that I’m not going to join simply because there are a couple theological issues in the way. That and, frankly, they want me to make a life-long commitment to this denomination and I’m not prepared to commit my life to any church or denomination for the rest of my life. But as the man and I talked and I brought up a couple of the theological differences he said that he wished I would have brought them up during the class so that we can discuss them. I told him I had no desire to do that because it didn’t matter to me if they disagreed with me or not and I didn’t want to plant any seeds of doubt in those going through the class. The theological differences don’t imperil the soul so they just aren’t important. I could tell he was frustrated with my answer, but it really was true.

I think one of the harder things to do is to decide how to best advise others when they are in crisis. My temptation is to give them guidance and direction. But what if my guidance and advice is wrong. I have another friend whose wife is going through a hard time. This friend is serving you in a very sacrificial and faithful way. There is a part of me that thinks that his service to you, though admirable, is asking too much of her. But I don’t dare advise him to change his service to you. I would NOT want to advise him in a way that is contradictory to your call to him. So I have done my best to just share my own life with him, invite him to share his with me, and then pray that you will guide him as he figures out how to minister to his wife.

Father, please keep me from feeling like I have to have the answers for everyone around me. Help me to lovingly support others while learning to be your words and hands to them. I don’t want to be a bad example to anyone with my personal actions, and I don’t want to be a bad advisor to someone with foolish words that are not of you. And as far as my eyes, hands, feet, and whatever else gets me in trouble goes, please be merciful to me as I don’t have the courage to disavow them.

 
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Posted by on March 9, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – How Much do I Think God Can Do? (Matthew 17:24-27)

07 Mar

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

26 “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. 27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Dear God, the first thing I thought when I heard this story was, “Wow, Jesus is really feeling it now.” What I mean by that is that, after the transfiguration he is seemingly really feeling how much power he really has. I like how he addresses Peter’s issue on taxes before Peter even says anything. Then he tells Peter where to find some gold, and it is in a most unlikely place. It doesn’t say what Peter found when he caught the fish, but I would venture to say that they wouldn’t have told the story if it didn’t work out.

I am thinking there is a lot of power that you have available to me, as your child, that I don’t even come close to scratching the surface of. There is power available for all of the challenges that I see around me. I just need to change my paradigm of what I expect from you. I have my nice little safe Christian version of what I expect from you, and I rarely really tap into your power. And I have to tell you, when I do I am always blown away by what you do.

Father, I want to spend this day focusing on a few issues that are in my life. I want to tap your power in these areas. One is our big issue at work. The other is my mother’s health. I have concerns about me as a parent. I have concerns about me as a husband. I also know we have some patients at work that really need your intervention. And there is my wife’s faith journey. I will dedicate this day to lifting all of these issues up to you. I need your power. I need you to move. And I want to be able to look at all of these things and see how you moved.

 
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Posted by on March 7, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Prophecy & Encouragement (Matthew 17:22-23)

06 Mar

22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Dear God, sometimes you keep us on a need-to-know basis (for our own good), and sometimes the path becomes apparent. But I go back to what my dad said once about prophecy. He said, “Prophecy isn’t as much about us knowing the future now, but about us knowing that God is in control as the future unveils itself.” In this case, Jesus was doing his best to let the disciples know what was going to happen so that they would have some string of hope to hold onto after he was killed.

As for Jesus, I am sure that his time with Elijah and Moses in the Transfiguration plays into this somehow. Were they confirming for him that what he felt was going to happen was really going to happen? Or were they just encouraging him as he faced the last lap of his earthly life? I have a feeling that Jesus knew what was going to happen so he didn’t need that confirmed. I think that God allowed Jesus to spend some time with Moses and Elijah so that Jesus could feel their encouragement.

There are times when you send me encouragement. I talked about it yesterday. There was another time, almost exactly a year ago, when I was concerned about an aspect of my marriage. My wife and I were worshipping at different churches because I had a mental barrier regarding going to the denomination she attended. She had started going there, and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Thankfully, I was having breakfast with a friend on Friday morning and I was telling him about how I was feeling a distance between my wife and me. His admonishment to me was that I needed to “suck it up and go to church with my wife.” That was excellent advice. I followed it, and we have been attending together ever since. That whole experience taught me the importance of not only worshipping with my wife but also having someone in my life besides her who you can use to encourage and advise me.

Father, help me to hear your words through others. Give me the words for others and speak to them through me. I found out late yesterday about a man who passed away over the weekend. He was a patient at our clinic who we sent to specialists, but eventually advised to go on hospice. I feel bad for his family. I feel like I should find a way to reach out to them today, but I’m not sure what to do. I hope that you will provide them comfort and direction. Help them to feel your love for them and draw them into you through this experience.

 
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Posted by on March 6, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Why Don’t I Fast More? (Matthew 17:14-21)

05 Mar

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21]

Dear God, Mark’s telling of this story includes the line about this kind only coming out through prayer and fasting. Why don’t I fast more? I can tell you that every time I have fasted I have seen you move.

The most recent time was about two months ago. I was facing a funding crisis for a project on a Monday that would cost a lot of money. I was overwhelmed and distraught. So I decided to do something I haven’t done in a while and take a day to fast and pray about the situation. I did so the next day (Tuesday). The first thing that happened was that a large donor called me out of the blue on that very day and told me that he was thinking about us and the situation and to let him know if we need anything. Basically, he was good for a chunk of it. Then I contacted two different foundations who know us. They each told me that they would be willing to get us 1/3 of it. Then on Friday I talked to a fourth resource who told me that they would help. So, within four days I had nearly all of the money lined up. Why? Because I was so brilliant? No. I am convinced it is because I took the time to fast and pray, asking you to intervene in a big way—which you graciously did. I even emailed the first man and told him how you used him in my life.

Father, there are other things that I should fast and pray for. The leadoff hitter is probably my kids. They are teenagers and need your protection. I need to fast and pray for them. My marriage is approaching the 20-year mark, and I need to spend more time fasting for it. I have friends who are struggling. I need to fast and pray about that. Our organization at work is still facing formidable challenges. I need to fast and pray about that as well. So I commit to you that I will do that. I am going to pick a day that week to fast and pray to you so that you will be glorified in all of these areas of my life.

 
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Posted by on March 5, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – When Life Just Feels Bigger Than You (Matthew 17:1-13)

01 Mar

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Dear God, it can be so hard to understand what is going on around us at any given time. The stories of two different people come to mind.

The first is a news story I watched this morning about a man who moved to The Sudan with Samaritan’s Purse nine years ago. Now, Samaritan’s Purse has evacuated and he resigned from the organization so that he can stay. He married a local woman and can’t stand the thought of abandoning these people to war while he retreats to the safety of the United States. I admire this man’s convictions, love, and loyalty. I wonder how much of what you are doing in his life he really understands. I’m not saying he isn’t doing your will. I’m sure he is. I’m just saying that life must seem so much bigger than he can handle sometimes.

Then there is a friend who is a missionary overseas. I received a newsletter from him and his wife last night. Frankly, his wife, in the article she wrote, seems depressed. I don’t think she likes the city where they live and I think that other aspects of her life are overwhelming her. Raising her children. Supporting her husband. Missing her family. A lack of ability to use her own gifts. It feels like it is too much. She is trying to make sense of it. In her article, she says that she is seeking you and what you have for her in this time. She doesn’t use these words, but, reading between the lines, she seems to be crying out to you and begging you to get her through this.

Verses 10-13 make me think of all of this because the disciples had a lot of stuff going on around them that they didn’t and couldn’t understand. There is no way they could grasp the scope of what was happening. They didn’t realize that they were part of a plan that would launch your plan for the whole world for thousands of years. They didn’t realize that I would be reading about them thousands of years later. They didn’t realize that there would be churches all over the world named after them. It was just too big for them to understand.

Father, I pray for both of the people I mentioned above. For this man that I do not know, use him to end the war in The Sudan. Love him and his family. Comfort them. Protect them. But please use him. Do not let his sacrifice be in vain. I also pray for my friend and his wife. I am sure that he feels as helpless to help his wife as she feels to help herself. Give them guidance and counsel. Help them to emerge from this in a way that makes them stronger with you and more fulfilled in their lives. Unite them together and protect their marriage. Give them hope.

 
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Posted by on March 1, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Jesus Resisting Peter’s Temptation (Matthew 16:21-28)

29 Feb

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Dear God, Jesus’ reaction in verse 23 reveals a little of the strain that He must have been under. There must have been a part of Him that said, “You know, Peter has a point here. This shouldn’t happen to me,” because He responds to Peter as if this is a temptation. Then He goes on to say that it is suffering that lays ahead for all of them. He tells them that following Him means denying themselves.

Frankly, it is a relief to know that Jesus faced temptations. It is nice to know that there were things that He dreaded and had to will Himself to do. Sure, He was facing much more horrible rejection, pain, and suffering than I ever will, but it is still nice to know that part of His humanity was a temptation to take the easier path.

Father, help me to be willing to take the uneasy path. Help me to turn loose of my own wants and desires and embrace you and everything you need from me. My life is worth so much to you, and yet my comfort is worth so much less than I think it should be. So help me to feel your rich love for me and accept whatever path you have for me with joy and peace.

 
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Posted by on February 29, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Finding Comfort in Peter’s Weaknesses (Matthew 16:13-20)

28 Feb

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Dear God, what I love about verses 18 and 19 is that they are about a man who is so flawed and made terrible mistakes, up to and including denying Jesus on the night of his betrayal. Peter didn’t have to be perfect to get this blessing, proclamation, or position. From what I can tell, he just had to be earnest and have a little bit of faith (see walking on the water a little earlier).

There are times when I know that you love me, accept me, and have saved me. But I do often wonder if you can really use me. Can you use someone who can be so timid? Can you use someone who has vices? Can you use someone who forgets to love when he should, judges others too readily, can be so self-centered? In looking at this story with Peter, I think the answer is, “Yes, I can. Just be earnest about loving me and I will use you in spite of yourself.”

Father, I lay my life before you. You have put me in a position of influence, and I want to strongly influence the events that surround me with your wisdom and for your glory. Give me the wisdom to make the right decisions and the courage to use the influence I have to see that those decisions come to pass. Love others through me. Forgive me of my sin. Be glorified in all that I do, even when I fail.

 
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Posted by on February 28, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Have I Allowed the Yeast of the Pharisees in My Life? (Matthew 16:5-12)

27 Feb

5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Dear God, I love how obtuse the disciples are in this story. I know that I wouldn’t have done any better than they did in these situations. When Jesus asked a question, I would likely have been the quiet one in the back.

I wonder if the disciples were already feeling bad about the bread and having left it behind when Jesus made his comment. Perhaps that is why they went there when he warned them about the yeast and the Pharisees and Sadducees. They had no idea what he was talking about so they came up with the bread issue. Maybe they thought Jesus was trying to comfort them about having left the bread behind. But that wasn’t it at all. He was trying to let them know that the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees were dangerous because they will grow into something much bigger than they start out, and, in this case, the teaching is wrong and can lead to a lot of misunderstanding of God.

Father, help me to understand when I hear bad teaching and when I hear good teaching. I am sure that I have already taken a lot of bad teaching into my heart and allowed it to grow as yeast grows dough. Help me to figure out where I am a heretic, and then help me to remove those parts of my theology and/or philosophy. Help me to be open to your guidance. Help me to repent quickly and embrace your holiness.

 
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Posted by on February 27, 2012 in Matthew

 

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