Author: Jon Gauger

Tree sap. Dust. Grime.

They transformed our once-beige storage unit into a grimy gray. But I was sure the power washer would bring a quick restoration.

Begrudgingly, the filth gave way, but at a snail's pace. The cleaning process was so slow I decided to entertain my wife by "drawing" the outline of a big heart on the lid of the storage unit using the jet stream of water.

Because four-year-olds rarely miss anything, that drawing did not escape little Emma, who inquired of my wife, "Who put that heart on there?"

“Grandpa did.”

“Is it because he loves me?”

“Yes, it is.”

But Emma was not done. She asked, “Is it because he loves you?”

Diana teasingly said, “Who do you think he loves more?”

With a twinkle in her eye, Emma answered, “Jesus!”

Question: Do you love Jesus? If so, how much? More than your boyfriend or girlfriend, or spouse? More than your possessions and position in this world?

The Bible commands, "Do not love the world—or anything in the world." But my experience is that it's shockingly easy to love the world.

There’s no point in comforting ourselves by saying, “I’m sure I love Jesus more than the world.” Because the bar is much higher than that. The command, you’ll recall, is “Do not love the world.” Period. Zero. Nada. Nothing.

It is not acceptable to love the Lord with some of our hearts or even most of our hearts. Jesus spells it out in Matthew 23:37. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Jesus wants all my heart.

All your heart.

How much of it does He have?

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Christians, we’re angry.

• We’re angry that educators and legislators are attempting to deny parents any say in the sexual choices of their own children.
• We’re angry that criminals are put back on the street without posting bail.
• We’re angry that concerned parents who speak up at school meetings are branded as domestic terrorists.

We’re angry about a lot of things. But we’re wise to test our anger against the standards of Scripture.

• It’s okay to be angry about sin.
• It’s okay to hate sin—we must!
• But it’s not okay to hate sinners.  

Have you noticed that many Christians seem to be excelling at yelling yet shriveled in compassion for those opposing them?

Jesus said, “Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you.” But how often do we give people around us the idea that we hate them—not just their ungodly ideas?

Do unbelievers around us know us for our frowns and fists—clenched in anger? Or are they comforted (perhaps even confused) by the kind ways we care for them, even as we oppose their ideas?

When Jesus was dragged away in chains from the garden of Gethsemane, He did not hate one single sword-bearing brute in the mob. He loved them!  He said of the soldiers who pounded the nails into His hands and feet, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  No doubt Christ hated the pain and the sin that created it, but He loved those sinners.

News Flash: It is not in our future to be respected and loved, and affirmed by the world. It didn’t happen for Jesus and surely won’t for us, either.

This does not mean Christians should smile wanly and become roadkill. This does not mean we should remain silent as ungodly laws and immoral ideas are debated in the public square.

Those who oppose what is godly ought to feel our (biblical) vehemence—but never our venom. Much more than that, they must know we love them.

Tricky business, eh? No wonder Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing!”

Imagine a pile of dead files shaped like an Angel Food cake. Disgusting, right?

That’s what our fly trap looks like. It’s a green mesh cylinder with an inverted cone featuring an opening the size of a nickel. Attracted by smelly bait, the flies crawl into that hole, one by one. All day. Every day.

Once inside the fabric cylinder, they flitter about. Eventually, they lose interest and want to leave the party. But they don’t. Instead, they flutter against the trap walls, figuring there must be an exit "out there." Or they zoom up to the top of the fabric. They seem determined that the way up is the way out.

Ironically, nothing prevents them from coming down and crawling out of that narrow opening. But almost none escape. Instead, worn out from flights that lead to nowhere, their dead bodies pile up by the hundreds and thousands.

Like those flies, we humans buzz with excitement at the idea of moving up:

• Up the corporate ladder
• Up the chain of social standing
• Up the ranks of authority

So, we engage in flights of fancy that ultimately lead nowhere: self-fulfillment and self-actualization.

But Jesus showed us a different way. Philippians 2 tells us, “He humbled Himself” (went down) and “became obedient unto death" (further down), “even the death of the cross” (can’t get any lower).

The way up is not the way out.

The way out is down.

That’s the Jesus way!

 

Lord, help us learn this!

Lest we waste our lives on flights to nowhere.

 

 

I am weary of apps and websites determined to collect my mobile number. From Amazon to eBay, we're assured the request is merely for our "safety," perhaps as a backup so they can contact us in an "emergency." But these aren't doctors. They're digital distractions!

Still, they seem rabidly preoccupied with having me surrender my number. And the reason they want it is access. They want access to my wallet, my vote, and my mind. 

But I resent the demand…ur request. I really don't want every business (or shyster) in the world to be able to tell me about

• The sale I should not miss.
• The link I can't live without. 
• The blog that could change my career forever. 

I don't want my phone to ping and ding all day long. Is that so wrong? 

These websites, apps, and companies all want complete, unhindered access to me—but not for my good. It's for theirs!

What a contrast is Jesus. He wants access not just to our phones but to our hearts, our souls, our passions. Refreshingly, His every intention is for our good. 

Jesus invites you to cast all your cares upon Him "because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). More than that, "He is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). 

Take me, Jesus.
Take my heart and my mind, my soul, and my body.

You who gave all are worthy of all.

I want you and you only to have access to the real me. All of me.

Amen!

 

Frankly, I was struggling—in need of an honest perspective, That’s when I reached out to Mike Kellogg. A mentor at Moody Radio, Mike was the much-beloved voice heard on Music Thru the Night.

I was in the process of becoming ordained and needed a second set of eyes on a sermon outline. As I handed him my stack of note pages, his eyes were laser locked onto mine. More than a stare, it was more like a glare. Glasses slid half-down his nose, he jostled those papers on his (always) cluttered desk. Then he growled as he graveled, “This had better be about the Bible! Not some story or cute illustration.”

Honestly, I don’t even recall his assessment of that sermon outline. But I’ve never forgotten his admonition. I hear it nearly every time I prepare a sermon. The thing is, Mike Kellogg actually lived this way—his life truly was about the Bible.

On another occasion, I was stressed out about a friendship gone sour and launched into the story sitting in Mike’s office. But before I even finished, I heard Michael softly quoting from Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

I tried to interrupt with “Mike, I hear ya, but you don’t understand.” His only response was to continue his recitation: “But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Frustrated, I countered, “Mike, you don’t get it!”

Softly, he insisted, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus….” And Mike went on to finish the passage.

It’s a passage I, too, have now memorized—thanks to Mike Kellogg, whose life really was about the Bible.

What’s your life about?

Someday, we will all reach the end of our earthly journey, as Mike now has. Hebrews 9:27 assures us, "It is appointed unto men once to die—and after this the judgment."

What then? What will YOU say when you stand before Almighty God?

HINT: It had better be about the Bible!

 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. –Acts 16:31

 

 

 

 

At 40, he was dead—and nobody knew.

For several days, his body slumped, then stiffened in the Lazy-boy chair—his favorite. Finally, someone called the police, suggesting a wellness check.

Just hours after his body was hauled away, my son Tim was asked to help clean out the house. “We’ll pay ya,” he was told. The money sounded good, as Tim was on the hunt for a pair of high-quality speakers. But a casket full of cash would not be worth what he encountered there next.

Knee-high garbage proved this guy was well on his way to becoming a hoarder. There was a path to his chair—which was adjacent to two-gallon jugs full of (forgive me) urine. 

The place smelled like a mixture of sewer odor, dead mice, and general decomposition. The entire home was covered in mouse poop, and spider egg sacks covered the legs of the furniture. Dead flies and fly larvae were so thick, they covered the entire windowsill.

Boxes from more than a thousand bottles of hard liquor made mountains of cardboard (it took Tim’s friend two hours just to flatten the cartons). Working more than two days, they finally emptied the house, filling two large dumpsters.

Ironically, buried in the rubble, was a pair of speakers. But not just any speakers, these were the very speakers Tim was wanting to buy. And the owner said he was free to take what he wanted. With a bit of elbow grease, they cleaned up beautifully—and they sound awesome.

Tim told me, “I really didn’t want to clean out that house. It was hideous. But God seemed to bless me for the effort.” Then he added, “I’m not suggesting that’s how God operates every time we obey Him. Still, once in a while, He just blesses us.”

Tim's right, of course. It's always right to point to the kindness of God.

There are a thousand reasons I’m proud of my son, Tim. Now you know a couple of them.

Every good thing given, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

-James 1:17

In about 1400, B.C., the walls of Jericho fell.

Today, a literal stone’s throw from the ruins of ancient Jericho stands the Mount of Temptation Restaurant. Think grilled kabobs, squishy-soft pita, Mediterranean salads, and fresh knafeh—the ultimate Arabian spun pastry. Given the vast edible spread, there’s no shortage of temptation from a diet perspective. 

Of course, the temptation the restaurant is named for is that of Jesus, who spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil—and yet did not sin. 

Like any self-respecting tourist destination, the restaurant also features a gargantuan gift shop. As you enter this modern oasis, you are handed a coupon promising a 10% discount off anything in the store. How could one resist?

Staring at the coupon, I chuckled at the typo describing this place as Jericho’s most memorable “experince.”  I also smiled at the mention of their website: temptationcenter.com.

Can I be transparent with you? When it comes to battling my sin nature, I don’t need a ten percent off coupon. Or an invitation to visit a “temptation center.” 

Some days, I feel like I am my own temptation center!  I am tempted to: 

• Doubt my faith
• Skimp on prayer
• Waste my time
• Judge a friend
• Bend the truth.

In short, I am tempted to indulge my eyes, my stomach, my mind—my everything! But should this be surprising?

Puritan Thomas Watson declared, “We have a storehouse of corruption within, and the least thing will increase this storehouse. Therefore, it is dangerous mingling ourselves among the wicked.”

Consider that when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Christ’s model prayer included the request, “Lead us not into temptation.” If it were a minor issue, temptation would not have been highlighted.

Maybe, like me, that’s a reminder you need today. Temptation—your very personal, very next temptation—is just around the corner.

Lord, 
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 122:6 says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you." That verse pops up in 3-D as we travel throughout Israel. 

But how can there be peace in the Middle East when Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen do not recognize Israel as a state? Nor does Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan. 

Indeed, the Palestinian Authority, Hezbollah, Hamas, and most of the Muslim world make no secret of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. This is not to say that Israel is perfect. No country is. 

Though ultimate peace in the Middle East (or the world, for that matter) will not last until the Prince of Peace returns, it is hardly a pointless exercise to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. A story proves the point. 

As our tour bus approached the outskirts of Jerusalem, our guide, Dr. Charlie Dyer, played The Holy City, a classic song that soars with the refrain:

Jerusalem, Jerusalem—
Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna, in the highest,
Hosanna to your King!

With the music reverberating throughout the bus, I heard our Israeli guide, a Messianic believer, singing with gusto. No surprise there. But she was nearly drowned out by the voice of our bus driver, a born-again Arab! 

On paper, they are supposed to be at war. 
But in Christ, they are at peace. 

The world cannot make sense of this. And no wonder. Jesus promised a peace entirely different than the cheaper brand the world is selling. Odd—the simple act of just getting along might well be the best commercial for Christianity. 

But why not raise a few eyebrows yourself? I dare you—baffle the unbelieving world around you today by showing kindness, respect, and love to someone you're "not supposed" to like.  

Maybe—just maybe—your selflessness will make someone wonder about Jesus—our Prince of Peace!

 

 

Is VBS still viable?

 

In a digital world, the idea of vacation Bible school feels—let's admit it—analog.

 

Now that it’s June, vacation Bible school can’t be far behind. But when churches today strategize outreach, they typically tout sleek digital products, YouTube content, and Zoom services. Yet the grand old tradition of kids inviting other kids to a church-based VBS program is still alive and well.

 

Joslynn is living proof. At the age of six, she attended a neighborhood VBS program. Though a lot of her memories of that week have grown fuzzy, Joslynn distinctly recalls watching an engaging puppet sketch. 

 

"One puppet was trying to buy something at McDonald's with fake money. They made the obvious point that using counterfeit money gets you in trouble with police officers." And the spiritual parallel? Joslynn remembers it: "When you sin, you're in trouble with God. But through Jesus, you can be forgiven."

 

Joslynn doesn't recall her teacher's name, only that "she had curly hair." But she does remember feeling convicted that she needed to be saved. So she and her teacher prayed together in the church's boiler room. That's where Joslynn received Christ. 

 

Now fourteen, I asked Joslynn bluntly if she thinks VBS is still a good idea. Without hesitation, she affirmed, "It's still a good idea because it can speak to children who might not get to church otherwise. It can lead them to Christ."

 

Summer is here. VBS is coming to a church near you—maybe yours. 

I urge you—to show up and volunteer. 

I urge you—to take your kids, your grandkids. 

 

God is at work. 

Souls are at stake. 

And maybe—just maybe—VBS will be the tool God uses to save your loved one!

 

What excites you about heaven?

 

I long to hear Jesus’ voice—His actual voice.

Is it possible we might kiss the feet of Jesus?

Might I also touch the hem of His robe?

 

What excites you about heaven?

• I want to TASTE the water of the river of life.

• I want to HEAR the voices of Cherubim and Seraphim.

• I want to TOUCH the gems of the gates of heaven and feel the press of gold pavers under my feet.

• I want to SEE what angels really look like—plus those six-winged creatures we read about.

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more making apologies—we’ll never offend.

• No more guilt feelings—we’ll never be tempted.

• No more broken relationships—we’ll never be at odds.

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more impure thoughts.

• No more selfish impulses.

• No more foolish choices.

 

What excites you about heaven?

 

I’m looking forward to…

• No more stress or distress.

• No more upset stomachs, sleepless nights, fevers, or chills.

• No more hospital visits—or doctor’s appointments.

• No more disappointments or delays, or disasters.

• No more funerals (aren’t you weary of standing around caskets?).

 

I want to listen to Nehemiah’s secret for standing up to all the opposition he faced rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.

 

I’m looking forward to hearing David sing his Psalms in their original language—preferably accompanied by his harp. Imagine “Psalms by Request!”

 

I want to meet the thief on the cross and ask him what the turning point was when he realized that Christ could and would save his pathetic soul.

 

I long to embrace people I never thought stood a shot at getting inside the gates. People we prayed for and agonized over. Souls we felt were surely lost.

 

Imagine meeting someone who responded to a gospel tract you shared or bumping into a saint who—back on earth—appeared to reject your witness.

 

Will any of that that ever get old? Never!

 

Several years ago, I asked Tim Keller about heaven, and he shared this: "Think about the moments in your life—the two or three moments where you felt the most loved, the most delighted, the most blissful, and the most over-the-top. Then multiply that by three billion. This must be what heaven is like."

 

Now that Tim Keller is with Jesus, he knows!

 

What excites you about heaven?