Month: January 2025

“If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” – Ecclesiastes 11:4

I have long wanted to write a novel. I started my first one when I was in college and am on chapter eighteen of my current one (been on chapter 18 for a long time now). I kid Elaine because she has started quite a few crocheting projects. Most of them remain the size of doilies. (maybe they are doilies, but I don’t think so). Sometimes people make bucket lists to try to do certain things they wish they had done earlier in their lives and often times they are things that they have always put off until tomorrow.

The dictionary defines procrastination as, “to delay or put off something until a later date, especially intentionally or habitually.”  When I was in school my teacher said that because  of my procrastination I wouldn’t amount to anything and I said, “just wait.” I guess I actually illustrated what she said!  

Many people make jokes about procrastination and as you can see, I make my share as well. But scripture tells us that it really isn’t any laughing matter. The above verse warns us that if we wait for “perfect conditions” to perform our tasks, we’ll never accomplish anything. There is a saying, “Hard work is often the easy work you do not do at the proper time” and that is so often true. Very few jobs that we put off get smaller, easier, or better. I often put off cleaning up the garage and I can tell you that no matter how long I wait, it is never better that I waited!

When we put things off, we put additional stress on ourselves about that task. Soon it seems as though the task is controlling us. It can reach the point of bondage and can even paralyze us. It is never far enough from our thoughts to truly escape it. We would think putting something off would put it behind us, but it is actually in front of us and we see it everywhere we go. Procrastination never simplifies our lives, but instead replaces our joy and peace with dread. Putting something off until tomorrow is like putting a piece of tape over the oil light on our dashboard- it doesn’t take away the problem, it just makes things worse in the long run.

A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The farmer who lived nearby came to investigate. “Hey, Willis,” he called out, “forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I’ll help you get the wagon up.”

“That’s mighty nice of you,” Willis answered, “But I don’t think Pa would like me to.”

“Aw, come on, son!” the farmer insisted.

“Well, okay,” the boy finally agreed. “But Pa won’t like it.”

After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. “I feel a lot better now, but I just know Pa is going to be real upset.”

“Don’t be foolish!” exclaimed the neighbor.

“By the way, where is he?”

“Under the wagon.”

Richard L. Evans once said, “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it” and as quickly as life passes, starting tasks at the end might not leave enough time to do them.

The best way to face a task we dread is to focus on the end result. How many times have we finally done something and said, “This is great. Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Probably almost every time we finally do a task! A good way to get started is to enlist God’s help. Second Timothy 1:7 reads “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness but of power, love, and self-discipline.” God wants us to do things as they need to be done. We like to think that our procrastination affects only us, but that is far from true. Seldom does our inaction affect just us and even a minutes thought will remind us of that. Hardly anything that affects us, affects only us.

God will reward our diligence in not setting aside things, especially spiritual things. Proverbs 13:4 says, “The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” In Proverbs (3:27-28) we are told, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow’ – when you now have it with you.” That is a pretty clear statement about procrastination. God doesn’t want us putting off doing good to others. When it comes to mind to call someone, send them a card, or visit them, we need to be quick to respond. Our timely response can make a world of difference in someone else’s life.

When we do the things we should do, when we should do them, we will feel the satisfaction we should feel, when we should feel it. What a shame to have to regret putting something off that we should have done earlier and because of that delay, delay the good feelings of getting it done. Accomplishing a task is a blessing in itself, so procrastinating is putting off our blessings to a later time, and why would we ever do that?

George Burns often told the story about how he wanted to insure his singing voice and he took a tape of his best song into the insurance company. The insurance agent listened to the tape, looked at him and said, “Mr. Burns, you should have come to us before you had the accident.” Some people kid that we should never do today what we can put off until tomorrow, but unfortunately that never quite works out for our benefit. I think this little poem illustrates most of our feelings.

Procrastination is my sin, it brings me naught but sorrow.
I know that I should stop it, in fact, I will…tomorrow.

Small tasks that we put off might not be too injurious, but spiritual ones can be. Let’s not put off those things we should do for God, thinking the task will get easier. If we want to read through the Bible, have a better prayer life, start witnessing more, today is a better day to start because tomorrow never comes until it is today. For me, I want to do more things for God and also get past chapter eighteen today. That would be a novel idea.

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

(This is a devotion I wrote a few years back while awaiting the birth of our eleventh grandchild. Since this is the end of the holiday season, I am regifting this devotion to you.)

Well, here it is 5:30 in the morning and I am sitting in solitude of McDonalds once again.  Elaine and I are waiting for an eleventh grandchild to make her way into the world and she is stubbornly remaining in safety of  the womb until arrival is absolutely necessary.   I can’t say that I blame her!  The deadline day was this morning and the doctors said that Laura (mom) could absolutely not go beyond this morning even if inducement was necessary.   Then last night a nurse called and said, “Oops, due to staffing issues we need to delay you one day.  See you on Thursday.”

Wow, have you ever been on a road trip and you are desperate for a rest stop and you notice there is one in two miles and you give your body that message and then you see the sign that says, “rest area closed.”  No matter how gently you try to tell your body there is no restroom in sight, your body does not take the news well.  Well, Laura is experiencing this feeling in triplicate.  Her body is rebelling against the sign that said, “Hospital closed for one day.  Check in then. Have a nice day. “

As we look at today’s verse we see that God has given us a remedy for delays and disappointments.  He doesn’t just say stop worrying like the mean PE teacher who tells his class to stop sweating after a two-mile run.  God gives us the means and the power by which we can stop worrying. 

First of all, He tells us to be square with Him.  We are certainly disappointed that the little bundle of sunshine is behind the clouds for an extra day, especially when we have spent the last few days with Laura walking in town, out of town, up trails, down trails, on beach, in the water, and every where you can imagine in an attempt to speed this little bundle into the world.  Baby has held on tenaciously to the walls of the womb and refused to make an appearance (probably has been hearing all the news in the world today), and the only thing that has happened is Elaine and I gave birth to a whole bunch of sore muscles.  I got in 19,000 steps just yesterday and I imagine Elaine got in more because her legs are shorter than mine.

But regardless of all we did, God had His own timetable and He instructs to not worry.  In fact, He tells us to be thankful for it.    Through the Apostle Paul He says that peace comes from sharing our desires with Him and thanking Him for answering before we even know the answer. Amy Carmichael, missionary to India wrote, “Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace…If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His will is.”  God’s will is that we trust Him and believe that he sees not only our own situation, but how this situation will affect hundreds of others.  We trust that God’s timetable is timely.

I don’t know why the hospital delayed the delivery by a day; they had their reasons, but so did God.  Who knows, maybe the doctor Laura would have gotten worked his way through medical school with crib sheets and the ability to see other’s test papers at long distance.  But I trust God and I trust that someday I might even know why we might be spending another day hiking into waterfalls on steep (beautiful but steep) trails. 

Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a storm that caught a vessel off a rocky coast and threatened to drive it and its passengers to destruction. In the midst of the terror, one daring man, contrary to orders, went to the deck, made a dangerous passage to the pilot house and saw the steerman, lashed fast at his post of holding the wheel unwaveringly, and inch by inch, turning the ship out, once more, to sea. The pilot saw the watcher and smiled.

Then, the daring passenger went below and gave out a note of cheer: “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well.”

Philippians tells us that the one who guards our hearts and minds is smiling.  We can be assured that “all is well.”

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

Forgiveness is one of the most profound acts of grace we can extend to others. It mirrors the heart of God, who forgave us completely and undeservedly through Christ. Yet, forgiving someone who has wronged us can often feel like one of the hardest things to do. We wrestle with pride, hurt, and the fear of being vulnerable again.

Jesus addressed this struggle directly when Peter asked how often we should forgive someone. His response—“seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22)—was not a numerical limit but a call to boundless forgiveness. Why? Because God’s forgiveness toward us is equally limitless. Every time we fall short, He remains faithful to forgive, inviting us into His grace anew.

hurt. When we forgive, we are not excusing wrongdoing or pretending it didn’tInstead, forgiveness is a decision to release resentment and trust God to bring justice in His perfect timing. It’s freeing ourselves from the chains of bitterness and allowing His peace to fill our hearts.

One powerful example of biblical forgiveness is Joseph forgiving his brothers in Genesis 45:1–15.   Joseph’s brothers had betrayed him by selling him into slavery out of jealousy. He endured years of hardship in Egypt, including slavery and imprisonment, before God elevated him to a position of power as Pharaoh’s second-in-command. When a famine struck the land, Joseph’s brothers unknowingly came to him in Egypt to buy food, not realizing he was the brother they had wronged.

Joseph had every reason to exact revenge. Instead, he chose forgiveness. In a deeply emotional moment, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, saying:  “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5)

Joseph recognized that God had used even the evil intentions of his brothers for a greater purpose—to save countless lives during the famine. He chose to see his circumstances through the lens of God’s sovereignty rather than through bitterness.

Joseph not only forgave his brothers but also provided for their needs and their families. His forgiveness restored their broken relationship and exemplified the grace and mercy of God.

This story reminds us that forgiveness often requires seeing beyond the offense to God’s greater plan. It encourages us to release resentment and trust that God can bring redemption even from the deepest pain.

We need to ask ourselves if there are any areas where unforgiveness may linger in our hearts. If so, offer those situations to Him, asking for the strength to forgive as He has forgiven you. Remember, forgiveness is not about the one who hurt you—it’s about your obedience to God and the freedom He wants for you. May our hearts reflect the  love and compassion that Jesus has toward us.

Ephesians 4:22-24

“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

This past Sunday I gave a sermon on the importance of authenticity in a Christian’s life.  There are many reasons why we should be authentic and to list them all would take a book. The one I spent the most time on was that it gives legitimacy to the gospel message.

As the New Year begins, it’s natural to reflect on resolutions and goals—dreams of becoming a better version of ourselves. Yet, how often do those resolutions fade as January gives way to February? True and lasting change can’t come from our own strength or efforts; it must come from within, through the transforming power of Christ.

The Apostle Paul calls us to “put off your old self” and to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.” This isn’t merely a self-improvement strategy; it’s a call to embrace the new life Christ has given us. The “old self” represents the sinful tendencies and excuses we cling to, like saying, “That’s just the way I am.” But true Christian authenticity doesn’t mean staying the same; it means letting God change us.

On the other hand, hiding behind a polished exterior—trying to appear perfect while concealing our struggles—is just as inauthentic. Jesus warned the Pharisees about this very behavior, calling them “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27). Authentic faith isn’t about perfection; it’s about letting God’s grace shine through our imperfections.

When we live authentically in Christ, three powerful things happen:

1. Authenticity Attracts

When we reflect Jesus’ humility, love, and self-sacrifice, others are drawn to Him through us. Desmond Doss was a conscientious objector during World War II. He refused to carry a weapon, but still played a major part as a medic in the battles that transpired. At one point as others retreated he stayed behind and took on enemy fire while saving 75 men over a 12 hour period. He dragged them to safety and would lower them down a cliff to his fellow soldiers below. His unwavering faith and heroic actions inspired his comrades, and led them to say, “I want what he has.” Do our actions lead others to say the same?

2. Authenticity Affirms

Living a transformed life silences accusations of hypocrisy. Lee Strobel, now a prolific Christian writer and speaker was once a skeptic of Christianity. He went to churches to disprove the Christian gospel. He had his hypocrisy radar going full blast. But he did not see what he expected. He was moved by the authenticity of many Christians and because of their actions he became one of the greatest advocates for the Christian faith. Doubters can be moved toward Christ when they see believers whose lives genuinely reflect the gospel.

3. Authenticity Aspires

Sharing our stories of transformation can inspire others because they see changes in our lives because of who Jesus Christ is in our lives. John Newton was a notorious slave trader before he gave his life to Christ.  When he wrote the beautiful hymn “Amazing Grace” it was a testimony that inspired others to believe that change is possible in their own lives. When people see how God has worked in us, they begin to believe that He can work in them, as well.

The New Year offers a chance to recommit to living as the “new you” in Christ. This authenticity isn’t about staying the same or hiding our flaws. It’s about becoming who God created us to be, through the renewing power of His Spirit.

Here is a prayer of authenticity that we can all  begin  the  new  year with.

Father, thank You for making us new creations in Christ. Help us to live authentically, reflecting Your grace and truth in our lives. May our authenticity draw others to You and inspire them to believe in Your transforming power. Renew us daily and guide us to live in Your likeness, with true righteousness and holiness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This was just a quick devotional summary of the sermon.  You can see the entire sermon here.