True Freedom

"Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me." Psalm 119:133

Some of you have been enjoying the photos of this excavation process at Lake Gloria where we are taking all the muck out of the bottom of the lake.  Let me tell you, this mud is thick and sticky stuff.  One afternoon this fall my kids and I were attempting to walk our way through the mud.  It was not long before ankle-deep mud became knee- deep mud.  It got worse, knee-deep mud became thigh-deep mud.  At one point my oldest son got trapped.  He literally could not move.  He called out, “Dad, Dad”.  He was stuck fast in the mud until I came and rescued him out.  Many of you won’t be surprised to hear that in the process his crocs came off and were virtually impossible to find and recover from the mud.

The mud had mastery over my son’s movement.  He no longer was free to walk as he wished.  This is the picture painted for us by the Psalm writer in the verse above.  He knows, probably from past experience, that sin can get dominion over us.  It can master us.  The Apostle Peter warns us of this in Sunday’s reading (2 Peter 2:18-19).  In speaking of false teachers Peter states, “For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.  They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever [has dominion over] a person, to that he is enslaved.”  These verses tell us that there are those who are already enslaved to sin, ie. “those who live in error”.  Also there are those “who are barely escaping” which means weak Christians.  If you are waffling and wavering in your faith this may describe you.  You are ripe for being fooled into thinking that the world is offering you freedom from a "boring Christian life of following rules".  When in reality the world is offering slavery to corruption.  Real freedom is being able to do what you want to do, but what you want to do being what is best for you.  False freedom is doing what you want to do, but what you want being that which corrupts you.  Sin is destructive and anyone who has been enslaved to a sin knows this.  Sin does not give life it sucks it from you.  God is the giver of all good gifts the best of which are love, joy, and peace.  The Psalm writer knows this and so he pleads with God to keep his steps steady, that is, on firm ground.  He desires that no sin have mastery over him.   

How about you?  Is there a sin that has dominion over you?  Are you a slave?  Perhaps you are longing to be free.  Like my son in the mud, we also need a Father to come and rescue us.  We need our heavenly Father.  I would encourage you to use the I John and the Psalm reading for today (Tuesday) as your prayer and as your guide to seeking rescue and redemption.  Pray out loud the words of Psalm 119: 169-176.  Let the Bible’s words be your prayer to God. 

SB2W News Post

Excavation work has continued on Lake Gloria.  Here are some photo updates with captions explaining what you are seeing.

These are two peninsulas that are beyond the tennis courts and will provide access for campers to walk across to the flying squirrel field by way of a bridge that will span the two peninsulas.

The gray rocky portion of the peninsula will be under water so that campers can canoe beyond the two peninsulas.

Here you can see the flying squirrel field which if you look closely is much higher because of all the dirt that has been dredged from the lake.  This will eventually be a very nice field for sports accessed by walking across the peninsulas.

These next two photos are of the canoe beach and the lake beyond it.

Devotional Passages for Week of November 28-December 4

Sunday:  Daniel 5:1-31, 2 Peter 2:1-22, Psalm 119:113-128, Proverbs 28:19-20

Monday:  Daniel 6:1-28, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Psalm 119:129-152, Proverbs 28:21-22

Tuesday:  Daniel 7:1-28, I John 1:1-10, Psalm 119: 153-176, Proverbs 28:23-24

Wednesday:  Daniel 8:1-27, I John 2:1-17, Psalm 120: 1-7, Proverbs 28:25-26

Thursday:  Daniel 9:1-11:1, I John 2:18-3:6, Psalm 121:1-8, Proverbs 28:27-28

Friday:  Daniel 11:2-35, I John 3:7-24, Psalm 122:1-9, Proverbs 11:36-12:13

Saturday:  Daniel 11:36-12:13, I John 4:1-21, Psalm 123:1-4, Proverbs 29:2-4

Devotional Passages for Week of November 21-27

Sunday:  Ezekiel 42:1-43:27, James 5:1-20, Psalm 119:1-16, Proverbs 28:6-7

Monday:  Ezekiel 44:1-45:12, I Peter 1:1-12, Psalm 119:17-32, Proverbs 28:8-10

Tuesday:  Ezekiel 45:13-46:24, I Peter 1:13-2:10, Psalm 119:33-48, Proverbs 28:11

Wednesday:  Ezekiel 47:1-48:35, I Peter 2:11-3:7, Psalm 119:49-64, Proverbs 28:12-13

Thursday:  Daniel 1:1-2:23, I Peter 3:8-4:6, Psalm 119:65-80, Proverbs 28:14

Friday:  Daniel 2:24-3:30, I Peter 4:7-5:14, Psalm 119:81-96, Proverbs 28:15-16

Saturday:  Daniel 4:1-37, 2 Peter 1:1-21, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 28:17-18

Francis's Secret

I was speaking at Messiah College's FCA last night and I asked the 50 students who were present how many of them have read or were reading the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that about 40 students raised their hand.  Wow!  Why is this book so popular?  Certainly one of the reasons is because it is a good book.  It's well written and it hits a nerve among young people.  Some critics might be quick to say that it does not have enough theological precision, but it is on target and it comes from a man who is practicing what he preaches.  What I find most interesting is that it comes from a man who does not have a TV in his home.  Francis is more concerned about holiness than he is about being culturally relevant.  He is more concerned about godliness than he is about being cool.  I was listening to a sermon of his and he explained how TV is just not something that they have at home.  You might think that weird.  Now there may not be a direct connection between the success of his book and his decision about TV, but I'm guessing there is a connection nonetheless.  The connection is between a man who obviously values the pursuit of personal holiness (ie. separation from worldly influences) and his vast influence among young people.  I'm personally challenged by this to think about what media I consume.

Be Content

Hebrews 13:5b "Be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'.

What an encouragement and challenge is given us in this verse.  So often I am tempted to be discontent.  I focus my gaze upon things I desire that will not ultimately satisfy.  We as humans are hard wired with three core desires:

Love- This includes needing approval, respect, authentic relationship, etc.
Joy- Think about it all of our decisions are motivated by our desire to be fulfilled.  We are geared to want to be happy.
Peace - Behind this word is the Hebrew idea of Shalom.  This word does not just mean absence of conflict, but wellness, wholeness, abundance.

We are all trying to meet these desires and fulfill our needs for these three things.  The question is where are we trying to fulfill them.  Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  God wants us to experience love, joy, and peace.  The key is He wants us to have these desires met in Himself.  We are called to be content with what we have, that is to be content in Him.  It is in our relationship with Jesus Christ where we find contentment, because "he will never leave us or forsake us."  He is our "emmanuel", meaning God with us.  Jesus is where we find love, joy, and peace.  Be contented in all of who Jesus is today.

Devotional Passages for Week of November 14-20

Sunday:  Ezekiel 29:1-30:26, Hebrews 11:32-12:13, Psalm 112:1-10, Proverbs 27:17

Monday:  Ezekiel 31:1-32:32, Hebrews 12: 14-29, Psalm 113:1-114:8, Proverbs 27:18-20

Tuesday:  Ezekiel 33:1-34:31, Hebrews 13:1-25, Psalm 115:1-18, Proverbs 27:21-22

Wednesday:  Ezekiel 35:1-36:38, James 1:1-18, Psalm 116:1-19, Proverbs 27:23-27

Thursday:  Ezekiel 37:1-38:23, James 1:19-2:17, Psalm 117:1-2, Proverbs 28:1

Friday:  Ezekiel 39:1-40:27, James 2:18-3:18, Psalm 118:1-18, Proverbs 28:2

Saturday:  Ezekiel 40:28-41:26, James 4:1-17, Psalm 118:19-29, Proverbs 28:3-5

Movie Trail at Chagrin Falls

We had a blast this Tuesday night on movie trail.  For those of you from Chagrin Falls, thank you for joining us.  Here are some pics of that event.

What is your standard? A Devo from Ezekiel 22

I was in the car the other day and I was enjoying the radio.  After a little while listening I started to become more aware of what I was listening to.  It did not take long before I became more and more convicted that I should change the station or just shut the radio off.  It was not that I was listening to something particularly bad, but that I was not listening to something that was especially good for me.  If I wanted my heart to be right with God and in a healthy and strong state I knew I should not be filling it with this music I had on. 

In Ezekiel 22:26 it says, “They (the Israelites) have made no distinction between the holy (godly) and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean.”  I’m convinced that too often we make this same mistake.  We do not make clear distinctions in our lives of what is best for us, we just get wrapped up in whatever it is that is set before our eyes and ears.  Instead we should have a standard.  We should seek out what is holy, good, and right and let those things be our daily bread. 

So what is your standard today?  Are you seeking to make distinctions as regards what is best to expose yourself to?  Or, are you just conforming to the culture?  I think  two great questions to ask yourself as you listen and watch is, “Is this beneficial to me?” and “Is this drawing me nearer to God or distracting me from Him?”  

Devotional Passages for Week of November 7 -13

Sunday:  Ezekiel 16:43-17:24, Hebrews 8:1-13, Psalm 106:13-31, Proverbs 27:7-9

Monday:  Ezekiel 18:1-19:14, Hebrews 9:1-10, Psalm 106:32-48, Proverbs 27:10

Tuesday:  Ezekiel 20:1-49, Hebrews 9:11-28, Psalm 107:1-43, Proverbs 27:11

Wednesday:  Ezekiel 21:1-22:31, Hebrews 10:1-17, Psalm 108:1-13, Proverbs 27:12

Thursday:  Ezekiel 23:1-49, Hebrews 10:18-39, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 27:13

Friday:  Ezekiel 24:1-26:21, Hebrews 11:1-16, Psalm 110:1-7, Proverbs 27:14

Saturday:  Ezekiel 27:1-28:26, Hebrews 11:17-31, Psalm 111:1-10, Proverbs 27:15-16

Being Joyful Always

You might remember one of the memory verses from this summer from I Thessalonians 5:16-18.  "Be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances..."  If you read the reading this week from Psalm 105:1-5 you may have noticed similarities.  All three elements (joy, prayer, and thanks) are present in these verses as well.  The Psalmist tells us in v. 1& 5 to "give thanks to the LORD" and "remember the wondrous works that he has done".  In v. 3 we are told, "let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!" - rejoice being another word for be joyful.  Lastly in v. 4 we are given the key to being joyful.  "Seek the LORD...seek his presence continually."  We can be in God's presence through prayer.  In fact that is what prayer is, practicing the presence of God.  I invite you today to be joyful, to be grateful, and to do this by seeking God's presence in prayer.

SB2W News Post

We are in the process of excavating the lake beyond the canoe area.  No longer will you touch bottom during the heptathlon or the mile swim.  No more lost crocs  :)

What's Up With Ezekiel?

Perhaps like me you struggle to read and understand this book of Ezekiel.  Perhaps you have been frustrated by it and found it largely inapplicable to your life.  You are right it is a tough book.  Here are a couple things that might be helpful.  First look for repetitive words and phrases.  This helps you catch the main points.  There are two things that really have caught my attention.  

Rebellious Hearts:  Over and over again God refers to his people as rebellious.  

Chapter 2 v.7 says, “And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.”  These are a people that show with their actions a resistance to God.  They are living in opposition to God’s commands.  They are continuing to slap God in the face with their actions.  These chapters say again and again that the people “have not walked in [God’s] statutes or obeyed [His] rules” (ch. 5 v.7).  God will not continue to put up with their disobedience.  He will not continue to be slapped in the face.  We cannot say we love him and desire him and then on the other hand continue to ignore the sins of our lives and just keep doing them.  This is why the author of Hebrews (ch.3 v.12) says “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.”  This section of Ezekiel is a call to repentance.  Ezekiel 3:21 says “But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning.”  Now it is impossible for us to not sin, but what this verse is calling us away from is a life of unrepentant sin.  A life that continues in sin and will not seek to turn away from the sin it finds itself entangled in.  The point is, are you fighting and battling the sin in your life or are you giving in to it?  Surrender your life to Jesus Christ, do not surrender it to sin.  

Know the LORD:  Any time in the Old Testament you see capital letters "LORD" that means the word in Hebrew is Yahweh, which means "I am who I am".  So when in Ezekiel we see the same phrase repeated over and over we know that God means for us to get this point.  Repeatedly we see "Then you will know that I am the LORD."  Why is God punishing these rebellious people, why does God discipline us?  Because God wants us to recognize Him as LORD: Lord over creation, Lord over humanity, Lord over our lives. Is God trying to get your attention?  I'm reminded today that He is LORD and that as one of His created beings I was made to worship, love, honor, and delight in Him.