Books authored by Dr. James Dyet. Purchase on JamesDyet.com

Friday, December 21, 2007

A Nice Surprise



A nice surprise arrived in yesterday’s mail. I received four copies of IT'S A GOD THING AND OTHER POPULAR CHRISTIAN MISCONCEPTIONS, a book I wrote for Cook Communications Ministries. The surprise? The book has been translated into Korean.
Several years ago, one of my books was translated into Chinese. What fun then and now to see my name in an Asian language!

I can’t speak a lick of Chinese or Korean, but my books can minister to a couple of major language groups in addition to English-language readers. I am hopeful spiritual fruit will abound.

Isn’t it good to know God’s love extends to all people? John 3:16 links this love to the gift of God’s Son and promises whoever believes in His Son “shall not perish but have eternal life.”

At Christmas and always, let’s recall the angel’s message to humble shepherds on a Judean hillside: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be to all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10, 11).

In heaven a great multitude of internationals will join in singing praise to the One who was born so long ago to be our Savior. And know what? If I stand next to Korean and Chinese believers on that day, I will be able to understand them.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Christmas Baskets

Last night, before midweek Bible study, two leaders in our church sorted food items the congregation had donated for needy families. The generosity of our small group was obvious. Christmas goodies, hams, a variety of canned goods, cereals, and other items were abundant to make Christmas a little brighter for those who receive the food baskets.

Of course, our church is not alone in its act of showing God’s love to needy families. Christians throughout the world serve in the forefront of alleviating hunger and suffering, and their action is an appropriate apologetic to those who claim Christians are interested only in souls. What the critics fail to understand is Jesus ministered to the poor and needy and Christians follow His example.

Every soul is wrapped in a body and outlives the body; but while the two are connected, we Christians often reach the soul by ministering to individuals’ physical needs. If you have opportunity to make life more comfortable for the needy of your community, why not do so this Christmas and in the days ahead?

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10).

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

The Secret Holiday

Ssssh! It’s a secret. We are not supposed to mention the name of the holiday that falls on December 25. You see, the first syllable in its name offends secularists, atheists, and some religious groups. Mentioning the holiday’s name is politically incorrect, ixnay, verboten. So we display holiday decorations, string holiday lights, send holiday greetings, view holiday parades, attend holiday concerts, ship holiday packages, put up a holiday tree, hang holiday stockings by the chimney, make holiday travel plans, bake or buy holiday goodies, host holiday parties, take holiday breaks, and exchange holiday presents. We just don’t mention the holiday’s name.

While we are at it, we should change the lyrics of songs we sing at this time of year. How about?
I’m dreaming of a white holiday.
It’s beginning to look a lot like holiday.
Then one foggy holiday Santa came to say . . .
‘Twas the night before holiday, and all through the house . . .
I’ll be home for holiday.
It’s holiday time in the city.
Holiday is the best time of the year.
All I want for holiday is my two front teeth.

What’s next—removing Father Time from New Year’s? After all, he is gender specific, and that might offend . . . well . . . you know who.

Away with this political correctness! It’s enough to make me gag on my holiday cookies. I’m going to blurt out the secret. The holiday is Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

© Jim Dyet

Monday, December 17, 2007

Averting Blindness

I have had ocular hypertension for years, but my ophthalmologist thought I should start using eye drops. So I had a prescription filled a few days ago, and now at bedtime I drop a dollar—I mean a drop of medicine—into each eye. I have the cost figured out. After my medical insurance pays its share, I pay $60 for a month’s supply of the precious solution.
I’m sure paying through the nose to treat the eyes is preferable to going blind, but my Scottish nature makes me wonder if I could get away with placing one drop in the left eye one night and then a drop in the right eye the next night. I ha’e ma doots!
“Blind” was one of the adjectives our risen Lord used to describe the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:17). He counseled the church to buy from Him “salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (verse 18). Of course, the salve would cost nothing. Jesus always provides freely what a church needs if it admits its need.
Laodicea was famous for the manufacturing of eye salve. Therefore, Jesus’ mention of eye salve would grab the Laodicean church’s attention. But the response to His counsel was entirely up to individuals in the church. Jesus invited each individual to repent, receive Him and be restored to fellowship with Him (verse 20).
Does the Church today need to shake off spiritual blindness by giving Jesus His rightful place? You decide! I am fully persuaded we need to see clearly that the Bible is preeminently the Word of God and our sole authority for faith and practice. We also need to see ourselves as Jesus sees us and view the world as lost.
Whenever I preached at Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, I observed a small, but significant, sign on the pulpit: “Sir, we would see Jesus.” I believe people in our churches and everywhere else need to see Jesus, and Christians need to “look at the fields. They are ripe harvest (John 4:35).

Sunday, December 16, 2007

True Discipleship

Glenn, a long-time friend of mine, retired a number of years ago from youth ministry, but he did not put his love for young people on a shelf. During a visit to Chicago, he befriended Ricardo, a young Latino man, and led him to Christ. Although Glenn lives in Southern California, he began discipling his young friend long distance.
Glenn's friend stayed in touch with him until recently. Out of deep concern for his spiritual well-being, Glenn repeatedly tried to reach him, but to no avail. Finally, he was able to contact someone at Chicago’s Moody Church who knows the young man. She agreed to visit him at his workplace and inquire about his spiritual health.
Glenn has requested prayer for this situation.
Such concern for a new believer serves as an example for all of us. A group hug at church falls far short of reaching out to a brother or sister in Christ who needs to be nurtured in the faith. Perhaps the Lord will use you and me to restore a lagging believer to a steady pace in the Christian race.