Everything means just that!

Everything- means just that!

The office printer just stopped working yesterday. I am tech savvy, so I did resets, restarts, unplugs – all the normal things one would do to get it going again.  A call to tech support from Xerox dragged on for 15 minutes but to no avail.  In the evening, I was back at the church for a meeting and needed to print documents for it. What could I do?  I exercised some very child-like faith; I prayed for the printer. Yes, really!  I put my hands on it and prayed something like this: “Lord, if You could make the universe, I am fully confident that You can make this thing run.  I thank You for wisdom to fix it, if that’s how You choose to act or a miracle of restoration. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”  I pushed the switch and heard the internal fan kick on.  Then, it went into error mode and stopped again.  So, I prayed again. “Lord, please.”  I pushed the switch once again.  15 minutes later I walked to my meeting carrying neatly printed documents from a fully functioning laser printer.  Call it coincidence, if you like. I’ll thank God for answered prayer.

Is God at my beck and call, my Divine Tech Support? No, He isn’t, but He is my Abba, the One who is concerned about those things that concern me. I accept, each day and in simple faith, His invitation to “pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." (Philippians 4:6, NLT) I request wisdom. I talk to Him about my work. I ask for provision for my needs and yours, too. I pray for people, kids, cars, buildings, healings, peace, insight, suffering nations, world peace, belly aches … yes, everything.  Why? Because, “everything” means just that!  Perhaps you don’t share my point of view, but since He is my Father in Heaven who loves me, He enjoys our ongoing conversation.

The Word tells me that "The LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation." (Psalm 149:4, NIV)  He finds pleasure in being my Abba (and yours, too)!  If you are ‘in Christ,’ then there is a standing invitation to ‘come into His Presence.’  You don’t need an appointment.  You don’t have to beg, cower, wheedle, or whine. Just come confidently to Him, thanking Him for all He has done and will do.  Like a beloved child, be ready to accept His ‘no,’ or ‘wait,’ as readily as His “yes.”  I don’t always find that printers start to work the moment I pray for them, that cancer falls away the instant I ask Him for healing on behalf of others.  However, I see His providence all of the time when I open my eyes in faith.

Learn to talk with God; listening, responding, making requests about everything.  Take this word from the Word. Own it by faith and then live it.

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:3-6, NIV)  "For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land." (Psalm 37:9, NIV)

_______________

Father God

Father God,

I give all thanks

And praise to Thee!

Father God,

My hands I humbly raise to Thee,

For Thy mighty pow'r,

And love amazes me, amazes me;

And I stand in awe and worship,

Father God.

Jack Hayford

© 1973 Rocksmith Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)

CCLI License # 810055

One Tough Calling

Last week was one of stories of cruelty shocking to the extreme.  We learned that a man kept three young women locked in his Cleveland home for 10 years to serve his twisted desires. Then, on 60 Minutes, the report of sexual slavery visited on young Syrian girls who are refugees of the civil war came to light.  (Read the story)  Girls as young as 13 are sold into ‘temporary’ marriages for a few hundred dollars, where they are used for pleasure.  The arrangement allows men to get around rape laws!  Many are left pregnant, all are disgraced and, most likely, unmarriageable for the rest of their lives.

Christian, we must never forget that God hates oppression and abuse of power.  The prophet Amos was stirred by the Spirit to preach of His judgment. "I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed." (Amos 2:6-7, NIV)  You may be wondering why this is an issue for our attention today.  Because, we must not be exploiters and we must work to stop it. “But, what can I do,” you ask?

First of all, we are a part of the most powerful society on the earth today.  Many things are being done in the name of the American people that are exploitative of poorer nations both economically and politically.  God’s people must pray for insight! We must ask God to make us aware of the deceptions we are sold from both the Left and Right. And, we must raise our voices against policies that oppress weaker nations. Then, too, we must accept some responsibility.  For example, we need to consciously understand that choices like shopping at big discount stores for cheap products supports industries that exploit the poor, paying people pennies a day for their labor.  Remember the building that collapsed in Bangladesh a couple of weeks ago killing 1127 people?  People working in those unsafe conditions were making clothing sold in America. We need to bear some responsibility for that tragedy by realizing our demand for cheap goods hurts the powerless on the other side of the world.

Closer to home, we must ask God to cause us to love the poor, the weak, the broken.  That can be one tough calling! When Joe Dysfunction drifts into our life, he drags his habits and his drama along. He can make a mess of our tidy life and our natural response?  Ignore him, marginalize him, push him away.  We can look at those who are without resources and see plenty of valid reasons that they are in the state they’re in.  She has multiple children by several different partners.  He is irresponsible and loses one job after another. Pills, booze, and sex are consumed in prodigious quantities and grow a harvest of poverty and suffering.  We can, and often do, stand aside and like the Pharisees of old, heap guilt and blame on those trapped by sin.  Jesus asks us to get involved, to become light in dark places, to lead them to life.  I’m am not so naïve that I think that is a simple task.

A young pastor I know recently invited a teen whose life has been marked by all kinds of dysfunction into his home.  In about 2 weeks this pastor saw things broken, realized that his ‘guest’ felt entitled to abuse the hospitality he was shown, and experienced the disruption of his life.  As the pastor shared his experience with me, I made a comment not intended to be snide or critical, but simply an observation:  “It gives you the opportunity to be like Jesus every day, doesn’t it?”  We celebrate love as being so rewarding, so pretty and nice. In reality, it is gritty, tough, demanding, and often – thankless.  Love got Jesus killed!  (Yes, I know He gave His life, but it was for love’s sake.)

It’s a hard word today. Don’t be too quick to walk away from it, to dismiss it.  Ponder this call from the Word.

"How can I stand up before God and show proper respect to the high God? Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves? Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil? Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously."
(Micah 6:6-8, The Message)

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8, NIV)

_______________________

Take My Life

Take my life and let it be,

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Here am I all of me

Take my life it's all for Thee

Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart it is Thine own

It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love my Lord I pour

At Your feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be

Ever only all for Thee.

Chris Tomlin | Frances Ridley Havergal | Henri Abraham Cesar Malan | Louie Giglio

© 2003 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Did your heart go with that greeting card?

$4 for a piece of paper, some foil imprinting, and a ribbon? The practical side of me says, "Jerry, just go fold a piece of paper, write your thoughts on it, and send it off."   Message delivered, money saved. Am I cheap or just practical? Truthfully, I have spent hundreds of dollars for greeting cards in my lifetime because I understand that the message of encouragement or love I want to convey is enhanced by the presentation. So, practicality aside, I buy the cards. Last week, when I was buying Mother’s Day cards, I wondered how many greeting cards were really beautiful lies? There is no lie detector at the register that determines if the sender is truthful.   Sending a card is easy. Really loving somebody is much more expensive!

Does your ‘love for God’ combine 'right words' with 'right actions?' The religious leaders, men who looked super holy outwardly, were Jesus’ greatest foes. They said they loved God. They created loopholes for themselves in the Law. This allowed them to appear righteous while doing exactly what they wanted to do. Jesus poked holes in their pretense reminding them that God wasn't fooled by their public professions. He had nothing but contempt for their ‘religion.’ "You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." (Matthew 23:24-26, NIV)

To invite their repentance, he told this story.

"A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'  The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will.' But he didn't go.

"Which of the two obeyed his father?"

They replied, "The first."

Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do."  

(Matthew 21:28-31, NLT)

Cheap religion is all about making good impressions, sort of like sending an over-priced card with overblown poetry just to meet expectations! We can sing the 'right' kind of songs, be in the church at the 'right' times, and say the 'right' kind of prayers, but if there is no devotion to Christ under all that, God isn't impressed. Jesus said that our Father would much prefer that we honestly admit to our desire to do our own thing than to say we love Him while continuing to live for ourselves. Why? Because, honesty before Him and with ourselves allows the Spirit to convict us and change us.  

Adopting a superficial holiness is a kind of vaccine that prevents us from feeling the effects of sin's sickness that drives us to desperately seek Him!   Look at this challenge to a heart-less religion. "Frauds! Isaiah's prophecy of you hit the bull's-eye: These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it." (Matthew 15:7-8, The Message)

As we worship, let's engage our hearts!   Here's a word from the Word on which to meditate today."Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?

For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup-where does that get you?Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? ... Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove." (James 2:14-18, The Message)

_________________________

When the music fades,

All is stripped away,

And I simply come;

Longing just to bring

Something that's of worth

That will bless Your heart.

I'll bring You more than a song,

For a song in itself

Is not what You have required.

You search much deeper within,

Through the way things appear;

You're looking into my heart.

King of endless worth,

No one could express

How much You deserve.

Though I'm weak and poor,

All I have is Yours,

Ev'ry single breath.

I'm coming back

To the heart of worship,

And it's all about You,

All about You, Jesus.

I'm sorry, Lord,

For the thing I've made it,

When it's all about You,

All about You, Jesus.

Heart of Worship

Matt Redman © 1997 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055

The allure of the ‘supernatural’

The allure of the ‘supernatural’

Priests, prophets, and holy men from ages past to this day promise those who do something (pray longer, be more holy, sing more fervently, give bigger offerings) that they can make the supernatural happen. Their claims make it appear that God can be put on retainer; that, at their will, He can be made to rain down healing, renewal of youth, unfailing happiness, and prosperity on true believers.  It’s all very exciting and has an allure that is nearly irresistible. Christians aren’t above yearning for lives free from pain or problems, are we? And, in Christ, we do have amazing access to the Presence and Power of God. We are invited to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, NIV)

What we can never forget is that for all our singing louder, calling down angels, jumping up and down, or working up a fever, God is still God and He acts to accomplish His plans, not ours. Prayer moves Him, to be sure. This is the Scripture’s revelation. But, almost always the supernatural is accomplished by the same processes He built into the world He created. In a century, an open pasture  can become a dense woodland. A miracle right? Yes, but how does that forest come to exist?  Seedling take root, grow steadily - through storm, drought, winter, and spring- one species flourishing, as another passes.  Similarly, we become the “planting of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:3) over time, nurtured and guided by the Spirit, steadied by faith. And, His kingdom is extended (a miracle indeed!) not in a moment, but over time.  

Jesus went public with His mission describing His purpose like this-  "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." (Isaiah 61:1-4, NIV)  We are called to do what He did! As much as I would like to say it can be done effortlessly or magically, it cannot.

We free captives, heal the broken, bring Light -not with a wave of a magic wand - but through serving, praying, growing, and working together in unity.  Yes, we must be empowered by the Spirit but He uses our hands, head, heart - blisters and sweat - to do His work.  

We, Pentecostals, love the miracles of Acts. We point to the wondrous works of the first generation of Christians and we rightly pray to see the same in our day.  Who does not want to see the Church defeat the reign of evil? Who does not want to see Christ Jesus lifted up as broken lives and darkened cultures are healed and restored? But, even as we lay claim to being “New Testament Christians,” we cannot conveniently forget that all the supernatural work of establishing the Church in that generation was done at a high cost to those who took up the call. They were full of the Holy Spirit but His power in them did not exempt them from hardship. They left families, lived lonely lives in itinerant ministry, and lived through persecution with most of the prominent Christians dying as martyrs!

You want to see miracles of God’s Kingdom happening in you and around you? Then, prepare to die to Self, making room for the Spirit. Prepare to have your life swallowed up in Him, overtaken by passionate love for the Holy. It is a gloriously high calling. But, do not forget that in the moment planting the seeds of His Kingdom does not appear all that ‘supernatural.’ It looks like life, which it is.  Planting the seed, waiting the germination,  cultivating the weeds, allowing for maturity, and then ... only then, the harvest.

Discovery of truth, growth in grace, and transformation into holiness!  These are the ‘signs and wonders’ that I pray for, that I desire in me and in the world around me.  Here's the word from the Word:
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-18 NIV) 

__________________

Miracle In My Heart

We are called

To be prophets to this nation;

To be the word of God,

In ev'ry situation.

Change my heart,

Change my heart today.

Who'll be the salt,

If the salt should lose its flavor?

Who'll be the salt,

If the salt should lose its flavor?

Change my heart,

Change my heart today.

Lord, loose the chains of oppression!

Lord, set the captives free!

Lord, fill my heart with compassion!

Shine Your light, shine Your light,

Shine Your light through me.

Work a miracle in my heart.

Work a miracle in my heart.

Work a miracle in my heart,

O Lord, today.

Lord. take all my lies

And all of my greed,

Let me be a sacrifice

For those who are in need,

Change my heart,

Change my heart today.

Lord, without Your power

It's all just good intentions!

Lord, without Your grace

Who could find redemption?

Change my heart,

Change my heart today.

Work a miracle in my heart.

Work a miracle in my heart.

Work a miracle in my heart,

O Lord, today.

Brian Houston

© 1998, 1999 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Playing at worship, while we worship our play?

Hob·by  –  an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation   So what's your hobby?   Please don't say watching TV or playing video games... sorry, that just couldn't be helped!   A majority of Americans report “TV watching” as the ‘activity’ (does it really qualify as an activity?) that fills the largest percentage of their leisure time.   TV is entertaining, but it certainly does not qualify as a real hobby.    A real hobby adds value to our lives by giving us a creative outlet, by connecting us to other people, and/or by helping us develop new skills.   I hope you've got one!  

The curse of the Church in 2013 is that “God” has become a hobby. He gets what’s left over after we do the ‘important’ things in life.  After work, school, home maintenance, sports … then, God gets His time. He gets a donation, not a tithe.  Many give what they can ‘afford’ after making payments on the mortgage, credit cards, and cars.  Christian services fills in the gaps in the day planner, after the 'real work' is finished - as a hobby ought to, but as He never should.  It's an ancient misappropriation of priorities among human beings.   We forget that we are spiritual beings, first and foremost; that our physical bodies are dying, that things of this present world that we love do dearly are temporal.  Making the satisfaction of our appetites an urgent matter, we turn to worship of ourselves, our bodies, our achievements, our stuff and we begin to play at spiritual matters such as worshipping God and using the gifts of the Spirit to serve others in His Name.

When we attempt to create ‘heaven on earth,’ we lose sight of eternity,  misplace our treasure, and wonder if the neglected faith is even worth the polite nod we give to it on alternate Sundays of the month.

Do you find church unbearably boring,  works of service intolerably intrusive, and prayer a practice only for a few devoted people?  This indicates that God has lost His place to some other god in your life. Vital Christianity does not just ‘happen’ to us.  We choose, each to lift up Christ in our thought and actions. The Bible says, "Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17, NLT)   Joshua, the leader of God’s people, directed them to "fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped … and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, … But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:13-15, NIV)

Ask this of yourself - "Am I going to do God's work or to simply earn a living?"  How we answer that question will make a difference in the way we work.  We will honor Christ in all things!

When we are making decisions about spending the resources of time or money, we should ask, "As I manage this sacred trust of life, am I spending or investing?"   We will create eternal wealth!

  

As a parent do I live in such a way that my children are God-aware  learning from my daily choices that God is the Lord of Life? Do my activities indicate that loving Jesus is the primary purpose;  would they conclude that success in this temporal world is why they exist?

In the last book of the Old Testament, a prophet named Malachi received a word from God for His people.   Seems that the Jews were blessed, but they forgot Who was blessing them.   God was playing second fiddle to their own desires and plans.  He was getting the left-overs.  He said,  “I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God-of-the-Angel-Armies.’  “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me.  You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!  And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is God speaking to you!   “A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I’m a great king, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I’ll not put up with it!"

A 'hobby' God is unable to meet our deepest needs.  That is the reason that so many Christians are unfulfilled – chasing experience, moving from church to church, even abandoning Christ’s church. God has not failed to meet their needs. They have asked Him to live in the wrong place in their lives.  So, ponder this word from the Word today.  Mediate deeply on it!  "... do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the (those without God) seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33, NKJV)