The House of Mourning

Here's a somewhat strange verse:

Ecclesiastes 7:2 "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting."

On its surface you would think "a place of feasting would be a place of joy and happiness while a place of mourning would be full of sadness and grief - why on earth would I go there?"

I had an unusual experience that sheds some light on this. Recently I found out that a colleague had contracted brain cancer. The man was an intellectual and far from God and far from even being open to hearing about sin and salvation through Jesus Christ.

I told the man's boss that he might become more open as his day of death approached. Sure enough, as the days on this earth grew short, the man suddenly not only became open but he received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

Now imagine that place where he will soon die. It will be a house of mourning, but in that mourning will be great joy because now instead of an uncertain future this man's family will know where he is going - to heaven.

Sometimes the house of feasting attempts to hide an inner need. Better to be in a place where there is honest appraisal of reality rather than a cover up.

Pastor Tom

You Can Take it With You

How many times have we heard that saying? Did you ever wonder where it came from?

It actually comes from the book of Ecclesiastes.

5:15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.

The world sometimes fools us into thinking that the toys we collect the money we sock away and the possessions that possess us will set us up for eternity. The ancient Egyptians believed this so much that the tombs of the Pharaohs are replete with supplies to help on the journey to the after life.

It's not true, of course. When we die we leave everything behind. Or do we? I would submit that the one thing we take with us is our relationships. God becomes the bridge to take us from this life into a place where we can enjoy not only our relationship with Him but with all those who love Him too.

It's just a small thought, but how much emphasis do we put on things that we will leave behind compared to time and energy on relationships that can last forever?

Pastor Tom

Attacking Sparrows

I used to work in a building where you walked up some steps to the front door. Each spring when you attempted to go in you would suddenly notice a flash of black go passed you, nearly knocking you off of your feet. For a while I ducked and ran, not knowing what in the world was attacking me.

My office happened to have a window that looked out over those front steps. One day I noticed other people doing the silly dance that I had done - trying to avoid the inevitable attack as they approached the front steps.

That's when I noticed the black flash going into a little hole in the side of the building. It was a sparrow. The bird was protecting its young from attack. We really weren't in any danger, but the speed of the bird's flight created a natural "fight or flight" response in us.

Verbal attacks are like that too. We're just going along and "bam!" - out of the blue someone says something meant to harm us, to weaken us, or to put us off. Like the sparrow attack, we respond with either fight or flight. We either push back with both barrels or we run away and cry. I'd like to propose another option:

Proverbs 26:2 "Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight."

After a while of ducking and running from those sparrows (yes, I did consider employing a baseball bat, but thought better of it), I just ended up ignoring them. I knew from experience and from watching that I was never in any real danger. They weren't going to actually run into me, so I just let them fly around me and I walked in at peace.

We can do the same with insults (or "curses" as the Proverb says). When someone hurls something at you like a fast moving sparrow - don't duck and run or swing back, just ignore them and go on your merry way.

It's the reaction the enemy is trying to get. So just don't give it to him. If Jesus has cleansed you then insults are no problem. Satan will accuse you, it doesn't mean you have to answer the charge.

Pastor Tom

What Makes You Happy?

"Whatever makes you happy." Have you ever heard that said to you before? It seems that we are a society obsessed with doing that which brings us pleasure. "If it feels good, do it!" is another mantra of today. The only problem is that reward of pleasure is often just an empty feeling until we fill ourselves again!

Take a look at this proverb:

Proverbs 21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

So how do you square this verse with the Psalms:

Psalms 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Are they two kinds of pleasure? Yes, I think so. In fact, the Hebrew words are very different. In Proverbs the word means "glee" from a root "to brighten up." Whereas in Psalms 16 "pleasure" means "to be agreeable."

See the difference? If we seek pleasure as a way to make us happy happy happy we will be empty empty empty. But if we seek the Lord and His presence, He will bring us the pleasure of His company and a fullness that cannot be measured.

Does this mean we should never be happy? No. My encouragement for us is to seek God first and count on His very agreeable pleasure, and let the happiness of this life be the transient thing it is.

Pastor Tom

Are You Correctable?

Proverbs 17:10 "A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool."

In my last post I talked about how the human nature is self protecting naturally. We justify our own ways and when questioned we become instantly defensive.

What would it be like if we carefully considered the constructive things other people give to us? When you listen to a Bible study, do you allow the Scriptures to speak rebuke to you? When a loving family member has a correction for you, what is your response? How about at work - do the changes your boss wants to make to your work hurt you?

Now I'm not saying that anything anyone says to you should be taken deep into your heart and acted on. But I think it is wise to allow the Lord to speak to your heart through others - ask Him how this word or this situation can make you more like him.

Pastor Tom

Words Words Words

Many times the last thing we pay attention to are the words that come out of our mouth. As human beings we are are reactionary almost by nature. If someone says something that hurts us or injures our pride we attack back using our mouths as sharp swords of destruction.

When it comes to the other side - getting what we want - we put ourselves in the best possible light, no matter what the truth is. In fact, recent scientific studies show that the human brain will self deceive in order to justify its actions. That's how we can have people like Adolf Hitler or Osama bin Laden who think their atrocities are actually a good thing.

I want us to consider some wisdom from the Proverbs:

Proverbs 12:16-20
The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult.
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
but a false witness utters deceit.
18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
but those who plan peace have joy. ESV

Notice the contrasts here: ignore an insult rather than instantly fight back with "vexation"; speak the truth and expect to hear the truth; use your words to bring healing rather than injury; you don't ever have to go back on the truth, but lies have no foundation in which to endure.

Finally, I love the end of verse 20. Let's plan peace with our neighbors, our friends, our family, our co-workers, and our enemies! Pray instead of parry!

Pastor Tom

'Fes Up!

Admit it now - sometime, somewhere you have done something stupid. Maybe you made a rash promise or done something dumb to someone else's stuff? I know I have. So what is your first reaction: damage control!

We don't like looking stupid, we don't like admitting mistakes, and we certainly don't like eating crow in front of other people. So instead we cover it up, we make excuses or we just bear up under the consequences. There is a better way.

Proverbs 6:1-3 "My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, 2 if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor."

In essence what this Proverb teaches us is to take responsibility for the dumb things we do and actually go and talk with the people we hurt. You might look dumb but I tell you, your honesty will speak a lot louder for the Lord than your pride.

Pastor Tom

Before Sinning - Hesitate

Have you ever noticed that when temptation comes it demands to be acted on quickly? I know sometimes the temptation grows slowly over time, especially when you start to give ear to it, but often temptation wants us to jump on an opportunity - essentially to act before we can think.

There is an interesting saying in Proverbs 1:15-16 "My son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood."

We have a policy in our house never to agree to send money to someone calling over the phone. No matter how wonderful the opportunity or cause, we ask them to send something to us in the mail or by email. Why is that? Because in the moment it is often hard to make a reasoned decision. We want time to pray, and time to consider how are action will affect our budget.

That's good advice when it comes to temptation. Make a pact with yourself that when temptation calls for you to run, you'll walk, and think, and pray first. What might seem good in the emotion of the moment can have long term negative consequences.

Pastor Tom

Want to Feel Good?

I'm not suggesting running for ten miles, having a second (or third) latte, renting a comedy, or something like that. I have another suggestion as a "feel good" formula: praise.

Psalms 147:1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. ESV

I love the three words used to describe the act of singing to the Lord: good, pleasant, and fitting.

It's good - it focuses us on the Lord, not our problems, and since God is good and has His good focused on us, it is also our good. It is pleasant. This is the Hebrew word for "delightful" or "sweet." It makes me think of sitting on a shaded porch with an ice cold glass of lemonade on a summer day with a good friend. Thirdly it is "fitting." The root word means "to be at home." When we are praising God we are at home, in the place that feels right; fits right.

So for today's feel good tip: lift up a song of praise to the Lord!

Pastor Tom