That was my prayer sometime yesterday when I was beyond tired both physically and emotionally. It's been one of those weeks: triumph and tragedy all at the same time. It started with a Christian brother's death on Sunday evening at 8, followed by the roar of excitement as 130 kids invaded the church on Monday morning for Vacation Bible School. Along with the normal ministry work; calls, preparation to speak, letters, and such things - there was a funeral to conduct, including dealing with my own grief. Yet each morning I was required to step over my emotions so I could share the joy of the church's little ones who bubbled over about their discoveries in our VBS "Power Lab!" In between all of that, my friend Tom ended up in the hospital on Wednesday for heart surgery. Jay and my grandsons came for the week, filling up our house with laughter of kids. In the middle of it all another family in our congregation had a major crisis which they shared with me, breaking my heart. Sean, my other son, called asking for some advice as Natalie and he needed to discern the will of God in a wonderful opportunity for ministry that was presented to them!
Yep - I think I did a month's worth of living in the last 7 days. (Don't read any of this as a complaint. I love it all.)
In another week like this one, somebody saw me trying to keep it all together and reminded me: "There is a God, and you are not Him!" Funny, but true. When I try to be a super-hero, trying to be everything to everyone, I get short-tempered, lose my joy, and develop all kinds of pain in my body that reminds me that I'm carrying a burden my Lord wants to share. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 I let that verse marinate in my soul this morning.
First, Jesus says, "Come to me." We're very foolish if we let the pressures of life keep us from prayer, worship, and reflection. Remember that old saying about 'the tyranny of the urgent causing us to ignore the important?' I am thankful I can step away from it all and worship Him. He restores my soul.
Second, He tells us to "Take my yoke upon you." God is not anti-work! Even in the paradise of Eden there was work to do. If we think that becoming a Believer gives us a pass from toil or tears, our conclusion is erroneous! A yoke was an object that helped distribute the load for the work not eliminate the work. If a yoke was ill-fitting, it chafed and made sores on the bearer of the burden. If it fit right, it lightened the load and made it possible to accomplish much more. Jesus calls us to service. That service will often demand much from us, but if we're putting on the yoke He's prepared for us, He will be there to bear the weight with us. We may arrive at the end of the day exhausted, but if we have worked with Him, and in His way, we will be able to make the same observation that God made when He rested, "God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good!" Genesis 1:31 The Message
Third, He says, "Learn from me!" Jesus knew the rhythms of work/rest; giving out/ taking in! He gave His all to the people He loved, but made sure to step away to be with His Father. Throughout the Gospels we find Him withdrawing from the ministry to pray and be alone with God. It's such a simple lesson, but so easily ignored, isn't it? I make the same dumb mistake over and over again when I try to keep on going, pushing myself when I need to find a quiet place with Him to breathe in the Breath of the Spirit.
Are you in a tough place?
Do responsibilities pile up where resources seem scarce?
Are people in your life asking more from you than you think you can produce?
Has the Evil One sent a demon to torment you?
Reflect on these words and respond with humble obedience.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you." Matthew 11:28-29
"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!" Revelation 3:20-21
_________________________
You are my hiding place.
You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.
Let the weak say, "I am strong in the strength of the Lord."
You are my hiding place. You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.
Michael Ledner
© 1981 Maranatha! Music (Admin. by The Copyright Company)CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
"Be with me!"
When my heart is heavy with sorrow or my mind full of anxiety, there is nothing like having someone, preferably my loving wife, present. I do not necessarily want to talk, in fact, usually in those kinds of situations I prefer to ponder the situation quietly. But, having someone there with me, is a comfort. In my pastoral ministry I know that what I have to offer others in times of great trial or grief is myself more than my words. My physical presence says, "I care for you."
When the congregation of God's people gathers for worship, more than anything else, I desire that we experience the Presence of God. That is not to be confused with good music, a stirring sermon, or a surge of emotion. Yes, I enjoy worshipping God with good music. A sermon that is Biblical, intelligently organized, and inspired by the Spirit is much to be desired. It is God Himself, present in His Spirit, that gives the church gathered the 'life' that causes people to come back, again and again. He cannot be known with our physical senses, but we perceive when He walks among us. When He is present, we are at rest! This is what make being a Spirit-filled Believer great!
Moses, when he was leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, knew the importance of living in the center of God's Presence. After the people had demanded an idol be made and Aaron gave them the golden calf while Moses was on Sinai receiving the Law, God told Israel, "Go up ... But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." Exodus 33:3 NIV He was so offended by their idolatry, He withdrew His Presence from them. Moses, ever the intercessor for the people he led, prayed this plaintive and amazing way: "If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." Exodus 33:15-16
Believer, do you pray to live in the Presence of God?
Do you cultivate a holy heart, a ready faith, and avoid places and situations that would cause God's Presence to lift from you?
The great Treasure that all Christians can know (but many do not!) is the constantly abiding Presence of God. He will not walk with a person who is filthy in mind, rebellious in spirit, or self-seeking. James teaches us about walking in God's Presence with these clear directives: "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." James 4:7-8
Jesus promised us that we would not live as orphans in this world. We are beloved children and He has petitioned the Father on our behalf. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17
So, live in the Presence!
______________
O, the glory of Your presence,
We, Your temple, give You rev'rence.
Come and rise from Your rest,
And be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your presence now fills this place.
Steve Fry© 1983 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)CCLI License No. 810055
When the congregation of God's people gathers for worship, more than anything else, I desire that we experience the Presence of God. That is not to be confused with good music, a stirring sermon, or a surge of emotion. Yes, I enjoy worshipping God with good music. A sermon that is Biblical, intelligently organized, and inspired by the Spirit is much to be desired. It is God Himself, present in His Spirit, that gives the church gathered the 'life' that causes people to come back, again and again. He cannot be known with our physical senses, but we perceive when He walks among us. When He is present, we are at rest! This is what make being a Spirit-filled Believer great!
Moses, when he was leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, knew the importance of living in the center of God's Presence. After the people had demanded an idol be made and Aaron gave them the golden calf while Moses was on Sinai receiving the Law, God told Israel, "Go up ... But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." Exodus 33:3 NIV He was so offended by their idolatry, He withdrew His Presence from them. Moses, ever the intercessor for the people he led, prayed this plaintive and amazing way: "If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." Exodus 33:15-16
Believer, do you pray to live in the Presence of God?
Do you cultivate a holy heart, a ready faith, and avoid places and situations that would cause God's Presence to lift from you?
The great Treasure that all Christians can know (but many do not!) is the constantly abiding Presence of God. He will not walk with a person who is filthy in mind, rebellious in spirit, or self-seeking. James teaches us about walking in God's Presence with these clear directives: "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts." James 4:7-8
Jesus promised us that we would not live as orphans in this world. We are beloved children and He has petitioned the Father on our behalf. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17
So, live in the Presence!
______________
O, the glory of Your presence,
We, Your temple, give You rev'rence.
Come and rise from Your rest,
And be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your presence now fills this place.
Steve Fry© 1983 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
When a flop is not
If you watch the Olympic high jump event, you will see people clearing the bar with their back to the bar, in a kind of inverted J form that is known as the Fosbury Flop! It is so named for Dick Fosbury who won the 1968 high jump gold medal using the then unorthodox style. Prior to that time most jumpers used the standard Straddle form going over the upright and landing on their feet. Fosbury could not master that technique and learned to hurl himself over the bar, landing on his shoulders - unceremoniously. He flopped over the bar. His technique was actually a better use of the physical law of inertia and allowed for a higher jump because of the shift in the center of gravity.
Sometimes you and I just can't do what others do. We work to learn the style, try hard, and end up a flop... or so we think. In may just be that in the moment we feel most like a failure, God is accomplishing amazing things in us and through us. We all love to stride through life, on our feet, dignity intact. It is wonderful when all things work well, our prayers find instant answers, and everybody loves us. Tragically, when that happens the human tendency is to take the credit and puff up with pride! Like Nebuchadnezzar, a king of a great ancient empire, we begin to believe we did all by ourselves. He boasted, "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" Daniel 4:30 That night, his mind broke and for the next seven years he lived as a public failure, like a wild animal. When sanity returned, he praised God!
Paul, the apostle with the great mind, started life as a success! He studied with leading scholars, gained a seat on the governing council, and was on his way to prominence. Then he met the Lord who knocked him down and while he was on his back revealed Himself to Paul. In the eyes of many of his contemporaries, Paul was a flop, a man too prone to getting in trouble, who got arrested and thrown out of one town after another. But, he came to understand a principle that while true is not all that pleasant in practicality- flops learn to depend on Someone greater than themselves. Paul said that the Lord told him,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. NLT
Fosbury's famed flop became a means of reaching a gold medal, but not without some ridicule in the process.
Are you willing to endure some ridicule, to walk in the way that God directs even when it goes against conventional wisdom?
Are you willing to let Christ Jesus take your failures and use them as a means of teaching you to depend on Him more?
That's when a flop is not!
Sometimes you and I just can't do what others do. We work to learn the style, try hard, and end up a flop... or so we think. In may just be that in the moment we feel most like a failure, God is accomplishing amazing things in us and through us. We all love to stride through life, on our feet, dignity intact. It is wonderful when all things work well, our prayers find instant answers, and everybody loves us. Tragically, when that happens the human tendency is to take the credit and puff up with pride! Like Nebuchadnezzar, a king of a great ancient empire, we begin to believe we did all by ourselves. He boasted, "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" Daniel 4:30 That night, his mind broke and for the next seven years he lived as a public failure, like a wild animal. When sanity returned, he praised God!
Paul, the apostle with the great mind, started life as a success! He studied with leading scholars, gained a seat on the governing council, and was on his way to prominence. Then he met the Lord who knocked him down and while he was on his back revealed Himself to Paul. In the eyes of many of his contemporaries, Paul was a flop, a man too prone to getting in trouble, who got arrested and thrown out of one town after another. But, he came to understand a principle that while true is not all that pleasant in practicality- flops learn to depend on Someone greater than themselves. Paul said that the Lord told him,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. NLT
Fosbury's famed flop became a means of reaching a gold medal, but not without some ridicule in the process.
Are you willing to endure some ridicule, to walk in the way that God directs even when it goes against conventional wisdom?
Are you willing to let Christ Jesus take your failures and use them as a means of teaching you to depend on Him more?
That's when a flop is not!
Monday, July 07, 2008
Heaven and Earth
Barb called last night to tell me that Andre, a member the church that I serve as pastor, was dying. I drove to their home and when I got there, the angels had taken him to his Lord and Savior. Once again I was confronted with the cycle of life and death. Did Andre die or was he born to new life last night 'round 8? The Scripture tells me that he changed addresses, became a totally new and different kind of being at that transition moment. I do not understand the 'how,' but I hold the promise in faith - that Andre lives - 'absent from the body and present with the Lord.' (2 Cor. 5.8) Even as I ponder eternity, I must not forget that today is packed with opportunities! You have moments to be lived today that are unique, that will never be offered again. Words you speak today will build up, tear down, or waste breath. Choices made today have the potential to change your life or the life of another.
Reflecting on Andre's life and my own milestone (I am 53 today) I ponder the opportunities seized and those missed! These twin reminders of the brevity of this earthly life cause me to ask myself:
"Jerry, are you doing your best in God's service?
Are you offering your 'utmost for His highest?' "
That kind of evaluation is important! I must remember, as so must you, that our judgment is always somewhat flawed; our self-evaluations lacking complete perspective. The better question to ask is a prayerful one that invites the evaluation of the Spirit. Borrow the Psalmist's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)
I do take comfort in this fact: His judgments are much more just than ours! He sees our life, not just in this moment or even in the window of time that marks our existence. He sees our life in the context of eternity and His judgments are made in the totality of our experience, opportunities, and knowledge. Jesus told a story of about men entrusted with responsibility for treasure. His summary at the end of the story should make us sit up and take notice! "Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." Luke 12:48 NLT
Moses' Psalm (90) is a prayer that reflects a fear of God's anger and a hope for His love. In the center of the Psalm is this prayer. "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" It my prayer! Is it yours? Are you just 'killing time' letting one day flow into the next drifting with the current of events, or are you a change agent of the Kingdom of Heaven? Paul is so very practical in his urging us to excellence. He says, "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." NLT Ephesians 5:15-17
How do we live a life that brings Heaven to earth, connecting today with the timelessness to come?
Be thoughtful!
Lives that matter do not just 'happen,' they are intentional!
Exploit the opportunities
that come your way! Don't blow the 'now' waiting for some hoped for moment in the future!
Shape your values
by God's will and Word, not the 'wisdom' of the world.
For a life lived well, there is a reward. Sometimes we get to experience the reward now, but we are guaranteed that we will get the whole enchilada when we step into Heaven. "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:9-10 NIV
Have a blessed week!
Reflecting on Andre's life and my own milestone (I am 53 today) I ponder the opportunities seized and those missed! These twin reminders of the brevity of this earthly life cause me to ask myself:
"Jerry, are you doing your best in God's service?
Are you offering your 'utmost for His highest?' "
That kind of evaluation is important! I must remember, as so must you, that our judgment is always somewhat flawed; our self-evaluations lacking complete perspective. The better question to ask is a prayerful one that invites the evaluation of the Spirit. Borrow the Psalmist's prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)
I do take comfort in this fact: His judgments are much more just than ours! He sees our life, not just in this moment or even in the window of time that marks our existence. He sees our life in the context of eternity and His judgments are made in the totality of our experience, opportunities, and knowledge. Jesus told a story of about men entrusted with responsibility for treasure. His summary at the end of the story should make us sit up and take notice! "Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given." Luke 12:48 NLT
Moses' Psalm (90) is a prayer that reflects a fear of God's anger and a hope for His love. In the center of the Psalm is this prayer. "Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!" It my prayer! Is it yours? Are you just 'killing time' letting one day flow into the next drifting with the current of events, or are you a change agent of the Kingdom of Heaven? Paul is so very practical in his urging us to excellence. He says, "So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do." NLT Ephesians 5:15-17
How do we live a life that brings Heaven to earth, connecting today with the timelessness to come?
Be thoughtful!
Lives that matter do not just 'happen,' they are intentional!
Exploit the opportunities
that come your way! Don't blow the 'now' waiting for some hoped for moment in the future!
Shape your values
by God's will and Word, not the 'wisdom' of the world.
For a life lived well, there is a reward. Sometimes we get to experience the reward now, but we are guaranteed that we will get the whole enchilada when we step into Heaven. "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them." - Hebrews 6:9-10 NIV
Have a blessed week!
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