A Norvell Note

Vol. 16 No. 04 | January 28, 2013

In Luke 4 Jesus announces the coming of the Kingdom of God:

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:14-19, NIV1984)

In Luke 5 He had this conversation with the Pharisees:

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-32, NIV1984)

The message seems clear. The Kingdom of God is about unhealthy people accepting God’s healing and turning around and helping other unhealthy people do the same thing. Sick people getting help, then helping other sick people.

How does that work?

It starts with the realization that at one time we were all helpless and hopeless (Romans 5) and without hope. In that condition we were far from God, foreigners, and weak.

As we accepted that truth we are all saved by grace the grace of God (Ephesians 2). By God’s grace we have moved from being foreigners to being brought close. We were aliens in a foreign land, and then brought near to God. Being saved we are brought into the body as new creations to do good works that God has prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Part of doing those good works involves moving out from our sickness, and leaving our limitations behind, relying on the Spirit of God as our new source of strength to look around us to others who are just as sick and unhealthy and bring them along the path toward healing and renewal.

How is this for a recruitment notice?

Wanted: Men and women who have admitted they have a helpless and sick nature, and want to walk with other men and women (who are equally helpless and sick) to a new life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Otherwise known as the abundant life. Perfect people need not apply.

That is our task. It is possible. May it begin with me.

Tom
© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 03 | January 21, 2013

Once upon a time there was a man who had achieved more than any of his colleagues and competitors. He had won every competition he had entered. Not only did he win but he won in impressive fashion. Year after year after year he excelled. Year after year he was praised. Year after year after year he claimed the titles, received the awards, and achieved his dreams. He became an icon. His face was on the cover of almost every magazine, he appeared on every talk show on every network, he was the headliner at all the big events, his accomplishments were the subject of every radio talk show, and his name became a household word around the world. He was the best.

The rumors began. Stories of inappropriate activity began to surface. Questions of his integrity became commonplace. Conversations turned into debates. Casual talk turned into heated discussions. Investigations were launched. Hearings were called to discuss the allegations. Charges were filed. The tide was turning.

“I am innocent!”

“I did not do it.”

“I am not guilty.”

“You have it all wrong.”

“You do not understand.”

“You do not know the pressure I am under.”

“I am not lying.”

“I am telling you the truth.”

Then, the truth came out. The stories were true. He had cheated. He had lied. He had deceived. He had destroyed lives to protect his image. He had used his power and influence to cover his crimes, his sins, his indiscretions, his poor choices, his abuses, and his shortcomings. He lied to cover his lies. He lied to protect his reputation. He lied to protect his fortune. He lied to “protect his family.”

Eventually the truth comes out. His face once again appears on the covers of magazines, newscast, and talk show promos. His image is soiled. His reputation is ruined. His integrity is lost. His family is devastated. His private life has now become the lead story on the evening news. The world that he had so carefully kept from public view is now discussed over coffee, in car pools, in living rooms, around dinner tables, in the local diner, at the lunch counter, and in small group Bible studies. The life that was once the envy of the world is now described with words of betrayal, disgust, and disbelief.

The wise man gives these words of truth on lies.

There are six things the Lord hates, 
 seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who poursout lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.(Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV)A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:17-18, NIV)

“Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9, NIV)

Let us be people of truth. Let us live by a higher standard. Let us be people of integrity. Let us be people that other people can trust.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 02 | January 14, 2013

In It’s A Wonderful Life George Bailey questioned that.

At his low point, defeated and broken and not knowing where else to turn, he visits Mr.Potter seeking help, only to have his nemesis pour salt on his wounds:

Mr. Potter: “You’re worth more dead than alive! Why don’t you go

to the riffraff you love so much and ask them to let you have 8,000? You know why? Because they’d run you out of town on a rail. But I’ll tell you  hat I’m going to do for you, George. Since the state

examiner is still here, as a stockholder of the Building and Loan, I’m going to swear out a warrant for your arrest. Misappropriation of funds, manipulation, malfeasance…”[sees George runs off]

Mr. Potter: “All right, George, go ahead! You can’t hide in a little town like this!”

 

Potter’s words hit home. George believed him. He concluded that he was indeed worth more dead than alive. He wished he had never been born.

He got his wish. The story is his look into his world without him in it. The result is a renewed, restored and revived George Bailey.

Can you identify with George? Are you feeling as if life has passed or is passing you by? ther people get all the breaks. Other people get the promotions. Other people take the dream-of-a-lifetime vacations. Other people live in the biggest houses in the nicest neighborhoodss and drive the coolest cars. You, well you’re stuck working at the same old “Broken-down savings and loan” in the same old boring Bedford Falls that you call home.

Do what George Bailey did. Take a few minutes and try to imagine what your world would be like if you had never been born into your world.

If you had never been born…

Your children would have never known their Daddy.

Your children would have never been able to say, “I love you, Mommy.”

Your wife would have never been able to walk down the aisle into your arms.

Your husband would have never heard you say, “I will love you until I die.”

Your company would have never rebounded from the recession and made the progress it has made.

Your students would have never experienced your passion for teaching English, or Math, or History.

Your parents would have never been able to say, “I’m proud of you.”

Those people with whom you shared the Gospel when you went on that mission trip would have never learned that they are loved by the Creator of the world so much that He gave His one and only Son to die so they could have eternal life.

That little boy down the street who got hurt while his mother was working late would not have gotten the care and attention he needed.

That money you gave to support the ministries in your church would have never been given.

That little boy who watched the way you handled yourself when you lost the big game would have never learned what it means to be a good sport and how to win gracefully and lose with grace.

That little girl who never knew her real dad would have never known what it meant to be loved the right way.

That couple watching the way you and your husband love and respect each other would have never seen what a good marriage looks like.

That young lady watching how you look at your husband when he comes to the office for a visit would have never known that there is a different way.

My name is not Clarence and I am not trying to get my wings, but I can assure you: When the enemy tells you that it would have been better if you had never been born, it is a lie. Do not listen to the lies.

You are not a mistake. You are not worthless. Your family would not be better off if you were dead. You are not worth more dead than you are alive. The world, your world, would not be better without you. You would be missed. You do make a difference. You have value. You are unique. You are special. You are needed. Nobody else can ever be you or make a difference for good like you.

How do I know this? Because I know that you were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Because I know that because God created you, you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Because I know that God loves you so much he gave His one and only son to die for you (John 3:16). Because I know that Jesus said, “I have come that you may life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

If you had never been born? You were. God knew what He was doing. He knows what He is doing. Trust Him and live to the fullest!

Tom
© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 16 No. 01 | January 7, 2013

It is time to stop playing games with the greatest story ever told. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came. He lived. He died. He was buried. He rose again. He forgives us of all our sins. He invites us to live abundantly knowing that we are saved by His grace through our faith in the risen Lord. He will come again and we will be with Him forever.

It is time we start living like we have been saved by grace.

It is time we act like we believe that He is the risen Lord.

It is time we live like we know that we are saved.

It is time we love people like God loves us because He loved us first.

It is time we start sharing the story of God’s love, mercy and grace with as many people as we possibly can.

It is time we stop listening to and putting more trust in the news media, the stock market and prophets of legalism, and start hearing the Lord when He says, “If I am for you who can be against you?”

It is time we stop believing that people of faith have no voice, have no influence, and that we cannot live holy lives that make a difference.

It is time we allow the words we speak, read, and sing turn into actions of courage and faith.

It is time we stop listening more to those who are wise in the ways of the world and start listening to those who are wise in the ways of God.

It is time we stop accepting violence.

It is time we get serious about being peacemakers, not just peace lovers.

It is time we admit that we really are helpless without God and stop pretending otherwise.

It is time for us to honor those who truly deserve being honored and stop glorifying those who win medals that will not last.

It is time to speak up when we should speak up and be silent when we need to be silent.

It is time for us to focus on the things that really matter and stop spending our time and our money and energy on things that do not.

It is time we stop shirking our responsibility to be the voice of reason in a world that is being guided by those who can speak the loudest.

It is time to be people who love like Jesus, talk like Jesus, listen like Jesus, confront like Jesus, show compassion like Jesus, speak with confidence and authority like Jesus, respond to needs like Jesus, offer hope like Jesus, demonstrate peace like Jesus, and sacrifice like Jesus.

It is time we stop complaining about what others are doing or are not doing and start doing what God has called us to do and to be.

It is time! Let this be the year that we step out in faith with confidence and courage and make a difference for God.

Tom

© Copyright 2013 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

 

Vol. 15 No. 51 | December 31, 2012

The next thing: Is it a blessing or a curse?

Obviously there are times when the next thing is a good thing. When times are difficult just getting to the next thing is a major thing. Getting to the next thing means progress and usually means moving forward. So, the next thing can be a blessing.

The next thing is just that, the next thing on your list to do. The next thing is always there no matter how short your To Do list is. Even if your next thing is Do Nothing, it is still there. It is the next thing. Rarely will our list include Do Nothing. It seems that there is always one more thing to do.

So the next thing may be more of a curse than a blessing.

While we are having lunch we often talk about what we are going to have for dinner. While we are having dinner we talk about what we will have for dessert. After dessert we talk about what movie we are going to see. As we sit waiting for the movie to begin we talk about whether or not we are going to have coffee later.

When we are children we cannot wait until we are teenagers. Once we reach our teen years we look toward the next phase when we can go to college or get our of our parents’ home. The next thing is to get a job, then have to find a spouse, then have a child, then get through the terrible twos, then through the teen years, then into college, then out of college, then hope they get a job, then hope they find a spouse, then push them to have children…GRANDCHILDREN.

The next thing is always out there calling us, pushing us, challenging us, pressuring us, and if we are not careful causing us to look past and missing the beauty in the present moment.

While you were enjoying a wonderful lunch with friends you spent more time talking about the next thing on your schedule and missed much of the beauty of the friendly conversation. While you were having your last meal with the family on vacation you were, in your mind, mapping out your travel plans for the trip home.

The curse of the next thing likes to rob us of joy of the moment. The curse of the next thing loves to cause us to worry about tomorrow so we will ignore the pleasure of today. The curse of the next thing does all it can to blind us to the beauty of the present thing. The curse of next thing can leave us wondering what we missed and filled with the miserable feelings of regret over what could have been.

So how do we avoid the curse of the next thing? I know of only one way:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-33, NIV)

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17, NIV)

Do not worry about tomorrow. Seek first His kingdom. Be careful how you live. Make the most of every opportunity. Understand what the Lord’s will is. Live in the moment.

There will always be a next thing. How you handle it will determine if it is a blessing or a curse.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 15 No. 50 | December 24, 2012

This week children of all ages will wake up early in the morning with shouts of glee that Christmas is finally here. When we were children it seemed as though the 365 days between Christmas Day and Christmas Eve was unbearably long. Those last few days before Christmas drag along as if to torture us. Then, we awaken on that glorious day of opening presents and playing with new toys. We can breath again. It is finally here. That is what it is like for children waiting for Christmas.

Imagine what it was like for the children of God as they waited century after century after century after long century for the coming of the Messiah. Rumors would spread about the coming One. Hopes would be dashed, as once again it was not the One. Generations would come and generations would go without the Messiah, without the Redeemer, without the hopes being fulfilled.

Then, the rumors began to sound more like reality, but a reality too good to be true. “The King has been born!” Many could not, or would not, believe them. A baby? In a manger? In Bethlehem? The mother was a virgin? That’s ridiculous!

As the curious and the wise traveled to investigate the stories, the Lord confirmed them and silenced the rumors. It is true! The announcement came: “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

He is finally here!

Not only did He come. He came to be with us. He finally came. “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” (The Message) Jesus came. God’s only Son came. He came to dwell with us. He came to live in our neighborhood. He finally came.

Can you imagine the relief?

After all that time He came. After waiting for centuries He came. After all the wondering and questioning and disappointments, He finally came.

And, the news continued to get better and better. He did not just come, He came to be with us and He came to be our Savior. He came to redeem us. He came to show us how to live. He came to show us how to serve the Father and how to serve and love one another.

He came because He loved us and knew we needed Him to do for us what we could not do for ourselves: Save us.

He came because He wants us to share His story with others. He wants His story to be our story.

A year from now (if we are still alive) the child in us will again breathe a sigh of relief that Christmas finally came, that families finally come together again, and that the special feeling we call Christmas will finally be alive again. In the meantime we will live, we will love, we will watch, we will hope, we will share, and we will long for Him to come again to end the suffering, to end the abuse, to end the sorrow, and finally put an end to saying goodbye. One day, we do not know when, He will appear again and we will experience a joyous and complete relief knowing that the wait is finally over and that it has been worth it because He finally came. When He finally comes again it will be His grand finale. We will finally get to be with Him forever.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 15 No. 49 | December 17, 2012

Well, she is married.

Typically on Sunday afternoon and evening I put the finishing touches on the weekly Note, but not this time. If all goes as planned by the time you read thisNote our daughter (our ONLY daughter…MY daughter…my ONLY daughter) will be married. During the time when I usually finish up and hit “send” the reception will be winding down and I will likely have turned into a puddle of tears somewhere in the Hill Country of Dripping Springs, Texas.

Let there be no mistake, this is a wonderful occasion that has come to pass through the amazing wonders of our great, loving and merciful God. We are extremely proud of our daughter, the woman she has become, and we could no be more pleased with the man she has chosen for her husband. God has done, is doing, and always will do amazing things.

The text used in the ceremony is from Joshua 3 where the people of God were about to cross over into the Promised Land. They were to follow the Ark of the Covenant so they would know the way to go since they had “never been this way before” (verse 4). Then, in verse 5, Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Amazing things. God does amazing things.

As I stand/stood before my daughter and my son-in-law I shared with them some of the ways we as their parents, friends, and family have seen and are seeing God work in their lives. It is amazing! God is amazing! God does amazing things!

For us this is a time of emotional reflection, a time of joyful peace, and a time of once again being amazed by how God works, in our lives as parents, as children, as His followers.

Over the months and weeks leading up to this day I have reflected on the day we discovered we would have another child, the first time I held her in my arms, and all the other firsts we have experienced. I have also spent several tearful moments thinking about all the lasts that we have experienced and that we are experiencing. In it all I am again overwhelmed by how God does amazing thing…in His way and in His time.

As we move from this season of our lives to the season of remembering the most amazing thing God has done among us: sending His one and only Son into the world to dwell among us, to teach us to live and love, and to show us the true meaning of life…the true meaning of living.

My prayer for us all is that we will not allow this season, or one day, to pass without remembering and thanking God for all the amazing things God has done, is doing and will continue to do in our lives and in the lives of those we love.

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 15 No. 48 | December 10, 2012

When I was a child the 365 days between one Christmas and the next seemed more like what I perceived must surely be an eternity. Now it seems like we just celebrated it last week.

When I was a child birthdays seemed to be more than a year apart…at least two or three years. I sometimes wondered if my birthday had been skipped. Now it seems like birthdays come once a month, and there is a temptation to skip one or two.

When I was a child I thought that people who were my current age seemed to really old, full of knowledge, stories, and wisdom. Now I think children seem to be really young, but full of knowledge, stories, and wisdom.

When I was a child I dreamed of what it would be like being a grown-up making my own decisions and setting my own schedule. Now that I am a grown-up I dream of what it was like as a child not having to make decisions and having no schedule to keep.

When I was a child I thought life would be easier when I became an adult and had my own job and my own money and could spend it on anything I wanted. Now that I am an adult I dream of what it was when I was a child and did not have a job and did not need any money and my parents provided anything I needed.

When I was a child I thought life was completely unfair and I was being terribly deprived. Now that I am an adult I realize how much I have been blessed and how kind and graciously God has treated me.

When I was a child I thought adults were way too serious, did not know anything, and that I had all the answers. Now that I am older I realize that I am sometimes way too serious, that I really do not know much of anything, and I have very few answers.

When I was a child I never thought about growing old and did not realize how quickly life can change. Now that I am older I cannot help but think about growing old and sometimes shudder at how quickly life can change.

When I was a child I thought almost everyone was nice and could not imagine anyone being cruel. As I have grown older I have learned first hand that everyone is not nice and that sometimes we can be awfully cruel to other people — sometimes even people we say we love.

When I was a child I thought God loved everyone and everyone loved God. Now that I am older I realize that God does indeed love everyone and cannot understand why everyone does not love Him.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV84)

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I have tried to put childish ways behind me, but sometimes I wish I could go back to being like a child.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 15 No. 47 | December 3, 2012

As I bring this “A Time For” series to a close I am once again challenged by the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1,8b-11:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time for war and a time for peace.What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

War is used to describe a wide spectrum of activities. We use the term war when we talk about nations engaged in military action against one another. Sometimes athletes describe competition on the football field as going to war. Legal teams discuss intense cases against their opponent as war. Politicians plan their campaign strategy as if they were going to war.

When it comes to war, opinions vary. Some say it is time for war when freedom is threatened, when the weak and the innocent are being oppressed or abused.

Some say it is time for war when we are being attacked or there is a threat of being attacked.

Some say it is time for war only when injustice exists.

Some say it is time for war when we need to express our views, promote our cause, and we need to prove our strength.

Some say it is time for war when our views and opinions are not being accepted and appreciated.

Some say it is time for war when we decide that we want to take possession of what others have.

Some say it is time for war only when we are defending “what is right.”

Some say it is time for war any time our free lifestyle is being compromised.

Some say it is time for war only when our free lifestyle is being compromised.

Some say it is only time for war when the calculations have been made and we know we can win the battle.

Some say there is never a time to go to war.

When it comes to peace the opinions also vary.

Some say it is time for peace only after our enemy has been defeated…and destroyed.

Some say it is time for peace any time we can avoid a battle.

Some say it is time for peace only when we cannot win the battle.

Some say we should always seek peace at all cost.

Some say peace is for the weak.

Some say peace is for the losers.

Some say peace is for those who cannot fight.

There is a time for war, and there is a time for peace.

Some will say that when a domestic relationship become so intense, so out of control, and the anger escalates to a point that words can no longer resolve the issues that it is time for war. At that point anything goes. The families of victims of such violence will likely argue the point. They would prefer a time of peace.

Let us seek God’s wisdom and discernment to know when those times come, the courage to stand and fight, and when to seek peace, the love to accept and respect those who have different views, and the faith to know God will make each beautiful in its own time.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.

Vol. 15 No. 46 | November 26, 2012

In Ecclesiastes 3:1,8a, the wise man says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to love and a time to hate.”

As a follower of Jesus it is sometimes difficult to harmonize these two statements. We know we are supposed to love. God is love. To be like Jesus means loving His people and His creation.

We love at all times.
We love all people.
We love the lost.
We love the oppressed.
We love the weak.
We love the poor.
We love the brokenhearted.
We love the unlovable.
We love because God first loved us.
We love one another.
We love the church.
We love deeply.
We love unselfishly.
We love sacrificially.
We love unconditionally.
We love our spouses as Christ loves the church.
We love little children.
We love our enemies.
The gospel in a word is love.
But, when do we hate?
We hate what is evil.
We hate sin.
We hate oppression.
We hate abuse.
We hate selfishness.
We hate what God hates.
We hate injustice.
We hate dishonesty.
We hate those who love violence.
We hate wickedness.
We hate the deeds of faithless men.

“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, 
a lying tongue, 
hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies
 and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV)

We love and we hate. There is a time for both. Part of me wants to encourage us to lean toward love. Part of me wants to pat us on the back when we hate the things that God hates. A greater part of me wants to encourage us all to pray for wisdom and discernment so we will know when to love and when to hate, and the courage to do both.

Tom

© Copyright 2012 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.