Daily Light - May 21, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Embarking on a Life-long Journey

Have you ever noticed that the Bible begins and ends with marriage? It begins with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden being brought together as one flesh by the sovereignty of God. It ends with the bride of Christ (the church) entering into an eternal and holy matrimony with Christ. What a perfect picture of what God wants for marriages today! Unfortunately, one out of two marriages in the United States ends in divorce. We have failed to see that marriage is not simply a decision to live with someone else but rather it is a commitment to Christ to glorify Him through this God-ordained institution. There are four main things that we learn from God's Word about marriage.
1) Marriage is a picture of unity (Genesis 2:24; Deuteronomy 6:4). Just as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are united in purpose, the husband and wife must be united with God for the purpose of glorifying the Lord. Adam did not see Eve as another human being. He saw her as a part of himself. That is why we are encouraged to love our spouse as ourselves. We are literally in God's eyes one. 2) Marriage is a picture of diversity (Genesis 1:26). When we discuss the Trinity, we speak of God as one with three distinct personalities and functions. A husband and wife are not the same. God made us different for a purpose. One marriage author said that if a husband and wife were exactly alike one of them would be unnecessary. We each bring something different to the table of marriage. God meant for it to be that way. However, instead of focusing on our differences as something negative, we need to see that God wants to use us together to complete each other and His purpose for our lives. 3) Marriage is a journey together (Song of Solomon 2:11-13). When a couple says their vows in front of family, friends and the Father, they are simply taking the first step in a long journey together. There will most definitely be ups and downs along the way. The trip from the mountain top to the valley and back up again will be a difficult one. The storms that they will face will be treacherous at times. However, this journey is not meant to be traveled alone. You will make it together. 4) Marriage is the sanctuary of the heart (Proverbs 4:23; Galatians 6:9). The key to making this life-long journey joyous and prosperous is to not lose the heart of our marriage. It will only be the couple that intentionally works at keeping their hearts knit together that will find true success in life. No matter how long the journey may be at times, don't give up. See the journey as a God-given opportunity to spend quality time with your best friend and lover.
May your steps on the journey be lighter today!

Daily Light - May 14, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

Proverbs 18:22

Today is a very special day for me. When I woke up this morning, two things came to my mind.
First, on this date my grandmother, Myra Head Hudson, was born. This lady was one of the most precious people to ever walk the face of the earth. She was an LA girl (LA standing for Lower Alabama). I don't know of many people that could work as hard as she worked. I have some tremendously fond memories of her life. Some of them are funny and some are inspiring. She demonstrated kindness continually. I remember coming in at midnight after we had driven from Atlanta to her home. She would be in bed asleep and wake up when we rang the door bell. The next thing you knew there was a spread of sandwich "stuff" on the table, and we were being fed a midnight supper. Of course, I never refused. Mostly, I remember how much she loved my grandfather. He was her life. They had a quiet love that did not need a lot of words. They took care of each other continually. I remember him saying in a simple southern Alabama tone, "She's a good woman!" I knew he meant that with more emotion than his voice expressed. I saw the reality of it after my grandmother went to be with the Lord. My grandfather was in the early stages of Alzheimer's and had no short term memory. Every day, when my father would visit him, he would ask where "mama" was. My father would have to explain once again that she had died. My grandfather would begin to cry and say how much he missed her. She was truly "good" for my grandfather and a gift from the Lord.
Second, I have my own reason to rejoice today. Sixteen years ago today I obtained favor from the Lord. My life was blessed by having Susana Palomino become my wife. We stood at an altar before family, friends, and our Father and committed our lives to one another. She promised me that day that she would be with me for better or for worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death would us part. She has been committed to me, and I have been committed to her. There have been days that the strength of our bond has been tried. We have faced our share of storms. However, no matter what, we have faced them together. We have rejoiced over the great blessings we have experienced together. God has blessed our union with four beautiful children. He called us to minister together, and He has given us a church family to share Christ with. We are so grateful to God for the life that He has given us. I know personally that she is a gift of God's grace in my life. I would not be the man I am today if it were not for my precious wife. Susan and my grandmother are different in many ways, but there is one way in which they are very similar. They both were committed to God and committed to their husbands. My grandfather and I both found a good thing and obtained favor from the Lord.
May you know the joy of God's favor today in your personal life and if applicable in your marriage!

Daily Light - May 13, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,

but who can find a faithful man?"

Proverbs 20:6

Do you remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? They were challenged to race one another. Of course, everyone knows that a hare is much faster than a tortoise. The hare knew this more than any one. He had the race in the bag. The starting gun sounded for the race, and he took off like lightning. The tortoise just gradually left the line at a steady pace. The hare was so confident that he rested along the road at certain intervals, finally settling down for a nap. When he awoke, he saw the tortoise crossing the finish line ahead of him.
That is what this Scripture reminds me of. You see now how my deep theological mind works. Seriously though, there are plenty of people that at times of their life think of the Christian race as a sprint. They charge out of the gates seemingly "on fire" for God. They won't miss a service at their church. They will volunteer for any ministry that needs help. They are diligently serving God at a break neck speed. However, over time they get a little tired, bored, or burnt out. They sit down on the side lines and say that it is time to give somebody else a chance for a while. The next think you know they are almost out of the work of serving God entirely. We tend to notice the hare Christians a little more. They are exciting and emotionally stirring. We admire them for their speed and their actions. Unfortunately, when they fail, we become discouraged and think things like, "If they could fail, any one could." Maybe we need to get our eyes off of the hare Christians and realize that the heroes of the faith are tortoise Christians. They simply plod away a day at the time. When a volunteer is needed for a menial task, they are there. When there is a need for someone to serve in the shadows, they are there. They give of themselves and their resources without any fanfare. They are the very description of the word faithful. Most of us don't put the words heroic and faithful together, but where would any thing of value be without people that were faithful. Tortoise Christians have their eyes on the prize ahead of them. They are not looking at what position they are in the race. Determine in your life to be faithful. Sure, there may not be a lot of people that notice, but I can guarantee you that your Heavenly Father does.
May you run your race for Christ today!

Daily Light - May 12, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love,

just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

John 15:10

What does it mean to "abide in love"? Let me take this a completely different direction than you might expect. I have unfortunately been in marriage counseling sessions and heard a spouse say that they were no longer in love with the other person. They talk about how at one time they were madly in love with the other person but how now that spark is gone. It is just not the same as it used to be. Therefore, they choose to walk away from the marriage no matter how painful or difficult it might be.
This is a faulty mindset that does not understand the principle of "abiding in love". The word "abide" is from the Greek word "meno" which is also translated as "dwell, continue, endure, etc." It is not just about feelings or emotions. There are obviously feelings and emotions that are associated with love, but no true relationship can be built on those things alone. True love comes down to a personal choice that is made every single day of our lives. Paul instructed husbands to love their wives. This word love is an unconditional love. A love that is going to make a choice to stand through the difficult times. A love that is going to make a choice to endure the storms of life. A love that is going to make a choice to dwell with someone in peace and harmony. Love is an action word, because true love is an active pursuit of the object of that love. There is a simple principle that is played out in the passage for today. If we will diligently keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, we will find it to be much more natural to stay close to Him and abide in His love. It is when we have purposed to do our own thing that we slip away from this fellowship with God because of our shame or our pride. However, if we are simply obedient, we find our love for Him to be more natural and complete. When my love for God is what it should be, it also becomes easier for me to love others. I recognize how patient He is with me, and I simply now emulate what He is doing in my life. None of us will ever know a greater love than the love that Christ has for us. It is this love that we are to pour out of our lives into the lives of others.
May you love the people in your life today as Christ loves you today!

Daily Light - May 11, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him,

for he who is not against us is on our side."

Luke 9:50

Were you ever part of a club when you were a kid? Do you remember trying to form an exclusive club that only let in those people that you liked? It was usually made up of the circle of friends that had interests that were similar to yours. They were people that you would have gotten along with even if there were no "club" for you to be in together. Having worked with teenagers for several years, I have seen how young people do this without an official club name. We call them cliques. The definition of a clique is "an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose." I tried to discourage teens from forming these groups, because I found that it wasn't so much about coming together with people as it was about excluding people.
The above passage shows that this attitude is nothing new, and unfortunately the mindset that John had is still alive and well today in Christian circles. Today Christians call them "camps", "fellowships", or "denominations". They expect everyone in their group to become a carbon copy of what they are. Their desire is to have cookie cutter Christians that all talk alike, walk alike, act alike, and dress alike. Any one who is a little bit different is shunned from their group. If they didn't go to the "right" college, then we can't fellowship with them. If they don't dress or look a certain way (mind you, we are not talking about modesty just style here), then they are to be criticized publicly. If their music style does not meet our approval, then they are to be castigated until they "get right with God." None of these areas are as important as their doctrinal beliefs, but that doesn't seem to faze us. We feel like we are doing God a favor by dismissing these individuals as not right with God. John came to Jesus and told Him that he had rebuked an individual for casting out demons. Why? His answer was because he wasn't in their group. Jesus' response to John was exactly the attitude that we need to develop. Those who are naming the name of Christ and preaching salvation through Him are on our side. Better yet, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ that we will spend eternity with. We need to tear down some man-made walls and march together with Christ against the gates of hell. We have allowed our pride to hinder us from being the army of God for way too long. I realize that there are many different personalities and many agendas, but there is only one Person that matters. The agenda of our Lord and Savior is more important than our desire for a personal kingdom. Let's rise up together and carry the blood-stained banner of the cross to a world that needs to see God's children united for His cause. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples, not because of the great things that we do, but by the love that we have for one another.
May you join together with others for the hope of Christ today.

Daily Light - May 10, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And David said, 'What have I done now? Is there not a cause?'"

1 Samuel 17:29

Why is it that we are intimidated to speak up for what we believe to be right? Have you noticed that the world is not afraid to speak up for their agenda? For way too long, whether Christians were the majority or the minority, we have been silent. I read a book years ago by Tom Minnery entitled Why You Can't Stay Silent. It implored believers to quit complaining about the world's agenda while hiding in the shadows. To be effective, we must step into the light and speak the truth in love.
Let me just share one example. Recently I have noticed a pattern in movies that are being produced. Their target is adults from their 20's to 40's. These movies use extremely crude humor and subject matter as the basis for their plot. The lifestyle that they put on display is overtly sinful. Perversion is presented as normal. The name of Jesus Christ (that name which is above every name) is mixed with vile language and cursed numerous times. However, Christians are responding by doing one of two things: 1)not speaking up about its wickedness for fear of seeming narrow minded, or 2)watching the movies and trying to excuse away the filth. As I have seen this pattern in several areas of our society, I have understood David's words in our above passage. If you try to speak up for righteousness, many will try to shout you down. However, let us say as David said, "Is there not a cause?" In Hebrew the idea behind this phrase has to do with speaking up, proclaiming something. David was shocked that he was being criticized for speaking against the enemy of God. He was not being criticized by the pagans on the other side of the valley. He was being criticized by his own brothers. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who had just rather you keep silent and not rock the boat. Whatever their motive may be for this kind of thinking, you cannot be silent. You have a mandate from God to speak the truth in love. Boldly say the truth knowing that the God of Heaven supports you in your very efforts. Anything that violates Scripture is sin and should be called such. We are children of the King; therefore we must speak with the royalty of His Word on our lips.
May you find the boldness to speak the Words of Christ today!

Daily Light - May 9, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"This is the day THE LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

As we arise to worship together today, let us not for one moment fail to recognize who we are to worship. This is not just any other day. This is THE LORD's day: THE LORD of glory, THE LORD of creation, THE LORD of hosts, and THE LORD of lords. God declares "I am THE LORD" 162 times in the Bible.

This beautiful name THE LORD means "the existing One". In other words, He always has been, He is today, and He always will be. He is THE LORD of your past, your present, and your future. However, we cannot perceive the fathom of time as He can. We can only live in the present. That is why there is such an emphasis on this day. "This is the day THE LORD has made." Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Rejoice in THE LORD today and serve Him this day with your whole heart. Recognize the beauty of THE LORD's holiness today and worship Him because of it. Fall on your face before THE LORD for yourself. Recognize your unworthiness and embrace the grace that flows down His hands and feet. Seek THE LORD while He may be found. Call on Him while He is near. We are desperate for His love, His wisdom, and His power. This name is sacred, "hallowed be Thy name". Let us not mistreat it or abuse it, but let us reverence it with a sacred trust. There are others that despise this name. Do not worry about what those who would mock this precious Name do. THE LORD is love, but He is also a righteous Judge. He will repay. What will you do with the name of THE LORD this day? Will it be reverenced and honored not only in your words but more importantly your actions? The expression of the name of THE LORD literally means that He is the owner and ruler of everything. You are His. All you claim as yours belongs to God. He bought you with a price, therefore glorify THE LORD in your body.

May you feel the presence of THE LORD in your life today.