THE GOD WHO IS REAL

Acts 14:17 “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

One of the more creative movies to come out in the last fifteen years was the Peter Wier film The Truman Show. The Truman Show is about a man named Truman Burbank--played by Jim Carey--who was adopted as a newborn by the OmniCam Corporation. The OmniCam Corporation then created an entire city on a movie set and placed Truman in this artificial city called Seahaven without Truman knowing any of it was fake. The enormous studio of Seahaven is filled with 5,000 hidden cameras, as people across the world watch every step of Truman’s life live on television. Of course Truman goes through life in Seahaven thinking that everything and everyone around him are real.

The creator and director of the Truman Show is a messianic figure named Christof, played by Ed Harris. For 30 years Truman is perfectly happy and content in Seahaven, with its perfect sky, computer monitored climate control, a wife and best friend who are really actors, and so forth. Truman’s reality is meticulously manufactured and manipulated by Christof, yet it’s the only reality Truman knows. At least until a series of accidents start Truman questioning this reality, until finally he figures it out and walks off the set into the real world.

Some people think that belief in God is like Truman in The Truman Show. People believe in God, these critics claim, because that’s the only reality that they’ve been presented with. Like the movie set of Seahaven, organized religion has meticulously manufactured and manipulated circumstances to cause people to live in the illusion of God. These critics point out that there’s no denying that people who believe in God are happy and content, even as Truman was happy and content in his world. However behind the set, critics claim, doesn’t lay God, but merely human directors like Christof, who pull the right strings and orchestrate the right circumstances to make belief in God appear real.

You see, even though Truman was happy in Seahaven, he was also tragic because his happiness is based on something that’s not real. And critics of religion claim that people who believe in God are in the same boat; we’re tragic, pathetic figures, because our sense of happiness and meaning in life is no more real than the movie set of Seahaven. True liberation comes for us the way it came for Truman, to turn our back on our make-believe world and courageously venture into the real world, a world without organized religion pulling the strings, a world where God is rejected as a relic from the unenlightened past.

We can know for sure that God is for real. We can know because God has left us evidence, because God reveals himself through the universe, and because we were made to seek God. These realities make knowledge of God a genuine possibility.

Now in many ways the various philosophical arguments for God’s existence seem like a rather tedious game of chess. You see, the reality is that the mission of the Christian church is not to persuade people that God exists. Instead, God has called us to introduce people to a relationship with God, so they can know him as a person rather than believe in him as an abstract concept.

If God is real, then the parallel with The Truman Show is correct, except it’s those who reject God’s existence who are living in a manufactured world like Seahaven. It is those who are in rebellion against God, who are avoiding him because they want to live their lives their own way, which are hiding in a make believe world of denial. As C. S. Lewis said about his younger years as an atheist, "A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading".

Our calling as a church isn’t to defend God--he’s perfectly able to do that himself--but to introduce people to a relationship with God, so they like Truman Burbank will walk off their Seahaven set and venture into the real world, the world God created and designed them to live in.

STOP AND CONSIDER

Job 37:14 “Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God.”

Life is definitely fast paced. There seems to be so much to do. There seems to be so many things that compete for our attention. When my first child was born, it seemed as if life would stay that way forever. Although deep down I knew it wasn’t true, it just seemed like I had all the time in the world. There was just so much that I wanted to do. I now have three children. They are all in school. My daughter (my oldest) watches a lot less of Mickey Mouse and a lot more shows with real people. Even though, she still crawls up in my lap and wants to “snuggle”, I sense that things are changing. It won’t be long before time with her friends will be more appealing than time with Dad. Oh, how I dread that day.

One thing that the passing of time is teaching me more and more is an appreciation for the things that matter most. My family, my friends, my health, my peace, my joy are the gifts that God has given me. There are many other things that are appealing to the natural eye. Money, jobs, possessions, worldly achievements are things that God uses to bless us, but they are not the foundation of our lives.

Unfortunately for some, this truth is only realized when the real gifts are lost. When our kids grow up, we wish we could go back and do things differently. “If I only had more time”, we might say. When we are faced with difficulties that shake our faith, we turn to friends and family to encourage us. Our jobs, homes, or cars will not speak a word of hope to us.

The key is living in the realization now, not the regret later. Our scripture offers us great guidance. “Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God.” It is a direct instruction. Stop. If only we could just stop long enough to look around. Have you ever asked yourself, “Where did the time go?” Every time I look at my children, I think it. I can’t stop time from passing but I can be sure that I make the most of every blessing God has given me.

I find it so meaningful that this scripture is found within the context of a story about a man who had it all and lost it. God has done great things in our lives. Make no mistake about it. The only way that we will notice and appreciate God’s work is to stop running in circles, stop scrambling for something else that is temporal, and stop talking about the next big thing. Take notice of what you have. It has been given to you by almighty God. Don’t take it for granted. Let him be the foundation of your hope and peace. Enjoy every minute of the simple things in life. Don’t wait until it is too late to appreciate the here and now. Defend against regret by recognizing the moment. Slow down. God is so evident in our lives. Consider his mighty works. Let it build your faith and strengthen your foundation.

WHO ME?

I Samuel 9:21 “…my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe. Why are you talking like this to me?”

As a teenager, I really enjoyed team sports. I played baseball, basketball, kickball, flag football, even a little volleyball. In the summer, my friends and I would meet in the park for “pick-up” games. Those are the games where teams are chosen once everyone arrives. I never gave it much thought because I was, not great, but good enough to be chosen early on by the team captain. But even at a young age, I had sensitivity for the guys that were picked last. These were normally the guys that perhaps were not athletically gifted. Maybe they were a little clumsy. Don’t get me wrong, they were our friends. But we were competitive and were not about to choose someone that might hurt our chances of winning (well, until there was no one else to pick.)

I still remember a time that I decided to do something really nice for a guy that was normally one of the last guys chosen. The game of the day was flag football. I was a team captain. I selected first and choose one of our best players. Then the next best player was selected. It would be the same as every other day. Then I said, “I’ll take Shawn.” Everyone was shocked at first – especially Shawn. Now, it is worth noting that Shawn had never demonstrated the ability to catch, throw, or run. Soon, some of the other guys began to snicker a bit. Shawn said, “Who me?” Then he smiled and sprinted over to my side. It should also be noted that, even to my surprise, Shawn caught the winning touchdown that Saturday afternoon in Central Ohio.

There were two things about Shawn that really stuck with me. First, even though he was almost always picked last, he showed up every Saturday. I’m sure it would have been easy for him to get fed up with the jokes from the other guys. He could have easily said, “I obviously can’t do this so why bother?” But, he never quit playing. Second, even Shawn was surprised that I selected him. It was apparent to me that even though he was determined, he had little self confidence. That changed that day.

Our scripture gives us an example of a man who was picked by God, even though he was an unlikely choice (even to himself). God ordained Saul to be the first king of Israel and Samuel was instructed to go to Saul. Their encounter was memorable. As Samuel begins to speak over Saul, he says to him, “you are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” What a huge statement. Note Saul’s response. He, in essence, says “I am a nobody. Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?” But you see, God had chosen Saul. He was not chosen because of his pedigree, his status, or his might. He was chosen because God looks beyond the things that man would focus upon.

It can be so easy for us to look in the mirror and see what the world sees. It can be so easy to just accept someone else’s perception of us. But God has reserved a great plan for you and me. He does not care how much we have or what we have done. He doesn’t even care how many touchdown passes we’ve caught in the park. God looks way beyond our inabilities to see the gifts that he has placed within us. Don’t stop being faithful to the plan of God for your life. Like Shawn, just keep showing up. Live everyday as if it is the day that your name will be called. God is preparing you for that moment. Be ready.

HOPEFUL

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live…”

Ruele Howe tells about growing up with his parents in the country. When he was fifteen years old, the house caught on fire. They escaped with only the clothes on their backs. There were no close neighbors to help so he and his father walked to a distant village to get supplies. As they returned they saw something that stayed with Ruele Howe all those years after. Beside the charred remains of what had been their house, his mother had laid out lunch on a log. She had placed a tin can filled with wildflowers on the log. It was a symbol of hope in the midst of tragedy.

This is the Christian faith, isn’t it? She didn’t try to cover up the disaster with flowers, but in the midst of that gloomy scene she had placed a symbol of hope. Martha had the hope that did not cover up the fact that her brother had died, but she had hope that in her grief, Jesus would act. Hope does not cover up what has occurred, but it gives a promise of something better to come. The house was gone, but there was the hope of rebuilding, or getting the supplies to carry on.

That was Martha. She had the hope that something would happen when Jesus came. She says: And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Martha had hope. She did not know exactly what Jesus had planned, but she had hope that something would happen. Then Jesus gives a glimpse of what was going to happen as the text says: Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe.”

Jesus turns Martha’s hope into action. Jesus gives Martha a glimpse of what is going to happen when he says: Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.

This is a story that tells us out of discouragement comes hope. Martha and Mary were discouraged as they both told Jesus if you would have been here our brother would not have died, but even in that discouragement they saw a hope. And to us, to you and me as we live with our discouragement, our despair, our hurts, our pain, Jesus offers hope. All of us face discouragement in life, and it is at those times we need to turn to the Lord and somehow he will act. We must believe that somehow he will act.

No matter where you are at this very moment, there is hope. Our hope is independent of the circumstances that we face. It may seem like a lost cause, as though death has already crept in to your dreams. Take heart today. Jesus knows where you are and is not alarmed by your situation. Because nothing is beyond his life-giving impact. Keep looking and keep hoping. Hope Lives.

ATTITUDE

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks within himself, so he is…”

Once a cranky grandpa lay down to take a nap. To have a little fun, his grandson put some limburger cheese on his mustache, right under his nose. Grandpa awoke with a snort, staggered out of the bedroom and shouted, "This room stinks!" On through the house he went, shouting louder, "This whole house stinks!" He charged out on the porch and shouted as loud as he could, "The whole world stinks!" The truth is it was grandpa who stunk. The problem was right under his nose.

Someone had rightly said that attitude not aptitude determines ones altitude in life. How important is your attitude? Your attitude is more important than: facts - circumstances - what others say - it’s more important than your past - your education and your money. Your attitude is more important than anything else. Your attitude is much deeper than just a few thoughts you might think or not think. Your attitude comes out of the core of your being. Your attitude represents your disposition, your outlook, and your very character.

Your attitudes always become actions or reactions. Let’s visualize it this way... The attitudes inside you are like a jack-in-the box. Have you ever played with one of them? You turn the little handle and then when you least expect it - he pops out. That’s a vivid picture of our attitude.

Our attitude affects every relationship in our life. And sometimes relationships will never get started in the first place -- because many times our attitude has built up walls... making it difficult for people to be around us. Bad attitudes affect our marriage relationships, our relationship with our kids, at work, at church, and with friends.

The thing that makes a bad attitude so destructive is that like a jar of water with the loose lid on it, a bad attitude is eventually going to spill out into some negative actions - destructive words and deeds. The key for us is to understand that our attitude is our choice.

Without a doubt, the human mind is the most awesome creation of God. With it, God has given us the ability to think, to reason, and to choose whether we will focus on positive thoughts or negative thoughts. In every one of our lives there is the positive and the negative. The choice as to which one we will focus on and consequently feed and nurture is up to us.

We can’t choose what will happen to us today (it’s beyond your control) -- but we can choose our own attitude - we each have the power to decide how we will respond to what happens to us. No matter what has happened to you, the attitude choice is still yours. Jesus Christ wants to help you choose and cultivate a positive attitude.

I find it both interesting and tragic that the one thing that no person or circumstance can ever take away from us, the awesome power to choose our own attitude; is usually the first thing we give away.

To blame our bad attitudes on another person or on a difficult circumstance is simply a cop-out. And if we allow events and people to cause us to be negative we are only hurting ourselves more because in addition to everything else we are know forced to live with the effects and misery our bad attitudes will bring.

A positive person is not one who refuses to recognize the negatives, but he refuses to dwell on them. Remember there are always the negative and the positive in every person or situation. What a positive person does is develop the habit of looking for the best results even from the worst conditions. It’s always possible to look for something good, even when things look bad. And the remarkable fact is that when you look after and seek good you will find it.

CONQUER FEAR

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

There was a lady who died in 1916 name Hetty Green. She was called America’s greatest miser. When she died, she left an estate valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg injury, she took so long trying to find a free clinic to treat him that his leg had to be amputated because of advanced infection. I am sure she was worried about losing her wealth, so she didn’t even enjoy her life.

Everyone knows what its like to be afraid. We all have things that we’re afraid of - I can remember as a child being afraid of the dark - a fear I think we have all had at one time or another. For some it may be storms, an extreme height, traveling in airplanes, or dogs.

There are hidden fears that motivate us too - Fear of failure causes many people to never start, or try anything that is not completely safe. Fear of rejection makes us afraid to do anything that could draw criticism or give someone a chance to laugh at us.

I could go on and on talking about fears and phobias and in the course of naming these different fears we’d probably find that all of them fall into two kinds of fear. Fear that is good - the type of fear that keeps us from driving 200 miles per hour, from picking up a rattle snake, from jumping off the side of a building. Fear that is harmful - This is the "spirit of fear" mentioned in this particular passage. This fear paralyzes us, keeps us from doing things we could or should do.

The more we love God, the less fear we will have. It is a matter of trust. When we realize that God will take care of us, it relieves our fear. Those who have children would understand this - my children understand this because they don’t worry about having something to eat. They know that when they are hungry they’ll get food. That mommy and daddy will provide for them. They trust us. Now if we didn’t provide for them, they would get worried and it could lead to tremendous trauma and fear in their lives. But they know that we love them and will provide for them so they aren’t afraid.

The Apostle Paul clearly defines the solution for a fearful spirit. He says that God has given us a sound mind. Conquering fear is not a matter of self-determination; it is a matter of dependence on the God whom we can trust and love. It is a matter of belief in his words, his promises, and his gifts to you. It is a matter of recognizing the enemy’s pitiful attempts at crippling you with fear and God’s majestic grace in giving you power, love, and a sound mind.

The next time that something in your life brings even the threat of fear, remember the power of the God who loves you. Take a step back. Look clearly at your circumstances with the sound mind that God has given you. Walk in the authority granted by God the Father. Conquer fear and achieve great things.

CHOOSE TO STAND

2 Samuel 23:12 “But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.”

Our lives are marked by the choices we make. In a typical day, there are so many small choices that must be made. I choose to get up when the alarm goes off. I choose to take a shower and comb my hair. I choose what clothes to wear. I choose whether to eat or get coffee. I choose to have a good attitude or be sullen. Choices don’t stop. Choices never end.

In grade school you had to choose whether you liked him or her or not. In high school you had to choose who to hang out with and who to go out with. The choices continue into college. Do I go to class?? Will I pull an all-nighter or not? The average student who enters college with a declared major changes it three to five times. Then after graduation you go into the “real” world and still more choices. What car? What house? What job? Did you know that between the ages of 18-36 the average American will have 9.3 different jobs?

There are some areas of our life in which we may need to move over, change our mind, back up, adjust course, and give in. However, there are also times in life when we must choose to stand. There are times that we can’t back down or budge. There are times we must draw a line in the sand and refuse to move from that spot. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Rest assured such a stand means there will be a fight. But it means a fight now rather than a fight for the rest of our lives. Our scripture offers an account of someone who understood this truth.

You see, we all will be confronted with a moment when we must choose to stand. The enemy will come. That is choice that we don’t get to make. I wish we could choose for the enemy not to come. I wish we could pick seasons in our life and say that season is off limits. I’m just not strong enough so give me a break. I am tired of fighting so don’t show up now. But the enemy will show up. And if you haven’t figured it out yet he is the master of timing. He will pick the right time. He will usually show up right in harvest time. Right when everything seems to be great. The crops are ripe. The raise is certain, the contract is almost final, the relationship is almost back to normal, right when you think everything is about to level back out, and then the enemy comes. Prepare for it. Don’t be surprised by it. Keep an eye open. He will come.

There are some things that we have to ask God about. There are grey areas that must be weighed out on the principles set in God’s Word. However, there are other areas that we don’t even have to pray about. We just need to choose to do what is right.

There is a time to make the choice to straighten your back, raise your head, stir your faith, and choose to stand while everyone else seems to be fleeing. Like Shammah, plant your feet in the middle of the pea patch and refuse to back up. Square your shoulders and draw a line in the sand and refuse to give up an inch of territory. He was a mighty man. So he chose to stand.