Reluctant Retiree

The weather forecast for today called for rain throughout the day. Except for just a few drops early, it has been dry all day. Weather forecasting is based on science, but not an exact science. A local television station promotes their forecast as “first, fast, and accurate. ” Uh, not today. Too many variables affect the ability to give consistently accurate weather forecasts.

Only God can give a completely accurate forecast. Job 28:23-28 says, “God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding. “

God sets the weather in motion and controls it. Since he is sovereign and mighty, our response should be to turn from evil in the awe of God.

Television carries so many celebrity judge shows these days. They come in all varieties and seem to cover all sorts of legal issues. I wonder about their qualifications. They seem to be more concerned with showmanship than justice.

I would make a very poor judge. I tend to judge people quickly and based upon how their actions affect me. Justice is easily distorted on that basis.

Most people do not want to think about God as a judge. One day each of us will stand before His throne and be judged for what we have done. We can trust His judgment will be just. For those of us who have believed that Jesus is the Son of God and have put their trust in Him, we are saved from God’s wrath and are fully justified already.

For those who haven’t believed in Jesus for salvation, they will be judged by God’s righteousness. Psalm 94:1-3 says, “O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O Lord, how long shall the wicked exult?” You do not want to face God’s vengeance for any evil thing that you have done. Please make the choice today to accept God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Recently our car was broken into overnight. The thieves took the strangest things; the owner’s manual, two pairs of sunglasses, some loose change, the toll road transponder, and a baseball cap. The only thing that I miss is the sunglasses.

Why would someone take the owner’s manual? It is bulky and heavy to carry. Besides that, the manual only helps the person who possesses the car. Fortunately, if I need to know something about the car, the information is available online. It tells me how to maintain the car and all its features.

In the same way, God has given us the Bible to tell us how to maintain our relationship with Him and the features of that relationship. For the things we still don’t understand, He has given the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Jesus. The Holy Spirit searches the depths of God to reveal God’s will and character to us. I Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’ – these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ” The things you want to know about God are available. But first you must believe in Jesus, so that God can reveal these things to you through the Spirit.

Where do you go for advice? Perhaps you have trusted counselors or advisors. One thing I have learned is to go to people with more success than me in the area that I need counsel. For example, if I want financial advice I should only go to someone who has demonstrated financial success. If I need health suggestions I visit a doctor. When I seek physical exercise counsel I should go to a certified trainer.

So where should we go for life and spiritual counsel? You could seek counsel from someone claiming to be spiritual, but why not go to the source? Why not go directly to God, if He is available? Good News! He is available through prayer and His Word. And His counsel is far better than anything we can receive in the world.

I Corinthians 1:25 says, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ” Why choose an inferior form of wisdom and strength by going to the world for advice, when the best advice is available directly from God? God goes on to say, “For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. ‘” Even the things that pose as wisdom in the world will be destroyed.

Choose your counselors wisely. I recommend that you go to the source of all wisdom. Go to God!

Almost every day I come across people who look like they have lost hope. Their faces are downcast and they shuffle their feet as they walk. They generally avert their eyes as someone approaches. Sometimes they spend their time sitting on a bench alone.

I often wonder what circumstances brought them to this place in their lives. Was it bad choices they made? Or could it have been events out of their control?

Then I begin to ask the tougher questions. What can I do to help them? Is there something that I can do to restore hope in their lives? I have done some small things to help, but generally nothing that would bring lasting hope.

I have lived in communities of people without hope. In my own small ways I have helped them find some hope. When a person gathers hope, their whole countenance changes. Suddenly a smile graces their face and they stand up straighter. There is a bounce in their steps. It is worth the effort to help bring hope to others.

My prayer for you and I today is; “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

Have you ever listened to the way we talk to each other? Our speech is full of sarcasm and mostly good natured teasing. One problem is that we don’t recognize when we have gone too far and actually hurt someone. When did cutting someone down become a national pastime? Do we have to belittle others to feel good about ourselves?

The Bible has much to say about the words we use. I just want to focus on one truth. Romans 14:29 says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” When our speech builds others up, we pave the road to peace between us. Conversely, when we tear others down, we can only bring forth anger and bitterness.

I don’t know about you, but I have problems with my speech patterns. I am a big user of sarcasm and teasing. I am asking God to help me be an encourager and one who builds others up. Let’s all seek to encourage someone today and continue on the path to building up, not tearing down.

I have found myself in a lot of bad places in my life. I have been on the wrong side of town late at night. I have been surrounded by evil many times. Sometimes I have been lost with no idea how to make it to my destination. At times I have been face to face with some scary people.

Worse than all these geographical bad places, are the bad places my heart has gone to. I have been depressed to the point of needing professional assistance. Anger has overtaken me so that I could not see reality. Confusion has affected my ability to assimilate my thoughts.

Both geographical and emotional bad places are difficult places to be and to pull yourself out of. In Psalm 84, the writer describes the only safe place sure to bring hope and joy. He writes, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! ”

When I draw near to God, He gives me joy, hope, and a true safe place, home. Trust God and come home.

Pride and selfishness lead to conflict. When I strive to serve my own desires, inevitably I will anger or hurt someone. However, when I honor and serve others, I live in harmony with them,

In our culture we seem to have things backwards a lot. We respect celebrities and denigrate the down and out. Many celebrities do good things for which they deserve honors, but many just build big homes and egos. We should find ways to benefit the lowly to make our community better and more unified.

Romans 12 gives us a laundry list of things we should do to bring harmony and build up our communities.

* “be devoted to one another in brotherly love

* give preference to one another in honor

* not lagging behind in diligence

* fervent in spirit

* serving the Lord

* rejoicing in hope

* persevering in tribulation

* devoted to prayer

* contributing to needs

* practicing hospitality

* bless those who persecute you

* bless and do not curse

* rejoice with those who rejoice

* weep with those who weep

* be of the same mind with one another

* do not be haughty

* associate with the lowly

* do not be wise in your own eyes.”

You may not agree with all these things, but they will lead to harmony and better communities.

We went to Costco today, along with a hundred of our closest friends. I am not usually tempted to buy things that I don’t need right away. That’s not the problem. The problem is that things that I do buy there seemingly last forever. We have to buy the bulk sizes and there are just two of us in our household.

However, I would like to obtain bulk sizes of many nonmaterial items. How does a super-sized box of love sound? Maybe you could use a 500 pack of patience today. What about a 100 gallon container of forgiveness for the mistakes we made this week or will make in the week to come? I have a list of dozens of nonmaterial items that I need to fill the cabinets of my life.

Jesus gave us a great promise concerning these nonmaterial items. In John 10:10, He says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ” Who is the “they ” that He is talking about? In the preceeding verses He is talking about His sheep. They are the ones who know Him and follow Him. To these sheep Jesus promises to give abundant life, or to my way of thinking, He promises super-sized love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, mercy and grace. All I have to do is follow Him.

What determines the level of commitment that we have to some project or cause? I may serve a cause for a short time with minimal effort. Or I can give considerable work over an extended time for another project. What accounts for the difference?

In my case, and maybe yours, the degree of passion I have for the cause determines how involved I will be. I may serve a project at the request of a friend, but not be particularly moved by the project scope. On the other hand, my heart may feel called to another project that falls in line with my passions and interests. I think that most service projects are looking for volunteers with a passion for their cause.

God feels the same way about those who say that they serve and follow Him. Psalm 78:35-37 says, “They remembered that God was their rock; the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant. ” The Israelites had a form of religion. But they had not fully given their hearts to God. God prefers that we give Him our hearts and not just our words.