Simplicity

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Scott Ranck

Our men’s group is working through Bill Hybels’ book, The Power of the Whisper. In the second chapter, Hybels, highlights many of the people in the Bible whom God spoke to. As I read through all those people my mind shifted to think about how noisy life is. I also thought about times in my life that I knew I have heard from the Lord.

I know in our culture, especially for non-believers but even for Christians the idea that God can talk to us is bizarre. The only time we hear about God talking to someone is after they killed 10 people and said, “God told me to do it!”

But, God is alive and He is a communicator. The main reason Jesus came to earth was so to pay for all the crud that gets between God and us, so we could return to an open relationship with Him that will last forever.

My sheep hear my voice and follow me, Jesus said. I believe hearing from God is the heart of being a Christian. I have only heard from God in two general circumstances of life. One of those times is when I am not surrendered and need corrected or drawn back. For me, those times were never a threatening message but a love filled message to show me what I’m missing.

The second circumstance, and the one that is available to all those who have been made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ, is when I am surrendered. When Jesus isn’t just Part of my life but rather He IS my life. When He is my life the communication is frequent and amazing. It comes in promptings to serve others, it comes as an insight into a deep truth or it comes as clarity to an issue I’m needing wisdom to solve.

Finally, the way I know the communication is from God is it will always be true to Scripture and it blesses me or others. Ultimately, being a Christian is being in relationship with God, hearing from him on a consistent basis and doing what He prompts us to do. The church is simply a group of people banded together to hear from and carry out what God directs us to accomplish.

When I am not hearing from the Lord, it is a warning to me, I’ve moved Jesus to the fringes and He is only a small part of my life. Surrendering and opening myself to do His will, opens the lines of communication to hear from Him again.

How complicated I can make this simple truth.

Blessings,

Scott

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A Warning To All Married People!

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Scott Ranck

Gayle and I are celebrating our 40th year of marriage in 2013. That sounds like an amazing accomplishment and it is. It is more amazing when considering how two flawed individuals coming together at 19 years of age have been able to weather all the storms we’ve been through. There has been much hurt through the years inflicted by both of us on each other. In spite of that, I personally would rate our marriage today 8 to 8.5 out of 10.

Having a relationship with the Lord has helped us but that is no guarantee of a successful marriage! All Christians are human first and Christian second. It is the human part that inflicts pain, acts in non-loving ways and is self-centered.

Over the last couple years, I have dealt with many people who were married but miserable. Some have been miserable for a long time. Most have attempted early to share their feelings and concerns with their spouse but for whatever reason the spouse wouldn’t listen or wasn’t able to hear the complaint. Requests to get counseling were ignored or put off or they tried a time or two and didn’t see any success.

Listen to me. Both partners in all marriages do things that “ping” their spouse. Little things that hurt, that send a message you are not measuring up. Often those little things accumulate over time. Those pings generally come in a way that says, “I don’t really love you or I don’t really respect you.”

Ping, ping, ping, ping long enough and something inside shuts down. Your spouse internally checks out of the marriage. They may plod through their functions as a spouse but the passion is gone. Something inside has died. Jesus can raise the dead, but in my years of dealing with couples it has been rare to see that spouse who has shut down ever come back to life. It isn’t impossible mind you, but it will take both parties humbling themselves and being willing to seek counseling to do whatever it takes to revive the marriage.

Here is the warning. I personally know people who came home from work one day and much of their furniture and stuff was gone and so was their spouse. AND THEN IT SINKS IN, I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED, SHOULD HAVE TREATED MY SPOUSE WITH LOVE AND RESPECT.

Suddenly, this spouse who seemed indifferent views saving the marriage as their number 1 priority. At this point it is usually too little too late. The work then becomes doing the hard work of becoming the best person you can in hopes of winning your spouse back or at least being a better person for the next relationship.

Here is the deal. If you are dissatisfied with your marriage, don’t suffer in silence. Make your feelings known. Make the seriousness real. Tell your partner we need to get help or I’m afraid our marriage is over. You may have to repeat this. You may have to separate for a week to let them know you are serious.

The biggest key is treat your partner with love and respect. Listen to their heart. Keep the lines of communication open. None of us, no matter how spiritual, will be willing to live with many years of lesser treatment.

One last thought. When a marriage ends and one partner is shocked, there has been huge cowardice demonstrated. If you feel yourself drifting away internally, you must voice clearly to your partner your dissatisfaction. If a marriage gets to the place of divorce it should only be because you both have fully exhausted all resources and still can’t stand to be together. It should be a surprise to no one.

Go spend some quality time with your partner today. Listen, love and respect!

Blessings,

Scott

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Give me liberty or . . .

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Scott Ranck

After 9/11, America had a short burst of patriotism. A couple images blaze in my mind. Congress singing together and the streets lined with the American Flag. Things started to erode in my opinion with the “War on Terrorism.”

As a result of this new war we all faced, no one really knew where it would strike next. So we became willing to give up liberty to have security. I despise and feel violated by the TSA every time I fly. I did a Google search to see if the TSA has ever really stopped any potential terrorist attack. What I found was they will not say for security reasons. One writer said, they will not say because they haven’t stopped anything! He called it “Security Theater!” Believe me, if they found a bomb in some grandma’s shoe, we would have heard about it! I for one prefer liberty and would still fly if the TSA didn’t exist, in fact, I’d enjoy flying way more without those rent a cops! Give most people a uniform and a badge and minimal training and what you get is, well, less than desirable.

My heart breaks for the families in Connecticut. But watch now, for the sake of security more of our liberties as Americans are going to be taken away by politicians. Here is the deal. I feel much more safe walking with my wife around town after dark with my gun in my pocket or on my hip than I would not being able to have it and trusting Obama had my back! You keep your security and give me my liberty!

All through human history deranged people have found ways to kill people and that won’t stop now. Even the president said in his speech today, we can’t stop all these things, “But at least we can try!” (Code for “I want to erode your liberty further) Well, try this. Make it a prerequisite for all school teachers as part of their training for the classroom to learn how to use a weapon. Then make sure every teacher is armed. When you advertise “Gun free zone” you advertise “Crazy people with guns who want to kill innocent people welcome here!”

Here is my recommendation! Eat more chicken and buy more guns and ammo and never, ever turn them in because the Government decides you can’t have them!

We are Americans! Give me liberty or give me death!

Wake up America,

Scott

 

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Teach Us To Number Our Days

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Scott Ranck

In the last week, I have heard the news that two friends of mine have passed away. One of those men was 49 years old and the other was 52 years old. I was only able to attend one of their memorial services. It hit me sitting there listening to the service how fragile and brief life can be. I don’t go to as many funerals as I once did. This is only my second one in as long as I can remember. Maybe it is my age, maybe it is not being around funerals as much as in my earlier life, but this one had me pondering. A funny thing was just a day ago I saw a guy wearing a T-shirt that had written on it, “Live in such a way the preacher won’t have to lie at your funeral.”

When I was regularly officiating funeral services, I would often use Psalm 90. In verse 10 of the Psalm, it teaches we get 70 years maybe 80 if we are strong. Verse 12 challenges us to number our days or consider the brevity of life so we may live them wisely.

For the first time in my recollection, I found myself thinking about my life and my own inevitable funeral. The old preachers used to say, “There are only two things you live with that will last forever; the word of God and the souls of men.” I know what I’ve heard and felt at funerals. I know I want to have impacted the souls of men with the word of God as my legacy. It seems empty to me to have lived the one life I get and have the legacy be, “He was a nice guy.” That just isn’t enough return on the investment of my life.

Blessings,

Scott

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Never More Than You Can Bear?

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Scott Ranck

I heard it again this week listening to Christian Talk Radio! The person calling in was sharing how she was going through a difficult patch in life. Then she dropped the bomb! I knew at that moment I would write about that sometime this week. The caller said, “But I know the Bible says God will never put more on me than I can bear.” I wanted to be able to talk to her through my radio but that doesn’t work; I did try! Sometimes our Bible abuse can be devastating to our lives. I hate to break it to you but no where does the Bible ever say life won’t be more than you can bear! The concept is a misunderstanding of 1 Corinthians 10:13 where the Bible does say no temptation will be so great you have to sin, rather there will always be a way of escape, He will show you a way out so you can endure. But the Bible never says the trials of life won’t be so great that you cannot handle them alone. In fact, the opposite is quite true. There are many times in life you won’t be able to make it if you try to do it on your own. Galatians chapter 6 has an interesting picture. In the old King James Version it said bear one another’s burdens. Later in the same passage it says each of us should bear our own burdens. The Greek words translated burdens in those two instances are different words. The one for bear one another’s burdens is referring to a load that is too big for anyone person to carry. We are admonished to put our shoulder under the load and help a struggler or he will be killed from the weight. The word in bear your own burdens is referring to a backpack, a load one person could normally carry. The idea is, everyone needs to take responsibility for our own stuff but their may be times when we either need help or need to give help because life is more than we can bear.

blessings,

Scott

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Why We Talk About Politics & Religion!

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Scott Ranck

So often people say, “I don’t discuss politics or religion,” but it seems like we can’t help ourselves from discussing both. Here is why. Jesus said whatever is in your heart will come out of your mouth. In other words, whatever is important to you will be what you talk about. Now this creates a real dilemma for me. Since this statement is true, then the things we care about most deeply will also make for passion filled conversation. This is where my problem comes to bear. When I care so much and I’m passionate about something the way I express myself can go outside the boundaries of what is healthy conversation. I’ve been thinking about this recently because I keep finding myself wanting to jump in the political debate but I keep doing it in a way that isn’t good. My dad used to tell me when you are trying to sell something you never put down a competitor. You simply highlight what makes your product better. Maybe some good advise there. Maybe some guidelines to healthy conversation would help. I can’t control anyone else conversation but I can work on controlling my own, which will be a big enough task. How about these guidelines for starters: 1. Do some soul-searching why you are so passionate about the topic. Is it something you researched and truly believe? Or is it just a hand me down belief and you aren’t really even sure why you hold the position? 2. Stick to the principle or concept under discussion and don’t allow yourself to move over into name calling or attacking the person who holds a differing view. 3. Don’t be willing to destroy a friendship or relationship over your differences. Always do your part to respect the other person in the conversation though you may disagree strongly with their position. 4. No gloating if your candidate wins. No whining if  your candidate loses.

So, because I care deeply about both topics, I will not say I won’t discuss either but I will do my best to follow my own guidelines here. If I can just do this up to and after the election my life and those around me will be better.

Blessings,

Scott

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What is Growing In Your Garden? The Explanation of the Chart

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Scott Ranck

What is Growing in Your Garden?

When someone does or says something to hurt you, slight you or disrespect you, that is the seed someone else may plant in your garden. When you or I don’t deal with hurt immediately the seed is planted in our garden that grows many other negative emotional and spiritual plants.   The quickest to take root is anger.  When anger is not dealt with before the sun goes down” it grows into, resentments. Resentments are deeper and stronger than mere anger. When resentments are watered, fertilized and nurtured they become, bitterness. Bitterness is a deeply rooted issue that is purely mine to deal with. It is caused by my own unChristlike way of dealing with hurt.

As hurt turns to anger and anger to resentment and resentment to bitterness each successively grows deeper into our spirit. Each one has a root system that spreads out further and touches more and more areas of our lives. When bitterness takes root, the root system “runs.” It spreads out all through us and pops up everywhere; irritation with a spouse or work mate. A short fuse with virtually everyone who crosses us in any way.

The remedy is actually to work in reverse.    Bitterness is my problem. It wouldn’t be there if I had handled a hurt in a healthy biblical way. The remedy for bitterness is to confess it to God as sin. You don’t have to analyze where it came from or who did what to you to cause it because the truth is you and I caused bitterness. We watered and nurtured and fertilized some wrong, some slight and we caused bitterness to grow. The remedy is, “Oh Lord, my eyes are open. I am a bitter person. Bitterness is sin and I allowed it to take root in my life. Please forgive me for my sin. Give me wisdom to not allow it to grow back.”  

When the bitterness is confessed and forgiven you may feel some weight lifted off your shoulders. But the cause of bitterness is resentment that is nurtured. As the bitterness leaves some of the old resentments may surface. The remedy to remove resentment and to keep it from growing back into bitterness is to forgive the offenders. There is a fork in the road of resentment. When resentment comes your way you nurture it or forgive the source.

Forgiveness will remove the seed that was planted with the original hurt. Forgiveness may be a process. Meaning there is also a fork in this road. When you recall the hurt you can forgive the offender or nurture and grow the hurt.

  Confessing your bitterness as sin and forgiving those who have hurt you as a regular practice will free your life to experience the fruit of the Spirit

Maintenance will  be required!   Once you’ve rid your garden of weeds and roots       Responding to future situations will require vigilance so good fruit can grow and the bad seeds and roots never get a chance to spoil your garden.

blessings,

Scott

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A Chart I Developed Based On What I’m Learning About Bitterness

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Scott Ranck

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The Acid of Bitterness

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Scott Ranck

I have been plagued for some time with a cloud. I’ve dug, I’ve searched, I’ve prayed, and I’ve talked to friends. “What is wrong with me Lord?” Why do I get so upset about things so easily. Why was going to church, going to meetings at church, listening to others talk about their ministry always annoying to me? Why am I about half irritated all the time? Why do I nit pick so much? Why do I arm-chair quarterback any organization which I am involved?

This week, being tired of this, I began to ask some close friends to please tell me the truth, what is wrong with me. All everyone said was, “Whatever is bothering you, it isn’t any church.” That was a kind way of saying, “You are the problem!” The answer is always the same with me, when I’m not right, it is me that isn’t right.

So, this morning I’m asking the Lord, would you help me, I hate being so critical and I hate feeling like I’m walking around ready to spew some acid. So, I reread the passage I taught at our men’s group last night in Psalm 73. I come to verse 21 in the New Living Translation and it says, “Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.” I sensed the Lord say, your problem is you are bitter and it really doesn’t matter why. You are bitter and that is sin, deal with it. I got on my knees and ask the Lord to forgive me for my bitterness. There was really no blaming anyone else, no cause of any bitterness I harbored even came to mind, none of that mattered. What mattered was, I am responsible for me and I have had bitterness residing in me and that is sin.

I got on my knees and ask the Lord to forgive me and almost immediately I felt a big load lifted from me and my entire perspective of things changed. I started seeing my role isn’t to armchair quarterback but to come alongside those serving and help anyway I can. As the day passed, my vision became clearer, the cloud lifted and I had to call several people and confess my sin.

Later in the day I was thinking about how I had dealt with resentment some time ago but I realized resentment usually comes from being wronged and the resolution is to forgive. Bitterness is to allow an issue to take root, it is my sin and the resolution is to confess it. It really doesn’t matter who or what sowed the seed, I watered and fertilized it and allowed it to grow within me. It is my sin and the solution is fully within my reach. I am so thankful for God’s Grace showing me what I needed to change my insides!

Blessings,

Scott

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Follow-up to the Last Post on Tolerance

Posted on July 28, 2012 by Scott Ranck

I believe in many ways our country’s idea of freedom is based on the way God treats us. God, all-powerful, all-knowing and present everywhere at the same time does not coerce anyone to believe in Him or follow Him. His Word says, “The Heaven’s declare His Glory,” but we can view the works of His hands and deny His very existence and He will allow that.

All His children will love Him by choice not by force. With that said, though I believe everything I wrote in the previous post, you don’t have to believe any of those things and I will not force my views on you. At the same time, I don’t want you to say I am somehow not allowed to believe what  I do. Or because of what I believe the first amendment to the constitution no longer applies to me!

My belief system has come from years of voluminous reading, studying all the world religions, being willing to consider the thoughts of others from most walks of life. I can respect people with totally different beliefs. I also have great compassion to help people who need it. I’ve fed the homeless, helped build a orphange, given a bunch of money to charity, support two children monthly in Uganda,  spent hours upon hours helping people with addictions, marriage problems, financial problems and basically the gamut of issues covering the human spectrum. I’ve sat with homosexuals and listened to their stories and don’t judge them. I’ve consoled ladies who have aborted babies and now feel the tremendous grief of their choice. All these issues are different when they have a face, when you are in the trenches with them, walking through the pain.

Do some research and you will see the vast majority humanitarian efforts the bulk of charitable contributions done in this country come from the Christian Community.

In earlier years of my life I was a zealot, determined to convince everyone they needed to see things as I do. Now, if through a relationship with you, there is an interest in hearing my thoughts or if you choose to come where I am teaching or choose to view something I have taught online, I hope to be able to reason with you but I can love you whether you agree with me or not.

I really don’t like what I see when people who don’t like what Christians stand for are not willing to reason but just call names and clump all Christians in a group that looks like the haters from Westboro Baptist Church.

The biggest group of Christians I know all over this country just want to have solid relationships, make a positive difference in the sphere of influence, live peaceably and if possible help others come to faith in Jesus, which we believe brings a fuller life that lasts forever.

It is sad when first amendment rights extend to someone who wants to look at porn on a public library computer but not to a Christian who wants to ask God’s blessing on others? Strange world we live in, really kind of sad.

blessings,

Scott

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