I went out to cut the grass last week, and my electric lawnmower was non-functional. I researched my records and found that I bought it in April 2014 – 7 years ago. So it did well. I went to Lowe’s and bought a replacement for about what I paid for the first one – except the new one has better batteries and is self-propelled, a feature I can use or not as I choose.

Thanks to God for companies that make and continue to improve useful products and for stores that sell them and have them in stock. Thanks also that I have the money to buy a new lawnmower, and the strength to use it.

While I was cutting grass I was re-listening to a book on Audible: The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our LivesToday by Timothy M. Gallagher. In chapter 3 he writes about what Ignatius of Loyala said about gratitude:

In one of his letters Ignatius explains more at length his thought regarding gratitude. In speaking of what is for him the almost unendurable thought of ingratitude, Ignatius energetically describes—both by negation and by affirmation—the unique power of gratitude in our relationship with God and with each other. He writes:

May the highest grace and the everlasting love of Christ our Lord be our never-failing protection and help. It seems to me, in the light of the divine Goodness, though others may think differently, that ingratitude is one of the things most worthy of detestation before our Creator and Lord, and before all creatures capable of his divine and everlasting glory, out of all the evils and sins which can be imagined. For it is a failure to recognize the good things, the graces, and the gifts received. As such, it is the cause, beginning, and origin of all evils and sins. On the contrary, recognition and gratitude for the good things and gifts received is greatly loved and esteemed both in heaven and on earth.

It would be difficult to express more strongly a sense of the incomparable value of gratitude. – From The Examen Prayer by Timothy Gallagher

The Apostle Paul would agree:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1.18 – 21, ESV, emphasis mine)

The spiral into sin from there is ugly: see Romans 1.18 – 32.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5.18, ESV)

My son David, a huge sports fan, and also living in Atlanta, is always on the lookout for life lessons from sports. He sent me this story, which happened while I was in Spring Canyon and mostly out of touch with the outside world.

It’s about the NBA Eastern Conference final between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks. The ESPN account of game 4, played on June 29, included these snippets:

ATLANTA — When Hawks superstar Trae Young was ruled out 45 minutes before the start of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, it seemed like the end of Atlanta’s hopes of reaching the NBA Finals.

…[Atlanta won the game] by sticking to McMillan’s game plan — namely that no one try to replace Young’s production on his own.

The Hawks took the strategy to heart. Four of the five starters scored in the opening three minutes of the game, forcing the Bucks to call a quick timeout and setting a tone Atlanta would carry throughout.

“I mean, it starts off, you start the game and everyone touches the ball,” Huerter said. “The ball moves side to side. You want everybody to find a rhythm. We don’t need people in transition, pulling up from the logo and offensively going one-on-one the way Trae can. It’s really not anybody [else’s] game on this team. So, we didn’t need people to play like that.

“That message was well-received. Like I said, you start the game off and all five guys score before they have to call a timeout. That really set the tone for the rest of the game, and it wasn’t something that we got away from.” – ESPN

Bucks went on to win the series anyway, but for one game, the Hawks played team ball and won by a large margin, 110 – 88, without their superstar.

As documented by Rodney Stark in The Rise of Christianity and mentioned by Matthew Kelly in The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity, Christianity spread, not mostly by big events but by ordinary people living out the gospel wherever they were. The church at Antioch was founded by unknown laypeople:

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. (Acts 11.19 – 22, ESV)

In Nehemiah 3 we have a list of ordinary and diverse people rebuilding the wall, none of whom were professional wall-builders. Amos the prophet, who wrote a whole book of the Bible was a layman by his own admission:

Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7.14, 15, ESV)

The LORD wants everyone participating – not just watching.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.1, 2, NIV)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry… (Ephesians 4.11, 12, ESV)

I am always stunned when I read about Josiah, one of the last kings of Judah. Things had been going downhill for a long time, and shortly they will be taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years…He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the temple of the LORD. He said: “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him get ready the money that has been brought into the temple of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. Have them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And have these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the LORD—the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also have them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.” Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan, who read it…Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. (2 Kings 22.1 – 11, NIV, emphasis mine)

How do you lose the Book of the Law? The book containing these clear instructions to future kings:

And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. (Deuteronomy 17.18 – 20, ESV)

The prophet Zephaniah speaks to the issue:

The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah…in the days of Josiah…, king of Judah…At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, “The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.” (Zephaniah 1.1, 12, ESV)

Complacency! Most of us wouldn’t say, “Quit bugging us about reading the Bible and spending time with God! I’m not going to do that. It’s silly.” We don’t say that, but we might as well, judging by the way we act. No intentionality. No urgency.

³²  Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
³³  Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
³⁴  Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
³⁵  For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD.
³⁶  But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death. (Proverbs 8.32 – 36, NIV)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4.4, NIV)

I mentioned yesterday that last week I spoke six times to the young staff of Spring Canyon, along with a few guests.

Something unusual happened after the Tuesday morning presentation. I was approached afterward by two different people, and this is approximately what they said:

I really appreciate what you said this morning about a balance between work and rest. I’ve been wrestling with the idea of “God-rest” – I tend to want to work all the time. – Female college student, summer Spring Canyon staff

I really needed this talk. I’m a workaholic by nature, and around here there’s always something to be done. You gave me permission to rest. – 45-year-old male, permanent Spring Canyon staff

What’s weird is that they both heard me say something about the importance of rest, and NOTHING in my talk came anywhere close to that! I was talking about the importance of work – something I write about often in the Ewellogy, for example, May 14, 2021.

I told them that they had better pay attention because they weren’t hearing from me, they were hearing from God!

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30.21, ESV)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16.13 – 14, ESV)

Last week I had the privilege of teaching mostly the young staff of the Spring Canyon Conference Center, operated by Officers’ Christian Fellowship. It was fun talking with young people! These were high school and college-age men and women I pray will get the vision for following Jesus and helping others do the same.

As I was preparing for our last session in which I was using the whiteboard to record their applications to the week’s teaching, I found what I always do in the tray of a whiteboard: an empty marker! I saved it and challenged them:

Do you all know the difference between using a whiteboard with markers and using a blackboard with chalk? Let me help you… If I have a blackboard with five pieces of chalk, how many pieces of chalk do I have? Right – five. If I have a whiteboard with five markers, how many markers do I have? Answer? We don’t know! [I held up two red markers] What’s the difference between these two red markers? We can’t tell by looking, but one of them is stone empty and should have been thrown away. [I threw it across the room.] Don’t be an empty marker!

Right after I said that, the sound man came running up to me and said that the batteries in my mike had gone dead. A perfect follow-on illustration that the kids got instantly:

Don’t be an empty battery either!

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: “The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.'” (Revelation 3.1, ESV)

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7.21, ESV)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (John 15.5, 6, NIV)

John Ed Matthison’s piece on giving, not getting, that I mentioned last week, reminded me of another application, contrasting the Sea of Galilee with the Dead Sea.

I, too, have been to the Sea of Galilee, and there’s something striking as you approach it. Everyone knows that the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, about 1300 feet below sea level. Not everyone knows that the Sea of Galilee is also below sea level – about 600 feet – and there is a sign to that effect as you approach it.

So why is the Sea of Galilee throbbing with life while the Dead Sea is, well, dead? Simple, with the Sea of Galilee, water comes in, water goes out. What’s the lesson?

Give me more revelation so that I can live for you,
    for nothing is more pure and eternal than your truth. (Psalm 119.144, TPT)

The purpose of Bible study is that we can live for God, not that we become smarter or “Bible scholars” or “theologians.” We have to live it out – put another way, the living water of the Word has to flow through us in order to change us and refresh those around us. If we just “study” but don’t put it into practice, we can be smart but we will be dead. Or, as one writer said, “Those people are right. Dead. Right.”

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1.22, ESV)

How easily we get puffed up over our opinions! But love builds up the structure of our new life. If anyone thinks of himself as a know-it-all, he still has a lot to learn. But if a person passionately loves God, he will possess the knowledge of God. (1 Corinthians 8.1 – 3, TPT)

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men’s advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. (Psalm 1.1, 2, Living Bible)

My friend Mike Schmid, Navigator staff with NavMilitary and former B-52 pilot, said this at a workshop presentation we shared on disciple-making:

I like things simple. I’m a B-52 pilot: you pull up on the yoke, and the buildings get smaller. You push down on the yoke, and the buildings get larger. You push the little red button, and the buildings go away!

Mike has been battling cancer for about a year now, and via his CaringBridge site he reports his progress and asks for prayer as he goes through chemo.

Mike never complains. I present without further comment his latest newsletter, sent June 24, 2021:

“God has made me fruitful in the land of my sufferings.” – Gen 41:52.

We may be experiencing showers of sufferings and even a deluge of difficulties, but God can bring from it the flowering fruitfulness of transformed character in our lives by His Holy Spirit.  Springing up beneath the pounding rain of hardships are spiritual flowers and the fruit of the Spirit.  They are more beautiful and fragrant than those that ever grew before in our storm-less and suffering-free lives.

No, it is not raining afflictions on us, God is raining into our lives new tenderness, love, compassion, patience and a thousand other flowers and fruits of His Holy Spirit, transforming us into greater Christ-likeness.

This season of the showers of suffering can bring to your life and mine a spiritual enrichment that all the ease of this world could never produce in us.  It can produce in our lives a fruitfulness even in the “land of our sufferings” as we surrender to and trust in Christ Jesus.  Join me, as you may be suffering showers in your life,  in choosing to trust God to bring an abundant flowering of spiritual fruitfulness in and through our lives.

Thanks so much for the blessing of your love, your encouragement and prayers for both Lorelei and me during this season in our lives.  

Rejoicing in the Resurrection, 

Michael and Lorelei

It’s the 4th of July, and we need to pause and give thanks for a country that really is trying to “provide liberty and justice for all.”

Of late, some of us seem to have trouble celebrating America because we can’t get past the flaws. Columnist Peggy Noonan, writing in the Wall Street Journal, quoted Bill Maher on perspective. Here’s a bit of what Bill said:

If you think that America is more racist now than ever, more sexist than before women could vote, you have progressophobia. Look at the changes America has made…Even something like bullying. It still happens, but being outwardly cruel to people who are different is no longer acceptable. That’s progress. Acknowledging progress isn’t saying, “We’re done,” or, “We don’t need more.” And being gloomier doesn’t mean you’re a better person…Saying white power and privilege is at an all-time high is just ridiculous. Higher than a century ago, the year of the Tulsa race massacre? Higher than when the KKK rode unchecked and Jim Crow unchallenged? …Racism is unfortunately still with us and its legacy of injustice lingers. I understand best I can how racism singes a person’s soul so much they might see it everywhere. But seeing clearly is necessary for actually fixing problems, and clearly racism is no longer everywhere. It’s not in my home, and it’s probably not in yours if I read my audience right, and I think I do. For most of the country the most unhip thing you could ever be today is a racist. – Bill Maher, quoted by Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal, June 19, 2021

Last January, I quoted Rodney Stevens, a black writer and life coach born and raised in South Carolina, where he still lives:

Racism still ex­ists but it is no longer sys­temic. Those who claim that racism is every­where to­day are delu­sional. – Rodney Stevens, Wall Street Journal, December 28, 2020

We won’t be done this side of the Second Coming, but can we work for change AND celebrate?

Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass…After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” (Joshua 21.43 – 45…Judges 1.1, ESV, in the land…but not finished.)

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2.1, 2, ESV, emphasis mine)

This is the last of our series on the desired characteristics of believers in Ephesians 4, especially those involving putting off and putting on:

• Don’t lie – speak truth (verse 25)
• Don’t steal – give (verse 28)
• Don’t be hurtful – encourage (verse 29)
• Don’t be bitter – be kind (verses 31, 32)

Today, let’s think about verses 31 and 32:

Lay aside bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, profanity, and insults. But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love. (Ephesians 4.31, 32, TPT)

Verse 31 seems to continue yesterday’s theme of how not to talk. “Bitter words” as TPT has it comes from “bitterness,” which literally means “poison.” My Navigator hero Skip Gray likes to say:

Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other guy to die.

And the text gives us an alternative to bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, etc.: be kind.

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. (Hebrews 12.14, 15, ESV)

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13.1, 2, ESV)

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Philippians 2.1 – 4, MSG)

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” (Romans 15.1, 2, MSG)

We’re working through some of the desired characteristics of believers in Ephesians 4, especially those involving putting off and putting on:

• Don’t lie – speak truth (verse 25)
• Don’t steal – give (verse 28)
• Don’t be hurtful – encourage (verse 29)
• Don’t be bitter – be kind (verses 31, 32)

Today, let’s think about verse 29:

And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them. (Ephesians 4.29, TPT)

As I’ve written before (and often!), this trait is sadly lacking in our current culture where outrage has become “America’s most popular indoor sport.” Believers should be setting the pace in encouraging communication both in-person and online.

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night… (Philippians 2.14, 15, MSG)

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”),… (Acts 4.36, NIV. There’s power in encouragement. Barnabas parted ways with Paul in order to encourage his nephew, John Mark, to get back into the game (see Acts 15.36 – 41). Later, Mark was useful to Paul as well (see 2 Timothy 4.11) and left us one of the four gospels.)