Chris Howlett

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.

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.

It Pays to Read the Instructions

“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” – Charles Spurgeon

It pays to read the instructions. A teacher passed out a quiz and said, “Read all the instructions before you answer the questions.” The instructions consisted of a short paragraph at the top of the page. The last sentence said, “Write your name at the top of the page and ignore the questions below.” 

Three out of twenty students finished the quiz immediately. The rest labored for ten minutes answering the twenty questions below the instructions. Those students failed the quiz. Thankfully, the teacher didn’t count it toward their grade but he did teach an important lesson about listening and reading instructions.

God speaks to us primarily through the Bible. He inspired the scriptures in order to instruct us on who he is, who we are, and what he intends our lives to be and do. He has a perfect plan for a whole, holy, and happy life for everyone who puts their trust in him.

Take the time to listen. Give God an opportunity to teach. If you do so, you’ll be blessed and a blessing. It pays to read the instructions.

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Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

You Can Change

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” – John Pierpont Morgan

A man bought a new radio, took it home and placed it on the counter. He plugged it in, tuned it to WSM in Nashville (home of the Grand Ole Opry), then pulled all the knobs off! He’d already tuned in to all he ever wanted or expected to hear. 

Another name for a comfort zone is a rut. You can get “rutted” in any area of life. Your marriage can be in a rut. Your job, your relationship with your kids, your physical health, your friendships, and so many parts of life can get stuck in a rut, including your spiritual life.

The good news is you don’t have to stagnate forever. You can change. God sent Jesus to offer an abundant life. You can partner with God to participate in his renewal. As you enter 2022 you might want to think and pray about what steps toward change God is calling you to make to grow into the person he’s empowering you to be.

Busting Happiness Myths: God Version

Does God owe you happiness? Does he even care if your happy? Is he actually opposed to your happiness and that’s why he made all those rules? Is your happiness even on God’s radar? 

I’ve been busting happiness myths (see here and here) and these particular happiness myths are some of my favorite to send packing. Myths about God and happiness are some of the most pervasive happiness myths out there.

We need to make sure we’re on the same page about what exactly happiness is and isn’t. Happiness isn’t limited to positive emotions, although it includes them. Happiness isn’t a surface-level giddiness or a fleeting feeling of euphoria. Happiness, what psychologists refer to as psychological well-being, what the Bible refers to as blessedness or shalom, is much deeper. Happiness is a state of being of wholeness, joy, optimism, connectedness, and contentment. It’s a flourishing life of meaning and fulfillment. It’s the life God designed for us to live.

Now we’ve defined it, let’s tackle some happiness myths that relate to God. 

Myth #1: God Owes Me Happiness.

I doubt many would say this out loud, but if they’re honest, somehow they’ve developed the notion that God owes them happiness. People believing they deserve happiness simply because they’re here is a relatively modern problem. When they read in the Declaration of Independence we’re endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and among them is the pursuit of happiness, they see “happiness” and skip over the “pursuit” part.

The Bible clearly teaches God loves each person, regardless of their behavior or whether they acknowledge him, or not. It teaches that God desires people’s happiness. However, God endowed us with free will, which is essential to personhood. Sadly, we abuse our freedom and harm ourselves and others, often pushing happiness out of reach.

God wants you to be happy. He endows you with the freedom to pursue happiness, he gives you the tools to enjoy happiness, and he’ll even cooperate with you in producing happiness, but he does not owe you happiness.

Some believe this myth from the opposite direction. They believe God ought to prevent bad things from happening that detract from happiness. They erroneously believe God should protect from all harm, pain, suffering, and relational trauma, thus, preserving their happiness. 

I don’t say this in a flippant way, but the world is messed up. It’s broken. Humans, in particular, are flawed beings. The Bible teaches and experience confirms that everyone sins. We rebel against God’s loving leadership. We do our own thing which leads to all kinds of calamities. The problem is that we don’t have all the information we need to make wise decisions. Our impulses and desires can and do lead us down paths of self-destruction and end up sabotaging our happiness and the happiness of others.

God doesn’t owe you happiness. He desires your happiness. God has provided you with the means to happiness through a relationship with Christ. Jesus wants to forgive you and restore you to right relationship with God, recreate you into the person God made you to be, the person who can be perfectly happy and whole in this life and in the life to come. 

Myth #2: God Doesn’t Care About My Happiness

This myth contradicts the first, but myths aren’t logical. The first says God owes me happiness, the second that God doesn’t care about my happiness. If he owed me happiness, he’d certainly care about my happiness, wouldn’t he? Some people who believe and even promulgate the first don’t believe the second, and vice versa, but some at different times, or even at the same time, believe both myths at the same time. Humans are funny that way. We can think totally irrational thoughts and believe them to the core of our being.

Part of being a disciple of Jesus is learning to align your thoughts with God’s thoughts. A disciple of Jesus doesn’t want to have any beliefs or ideas that contradict the truth God reveals. But, we’re human. We’re broken and fallen and so that means our thought processes can be, and often are, off, mistaken, incorrect, not compatible with the truth. Learning to be like Jesus means submitting your mindset, your thought-patterns, your ways of thinking about yourself, God, and the world he created, submitting that to God, so that your mind can be conformed to the mind of Christ. He created the universe and all that’s in it. He knows. We’re learning.

In the Bible there’s this awesome verse that addresses our worldview, our thought patterns, our beliefs, and lining those up with the truth as God has revealed it: The Apostle Paul wrote:

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). 

I love it! In the presence of a loving God we can examine our worldview, our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs, and allow him, the Author of Life, to transform our minds so we recognize and embrace the truth.

Back to the myth, that was quite a detour. Not to worry, this one’s easy!

Of course God cares about your happiness. He’s gone to great lengths to secure your happiness. Jesus even stated that his purpose in coming was to offer you an abundant life, a full life, a life of meaning and purpose, in short, a life of happiness. He said, “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

That’s the truth! God didn’t put you on earth to make you miserable. The world can be cruel and happiness often is illusive, but God’s plans for you are for prosperity and peace, wholeness and holiness, in essence, happiness. 

There are more God-and-happiness myths that I’ll share in a future post. In the meantime, I hope you engage in an earnest and honest effort to know God, his love, and his plan for your happiness.