On a power trip?

Kathy (not he real name) struggled with life. She had bouts of severe anxiety, sometimes flew into blind rages, and was occasionally suicidal. She was in therapy for years.  Her psychiatrist reached out to me and asked if I would counsel with her.  “I have gone about as far as I can go,” he told me. “I believe that there are spiritual issues in her life that I cannot change.”  After meeting with her a couple of times, I felt strongly that in addition to her real emotional problems that somehow she had come under the influence of demonic spirits. Are you shocked? Does that seem the stuff of movies or the medieval age?  Over the next year, prayerful engagement with the evil influences in her life brought a remarkable change to Kathy’s life.

“Spiritual warfare” is often sensationalized, even in the Church. My generation gained strange ideas about ‘demons’ from by a movie called ‘The Exorcist’ that had a kernel of truth wrapped in layers of Hollywood dramatic fiction!  In many churches, other than the creed there is almost no recognition of the demonic, the dark influence of the Devil.  In a few, there is a silly, over-wrought insistence that every problem, pain, and personality issue requires ‘deliverance’ from demons.  The truth is more balanced. For the Christian there need not be an obsession with demons, given that in Christ we are secure, but should we ignore their reality we can end up fighting the wrong enemy with the wrong strategies.

Paul approached the Corinthians with correction for their spiritual errors reminding them of the power of the Gospel of Christ. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV)

When a nation goes to war, the only way to win is to overpower the enemy. Half measures will not accomplish the goal of defeat. “Limited warfare” usually prolongs the conflict. Massive force is gathered and sent to gain victory, bringing death and destruction on a terrible scale.  Christians overcome evil with a powerful weapon called ‘love.’  We eliminate the darkness by shining the Light. Fear is erased by the assurance of the Father.  Deception is exposed by the Truth. Whenever the Church attempts to use political might, or coercive threats, or such things – the results may look good in the short term, but in the end there is only superficial compliance without deep heart transformation.

There are moments when demonic forces must be met with the authority of Christ. Such encounters are for those who are mature in faith, who have great spiritual discernment, and who are bold. On those occasions when a person is severely demonized (yes, it does happen) a solid foundation of Christ and His resurrection power must be laid down and in the proper time the person can be delivered from their captivity.  We all are delivered in some measure by the Gospel! "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8-10, NIV)

We need not go on a power trip, loving our authority in Christ Jesus, shouting and confronting evil just because we can. Rather, we live holy lives, serving the least and the lost, careful to live the Truth we preach - and in this we, like generations of Christians before us, change our world.

Live in this confidence today. The word from the Word is one we need to confess and know. It our foundation for a life full of faith. "I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, NLT)   Can I get an ‘amen’?

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A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God

A bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe

His craft and power are great

And armed with cruel hate

On earth is not his equal

Did we in our own strength confide

Our striving would be losing

Were not the right man on our side

The man of God's own choosing

Dost ask who that may be

Christ Jesus it is He

Lord Sabaoth His name

From age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And though this world

With devils filled

Should threaten to undo us

We will not fear

For God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us

The prince of darkness grim

We tremble not for him

His rage we can endure

For lo his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly pow'rs

No thanks to them abideth

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Through Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also

The body they may kill

God's truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever

Martin Luther

© Words: Public Domain

Will you tip God this Sunday?

Our church is in the middle of the “Matthew 25 Challenge” in cooperation with World Vision. Two goals are in view – to raise our awareness of the need that millions of people experience every day, and to open our wallets to become part of the effort to provide clean water, basic food, and education to parts of the world that are desperately poor.  The idea that fasting for a day, drinking only water (yes, I sure did miss my coffee!), sleeping on the floor, and such minor inconveniences could even begin to approach the hardships that those in grinding poverty live with is absurd. However, it is a way to drag us out of our apathy.  I’ll admit this about giving! Generosity that is just based on sympathy or pictures of children in rags won’t last!  

A far deeper change in attitudes about our ‘stuff and store,’ about the money in the bank, must take place for real God-honoring giving to become a way of life.  Giving that is sustained grows from the faith that sees God as our richest Resource, our Supply.  

 Here is how Paul explains that to us. "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, NIV)

Let me put it this way  - is your Christian giving more like an investment that you expect to return a dividend or a tip for efficient service?

Every month I take a sizable chunk of money and send it off to an institution where it is invested, used by churches and other organizations that pay me a small fee in return that is called interest. I ‘give’ that money away with the full expectation that the funds will be there for that time in my life when I am unable to produce an income.  When I am served, in a restaurant, by the barber, for example – I add a percentage to the total on the check that is called a ‘tip.’  It is a way to say ‘thank you’ for serving me in this way.  A tip is given out of some generosity, I suppose, but I do not expect much of a return on it.

God invites us to give with the full expectation of a return. He says that our generosity is an investment. “He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.”   

Some of you are gasping with shock!  “Jerry, are you teaching that old lie about seed faith, telling us to give to get?”  No, not at all. God says, “Invest in Me, every part of life, given away generously because I am Your rich Resource, your true Security.”

Much Christian giving is more like a tip than an investment.  God gets a $20 bill on Sunday with the idea that He’ll be good to us on Monday.  When we really want a big favor, we increase the tip.

I give because I love and trust Him, because I believe, at the core of my being, that He is my life. Beyond money, I invest time and effort in the work of the Lord, fully expecting that He is able to take what I give, hold it securely, and prepare what I need for days to come. 

Jesus taught me that. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20, NLT)  If you’re reading that we give so that God will make us rich so we can buy all the stuff we want, you missed the point.  We give so that we will become rich in godliness, so that true wealth of the Kingdom of God overflows in us, and so that we can live without being anxious about tomorrow or eternity.

 

I am invested in Eternal things. Are you? 

Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to make the Kingdom of God, the things of Heaven real to us, so that our giving will become an investment rather than a tip.

Meditate on this story Jesus told about investing. Ask the Spirit to begin to shift your treasure from things of earth to the wealth of God! “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’" (Matthew 25:19-21, NLT)

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You Are My All In All

You are my strength

When I am weak

You are the treasure

That I seek

You are my all in all

Seeking You as a precious jewel

Lord to give up I'd be a fool

You are my all in all

Jesus Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name

Jesus Lamb of God

Worthy is Your name

Taking my sin

My cross my shame

Rising again I bless Your name

You are my all in all

When I fall down You pick me up

When I am dry You fill my cup

You are my all in all

Dennis Jernigan

© 1991 Shepherd's Heart Music, Inc. (Admin. by PraiseCharts Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

I feel so bad!

My grandson, Gio, who is 4, sometimes needs to be corrected like any toddler. Grandfathers see those moments of discipline so much differently than the parents. “It’s just a little thing. Don’t make him sad,” I offer.  But, truthfully, it is good that his Dad and Mom correct his behavior. His protests and tears at having to have a ‘time out’ are hard for this “Pop” to see but I know that the goal of his parents is not to make him miserable but to teach and train him for life.

Paul, the spiritual father of the Christians in the city of Corinth, sent them a letter of correction that made them sad! He spoke sharply about their abuse of spiritual gifts, told them to get over their immature worship of certain teachers, and pointed out their divisions which was destroying their testimony in the city.  Titus brought news of their response to Paul. “They are,” he said,  “experiencing true sorrow and repentance.”   

Paul wrote a second time to say - “I am glad that you were sad.”  Is he gloating?  Not at all!  "Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (2 Corinthians 7:8-10, NIV)

The Lord disciplines us and sometimes it hurts so badly that we weep!  His grace and mercy are deep and wide, but He loves us too much to allow us to destroy ourselves without challenging us.  I know when I have grieved God’s Spirit because I sense His disappointment.  That sense of peace that I know when He is with me lifts and I feel alone.  Confession and repentance restores the relationship. David knew that feeling, too.  In a Psalm that is a most heart-wrenching cry of godly sorrow he sings, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." (Psalm 51:10-12, NLT)

Paul tells the church that failing to recognize Jesus as Lord, abusing the grace of God, will cause us to lose our joy, and sometimes to go through terrible difficulties. When everything is going wrong, when we are continually sick, when depression stalks us –  we are wise to ask the Father if we are living in ways that invite His discipline.  If He reveals choices, words, thoughts that are rebellious, there is only one thing to do:  repent! "The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17, NLT)  Paul calls this “godly sorrow.”

God is not petty nor petulant. He is good and kind.  The Scripture is clear that not all of the outcomes of life are direct cause and effect, at least from our limited perspective.  Godly people often suffer and sometimes the wicked prosper.  But, we cannot ignore the fact that God, our Father, desires obedience and corrects us for our own good.  He is glad when we are sad if that sorrow leads us to deeper devotion and sincere change of heart.

Are you troubled by the silence of God?

Is life filled with troubles?

Wisely, humbly, in times of quiet prayer, with a wise counselor -  evaluate your ways.  

Is the Lord correcting you? 
Will your response be a godly sorrow that leads to a change of heart?  

Here’s the word from the Word. “My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.” -The Message, Heb 12:5-10

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Abba, renew my faith.

Help me to be ready to say “yes,”

to respond to correction with a real turnaround.

When I am troubled in heart or find myself in hard times,

give me a discerning mind to understand when You are
correcting me to make me more like Jesus.

Draw me close to Your heart.

Keep me in Your grace.
Let me know joy in a new day of mature godliness.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen