Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
We all have feelings that run wild. Some of us are stoics and we don't like to admit our feelings. Whenever one tries to break loose, we squish it down again. Others of us are “emoters.” We don't just embrace our feelings: our feelings control us. Both extremes are wrong. God designed humanity to have feelings. They are thermostats to our hearts’ conditions, to the state of our relationships with God, and to the state of our relationships with each other. Those of us who are stoics are denying how God has made us, and we are refusing to use a valuable tool He has given us. However, because of the Fall and the subsequent depravity of man, we cannot fully trust our hearts or the feelings that come from them. Our emotions will lead us astray if we allow them to control us. Those of us who have a tendency to be controlled by emotion, need to temper that emotion with truth. So, how do we use emotions correctly? First, we need to identify the feeling. Feelings are no use to us if we do not identify them. They let us know what is going on around us or inside us, or at least, what is perceived to be going on. Second, we explore why we have that feeling. Feelings do not happen in a vacuum. They come because a situation, whether in the present or in the past, has prompted them. Someone did, said, or insinuated something, or a circumstance happened that affected us in a specific way. Third, we need to weigh the truth we are believing. Feelings lead us to what we believe. Often our emotions are responding to a lie that we believe. Fourth, we can then speak truth. This is an essential step. If we are believing a lie, we can preach truth to ourselves, furthering our maturity. No matter if our emotions are based on truth or a lie, we should let our Christian community know what is going on. Even if we are believing a lie, our Christian friends need to know the feelings we are working through, especially if our feeling stems from what someone else has done. This is part of the process of reconciliation.
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Hebrews 13:20–21 (NIV): Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
A few years ago, my then-girlfriend invited me to visit her parent’s ranch for Thanksgiving. I was living in Texas at the time and was eager to spend a few days away from the city. I had grown up in the Midwest, visiting my grandparent’s grain farm to help with planting and harvesting, but I had never done “ranch work” before. Soon after arriving, I was roped into helping move cattle and sort for weaning. I had no idea what I was doing. My now father-in-law was gracious. His neighbors, who were also helping, tried hard to show me what to do. But, I know that I caused more work for them as I let cows in with the calves and spooked calves away from the chutes. Many years have passed since that day. I can now push calves, brand, and vaccinate. Though I am definitely not a seasoned hand, I can pretend to keep up. As I think back on that day, I am amazed that my father-in-law asked me to help. But, even more so, I am amazed that he asked me to help again, after how much I failed. He reflected God to me. My father-in-law could have chosen any of his more experienced neighbors to help, but he wanted to pursue a relationship with me. He did not choose me because of my skills. Instead, he equipped me for the task so that I could join him in his work. In the same way, God pursues a relationship with us, desiring that we join Him in His work. He does not expect us to be perfect as we do His task of showing love and speaking the truth. When we fail miserably, He encourages us to keep going, reminding us to rely on Him and His equipping, not ourselves. What a gracious God. Do you hear the screams? The clash of metal against metal? The gasps? The jeering crowd? The dull thud of bodies against wood? The anguish?
These are not pleasant noises. But, they are the sounds of salvation. On this weekend, we celebrate what was earned 2000 years ago. Jesus died the most brutal death imaginable. This death was not natural: it was the death of a criminal. This was a slow, painful death. The slow loss of blood circulation and coronary failure. The suffocation. The painful muscle spasms of agony. Do you hear the sounds of salvation? Jesus was perfect. He never did anything wrong. He never sinned. So, why did the God who became man go through such torture? In his words: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Jesus died for us. When he hung on the cross, the weight of the world’s sins, from Adam and Eve until the end of time, was placed on him. He died our death. He experienced our separation. Eternal damnation was his. Again, why did he go through this? Paul writes: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life” (Romans 5:10). God created humanity to have an intimate relationship with him. But, our sin broke that relationship. By our actions, we declared ourselves “God’s enemies.” So, we deserve judgment. But God loved the world, desiring to have a relationship with his creation, so he sent his son Jesus to take our judgment on himself. The sounds of salvation, his cries of agony, gave us the ability to know God personally. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). This Easter weekend, do you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Have you responded to the sounds of salvation? Ephesians 5:25–26 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.”
A couple does not truly love each other until they have been married thirty years. A man once told me that. Is it true? I have sat in my office with engaged couples who are giddy about the future. I have refereed older couples, jaded by years of miscommunications and broken expectations. I have taught classes on the meaning of marriage and on how to keep relationships vibrant. Few couples understand the meaning of love. We are all caught up in the love we see on Valentine’s Day. Two students exchange cards, innocently blushing at the emotions received. A married couple plan a romantic evening away from the kids. The wife looks forward to the bouquet of roses to make up for sins of the past year. This love is based on emotion. True love is based on a covenant. A man and a woman stand at an altar and vow to love each other until death steals one away. This vow is a covenant. It is a choice, not an emotional response. This covenant is put to the test when each person reveals his pride, his selfishness, and his baggage. These three issues breed miscommunication. Miscommunication produces broken expectations. And these all remove the emotion of love and force the spouse to decide whether they will still choose to love, to fulfill the covenant in spite of their spouse’s actions. As humans, we do not naturally make this choice. When faced with someone else’s brokenness, or our unfulfilled expectations, or our hurt emotions, we choose to retaliate instead of reconciling. We indulge in revenge instead of restoration. When we struggle to choose to love, we have an example in Christ. He loved us, even though we are sinners choosing to live in a way that hurts Him. In fact, He loved us so much that He chose to die in order to pay our debt and to bring us into a covenant relationship with Him. He loves us in spite of our actions, and He covenants that nothing will change that love. May our lives show the same consistent choice to die to ourselves and to love our spouse. 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Every four weeks, I stare at a blank screen, trying to decide what to write. Events of the last month flood my mind, each vying for my attention. Invariably, some event rises to the surface, exciting some emotional response. And I want to air my feelings and frustrations, but I cannot. Anyone who writes an editorial column, such as this one, fights the urge to misuse their space by ranting or by “letting out emotion.” A column is a safe space to express any thought because the words on the page hide the intended audience. You are not in front of the author to give an immediate reaction. So, instead of being constructive, the author could slip into pet topics and biased soapboxes. These columns are not meant for those moments. You probably do not write an editorial column. However, you will face this temptation on social media. Social media allows anyone to say anything with very minimal consequences because one’s “opponent” is not physically in the room. You will face this temptation in social gatherings. Being surrounded by sympathetic friends, one quickly speaks what he would never say if others were around. Courage rooted in absence. Yes, these temptations are real, and we often succumb to them, to our shame. In these situations, we have an easy rule by which to live: Does this glorify God? Too often, our conversations and our posts center around our glory, exalting our ideals and ideas. We write based upon our pleasure. We demean those who disagree with us because we want others to elevate us. At the moment, we get enjoyment from this. But, this enjoyment quickly passes. God designed us to glorify Him. When we use our conversations and posts to point people to Him and His ideals, we begin to experience real joy. Instead of battling about our opinions, trying to exalt our thoughts, we share the truths of Scripture, exalting the Creator of the universe, which gives us purpose outside of ourselves. Incidentally, much fewer fights break out in comment threads, as well. Next time you wonder what to say or write, think: Does this glorify God? Matthew 6:33 (NIV): “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Thursday was my family day this past week, which is the day where I say “no” to everything else and “yes” to my family. On family days, we try to get things done around the house and make memories in the process. Well, this particular day, in the middle of the afternoon, my wife pokes her head into the room where I was playing with the kids and asks whether I want to do something crazy. She asked whether we wanted to drive to Pierce and try the Pierce Pounder. The Pierce Pounder is a challenge offered by J’s Place in Pierce, where one has to eat 6 oz of brownie, a pound and a half of ice cream, a choice of three toppings, a pile of whipped cream, and a cherry. There is no time limit, but one cannot vomit during it or within five minutes of eating it. We have wanted to try the Pierce Pounder for a while, but never made an effort to do so. Other things kept coming up, or perhaps we were just acting mature. Well, on a whim, we packed up the kids and headed to Pierce to conquer the challenge, which we did, if you were wondering. As I was slowly choking down the last few bites, I thought about priorities. We will make time for what we want to do, whether sports, committees, electronics, games, or the Pierce Pounder. But will we make time for what is essential to do, like family and faith? In a season where everything is screaming for our focus, we need to remember what is essential. Jesus died that we might have a relationship with Him. He does not just want a relationship with us at church, though that is a great place to start. He wants a daily relationship where we spend time with Him. As we pursue our relationship with Him, He gives us the strength to love our family well. He gives wisdom for work and friendships. He guides in leisure and responsibilities. He provides for our other priorities if we make Him our first priority. If we do not prioritize Him, our life will continually be unbalanced, like a stomach stuffed full of ice cream sundaes. Isaiah 9:6 (NIV): “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
I must apologize to those who do not want to think about Christmas until December 1. If this is you, stop reading, clip this article, and save it for December 1. I should also apologize to you for the Christmas decorations on my lawn. I would recommend closing your eyes while driving by, until December 1, but that would not be safe. So, just pretend it is December 1 when you drive by. There are certain years when the message of Christmas must be embraced outside of the Christmas season. There are certain years when a mental assent of the message of Christmas does not bring what is needed, but physical rituals must be indulged in. 2020 is one of those years. From pandemics, to shootings, to protests, to economic hardships, to elections, to lies, to hatred, to unloving speech, to worries, to fears, to whatever else we want to place on this list, 2020 has not been a year of peace. We have tried our best to create peace out of chaos. But, nothing we do helps. Republicans and Democrats alike have tried to solve the problems in our society. But, nothing we do helps. Medical researchers and political appointees have tried to bring safety to our lives. But, nothing we do helps. We cannot attain peace. We cannot solve all of the problems 2020 brings. We need to give up and turn to the One who was promised. Jesus Christ came two thousand years ago to bring peace in a situation where peace could not be earned by any human. First, he brought peace with God, through his death on the cross, where anyone who believes in Him will have a restored relationship with Creator of the Universe, starting at the moment of belief and lasting all eternity. Second, he will bring peace on this earth when he comes again to usher in His kingdom. At the end of time, everything that is wrong in this world will be made right. We can try all of our schemes, politics, and human wisdom to accomplish peace. But, true peace only comes through Jesus. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 1 Peter 1:16 “for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
Romans 5:6 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” I was driving through a small town, deep in thought. The speed limit clearly indicated 25 mph. But, as I said, I was deep in thought. The thoughts quickly left me when I saw the blue and red flashing lights behind me. I had been speeding, but I could not tell you how fast I was going. I had not been paying attention. This incident describes so much of life. We live carefree until suddenly we wake up and finds ourselves deep in sin. This sin might not be “major.” Perhaps it is pride, hypocrisy, a white lie, a sideways glance at a pretty person, a little too much to drink, a few words of gossip, etc. We might look at whatever it is and say, “Oh, that’s not that bad.” Unfortunately, if we let it go, because we are focused on other things, soon we will be in more significant trouble than that one little act is worth. Sure, what we are doing might be “small” in our eyes, but in the eyes of God, every sin is the same. Every sin needs punishment. Every sin separates us from God. We will be living our lives, not caring about our actions, and suddenly we will be standing before the judgment seat of God, having to answer for those little things that we did not care enough about to change. I am grateful for Jesus. Because of his sacrifice, I do not have to be worried about my destiny. Those who trust in his sacrifice can live forever with God in perfection. But, we will still have to answer for what we have done. When we do, we will have the same gratefulness that I had with the kind officer. He handed me back my documents, told me to keep it slow and let me continue on my way. My actions were not held against me. In Christ, thankfully, our actions are not held against us. We do not have to live in guilt. We do not have to earn our forgiveness. We do not have to pay for our actions. Christ did everything. We just have to “go and sin no more.” 1 Peter 3:8–9 (NIV): Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Last month, I shared my views on the sanctity of life. At the end of the article, I wrote: “As I look at my baby, I realize that many people are quick to remove someone’s dignity and worth. These people are ready to deny the sanctity of all life, replacing this truth with a belief system that benefits their ideals. I pray that God would give them mercy. And, I pray that my son would live in a society where all are provided dignity and worthy, whether they see the light of day or not, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are living or dying. Lord, hear my prayer.” I must continue this train of thought. Many people confronted by this viewpoint naturally think about the unborn or the elderly. The sanctity of life applies to these two extremes. However, the sanctity of life applies to all who live. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, so many people are not. We have conditioned ourselves to treat as inferior those who disagree with us. We see this in Facebook and other social media. We are encouraged to write phrases and words that we would never use to someone’s face. We turn on the television and scream epithets at faces who will never respond to us. In conversations with friends, we make threats against groups with whom we disagree, even though these are people just like us. What happened to a society that gave everyone worth? What happened to sympathy, love, and compassion? What happened to the Golden Rule? When Jesus walked this earth, he made friends with a man who would betray him. He ate and respectfully conversed with those who would kill him. While dying on the cross, Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those who ridiculed him. After he rose from the grave, he offered salvation for all those arrayed against him. Jesus is our example. We are to repay evil with blessing. Let us show the sanctity of life. At 12:56 pm on July 15th, my wife gave birth to our third child, Daniel Dean Sample. We opted not to know the sex of our baby. So, the expectations levels were high in the delivery room. My wife and I, the nurses, and the doctor placed our “bets” on the board. Everyone said, “Girl.” He wasn’t a girl.
Ah, the joy of new life—holding a baby in your arms—feeling your heart slip away—wondering what this child will be like and will do in the future. Will he continually be living his life to bring surprise to others? Only God knows. The joy of new life. As I sit and look at my new treasure, I think about Psalm 139. Psalm 139:13–14: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Every living person has been created by God uniquely. He formed him or her within the mother, giving one brown hair and another blond. He designed the unique talents each would possess. He crafted the personality and the will. Indeed, each one of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The joy of new life. As God fashions each person, he stamps them with his image, as Genesis 1:27 relates. This fact demands that we all give every person dignity, worth, and value—because God fearfully and wonderfully created them in his image. This dignity should be extended to all, no matter how old or how young. Even if someone seems to “get in the way,” that person has dignity and worth. Even if this person is an unborn child, that person has dignity and worth. As I look at my baby, I realize that many people are quick to remove someone’s dignity and worth. These people are ready to deny the sanctity of all life, replacing this truth with a belief system that benefits their ideals. I pray that God would give them mercy. And, I pray that my son would live in a society where all are provided dignity and worthy, whether they see the light of day or not, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are living or dying. Lord, hear my prayer. |
Peter SamplePastor of Calvary Bible Church, Neligh, NE. Missionary with RHMA. Husband to Maggie. Father to Grace, David, and Daniel. Saved by Jesus Christ Archives
April 2023
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