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A family gave a gift to the church I served in memory of a loved one. After some discussion, it was decided to use it for new lighting throughout our facility. Most of the lights in the building were been changed over to LEDs, which are brighter and more efficient than the fluorescent bulbs they replaced.

When my wife and I built and moved into a new home, we used LED lighting exclusively for the same reasons. LED lighting shows up in hats and Christmas lights and automobiles and just about any application you can think of.

LED stands for Light Emitting Diodes. They can be bright or dim and made to shine with every color in the spectrum. They are a different kind of light bulb. The operate because of something called electroluminescence. Because the power goes into them, light comes out.

As those who have been led to faith in Jesus, you have been designed to shine. Each of you is to be an LED: Light Emitting Disciple. His light has shined into your hearts, and now it is to shine through you. How will that look? It will be different for each of you. Just as LEDs cover every part of the spectrum, so should Light Emitting Disciples! The important thing is to shine.

I read about a gathering of Christian teens in Germany a few years ago. They were from countries all around the world. For two weeks these young folks ate together, worked together, and played together. At the end of the day’s official activities, they would sit and visit with one another. One night they were discussing the different ways individuals and churches share the story of salvation. Some teens from more technologically advanced countries talked about sharing Jesus through mass media and social media and handheld communication devices.

Of course, not all countries are technologically advanced, and some of the group were from such countries. One student who had been talking a lot noticed the silence of those who did not have the same technology, so she asked one of them: “Maria, how do you tell people about Jesus in your country?”

Maria said, “we don’t have TV or radio programs about Jesus. Most of the time we don’t have the money to purchase pamphlets or other things to give away. Generally, what we’ve done in the past is send one or two Christian families to live and work in a village. We’ve found that when people see what Christians are like, then they want to be Christians too.”

Wow! Let that sink in for a minute. Would that be true of us? You and I have been led to know and believe that Jesus is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord and our God, the one who paid the penalty for sin so that we could be forgiven. Is that reflected in our daily walk and talk? Scripture tells us it should be so.

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12)

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

You have been designed to shine with the Light of Christ as a Light Emitting Disciple. And you may be the one the Holy Spirit will work through to lead someone else to faith in Jesus.

Psalm 8  O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:  all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Over the last few weeks, we have had some beautiful weather here in North Texas. I have taken advantage of it by working outside. I’ve been trimming trees, doing general clean up around our place, including working on a bridge over one of our creeks. I have long enjoyed working outside. One of my first jobs growing up was mowing yards, and I loved it! There is something about working outside that lifts my spirits.

As I work outside, God and I have long talks. Sometimes I simply look up at the beautiful blue sky and said, “Thanks, Lord, for this gorgeous day.” Even though I knew there would be aching muscles and joints the next day – and there were – I thoroughly enjoy the opportunities I have to work hard outside.

Thinking about this, I reflected on the words of the Psalm above. I have written other devotions on this Psalm, because I think of it often. It begins and ends with O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! I appreciate the beauty of His creation and love being outside working so that I can take it all in. And I share the feeling David expressed when he wrote: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

The one who created not only the earth and everything in it, but also the universe and everything that exists everywhere, cares about me. Little old insignificant me. That is why He was willing to come live among us as one of us, take our sins on Himself, pay the penalty we deserve, and defeat death’s grip on us by His resurrection.

I have long loved the way Henrietta Luise von Hayn expressed this marvel in a hymn that is over 200 years old:

I am Jesus’ little lamb, Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me, Knows my needs, and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name.

Out of His tremendous love, my Lord is mindful of me and cares for me. Wow!

Last night Cheryl and I watched a movie we had never seen before: Hawaii, made in 1966, based on a James Michener novel. It had a lot of big names in it: Julie Andrews, Max von Sydow, Richard Harris, Gene Hackman and Carrol O’Conner. It tells the story of a group of Calvinist missionaries who went to Hawaii in 1820 to convert the Hawaiians to Christianity.

I have to say the movie was quite depressing. For the most part, the missionaries are portrayed as non-merciful, legalistic and even mean-spirited. They speak of grace and love, but don’t show either in their interactions with the Hawaiian people. They even tell the Hawaiian prince who had converted to Christianity that he could never be ordained as a minister because he was not white.  As I said, it was very depressing.

We watched the entire movie, and while I did not enjoy it, I was reminded of how vital it is that we show the love of God to the world in which we live. Christians are often viewed by the world the same way they were depicted in this movie: condemning, law-oriented people who look down on those who are not part of “us.” This characterization is too often an accurate description of the way we act. Take an honest look at yourself. If you see someone living a lifestyle that is not in keeping with your belief system, are you more likely to give a disapproving glare or will you try to be kind and loving to that individual?

If we follow the example of our Lord Jesus, we will show love to everyone. Everyone. Even (or should I say especially) those who don’t believe in Him. Sure, Christians need to love each other (Galatians 6:10), but we need to be showing God’s love to those outside our fellowship.

I know the law condemns sin and rightly so. I’m not saying sin should be accepted. But the law won’t save anyone. And it will often drive people away. If you want to share your faith with someone, if you want to let them know about Jesus as their Savior from sin and death, the first thing you must do is love them. Especially those people with whom you disagree. Remember what Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43–44).

Think about how God dealt with a fallen, sinful world. You know the passage.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God did not say, “Straighten up your act and then I’ll love you and save you.” No, He loved first, acted in love to save us, and invites us to receive what Jesus already earned for us.

As someone who has experienced God’s love in Christ, someone who knows you have been forgiven for His sake and have eternal life because of what He did in your place, I hope you will join me in this prayer:

Lord, help me to show your love to the world around me, that they may know Jesus as I do, and put their trust in Him. Amen.

Every three years my church body has something they have called a “National Youth Gathering,” and now refer to simply as “Youth Gathering.” They had one last summer in Houston. About 20,000 youth and adults (mostly high school youth) from across the United States and some international participants gathered under the theme “In All Things.”  They had daily Bible Studies, time for play, worked on service projects around the area, listened to speakers and musicians in “Mass Events” at Minute Maid Park every night, and had chances to hear presentations on a variety of relevant topics every day at the George Brown Convention Center. They took time to worship and pray together. This marked the fifth time my wife and I volunteered as workers at one of these events, and prior to that we had attended three other gatherings as Family Group leaders for the youth from our congregation. These have always been a wonderful and tiring experience.

I think about all the years our congregation held Vacation Bible School. We made it a big production with lots of decorations and fun. Every year we shared with the children the Good News of God sending His Son into this world to be the Savior of all people. We told them how Jesus paid for our sin so that we would not have to do so ourselves. We did this through story time, crafts, games, experiment stations, snacks and music. It was a joy to hear all those happy and excited voices in our building. And yes, it was always tiring as well.

In spite of my exhaustion, I would not hesitate to be part of those events again. I have always been a strong proponent of sharing the Good News of Jesus with our young people. It is crucial. And we do that not just in “big” events like Youth Gatherings and Vacation Bible School. Our congregations are constantly trying to share this Good News every week in Children’s Church and Sunday School and Midweek Classes. We share resources for parents to use at home to educate their children throughout the week.

A phrase that has been floating around the internet and social media the last few years is “If we don’t teach our children to follow Christ, the world will teach them not to.” That is worth serious contemplation. Many parents who were raised in Church and Sunday School have made those things a low priority for their children. It is not a case of not believing in Jesus, but that other things demand their time and attention. Sunday morning is used as “time off” for recovery rather than a time to gather with other believers for worship and praise. Satan convinces people that it is okay to just stay home. It is a clever ploy our old evil foe uses to lead people away the importance of putting Jesus first.

Here are a few of the Scripture passages that speak to the importance of teaching the faith to our children.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Matthew 19:13–14 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

This is the responsibility of all followers of Jesus. If your children are grown or you have no children of your own, you can still be a part of sharing Jesus with the next generation. All of you can volunteer in the children’s ministry of your congregation. It doesn’t have to be as a “teacher,” but it could be. Those who help behind the scenes are also needed. Maybe you can help prepare classrooms and make sure all the necessary supplies are available. Offer transportation for those who have trouble getting their children to Sunday School. Encourage parents in their efforts to raise godly children. God will bless you as you do this loving work.

What can you do to make sure that future generations hear and know and understand God’s love for them in Christ? Don’t delay. Do it today.

Real religion is a way of life, not a white cloak to be wrapped around us on the Sabbath and then cast aside into the six-day closet of unconcern.
 – William Arthur Ward

At a recent Pastor’s conference I attended we were discussing this issue. It seems a lot of folks have the ability to check in and out of “Christian” mode based on where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing.

We need to fight against the idea that being “God-fearing” one day a week makes up for the way we live the rest of the week. It is true that we have a covering that makes us clean or white in God’s sight, but that covering is not what we do. The covering we have is the righteous acts of Jesus, and that is ours every day.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1

These who are clothed in white robes, who are they, and from where have they come? … These are the ones who … have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:13-14

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ   Romans 13:14

 Knowing we have this covering fills our hearts with gratitude. We are acceptable in God’s sight for Jesus’ sake. Having this covering, we need to make use of it every day.

Some see this covering as a license to sin, since they will be forgiven for Jesus’ sake. That is wrong headed. Jesus, the one who gives us this covering, is also the one who said, “Go and sin no more.”  Instead, we ought to view the righteous covering Jesus provides as our motivation to live for Him each and every day. Because He loved me enough to pay for my sin and give me eternal life as a gift, I want to do what is pleasing in His sight to show my gratitude.

Let’s all wear the title “Christian” proudly, letting others see our Savior in our lives and actions.

Jack was praying to God, confessing his sins and asking to be forgiven for Jesus’ sake. As he was praying, he remembered a man named Frank who had wronged him.  Frank was a member of the same church Jack attended. Jack figured that Frank would also talk to God and confess his sins, so it occurred to him to ask God a question. Jack said, “God, I know that Frank prays to you every day and confesses his sins. I was wondering, God, can you tell me what he told you?” Jack was thinking it might be good to have some ammunition to use against Frank if he needed it. God said, “Let me get back to you on that tomorrow.”

The next day Jack was praying again and asked God, “Remember what I asked you yesterday? Did Frank confess his sins to you?”  God said, “Yes, he did.”  Jack asked, “Can you tell me what Frank’s sins are?” And do you know what God said? “I don’t remember.”

That is what God says about the sin of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. “I don’t remember.” We know that Jesus paid for sins so that we would not have to. That’s the reason He came into this world. The author of the letter to the Hebrews was making this point when he quoted a passage from the prophet Jeremiah: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) God says that to all those who believe that Jesus took our place in punishment.

We rejoice in the knowledge that we have this forgiveness. It enables us to live with confidence. We would do well to share it with others. We like knowing that God does not remember our sins, but we do not forget what others have done to us. We admonish each other to “forgive and forget,” yet we know it is just about impossible to do so.

No doubt you have heard, “To err is human, to forgive divine.” Many think this is from Scripture, but it was actually written by Alexander Pope in “An Essay on Criticism.” The point is valid. An attribute of our fallen human nature is to err. We all do this daily. But when Jesus came to earth and became a true human being, he was able to live without sin. He did this to accomplish forgiveness for everyone. When we forgive others, that is a reflection of what God has done for us in Christ.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness for Jesus’ sake will share that forgiveness with others. And may God enable us to imitate His divine forgetfulness so that we say of the sins we have forgiven, “I don’t remember.”

Yesterday Cheryl and I met with an area Funeral Home and finished the arrangements for when we die. We have talked about doing this for some time, and now it is done. Basically, we each purchased an insurance policy that will cover all the expenses of our choices. We have removed the burden of planning and paying from our children, which was our intention.

In case you are wondering, as far as we know, our deaths are not imminent. There is no diagnosis or disease that prompted us to take this action. We simply knew what we wanted to have happen and made the arrangements ourselves so that others would not have to do so.

We talked about all of this openly. We know we are going to die from this life. We also know that we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. So we used that knowledge and faith as we took this action.

Something else we did was update all the plans for our memorial services. During my ministry, I had a form entitled “A Help and Guidance in the Event of My Death” that I encouraged members to complete. Many congregations have something like this. You can fill out if you have made arrangements with a funeral home and cemetery, if you wish to donate organs, the location of your will, and other practical things like that. It also allows you to express where you would like to have your service held, who the pastor should be, Scripture readings, hymn/song selections, and memorial recipients. I encouraged people to fill it out, give a copy to the church, and copies to their families. Again, this is a loving thing that will ease preparations for those who are grieving.

While our departure from this life does not appear to be imminent, it is certain. We know that and accept it. Neither one of us wants to stay in this sinful world forever. We echo the sentiment of St. Paul:  we “desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far…” Philippians 1:23. Because Jesus paid for our sin with His death, and defeated death for us by His resurrection, we will be with Him. We live with that conviction.

The Psalmist also addresses this topic.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

By God’s grace, we have been given the wisdom that knows He is our Lord and Savior. We know our eternal life had begun and will get even better once we leave this world. But while we are still here, we intend to make the most of the time we have, enjoying His creation and trying to be a light that shows Jesus to others.

We try to have this attitude daily:

Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Something my wife and I say on a daily basis is “I love you!” It happens many times every day. Often times as we are driving somewhere, Cheryl will say, “You know what?” and I will dutifully ask “What?” She will then reply, “I love you.”

Once we were on vacation. We had spent a few days in Savannah, Georgia and were making the drive up to Charleston, South Carolina. As we were taking in the sights, she asked, “You know what?” I thought I was one step ahead of her so I replied, “You love me?” to which she quickly said, “No, that’s not it.” That was not what I was expecting to hear! And that was not what she meant, either. She quickly said that she did indeed love me but that she was trying to tell me something else at that particular moment.

More important than simply saying those words to each other is the expression of that love. Love is not merely a feeling or something you talk about. Love is what you do. It is good to verbalize, but it is even more important to live. In marriage, love is shown in many ways. An act of tenderness. Doing a chore you don’t like to do because you know your spouse hates doing it, too. A hug and a kiss. Putting the needs of the other person ahead of your own. Spending time together. Being understanding. Not demanding your own way.

Love is an action. That is true whether you are talking about a marriage or a friendship or how we should treat other people in general. It is also what God has done for us. In 1 John 4 we read the words “God is love.” The one who made us did not simply say those words. It is who He is and what He does.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)

The sacrificial love of Jesus paid the penalty for your sins so that you could have eternal life. He gave Himself to death so that you would not have to die eternally. He put your need, the need forgiveness, ahead of everything else in His life. He loved you.

The One who is love desires you to follow His example. He said, “Love each other as I have loved you”  (John 15:12). Let’s try to do that.