Dead and Done!

Some situations appear to be beyond hope, don’t they? It’s over. Vitality is gone. Any spark quenched. Churches appear dead! Relationships turn cold. Love for God evaporates in the heat of temptation and trials. Can these things live again? According to the Bible, yes! Are you familiar with that weird vision of the valley of dry bones that God gave to Ezekiel? Yes, it’s the one that inspired the spiritual – “Dem Dry Bones.”

In the 37th chapter of the book, the prophet tells of being set in the middle of a valley that was full of bones, bleached and dried by the sun. The flesh that clothed the bones is gone. The sinews that connected the bones - gone. Any semblance of life- gone. As he sees this vision of desolation, God asks Ezekiel, "Can these bones live again?" What a question. How do would you respond to it? With natural understanding, one would have to say, "The day for life in these bones is long since past! No, Lord, they won't live again." Ezekiel chooses a different response. "Lord God, only you can answer that." (37:3) It's not exactly a statement full of faith, but at least it allows for the possibility of life, however remote. Sometimes that is all the faith we have, just enough to allow for a possibility. Jesus says that is more than enough.

Now comes the test. God said “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life." (Ezekiel 37:4-5, NIV) The man of God was commanded to do something that would have looked very foolish to any observer. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel spoke the improbable, into a situation of the impossible. And as he spoke, those bones rattled and moved! They assembled into skeletons, began to be connected, then covered with flesh. As he continued to preach, the Spirit of God swept over the corpses and "breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army." (37:10)

It's quite a vision, isn't it? I am captivated by the promise in it! It was God's message to His people who thought all hope was gone. These bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they're saying: “Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there's nothing left of us.” (37:11) The man of God needed obedience, courage, boldness, and vision to draw life back to that 'dead' nation. It was a work beyond anyone's natural ability. Who can make bones live again? Only God can raise the dead! "You, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.'" Ezekiel 37:13-14

What seems dead, beyond hope, to you?
Is your marriage, which once was filled with life and love, just a barren, dead thing now?
Are your dreams for the future, hopes to make a real difference, rattling around in your mind, dried up and dead?
Is your church, once alive with the Spirit, a place of skeletons and ghosts of things past?
Is your spiritual life nothing but bones seeming dead to the Spirit of God?

God is putting the question to you - "Can these bones live?" In asking the question, He is stirring faith, be it ever so slight. As His Spirit stirs in us, let us become bold like the prophet,
speaking the Words of life to a dead situation. "Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!" Nothing is so thrilling as seeing God bring life back, breathing His life into a person, situation, relationship, or church that is in the natural realm, beyond hope. So, hear the Word of the Lord!

Here is a word from the Word to ponder today. May it bring life to the dry places!
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:9-11, NIV)
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These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days
Of Your servant David,
Rebuilding the temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in the world,
And we are the laborers
In the vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord.

Behold He comes
Riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun
At the trumpet call;
Lift your voice,
It's the year of jubilee,
Out of Zion's hill
Salvation comes.

Days Of Elijah-
Mark, Robin- Integrity Music, Inc.© 1997 Daybreak Music, Ltd. (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055

On the Highest Authority

I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God, are you? This kingdom has no national boundaries, does not extend its interests with guns, and has no earthly throne. There is an army for this Kingdom, but it is armed with love and invades with quiet service, not conquering force. Yet, it is a powerful influence that causes amazing transformation where its loyal subjects make the will of the King a priority choice in their daily lives. Jesus stood before Pilate, accused by the religious leaders of being a king, intent on stirring up a rebellion against Rome. When questioned, He made it clear that He was uninterested in taking Caesar's throne. "My kingdom is not of this world. ... But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36, NIV) Earlier in His preaching He had declared the higher authority which He claimed. "You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not." (John 8:23, NLT)

The seat of the Kingdom of God is in Heaven. The rule of the King is exerted in our hearts and minds, brought about by transformation of our values, our understanding of life's purpose and meaning. Does that mean the kingdom has no interest in earthly matters? Not at all! When we become subjects of this King by faith, when the His Holy Spirit takes up residence in us, everything about us changes - our manner of speaking, our interaction with others, our way of doing business, our care for Creation! The true subject in the Heavenly Kingdom is not compelled to comply to law backed by punishment. He does the will of his King because he loves Him. The meaning of his life is no longer defined around the basic human need for food, shelter, and relationship. He finds his purpose in loving God and is therefore drawn to a nobler life. The qualities that come to be the mark of the citizens of the Kingdom are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5.22)

Loyal subjects of the Kingdom find themselves in the care of their Lord, given an eternal home. "You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household." (Ephesians 2:19, NIV) "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20, NIV)

Disciple, have you become pre-occupied with life apart from your heavenly citizenship?
Are you gripped by fear or worry?
Renew your love for the King and live in His promise.

"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
(Matthew 6:31-33, NLT)
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Majesty, worship His majesty.
Unto Jesus be all glory,
Honor and praise.
Majesty, kingdom authority
Flow from His throne
Unto His own,
His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high
The name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify
Christ Jesus, the King.
Majesty, worship His majesty.
Jesus who died, now glorified,
King of all kings.

Majesty
Jack Hayford © 1981 Rocksmith Music (Mandina/Rocksmith Music [c/o Trust Music Management, Inc.])CCLI License No. 810055

Doing God's Work with Joy

The church building is filled this week with life! I love it! Kids are everywhere. Adults planning games, stories, and songs are talking together, drawn together by the work. I know of at least three people working our Vacation Bible School who took a week of their vacation time for it. God bless 'em! Oft told Bible stories come alive as our Youth Pastor tells them with full participation of the crews. Yesterday, "Pharaoh" refused to let God's people go and the kids were so drawn into the story, they argued with him! The whole experience is designed to reinforce one basic message to those little ones: "God loves you and you can love Him." I am certain that it is working.

There was a time when I would have looked at the cost-benefit ratio and wondered if Vacation Bible School was 'worth it.' It costs the church at least $2000 for the materials! The donated stuff probably doubles the dollar cost. The man hours involved in building sets, preparing lessons, creating crafts - pulling it all together - are too many to add up. But, who can evaluate the worth of one child's realization that he is part of something bigger than himself, that Someone loves him?

Who can say how much it is worth to have God's people discover that they are connected to one another, not by DNA, but by the grace of their Heavenly Father? The church's work is often 'inefficient' from a worldly point of view, but love is never about efficiency, is it? I stepped away from the hubbub yesterday and felt an overwhelming sense of joy of the Lord. He is pleased.

The ancient poetry of the Psalm came to mind. David saw the people of God getting along and doing His work. He wrote:
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." (Psalm 133, NIV)

The fragrant oils used in the sacred ceremonies of ordination were poured on the head of the priest and the smell filled the area! Everyone was enveloped in the experience.Mount Hermon, the highest peak in Northern Israel, was the place from which the waters of the Jordan flowed, bringing life to the desert areas of Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

David's point is that when God's people work together, sharing grace, loving - it's a 'WOW' experience, the best of the best. Get in on the party! Join the family. Find a place to participate in what God is doing. Forget yourself as you focus on the work. You'll find joy!

"God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: wise counsel clear understanding. ... You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts-limbs, organs, cells-but no matter how many parts you can name, you're still one body. It's exactly the same with Christ. ... I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn't just a single part blown up into something huge. It's all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together." (1 Corinthians 12:5-8, 12, 14, The Message)

See a slideshow of VBS by clicking here.
http://www.WashingtonAG.com/VBS2009.wmv

Some good people out in front of me!

I am in the mood to reflect this morning, being my 54th birthday. A collage of faces and a chorus of voices play through my memory today; of the good people who have mentored me. There’s my Dad, now with the Lord, and Mom – who had the greatest influence. Their values became mine before I was even old enough to choose, to evaluate. The most valuable gift they gave me was the ‘awe and respect of the Lord.’ From the dawn of consciousness, they their words and lives were a demonstration about life’s True Center; about trusting and serving Him. Though I only walked in his shadow for a single year, David Eggebraaten, a pastor who loved me, shaped my life by teaching me about the grace of God. I never met Ray Stedman, but his writing, especially a little book called “Authentic Christianity,” effected me deeply. Richard Foster’s “Celebration of Discipline” was equally seminal! Harry Almond, a retired missionary, walked alongside of me for a few years in mid-life, friend-mentor. He was one of the most wise men I’ve ever known, yet amazingly humble.

Who are you following?
Who is mentoring you?

The world’s all a ‘Twitter’ these days, with single lines of streaming consciousness supposedly providing leadership and mentoring. The mark of success on that social networking site is one’s number of followers. It’s an awfully shallow experience. Hopefully, you have connected much more deeply to good friends and with solid spiritual leadership. Both are absolutely critical in the process of bringing about real depth of character in your life! Watch out for big talkers as your choose mentors. "God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an empowered life." (1 Corinthians 4:20, The Message) Don’t demand perfection. Leaders are a work in progress, too. Observe their course of life as you discern their heart. I’ve learned a lot from seeing how others recovered (or failed to recover!) from failure.

I lived about 30 years before I started to really understand the value of seeking wisdom from elders, of submitting one’s self to leaders. Like many headstrong young men, I failed to see that those who went before had much to offer. My stubborn and rebellious ways brought me many sorrows, but there were those who loved me, in spite of myself.

"So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths." …
"Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands. They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well. Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people." …
"You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, when you make friends with Madame Insight. She’s worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary."

(Proverbs 2:20, 3:1-4, 13-14, The Message)
____________

Believing fathers oft have told
What things by God were done,
When faithful men in days of old
Their lifelong battle won;
And now when God calls us to life,
And Satan tempts each man,
We choose our side in th’mortal strife
To fight as best we can—
Like brothers true, of one accord,
To hold one faith and serve one Lord.

We fain would do our Master’s part,
And help our fellow men,
Would cheer some lonely brother’s heart,
Some lost one bring again,
Would serve the Church abroad, at home,
With hearts from self set free,
Striving to make Thy kingdom come.
O God, so may it be,
That, brothers true, with one accord,
We hold the faith and serve the Lord!

Believing Fathers
Archibald Charteris
Public Domain

Under the hood

When I was 18 I earned my pilot’s license. Part of instruction in flying was something called ‘being under the hood.’ George Kouba would hand me this strange looking plastic device that went on my head like a cap with an extended tube on the front, ‘the hood!’ It restricted my vision to the instrument panel of the little Cessna 150. “You can fly this plane as long as the fuel lasts with those instruments,” George said each time. A pattern of scanning those dials and indicators allowed me to maintain speed, keep the wings level, and control rates of climb or descent- without seeing anything outside of the little cockpit of the airplane. So, while under the hood, we would practice- “Jerry, let’s make a turn to heading 270 while descending to 3000 feet.” With a view of the horizon, it was easier; but weather could develop that would take away those reference points. Then I would have to fly by instrument. Being ‘under the hood’ prepared me for that possibility and taught me to keep my eyes on those critical gauges.

Circumstances of life can and do, from time to time, take away the reference points that keep us on course. Pain, discouragement, criticism, conflict, doubt, fear – and more – move in like a bank of fog and we are threatened with loss of our sense of purpose and/or direction, in grave peril of crashing. Many people self-destruct when things get tough. Instead of maintaining their course, they make the choice to trust their ‘gut,’ to live by their emotions. The choices they make when they cannot see ahead or around, may not be the right or best choice. In those moments, we must trust God and do what’s right even if we can’t see the way.

The Word reminds us that even when we are enveloped in darkness we must live by faith, doing the right things. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV) When we’re attacked, our gut will tell us to strike back. God’s guidance tells us to turn the other cheek. When we are afraid, our instinct will be to turn back. God’s will is for us to maintain our course. All the while, we monitor our decisions by measuring against His unchanging Word – It is loving? Is it honest? Is it pure? Is it of noble character, something I will be able to own in the light of day that will certainly follow?

“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God." is the cry of the prophet, Habakkuk. (2:4, NLT) The book of Hebrews repeats his declaration, amplifying it for the disciple. "Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:36-39, NLT)

Steady on, disciple, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV)
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My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior's name,
Salvation through His blood.

I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

My Faith Has Found A Resting Place
Edmunds, Lidie H. / Gretry, Andre© Public Domain