Somebody asked me a very good question recently: “If Adam and Eve were perfect.why or how could they sin?”

This is a very good question that has any number of answers.none of which are definitively answered in Scriptures. At the end of the day, God is God and I am not. It is fun to entertain various explanations, but I’m convinced that speaking authoritatively on such a question is a bit risky considering my limited human capacity for understanding God’s UN-limited wisdom.

Honestly, I think that we have a hard time grasping the concept of “perfection” because we haven’t seen it! We see shadows of perfection in a sunrise or when a child is born with all five fingers and all five toes. However, in our everyday lives we have become used to sin being all around us. If we are not sinning ourselves, we are witnessing the evidence of sin in our closest neighbors! To add insult to injury, sin even encroaches on our lives when we seem to have done everything right: “I was healthy.I didn’t smoke.and yet I have lung cancer!”

But here is the difficult truth: perfection has past. We are sinful. We are NOT God.and therefore we cannot presume to figure everything out on our own. We suffer.and we are at His mercy.

This is theme of Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday we are called to receive ashes on our foreheads as a symbol of our own sinfulness. We are called to lay our sins at the foot of the cross.

But why?

Because it is at the cross we find hope that we simply CANNOT find elsewhere. Christ paid the price for our sin..and He promises that through Him we will one day understand what “perfection” truly looks like. One day we won’t have to ask, “Why did Adam and Eve sin?”

Why? Because one day our sins will be washed away for eternity. We will live in the sunshine of God’s presence and all of the horror of sin and death will be nothing but a distant memory.

St. Paul writes, “The sufferings of the present time are NOTHING compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). Today and every day of our broken lives, we are called to repent of our sins and place our trust in Christ alone. But remember.the day will come when all of this will fade to the background. Sorrow and regret will give way to glory and we will know what true perfection is.

Forgiveness now.future glory…bought by Jesus’ blood.

Peace!

Pastor V.

90 A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place

in all generations.

2 Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You return man to dust

and say, “Return, O children of man!”

4 For a thousand years in your sight

are but as yesterday when it is past,

or as a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,

like grass that is renewed in the morning:

6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;

by your wrath we are dismayed.

8 You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your presence.

9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;

we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

10 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.

11 Who considers the power of your anger,

and your wrath according to the fear of you?

12 So teach us to number our days

that we may get a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 Let your work be shown to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and establish the work of our hands upon us;

yes, establish the work of our hands!

This psalm has a lot to say. However, I find it interesting to recognize that it has traditionally been prayed in the morning. “Establish the work of our hands” Lord!

As Christians, we understand that the goal of our labor is the manifestation of God’s glory here on earth: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We were created in His image. We were designed to care for His creation in His stead.

However, this psalm also reminds us who God is and who we are NOT. God is everlasting.and we are NOT! Standing in the present, we look to the past remembering where we have come from and we look to the future recognizing our own frailty.

Because we are fallen creatures.we are forced to face our own mistakes of the past and our own impending death to come. Yet God Himself is everlasting!

3 You return man to dust

and say, “Return, O children of man!”

4 For a thousand years in your sight

are but as yesterday when it is past,

or as a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,

like grass that is renewed in the morning:

6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it fades and withers. a psalm that has traditionally been prayed at the beginning of the work day.

It is a healthy thing to keep things in perspective. God is God and we are not. We fail. We die. God does not.

However that is EXACTLY why we are called to repentance. God knows our sins even if our neighbor does not. AND He paid for each and every one of those sins through Jesus.

This Ash Wednesday, examine your entire life. Recognize your frailty. Recognize your fallen-ness.and lay it all at the foot of the cross.

Repent, mourn your sinfulness, and then receive God’s grace. Our daily labor is incredibly important! However, it is NOTHING compared to Christ’s work on the cross.

Peace!

Pastor V.

A couple years ago, a former congregation of mine set to work building an addition to their facilities. The man who led up this building project was not a member of the church, but the people welcomed him in as though he were part of the family. His name was Mike.

Tragically, about midway through the building project, the man’s wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was barely in her forties (if that), and she would be leaving both her husband and children behind. She fought for about a year and a half before she took her last breath.

It was an awful thing to hear about. It is all the more difficult if you knew her husband Mike. He was a very kind and generous man.

Why do I say “was”, you ask? Because I just found out that he died at work yesterday. He was a construction worker and they are guessing it was probably an aneurism or a heart attack. His children now are without a mother AND father.

Such inexplicable sadness brings to mind a song by Andrew Peterson titled, “The Silence of God”. The first refrain goes like this:

It’s enough to drive a man crazy; it’ll break a man’s faith

It’s enough to make him wonder if he’s ever been sane

When he’s bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod

And the heaven’s only answer is the silence of God

On days like this, I find myself asking a simple question: “Why?”

Why would God allow young children to lose BOTH of their parents in such a way? It just doesn’t make any sense!

However, as I ask such questions, I am also forced to remember Jesus as he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). His Father’s reply? Silence.

Yet, the truth is that Jesus didn’t need an answer from His Father for He knew what needed to be done.

In the same way, I know that I don’t need an answer to the “why” question. God is God and I am not. Yet, in His infinite wisdom He has chosen to speak to us through His Son. In His Infinite mercy He allowed His own Son to be sacrificed on our behalf. AND through the empty tomb we are able to look at our future with hope. Death is NOT the end.

Christ can provide Mike’s family with hope even in the midst of this difficult time. Christ can do the same for you in the midst of your own trials. He reminds us that while God may not give us ALL the answers we may want.He most certainly is not silent!

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

Peace!

Pastor V.

46 To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.[1]

10 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress (Psalm 46:1-3 & 10-11).

The hustle and bustle of every-day life can be a very comforting distraction. When we’re focused on a task..or something that we’re passionate about, it is easy to become distracted from the fragility of life itself. When we’re going places, we want to get there FAST! And when that doesn’t happen, we feel like we’re wasting our time.and time is MONEY!

And then.something happens. Maybe you have a close call in your car. Maybe someone tragically dies. Maybe you find yourself in the middle of an identity crisis.

When these things happen, a common question might be: “What is the point of all this?” or “What do I really believe?”

Don’t sit back and wait for hardship to come to you. Don’t wait to ask the hard questions! Instead, stop everything for a second and acknowledge God. “Be still, and know that I am God.The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Because of Jesus death and resurrection, we no longer need to be separated from God. Because of Jesus, we know that God is with us.even in the midst of tragedy. Because of Jesus, we know that life itself extends BEYOND death.

So trust in Him, learn about Him, and you will find the strength to weather any storm.

Peace!

Pastor V.

_____

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Ps 46:title-3 (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001).

15 A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Who shall dwell on your holy hill?

2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right

and speaks truth in his heart;

3 who does not slander with his tongue

and does no evil to his neighbor,

nor takes up a reproach against his friend;

4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,

but who honors those who fear the Lord;

who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 who does not put out his money at interest

and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:1-5, ESV)

Who shall sojourn in your tent (dwell in God’s presence)? A simple question. Answer: Someone who is blameless, speaks the truth, does not slander, does no evil to his neighbor, who despises those who are vile, honors those who fear the Lord, who does not take advantage of people financially, and does not accept money for the wrong reasons.

Do you know anyone like this?

Yeah.me neither. I can think of a lot of people who have some of these qualities. However, I think we’d all be hard-pressed to find someone who does all of this ALL the time!

God certainly calls us to live honorably. We are called to be ALL of these things. However, we are also called to have a reality check about ourselves. God is God and we are not. We cannot climb to God of our own accord. Every time I think I’m off to a good start.every time I feel like I’m making headway..CRASH!!! Back to the bottom I tumble! Check out Psalm 51 verse 5:

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Yes.a person who can perfectly follow David’s checklist will never be moved. However, last time I checked, David wasn’t the perfect role model.and neither am I (see Bathsheba and the dealings with his sons for more details J)! Just like David, there are times when I find myself all over the road map! I’m a train wreck!

This is why Christ is our rock. He is the immovable foundation upon which we stand in this world. Through Christ, we have an advocate who stands before God in our place. HE does not move..and through faith in Him, we will not be moved either.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to have a humble heart. Help me to recognize the standards to which I am called to live.and help me to recognize my constant failure to live up to those standards. Send your Spirit into my heart. Help me turn toward you in repentance. Help me to seek the cross every day and see Christ as my immovable foundation.

You have done great things for me through your Son. Help me to respond as Your faithful servant.seeking to live an honorable life with Christ at the center.

In your name I pray,

Amen.

but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15).

I don’t like to ask for directions. Yet, I can think of times when I’ve been forced to do so. It usually happens when I have nowhere else to turn. I’m in a place I’ve never been to before. I don’t know which direction is which. I’m stuck..and it would be foolish NOT to ask for directions.

Yet.quite frequently, that’s EXACTLY what we do when we find ourselves lost. We continue wandering.

“I’ll find my way!”

“It’s MY family.we’ll figure it out.”

“It’s MY LIFE.please leave me alone.”

We follow our own foolishness as if it were wisdom. We stubbornly refuse help. But why?

I’d suggest it is usually our own egos that get in the way. Asking for help is like conceding defeat.and we don’t like to lose. Losing is a sign of weakness….and in our own struggle to give an appearance of strength, we often refuse to put knowledge into action. We know we need help.yet we don’t seek it. Yet, this is why it is so important to “seek first the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). Remember: You are NOT lost. You are a part of Christ’s Kingdom. Therefore, consult the King..seek His wise counsel.

But don’t simply do this by yourself. Seek Christ within your community of faith:

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16-17).

Find strength in a community of faith rooted in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we need to hear someone else speak the obvious: “Ask for directions!”

Peace!

Pastor V.

When you are faced with death, how do you handle it? Do you model yourself after David? Do you take in the gravity of the situation and allow your feelings to pour out.or do you find yourself running to the distractions offered by the world?

The reality is that we can distract ourselves all we want when the reality of death comes knocking at our door. However, we can only ignore it for so long. We can only bottle up emotions for so long. That is why it is so important to recognize the importance of lamenting. It is Scriptural to “let it all out”! It is scriptural to shake our fist at God in frustration! If you don’t believe me, check out this section from Psalm 22:

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?

Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.

O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;

And by night, but I have no rest.

Yet You are holy,

O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.

In You our fathers trusted;

They trusted and You delivered them.

To You they cried out and were delivered;

In You they trusted and were not disappointed. (Psalm 22:1-5)

You may be interested to note that this Psalm was written by King David. It is fitting, as David, God’s chosen king, was not a stranger to hardship and death. David experienced it all.and in his sorrow he frequently called out to God in frustration.

But do you notice something about the Psalm you just read? It is NOT without hope. Yes, when hardship comes, it can be frustrating. We can shake our heads, wondering why God would allow such a thing to happen. And, I would argue, it is healthy to cry and scream till we are blue in the face! However, it is JUST as important to remember that “.the sufferings of the present time are nothing compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

Christ Himself lamented. After hearing of his friend Lazarus’ death, He wept. Hanging on the cross.rejected by the world.rejected by His Father.Jesus quoted Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

But here is the important part: Death did not have the final say. Death does NOT mean “goodbye forever”!

Why? Because we have cried out to God and He has promised to deliver us. Jesus did not stay dead. The tomb was empty.

Through faith in Jesus, the same is true for all those who have gone before us. And guess what? Through faith in Jesus, the same is true for you.

Don’t be afraid to lament. However, also remember that there is no need for you to “to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13)!

Peace!

Pastor V.

Needless to say, I didn’t see my “problem students” as “bad” per se. I knew that some of them came from broken homes. I knew that some of them were, quite frankly, spoiled! I knew that their actions spoke to problems that ran much deeper than my own interactions with them. There was a reason they were digging their heals into the ground and refusing to move. They needed someone to be patient with them and be there when the opportunity arose.

Yet, they wore me out. I wanted to spend more time with the GOOD kids. You know.the kids who attentively listen to my lessons on the World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The kids who followed directions and did their homework. I wanted to be able to give more attention to the kids who stuck around after class just to chat.

Seven years later, now as a Pastor, I am sometimes tempted to view the Church in the same way. It can get tiring watching people disregard Christ as a waste of time. It can be disturbing to watch people say one thing to your face and then turn around and do just the opposite the next day. Every Sunday, somewhere between 700 and 800 people walk through the doors of Shepherd of the Lakes and spend an hour in worship. The faces are not always the same ones. Many of those people skip Bible Study.

Where are all the GOOD people???!!!

BUT..then I remember why the Church exists. Christ Himself said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

The Church is a place for SINNERS, not people who think they have everything together!

How quickly do I forget my own failings? I mess up ALL THE TIME! On my own, I am NOT righteous. I am a sinful person. I am not perfect. But this simply reflects the wider reality that NONE of us are GOOD..at least not in the way that God designed us to “be good” (see Romans 2:12).

None of this excuses sinful behavior. All it does is reaffirm the need we ALL have for Christ’s forgiveness.no matter where we are in our faith walk.

If you know someone who is getting on your nerves a bit..first take a second to examine yourself (check out Matthew 7:3). Then try praying for the one who is struggling. Be patient with them.correct them, if necessary.and point them to Christ.the one who says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). Let God do the rest.

Peace!

Pastor V.

“Slumps: the petri dish for bad decisions, the incubator for wrong turns, the assembly line of regretful moves. How we handle our tough times stays with us for a long time. How do you handle yours? When hope takes the last train and joy is nothing but the name of the girl down the street … when you are tired of trying, tired of forgiving, tired of hard weeks or hardheaded people … how do you manage your dark days?” (Max Lucado, Facing Your Giants)

I don’t know about you, but I often-times have a tendency to handle tough times by getting down on myself even more. I say things like, “I should have done this” or “I should have done that”. Unpredictable FEELINGS overtake my senses. Covered in the thick fog of anxiety…all I can do is think of my own powerlessness.

Have you ever felt helpless? In such situations, where do you find yourself turning? Do you turn to bad habits? Do you try to distract yourself with canned entertainment. Do you indulge yourself in things you shouldn’t? Do you lash out at those who love you?

The truth is that such actions might initially feel good. However, like an adrenaline rush, they quickly leave us sapped of our energy. At the end of a long movie or a long fight I’m guessing you probably feel more worn out then you started. Is your day getting any better?

That is why it is important to remember where you get your strength to face the difficulties of life (just as Paul pointed out in Philippians 4 – read the larger context J). You find your strength in Christ…whose BODY and BLOOD were given for you…despite your shortcomings!

The truth is, every one of us needs a reality check…ESPECIALLY when we are living through the darker moments of life. Yes… you ARE a miserable sinner and you are NOT in control! HOWEVER…at the same time, you ARE a beloved Child of God! You are redeemed. You are forgiven. You belong to HIM. And through Christ’s strength, we too find the strength to face all things…including the days we’d rather forget…

Prayer: Heavenly Father, no matter what my day looks like…whether I am joyful or riddled with anxiety…I ask that you would always remind me who I am through your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to seek your counsel every day, and receive YOUR strength to face whatever may come my way. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.