When to Hold’em and When to Fold’em

Kenny Rogers made a classic out of a song about an old gambling man who passed along this advice: “You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run.”  I am not a gambler but in my life one of the big challenges is dealing with change. What should be left behind, discarded? What should be preserved? When is the right time to shift priorities? What must be protected at all costs?

Change is constant and its pace is blinding in 2014. Skills must be refined all the time. The world that I live in today operates very differently from the one I knew in 1980!  A cellphone in my pocket keeps me in contact all the time, every day.  The computer on which I am typing these words allows me to take my office with me wherever I go- which is both a blessing and a curse.  If I am not diligent to guard my time, I can be ‘at work’ all the time.  Social media keeps us connected with friends, near and far.  It also can divert us from deep relationships in the real world!

Three centuries ago a little sect of Christians decided to reject all change. Now, we go as tourists to look on the quaint lifestyle of the Amish. Their motives may be good, but if we all adopted their methods, would the world actually be a better place – without modern medical practices, without scientific discovery?  Some Christians today are similar to the Amish. They want to return to some idealized era in a vain attempt to reclaim the supposed glories of that time.

Others are committed to revolution. They believe the answer to a vital Christian experience is to throw away all the present forms of spiritual life.  Church, who needs it? World missions, a relic of a by-gone era? Ministries that focus on children, youth, or other special groups, discard them?

Individual Christians take similar paths in their spiritual lives.  Some settle and reject innovation and as result grow stale, often losing the radiant faith they once knew. Others chase all things new, endlessly restless, moving from church to church, from pastor to teacher – trying to find the next new wave, living on the excitement.

Jesus urges us to keep a tight grip on the Gospel. Our salvation from sin, God’s gift given to us freely through the Son, is a treasure that we must never discard. "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." (Revelation 3:3, NIV)  "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." (Revelation 3:11, NIV)  We must return, again and again, to the Cross where our sins were removed.  The Lord Himself told us to gather at His Table, celebrating with Cup and Bread.  “On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”  (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

We must treasure His Word. Jesus said "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:35, NIV)  The truth of God’s revelation never becomes out-dated.  "Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." (Psalm 119:89, NIV)  "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”(Isaiah 40:8, NIV)

The Holy Spirit who lives in us will guide us, keep us, and give us insight to know how to live today. Relevance is not our primary goal.  If we desire to be relevant, we will almost certainly throw away precious gifts of God, valuing the approval of people over His will.  Truth is what we love.  In the same breath, we remind ourselves that while tradition is valued, it is not the same as God’s Truth! 

God, give us the true wisdom to know when to hold’em and when to fold’em! 

________

Holy words, long preserved,

For our walk in this world.

They resound with God's own heart,

O let the ancient words impart.

Words of life, words of hope,

Give us strength, help us cope.

In this world, where'er we roam,

Ancient words will guide us home.

Ancient words - ever true -

Changing me, changing you.

We have come, with open hearts,

O let the ancient words impart.

Holy words of our faith,

Handed down to this age,

Came to us through sacrifice,

O heed the faithful words of Christ.

We have come with open hearts,

O let the ancient words impart.

Ancient Words

Lynn DeShazo

© 2001 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))

CCLI License # 810055

The Universal Temptation

The old king, Nebuchadnezzar, deeply impressed with his accomplishments, 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, The Message)  The pride that oozes from him hides the terrible cost of his empire in stolen treasure, violence, and human suffering.  God heard him and just as He had told the king a year earlier, allowed His judgment to settle on him.  For the next 7 years the king was insane, living like an ox, eating grass, apart from human civilization.  Talk about humiliation!

Pride isn’t just for kings and queens. It is a test for every Christian. Henri Nouwen, in his book In the Name of Jesus, reminds us that we are tempted by pride that dresses up in disguise.  We are desire to be relevant, accepted and understood by our world. We are drawn by the temptation to be powerful, to control our situations.  We are tested by the temptation to be spectacular.  These subtle forms of pride are so woven into our cultural values we don’t even view them as leading us to sin. Even Christians admire those who are praised for their relevance, followed because they are powerful, and lifted up in their attractiveness.

Paul tells us that we are to seek the same attitude as Jesus in His humanity. Did He come to this Earth to accept a  place of admiration and power? No, He "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:7, NIV)  A pointed question comes to mind.  Am I content to serve or will I become a servant? What’s the difference?  Many choose to serve, here and there, as they like but they hang onto control. They choose who they will serve, where they will serve, the limits of their service.  A servant is without rights, doing what another wishes.

We are to be servants of God and man, like Jesus!  Ah, that kind of serving runs headlong into pride that insists “But, I must protect myself, my rights, my life,” doesn’t it? Our model is Jesus.  He gave Himself away completely to the will of God. This kind of selflessness is rooted in a faith in God’s ability to control and direct all parts of our lives.  In Daniel 4, the proud king we met a moment ago, was reminded three times that "the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 4:32, NIV)  Is your life shaped by faith in the rule of God? 

I confess that there are many times when it is hard for me to see that He is in charge. When sufferings overtakes His children, it tests my faith. When cruel despots inflict suffering on nations, my trust in His control of history is stretched.  But, the baseline truth that allows us to give ourselves away, to become servants in the model of Jesus, is the assurance that God is in charge and is bringing about His purposes.  The defeat of pride is not accomplished by beating ourselves down or trying to convince ourselves that we are worthless.  Our Father in Heaven has no interest in making us like an abused dog with a broken spirit.  True humility is born out of the deep conviction that we are of ultimate worth to Him, that He loves us completely, and that He will – in His time and in His way  - usher us into the reward that is prepared for all those who serve God and man without reservation.

Nebuchadnezzar experienced that restoration when he came to see the folly of trying to care for himself. “At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. I was given my mind back and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives forever: “His sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls. Life on this earth doesn’t add up to much, but God’s heavenly army keeps everything going. No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question. " (Daniel 4:34-35, The Message)  "And that’s why I’m singing—I, Nebuchadnezzar—singing and praising the King of Heaven: “Everything he does is right, and he does it the right way. He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman.” (Daniel 4:37, The Message)

Here is the word from the Word. Though familiar may the Spirit call us to humility, break pride, and use us as servants.

"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself." (Philippians 2:5, The Message) "When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever." (Philippians 2:7-9, The Message)

"What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. … Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God." (Philippians 2:12, The Message)

_____________

You are God Alone (worship with the video at this link- click here)

You are not a god created

By human hands.

You are not a god dependent

On any mortal man.

You are not a god in need of

Anything we can give.

By Your plan

That's just the way it is.

You are God alone from before time began!

You were on Your throne; You are God alone!

And right now, in the good times and bad,

You are on Your throne; You are God alone!

You're unchangeable. You're unshakable.

You're unstoppable; that's what You are.

You're unchangeable. You're unshakable.

You're unstoppable; that's what You are.

You're the only God whose power

None can contend.

You're the only God whose name and

Praise will never end.

You're the only God who's worthy

Of ev'rything we can give.

You are God;

That's just the way it is.

And right now, in the good times and bad,

You are on Your throne, You are God alone!

You Are God Alone (Not A God)

Billy J. Foote | Cindy Foote

© 2004 Billy Foote Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))

Integrity's Hosanna! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (IMI))

CCLI License # 810055

Baptized in the Spirit

Six of us sat around the dining table in my house last night talking about church membership at Faith Discovery Church.  As we reviewed our statement of faith we came to the part that defines us as a Pentecostal church, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What a privilege it was to talk about God’s promise of the Spirit, an experience that allows us to commune with Him – spirit to Spirit, to know His Presence.

After the Resurrection, Jesus directed His followers to wait! “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5, NLT)  They gathered to pray, not knowing exactly what He meant, but in obedience expecting that God would do as He said.  On the day of the Jewish Feast of Pentecost (50 days after Passover),  the Spirit fell! "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:2-5, NIV)  The age of the Spirit dawned.  Filled with His powerful Presence, those ordinary men and women took the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth.

Their experience of the Spirit’s fullness was repeated as others were baptized in the Spirit. The book of the Acts tells of several occasions when the Spirit came on those seeking God. Paul told the Corinthians that he ‘spoke in tongues’ as the Spirit touched his life. He instructed them not to make the experience into a sideshow, but rather to enter into the intimacy with God that the Spirit’s baptism allowed.

The prayer language of the Spirit (nicknamed speaking in tongues) is a normal part of the Christian life today.  God’s gift has been misunderstood, misrepresented, and abused over the years.  Some have made the experience into a mark of super-spirituality. It is not! Others have made it an experience only for insiders. God promised His Spirit to all who ‘hunger and thirst.’ Many confuse the gift of tongues in a public worship service which must always be accompanied by the gift of interpretation so all can benefit with the private blessing of tongues, a prayer language, that needs no interpretation.  (1 Corinthians 14:26-28)  

Those first generation Christians accepted God’s gift of the Spirit and allowed Him to overflow. Enveloped in His Presence, they worshipped and prayed, often in tongues of men and angels. And, so can we.  We pray with words we know and we pray with expressions that flow from our spirit.  As part of his instructions for proper use of that prayer language in church gatherings, Paul teaches "Since you’re so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don’t you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church? So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don’t hoard the experience for yourself. Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy. If I pray in tongues, my spirit prays but my mind lies fallow, and all that intelligence is wasted. So what’s the solution? The answer is simple enough. Do both. I should be spiritually free and expressive as I pray, but I should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my spirit, and sing with my mind." (1 Corinthians 14:12-15, The Message)

Want to know a more intimate prayer life? Do you hunger for a holiness of heart, to be empowered for service to God and others that flows out a life given to Him?  Invite the Lord to baptize you in His Spirit.  Yes, of course, if you are a Christian, the Spirit lives in you. That is the essence of the Christian life.  Being baptized in the Spirit is about God owning us – soul, mind, and spirit – so that we can live near to His heart.  Let Him fill you to overflowing.

"Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." (Galatians 5:25, The Message)

___________

Lord, send the old time pow'r,

The Pentecostal pow'r.

Thy floodgates of blessing,

On us throw open wide.

Lord send the old time pow'r,

The Pentecostal pow'r,

That sinners be converted

And Thy name glorified!

Charlotte G. Homer

Public Domain

“It’s over. I’m done. Take me home.”

Have you ever poured yourself into some great effort?  For months you planned and prepared.  You stayed up late, ignored other responsibilities, focused on the one challenge. And then, the day came and now it’s over.  In those moments we are vulnerable to feeling a huge let-down, even if our efforts met success.  We can even slip into depression!  There’s a story in the Scripture that teaches us about meeting that discouragement.  Let it touch you today.

Elijah, God's faithful man in Israel, stood up to the evil couple that ruled, Ahab and Jezebel. They hated him for his righteousness and tried to kill him! God gave Elijah the dubious honor of announcing that Israel was facing a long drought.  Thousands of people would die. Naturally, the people hated Elijah. They focused their anger on him, not on the wickedness that brought the judgment of the Lord.  But the prophet remained faithful.  After three years of suffering, the Lord called a summit and the challenge was thrown down.   "Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the LORD’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” (1 Kings 18:20-24, NIV)

God answered Elijah’s prayer with fire from heaven. A spiritual renewal followed.  Rain came and the drought – in the land and spiritually in Israel – was lifted.  End of story, right?

Read on! After years of maximum effort and great faithfulness, Elijah’s emotions collapsed.  He ran off and, alone under a tree in the wilderness, he sighed, "I have had enough, Lord. Take my life." (1 Kings 19.4)  We catch a glimpse of the depth of his discouragement in his prayerful lament: "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." (1 Kings 19:10)

Can you identify with his heart?  God didn't kick him while he was down. God didn't say, "Well, what a weakling my prophet turned out to be. I'll just let him die and find someone else to do my work." The Lord showed up to restore Elijah. It's a dramatic scene! The mountain where Elijah was holed up was torn by a powerful wind, then shaken by an earthquake. After that, a blaze of fire swept the face of the mountain. The prophet discerned that God's Presence was not in the BIG, NOISY, and IMPRESSIVE displays! Then came a gentle whisper- God's revelation of Himself.  The Spirit reminded Elijah that he was not alone. "There are 7000 in Israel who have not joined the idol worshippers!"  God sent him to find Elisha and start to mentor him.

The Spirit whispers this Word to us: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)  We must not trust our intelligence, plans, or preparations alone. We use those gifts, but our ultimate hope is in God. As people under the command of Another, we must be faithful and entrust the results to our Lord, who by the Spirit and truth of His eternal Word, will bring about His plans in His time.

Have you given your best and came up 'way short of what you hoped for in terms of results?
Does it seem that God has 'failed' you?  There is no sin in feeling disappointment or even in asking questions. But, if you do, make sure you listen for the answer. Likely God's answer to you will come in a quiet whisper that calls for you to wait out His purposes and to remember that you are NOT alone! Stay involved with those who love you and share your love of God.

And hear this Word that assures us that HE knows what's up, even when we do not. . . “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (Romans 8:25-26 -- The Message) 
____________

Hide Thou Me

Sometimes I feel discouraged,
And think my life in vain.
I'm tempted then to murmur,
And of my lot complain.
But when I think of Jesus,
And all He's done for me,
Then I cry, O Rock of Ages,
Hide Thou me.

O Rock of Ages, hide Thou me.
No other refuge have I but Thee.
When life's dark vale I wander,
Far, far from Thee.
Then I cry, O Rock of Ages,
Hide Thou me.

Hide Thou Me
Thoro Harris © 1926. Renewed 1953 Singspiration Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)CCLI License No. 810055