Chris Howlett

The Extra Mile

“There’s no traffic jam on the extra mile.” – Anonymous

Christians have been observing Holy Week for hundreds of years. We memorialize Jesus’ journey to the cross and his resurrection. We set this time aside for focused devotion to God, remembering his acts of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This Holy Week, in addition to the sense of repentance that we feel in light of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we may want to take it a step deeper. As we examine our lives, we realize we have plenty of sin of which to repent. We need to do this, but what if we turn our penance positive?

Roman law demanded Jews to carry the pack of a soldier for one mile. Jesus, like so many other things, ups the ante, so to speak. He encouraged his fellow Jews to not resist a Roman soldier, but carry his pack an additional mile. How this must have irked some of his more revolutionary-minded followers!

God first loved us, so we love others. Some contemporaries of Jesus hearing this for the first time must have thought he was a bit mad. But this is exactly the kind of selfless ethic the King who came to serve taught. Go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, love your enemy, judge not, take up your cross daily, etc.

This Holy Week, let’s follow Jesus’ lead and live lives of holy love, serving people God brings into our path so they see Jesus in us.

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Photo by Lukas Hartmann: Pexels

Bible Reading 102

Recently I published a video on the Flourishing Life YouTube Channel titled Bible Reading 101. That video was intended to help you jumpstart or reboot a daily Bible reading habit. The outline of that advice is: Make a Plan, Share your Plan, Work Your Plan. Few habits in life stick if you don’t have a plan. It’s also important to remember that starting a new habit is like riding a bike, if you fall off the bike, jump right back on. Think of reading the Bible like eating, you’re taking in spiritual nourishment from God’s Word. If you skipped a meal, you wouldn’t quit eating, would you? No. So, if you miss a day or two in reading the Bible, jump back in, you’ll be glad you did!

In this post I want to offer some practical advice about getting the most from your Bible reading, especially if you’re new to this.

First, you want to pick a translation. The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, so, if you’re a normal English speaker, you’ll want a good English translation. You’ll want one you both understand and enjoy reading. No translation is perfect, but for devotional Bible reading it’s best to pick one and stick with it. For in-depth Bible Study, it’s good to consult multiple translations.

Here’s a list of a few of the most popular English Translations:

The King James Version (KJV) is a beautiful translation and probably most influential document in English on the English language. However, it’s quite challenging for twenty-first century readers. Also, advances in the quality and numbers of Biblical texts and translation practice, make modern translations a better choice.

The English Standard Version (ESV) is my go-to translation. It’s written on about a tenth grade reading level and maintains much of the poetic language of the KJV. It’s actually the updated Revised Standard Version which is in the KJV family of translations.

The New International Version (NIV) is the most popular English translation. It’s written on the seventh grade reading level, so is accessible to more people. It is a solid, easy to read, good translation.

The New Living Translation (NLT) is an update of the Living Bible, which was a paraphrase. It’s an easy to read, highly dynamic translation that’s close to a paraphrase and is written on the sixth-grade reading level.

The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) is an update and re-branding of the Holman Christian Standard Version. I find it to be a good, easy-to-read, reliable translation that’s written on the seventh-grade reading level.

The Common English Bible (CEB) is a very dynamic, newer translation. It’s written on the seventh-grade reading level. I really like this one and the choices they’ve made to make it closer to the vernacular of the time. Not sure, however, how well it will age. Perhaps they’ll keep updating it, like other translations.

The Message is a paraphrase by the late Eugene Peterson. It is an excellent paraphrase. It’s written on about the fourth to fifth-grade level. Peterson was gifted at getting to the meaning of the text and communicating it in an approachable manner. Because it’s a paraphrase, I wouldn’t use it as my primary text, but it’s a wonderful tool for devotional purposes.

There are many more translations, but you won’t go wrong with any of the above. Pick one and stick with it as it will be helpful for scripture memorization and also getting a consistent feel for the whole story of God.

One of the reasons people fail to maintain a daily Bible reading habit is that the text can be so foreign to our ways of communicating and thinking today. There’s a wide gulf of time and a significant cultural gap between us and the Ancient Near Eastern world, where the Bible was written. When I was just starting out, and even today, I found a study bible to be a helpful tool. Study bibles contain notes that accompany the text to tease out meanings and offer contextual background, assisting you to understand what’s written and apply it to your life. If you understand what you’re reading, you’re much more likely to stick with it. So, below I’ve listed a few study bibles for your consideration.

The NIV Study Bible. I cut my teeth on the original version. It was a gift from my Dad when I showed a greater interest in discipleship and reading God’s Word. The current NIV Study Bible is an updated version and is probably the most popular study bible ever produced. It’s an excellent resource. It has amazing charts, maps, and illustrations in addition to it’s thorough study notes.

The ESV Study Bible is also excellent. From my perspective the notes seem to be a little more in-depth or scholarly, but it’s still very, very approachable for anyone just starting out reading the Bible. Like the NIV, it has maps, illustrations, etc. that are all helpful.

The Spirit-filled Life Study Bible (3^rd Edition)  shares the Charismatic/Pentecostal perspective. A favorite Bible teacher of mine, Jack Hayford, is the editor. I find it’s notes, etc. to be encouraging, informative, and uplifting.

The Life Application Study Bible (3^rd Edition) is just that, it supplies application notes more than information notes. It’s another wonderful resource for the growing Christian.

Like the translations above, you’ll not go wrong with any of these study bibles. I highly recommend any of them if you want to understand the Bible and apply it’s truths to your everyday life, which is the goal of devotional Bible reading. You can find these on Amazon, Christianbook.com or on their publisher websites which you can find by searching in an internet search engine.

Another couple of great resources online are BibleProject.com and BibleGateway.com. BibleProject produces videos and classes and a bunch of different resources that help you understand the story of the Bible. I can’t recommend it highly enough. All their resources are free. They also have a great YouTube Channel. BibleGateway is a terrific website with dozens of English translations, commentaries, and study bibles. To get the most out of it, you’ll want to subscribe to their premium service.

Many of these resources are modern, available on the internet or electronically. You can obviously purchase the physical Bibles, as well. But, I want to share with you something a bit older, but still applicable today:

John Wesley’s Advice for Reading the Bible:

Although Wesley was widely read in both theological and secular sources, he claimed to be homo unius libri, “a man of one book.” He even called himself a Bible Bigot.

In his preface to his Explanatory Notes on the Old Testament he shared seven guidelines for daily, personal, Bible reading. These are as useful today as they were in 1765 when he first wrote them:

To grow in the love of God and Christian maturity:

1. Set apart a little time, if you can, every morning and evening for that purpose

2. At each time if you have leisure, to read a chapter out of the Old, and one out of the New Testament: is you cannot do this, to take a single chapter, or a part of one 

3. To read this with a single eye, to know the whole will of God, and a fixt resolution to do it In order to know his will, you should, 

4. Have a constant eye to the analogy of faith; the connexion and harmony there is between those grand, fundamental doctrines, Original Sin, Justification by Faith, the New Birth, Inward and Outward Holiness. 

5. Serious and earnest prayer should be constantly used, before we consult the oracles of God, seeing "scripture can only be understood thro' the same Spirit whereby "it was given." Our reading should likewise be closed with prayer, that what we read may be written on our hearts. 

6. It might also be of use, if while we read, we were frequently to pause, and examine ourselves by what we read, both with regard to our hearts, and lives. This would furnish us with matter of praise, where we found God had enabled us to conform to his blessed will, and matter of humiliation and prayer, where we were conscious of having fallen short. 

(7.) And whatever light you then receive, should be used to the uttermost, and that i mmediately. Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute the first moment you can. So shall you find this word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation.

We who live in the twenty-first century are blessed to have the resources we have to help us read, comprehend, and apply God’s Word. God revealed himself through the Scripture. He also revealed who we are and what we need for salvation. If you’re a Christian and want to grow closer to God, read his Word. If you’re a seeker and want to learn more about God, read his Word. You’ll be glad and blessed.

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Link to Video: https://youtu.be/jKC5fN6hFlM

Positive Change in the New Year

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better person.” – Benjamin Franklin

What changed Saturday night? The day moved from Saturday to Sunday, the month from December to January, the year from 2022 to 2023. The date changed. This calendar change is different, however. With the New Year we experience a sense of hope, of new beginnings, and new possibilities. We’d like to think something significant might change.

The Christian faith is about change. We’re called to repent, turn to God, and believe the Good News. When we commit our lives to Christ it’s a huge change. This change ushers in more change as the Holy Spirit transforms us. The Apostle Paul wrote: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18 NIV). Just like any New Year’s resolution, the transformation we call discipleship requires effort on our part as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

What does God want to change in you this year? What vices or bad habits is he calling you to leave behind? What life-giving habits is he calling you to jump start? What kind of impact does God want you to make? God’s love transforms when we’re open to him. What’s going to change this year? You can!

**For help jumpstarting the habit of daily Bible Reading, check out this video.

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Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

Stillness and Sabbath

“I have discovered that all human evil comes from this, man's being unable to sit still in a room.” – Blaise Pascal

Most people stay surrounded by and involved in busyness and noise. They feel they must stay busy in order to maintain a sense of usefulness and normalcy. They need to keep at it, keep going a hundred miles-per-hour so at the end of the day they feel they’ve accomplished something worthwhile.

We need sabbath. We need stillness. We need time to reflect and dream. There are few things more tragic than to spend a lifetime climbing the ladder of security, success, and significance only to find the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. We need time for solitude, silence, and prayer to ensure our activities align with God’s design and desires for us.

Who does God want you to be? What does he want you to do? What’s his plan and how do you fit into it? These questions can’t be answered in the midst of busyness. If you’re too busy to sit still and listen to God, then you’re too busy. You might want to learn a new word, “No.” Sometimes you’re called on to say “No” to the good, so you can say “Yes” to the best. God always has the best in mind for you.

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Stop. Be still. Listen. God is with you. He wants to speak into your life. You need to be ready to listen and obey.

Make Me the Person My Dog Thinks I Am

“God, make me the person my dog already thinks I am.” – Meme

Dogs are great! Everyone who owns a dog loves coming home after a long day to be greeted by this tail-wagging bundle of fur. Dogs excitedly welcome us! They think we’re awesome because we feed them, play with them, and provide shelter. Dogs offer unconditional love.

Some anthropologists believe domesticated dogs played a key roll in the origins of civilization by their usefulness in herding livestock. I doubt you could prove such a theory, but there’s no doubt we develop deep bonds with our canine companions. They also offer health benefits: they lower our blood pressure, decrease stress, and elevate psychological well-being. Who doesn’t love a dog? (Well, maybe the mailman, but that’s a story for a different day!).

Dogs think the best of us. How can I live up to my dog’s opinion of me? Here’s an animal that thinks I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Am I? Am I loyal? Am I caring? Am I compassionate? Am I worth the effusive praise my dog heaps upon me? Probably not. Yet, here he is, so happy to see me!

Try to live up to the hype. Be more caring, more compassionate, more faithful. Who knows? Perhaps God's using your dog to help you become a better version of yourself.

Grant Me Serenity

Times are tough. The news is filled with more problems that surpass our capacity to cope. People are losing faith. 

What’s a person to do? Some give up and lead lives of “quiet desperation.” Others allow anger to fill their heart and soul. Others compromise their values for the sake of getting along. None of these is the right course of action. Then, what is?

In times like these, and really, any time, you need a heart of love, peace, and wisdom, none of which can be manufactured. They must be received. I’ve found the Serenity Prayer to be particularly helpful. You may be familiar with it. The prayer is utilized in Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-Step programs. What many don’t realize is there’s a longer, original version written in 1932 by Reinhold Niebuhr, an influential American theologian. His original follows:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.

This prayer has helped me experience hope. God’s in control. I’m not. Serenity. Courage. Wisdom. These are in short supply but God's grace can provide all three. Yes, there are things out of your control. You need serenity. There are things in your control. You need courage and strength. Discerning what is in and out of your control requires wisdom. God loves you. If you'll turn to him, he will grant you all three.

Choosing Life

“The greatest gift we have is the gift of life.” – Mike Ditka

The earliest Christians were champions of life. Exposure and infanticide were widespread practices in the ancient pagan world. Christians responded by openly condemning these practices as well as engaging in benevolent activities to save and nurture these discarded human lives. For the early Christians “pro-life” was more than a political slogan.

Several weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade, returning to the various states the responsibility of deciding the legality of abortion. This decision has been hailed as a great victory by the pro-life movement, and it certainly is. However, somewhere around half the states will maintain legal access to abortion. So, from the pro-life point of view, the effort to protect innocent human life persists.

We celebrate life and continue to make a difference in the lives of parents and children. There will be an increasing need in the area of pre- and post-natal care, adoption, emotional, financial, and spiritual support. We want to take this opportunity to offer the love of Christ and be a blessing to struggling families and children. The Christian response to unplanned and sometimes unwanted pregnancy does not end with birth. In many ways, it’s only the beginning.

I look forward to engaging fellow Christ-followers in finding tangible ways to be a blessing to our community during these changing times.

A Heart Strangely Warmed

“I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” – John Wesley

On the evening of May 24, 1738, John Wesley attended a Moravian Bible Study on Aldersgate Street, in London, England. Apparently they conducted Bible Studies differently in the 18^th century, because the leader was reading from the preface of a commentary on Romans written by Martin Luther. However odd that may sound to us, today, the words impacted Wesley and he felt his heart “strangely warmed” and put his faith in Jesus for salvation. This moment sparked the Methodist Revival.

The revival reached all corners of Britain and jumped the ocean to impact the Americas. Some historians credit the Methodist Revival with saving England from the chaotic upheaval experienced in France due to their revolution. By the turn of the 20^th century Methodism was far and away the largest protestant body in the United States. 

All of this from one heart-warming experience. When asked why God raised up the people called Methodist, Wesley replied, “To reform the nation, particularly the church, and to spread scriptural holiness over the land.” I believe we exist for just such a purpose. Look around. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we heeded our call to spread scriptural holiness, a heart-felt experience of salvation, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus in thought, word, and deed?

I hope you feel your heart warmed by God’s love and share his love with others so they, too, can know the transformation of God’s grace.

An Atheist Teaches About Christianity

Christopher Hitchens was a well-known and outspoken atheist. A Unitarian Universalist minister, Marilyn Sewell, interviewed him and asked, “I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories of the Scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of the atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between conservative and liberal faith?”

Hitchens responded, “I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead, and by his sacrifice sins are forgiven, then you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.”

“Let me go someplace else,” Sewell replied, steering the conversation in a different direction. She wanted no part of that discussion.

This little encounter demonstrates you can speak all the “God-talk” you want, you can call yourself anything you like, but if you don’t trust that Jesus is the Messiah who died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead, and will come again to usher in the fullness of God’s Kingdom, then you’re not, in the words of an atheist, “in any meaningful sense a Christian.”

The good news is that Jesus is who he says he is. He is Messiah, Savior, and Lord. He calls us to acknowledge this truth with our beliefs and actions.

Saint Patrick

Today is Saint Patrick’s Day. Some celebrate by wearing green and pinching those who don’t, others drink green beer (anathema to the Irish!!). A better approach is to reflect on the man for whom this day is named. 

As a boy, Patrick was kidnapped and taken into slavery from Roman Britain into pagan Ireland. He eventually escaped and fled back home. He became a devoted follower of Jesus, who then, filled with love for his former oppressors, was ordained bishop and sent to Ireland where God used him to proclaim the Good News about Jesus and convert the entire island to the Christian faith.

Many legends are told about Patrick. One has him driving snakes from Ireland. Another is that he used the shamrock to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. There may be truth behind these stories. The lesson that most resonates with our world today is Patrick’s loving forgiveness.

He was unjustly oppressed, yet, as he remembered the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord in his own life, he desired to offer grace to his former captors. When God transforms you, he transforms you! The lesson from Patrick is one of growth and discipleship. His love of God compelled him to love others, even his former enemies.

So, this Saint Patrick’s Day, look to God’s loving leadership as you grow in discipleship, reflecting more and more of God’s goodness and grace to a world that needs conversion.