Stained Glass Masquerade

Is there anyone who fails? Anyone who falls short of the purpose and life God wants for us…that He asks us to live? Now, let me clarify…I’m not talking about the failures and struggles that are easy to admit. Many of us, with good intentions, readily admit that we struggle with the “socially acceptable” sins. I’ll vaguely fess up to having problems with gossip, bitterness, wrath, maybe the occasional impure thought, greed, pride, and even hatred.  But we are still understandably reluctant to confess to one another that we are in a tough fight against some really ugly temptations.

Do you ever wonder if you’re the only person who feels small/inadequate? Especially when you attend a worship assembly. Maybe you are thinking everyone else seems so strong, and that they’ll soon figure out that you are an imposter? So, in reaction to this fear/feeling, we tuck our struggles neatly away…out of sight. We put barriers around our weaknesses and we smile to hide the hurt we feel.

But wait! Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:3-4) I can’t help but feel that we are short changing one another in this area. If we are blessed when we acknowledge how spiritually poor/lost we are without Jesus…but we cover up the parts of our lives that humble us the most, how do we receive the blessing? If we are blessed when we mourn, but we hide the parts of our lives that cause us to mourn spiritually…how can the rest of the body comfort us?

That’s what we are, right?  Different parts of the same body. “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26-27) The rest of the body should mourn with us when we mourn, but they can’t if we never provide them with the opportunity by sharing our struggles with each other. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16)

The body of Christ IS a loving body. It is a merciful, forgiving body. Jesus sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles (us) "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith...” (Acts 26:18) And if you are tormented and concealing your imperfections with a grin, know that healing begins when we step into the light.

----Darrell Powell

(Title and some thoughts taken from the Casting Crowns song, "Stained Glass Masquerade.")

Pursue Peace

            Paul said in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”  While Paul surely meant to convey the idea of being at peace with others, it seems that there is more to it than that.  Notice the phrase that he used: “live peaceably.”  One Psalmist said, “…seek peace and pursue it.”  (Psalm 34:14.)  Living peaceably means we are seeking peace always.  Being a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9) is more likely to happen when we are living peaceably. 

            Many times I’ve read Romans 12:18 and concentrated on the first half of the verse – “If it is possible, as much as depends on you.”  It's true some folks won't let you live in peace, but that does not free us from the responsibility of seeking peace.  This means, I should avoid speaking evil against those who make peace illusive. (I Peter 3:10)  We should never cause disputes or quarrels, but this still does not mean that we will not be the objects of persecution. 

            “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”  (II Timothy 3:12.)  It is a certainty that the righteous will be afflicted, yet we must still pursue peace.  Jesus said, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.”  (Matthew 5:39-40.)  Maintaining peace can be downright hard, and God knows exactly how much we are capable of doing to achieve it. Could you be doing more?

            The prophet, Zechariah, said, “Love the truth and peace.”  (Zechariah 8:19.)  To keep peace, a person has to love peace.  Jesus would certainly have acknowledged that there are some who do not even like peace.  But as Christians, we should show the world our love for God’s peace.  Do you promote peace among your classmates, your co-workers, and your family?  Do you strive to keep peace in the body of Christ?  “And if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably.”  “Though it be but barely possible, labour after it.”  (Adam Clarke’s Commentary.)

----Darrell Powell

Movies Without Language or Scenes

       Growing up, my big brother and I had funny ways of describing the content of movies.  If we wanted to watch a particular film, we would appeal to our good parents by saying, "I don't think this movie has any language in it!"  And my brother might add, "And it doesn't have any scenes in it either!"  Wow, a movie without any language or scenes in it...sounds great.  Of course, we were claiming it had no foul language or inappropriate scenes.  It's a good thing for children to be concerned about the content of TV and movies, especially in a world where said content is dominated by immorality.  On a positive note, I want to tell you about an option for those who desire more control over the content of the movies they watch.

            ClearPlay is a company that provides families with a couple ways to completely remove unwanted parts of movies watched at home.  Their services allow you to filter out foul language (including vain references to God), nudity, sexual content, vulgarity, violence, and more.  It is also customizable, with settings that adjust from no filter up to a high filter that should block out all of any given category.  For instance, in watching a movie like Saving Private Ryan, one could set the filter to edit out all profanity, but leave a level of violence since the film is a depiction of war.

            By visiting www.clearplay.com, you can choose from two options, depending on your preferred movie watching format.  The ClearPlay Player lets you view Blu-Ray disks and DVD's.  For $299.00 you can get the player and 12 months of their filtering service.  Then, for those who prefer streaming their movies, for $79.99 per year, you have access to the ClearPlay filters on all movies you rent or purchase from Google Play (though the company is working on partnerships with other venues like Netflix and Amazon).

            Many of us learned as children the Proverb, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)  Not everything we watch may corrupt our hearts, but with options like ClearPlay out there, why wouldn't every Christian want to take advantage of the extra protection. 

----Darrell Powell

If I Could Put Time in a Bottle

"Trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

God created time. Though it sometimes seems as if our calendars, mobile devices, and alarm clocks do, it is actually God who controls time. All those tools can do is measure the time as it passes.

God created time and he uses it to direct and guide us into walking with Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6). While we tend to think in terms of days or  weeks, God wants us to get our eyes on eternity.

Speaking of time, where does God want us to be in 10 years? We won't be able to name a city, state, and country, but there are things we can be sure of.  He wants us to be further from the devil and nearer to Him in 10 years than we are today (James 4:7-8). What should our priorities be if we want to get to where God wants us to go? Getting there is about making the "small" right choices that get us closer by the day. The road to heaven isn't paved with big events or programs, but with humility and service to our loving God.

Time is just a temporary tool God is using to bring us into eternity. What if you only have ten years to live? Would you set your priorities differently? But here's the tough question: What stops you from setting them like that now?

Time moves faster than we think. When I married my Jamie almost 13 years ago, I thought, “Wow, how am i already old enough to get married? Where does the time go?” And now, in what seems like only a passing moment, we have a 6 and a 3 year old.

So, what will you do with the rest of the time that God gives you with your family?

What about the time He is giving you to serve Him?

----Darrell Powell

Before the Sun Sets

We don't enjoy thinking about physical death.  And we all deal with things in our own ways.  Some use humor, while others refuse to address the topic at all.  I guess one of the best parts of being a Christian the hope that death isn't the end...in fact, it's the beginning of something better.  Like Paul wrote, “to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21).  And if we are walking in the light, then “to die is gain.”  The most beautiful sunset isn't just one that is pleasing to the eyes.  A sunset that marks the end of a day spent giving your all, now that's something to celebrate.  What will you do before the sun sets for the last time on your life? 

            Moses said it right, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalms 90:10).  Time is precious, partly because none of us knows how much we have left.  But we were never meant to live here eternally.  “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”  So, we ought to live our lives with the attitude that, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15). 

            One sure thing about life is that it will end, so, why place hope and trust in anything in this world?  Where are you storing up your treasures? “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt 6:19-20). 

            Hope.  Do you have it?  Christians can take comfort in these words: “…Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Revelation 14:13). 

----Darrell Powell

He was Happy to Die

Jamie told me recently about a conversation that she and Eden, our almost 3 year old, have almost daily.  It usually starts with a frowny little girl saying, "I'm sad that Jesus died on da cross." Then, she will brighten up as she states, "But He was happy to die."  Then, Jamie prompts her by asking, "Why was He happy to die?"  To which Eden replies, "Because He wants us to go to heaven to live with Him forever."  Little reminders like these make it easier to understand "unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) It doesn’t make sense, does it? The perfect, all powerful God of heaven disrupted the ideal nature and the calm of His heavenly home to create…people. But, why? Why did He make us? Why does He love us? I have wondered how much I could possibly ever love a person who had helped cause the death of my child, yet God does just that. “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) Even though He knew we would fail Him. He knew we would struggle to live like we love Him. He created us, and He sacrificed His ONLY Son for us.

            Love is the only answer that makes any sense…and even that idea stretches greatly my capacity for love. You see, we are made in the “image” of God. (Gen 1:26) He made us like Him in various ways. To fathom God’s desire to make me, I think back to my own desire to become a father. I certainly knew my children would, at some point, let me down. Even in their innocence, they don’t always make my life easier. But I chose fatherhood so that I could LOVE my children.

            This is the explanation that God gives for making and loving us unconditionally. “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, ..” (Heb 12:2) We are His joy. Providing us with a chance to be saved is what caused our Father in Heaven to create us, and it is precisely what held Him to the cross.  He truly was "happy to die."

           

 

----Darrell Powell