Like One Possessed?

Several years ago, I briefly met a man on the bus that carried me from the airport terminal to the parking lot.  His attitude was infectious! He was wearing a big smile, so I asked him what he was up to.  He is a welder who is dispatched around the country to fix the machinery built by the company which employs him.   He was dressed just like he'd come from the shop, with well worn work boots and his hat on backwards; his hands still showing signs of wrestling machinery and grease.  

He proudly told me that he was 'the number one welder' for the company, just returning from a trip to Tennessee where he had fixed some machine with 'gears this big,' he held his arms wide.   The man loves life!   "Been at this for 28 years, and I know what I'm doing!" he declared with a hearty laugh, holding up his hands with as much pride as if he had just won a national award for discovering the cure for cancer.  He brought so much enthusiasm to that bus that soon the weary travelers on that bus were chatting about their travels and work.  

That word ‘enthusiasm’ is transliterated from ancient Greek. The word  ‘enthousiazein’ meant:  to be inspired by a god. Those who were full of excitement, who created joy in the world where they lived, were said to be full of God!  Christian, that is literally true of us. God’s Spirit lives in us. Are we so full of the Spirit that we change the world we live with a quality of life that is seen to be inspired?  Do we love radically, stay steady when storms come, keep our word, hope for the best, and forgive quickly?  If God fills us, then the answer will be ‘yes!’

Start a new habit that carves some extra time into your morning when you invite the Holy Spirit to fill you with His Presence. Instead of dragging yourself out of bed, pouring a cup of coffee down your throat, and grumbling your way to work; change your pattern to give Him some time to do His work in you.  Yes, it will demand real intention. You may have to get up earlier than your kids to find 15 minutes of quiet with Him. You might have to leave a little earlier to have some time alone with the Lord in the car before you walk into the shop or office. You may have to wean yourself from that daily dose of news and noise that usually fills up your home.  Focus on being ‘full of God,’ enthused!

Enthusiasm is not just an attitude. It is an overflow. Do you know what that word implies?  Passion! Enthusiastic people invest effort doing what they do like nobody else could do it.  Imagine what the world would be like if everyone did what they do with that kind of effort. Spirit-filled people take God's creative power, His joy in making this world, as their model for life and they inhale His presence. "Come on, Jerry" some of you are thinking.  "Get real.  If I did that where I work, people would think I'd lost my mind.  My job is grind.  I am unappreciated.  I am invisible."    If you are thinking that, I think you have a challenge to change the situation!  Don't wait for someone else; take the initiative, for God's sake!  

Consider this - a delivery person has a fairly invisible job, right? The UPS man who brings our packages to the church office always makes our day better. John has taken time to learn our names, to greet us, and to do the best job possible, without complaint.    He is enthusiastic about delivering our office supplies!   Not only are we blessed with great service, he benefits too.   His day is brightened by the human warmth that returns to him because of his attitude.  

Christian, you honor the Lord when you do what you do without complaint, with joy, to the best of your abilities - as though you were working directly for Jesus Christ Himself.  I propose an experiment...   Try to live in this way consistently for the next couple of weeks.   Pray all the way to work - for a Spirit-filled heart and mind, for an attitude of joy, for creativity, for humility that says, "I'll do whatever it takes, no matter what others do."  See what happens as you are enthused - full of God!

Here is the word from the Word -"Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light." (Colossians 1:10-12, NLT)

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There's nothing worth more, that will ever come close; 
No thing can compare, 
You're our living hope,Your Presence, Lord.

 I've tasted and seen of the sweetest of loves 
Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone
 In Your Presence Lord.

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here!
 Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere!
 Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for,
 To be overcome by Your Presence Lord.

 Let us become more aware of Your Presence.
 Let us experience the glory of Your goodness (Lord).

Holy Spirit
 Bryan Torwalt | Katie Torwalt © 2011 Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Jesus Culture Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

It's not just the words

“What is true?” the young man asked sincerely. He was caught up in explorations of doctrines of Christianity. Finding the plethora of opinions about such matters had confused him. He knew that good minds wrestled with these issues. Unable to reconcile the various conflicting systems he admitted, “When I read each position, it makes sense, but they cannot all be true at the same time, can they?”

I knew his dilemma! Time was when I would spend hours debating the place of sacraments in our faith, the free will of man and the rule of God, predestination, election, and the work of the Spirit in the Church.  When I recall the ongoing debates about the timeline of God’s acts at the End of the Age, arguing about whether the Rapture would be Pre- or Mid-Trib, I wince at the wasted expenditure of effort.

Jesus encountered the Jewish scholars of his time who were amazingly learned in the Scripture. Many of them could quote the entire Torah! They spent their lives dissecting the Text. Jesus told them that their efforts were not bringing them nearer to God because their perspective was wrong. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life." (John 5:39-40, NLT) They thought that if they could get all the words to make sense, if they got their doctrine all sorted out, they would find assurance of peace with God. The Bible was given to humanity to reveal a Person! And, He was standing there in front of them, yet they could not see Him or believe in Him despite their scholarship.

Study of the Word is by no means a waste of time.  We need to love God’s revelation to us. Beware of ‘Bibloatry,’ worshipping the words instead of the Holy One that they reveal to us. Theology is important as are doctrinal statements. They give us a framework of understanding for our faith. Unless we come to the Word with humility and an invitation for the Spirit’s revelation, we risk becoming just like those men Jesus met, who studied and missed the point!

Then, too, we must wisely realize that not all doctrines carry the same weight in our practice of Christianity. The identity of Jesus, knowing that salvation comes us to through grace and is accepted as a gift of God by faith, the hope of eternal life because of the Resurrection of Jesus – these are things we need to anchor in the Scriptures.  Many other issues are secondary. Paul urges us to be charitable about things that are convictions but not at the heart of our hope. He says, in Romans 14, “each man must be fully convinced in his own mind.”

This is a word from the Word. Here we are reminded of the crux of the matter. "He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours . . . So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.  . . .  to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 20-25, NLT)

___________

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
      and born of the virgin Mary.

      He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, died, and was buried;
      he descended to hell.

      The third day he rose again from the dead.
      He ascended to heaven
      and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

      From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy catholic* church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.

(*that is, the true Christian church of all times and all places)

It's not about ME

So, do you know George Martin? He died, aged 90, yesterday in London. He is often referred to as the “5^th Beatle.” Sir George was a producer, a classically trained musician, whose skill and training helped to make the boys of Liverpool into an international sensation. He offered his expertise to shape their raw talent into a marketable sound and guided them for 8 years, from 1962 to 1970.  Billions of people know about the music of the Beatles. Only a few people, in comparison, know about the man behind the scenes.

Who contributed to helping you to become who and what you are today?  In whom are you investing yourself? They are worthy questions. Are you consumed with building your own reputation? Are you careful to get credit that you believe is due you in each situation?

Think about this wisdom from the Spirit. "Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself." (Philippians 2:3-5, The Message)

I look back over my 6 decades of life and realize that at key moments, God brought people my way who made a difference.  Some walked alongside of me for a few months, others have been friends for years. Some have been critics whose words stung, others have been encouragers who cheered me on. A few have mentored me, showing me how to live.  What a debt of gratitude I owe!

“Help others get ahead!” The whole idea of selflessness is a basic part of our Christian experience. That passage in the letter to the Philippian church bases the entire reason for our genuine love for others on the example of Jesus who "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to." (Philippians 2:6, NLT)  

The Second Person of the Trinity became a humble man for my sake and yours.  He had nothing to gain, nothing to add to his resume, no profit motive. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9, NIV) He loved us and, seeing our need, entered into our experience to save us. Imagine how different our relationships would look if we stopped looking out for number one and loved like that?

Here is a word from the Word. Meditate on it. Ask the Spirit to make you aware of those with whom you will walk today and then, invest yourself! "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:24-25, NIV)

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We Will Stand  (Russ Taff sings an anthem of unity)

Sometimes it's hard for me to understandWhy we pull away from each other so easilyEven though we're all walking the same roadYet we build dividing wallsBetween our brothers and ourselves

 But  I don't care what label you may wearIf you believe in Jesus you belong with meThe bond we share is all I care to seeAnd we'll change the world foreverIf you will join with meJoin and sing sing 

You're my brother, you're my sisterso take me by the handTogether we will work until He comesThere's no foe that can defeat usWhen we're walking side by sideAs long as there is loveWe will stand

 The day will come when we will be as oneAnd with a mighty voiceTogether we will proclaim that JesusJesus is KingIt will echo through the earthIt will shake the nationsAnd the world will see see that

 You're my brother you're my sisterSo take me by the handTogether we will work until He comesThere's no foe that can defeat usWhen we're walking side by sideAs long as there is loveWe will stand

James Hollihan | Russ Taff | Tori Taff © 1983 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.) CCLI License # 810055

Not a matter of talk

“You’re so real,” is something I hear often. Often it follows my saying something that the person never expects a pastor to say.  Being authentic is important to me. Eugene Peterson, tells the story of Charity’s visit with her Christian grandmother. The morning after she arrived, she crawled into bed, cuddled up, and said, “Grandmother, let’s not have any god-talk while you are here, OK? Let’s just keep it real.”  I’m with Charity on that!  God-talk that is inauthentic kills any hope of real relationship! Peterson observes, “She was onto the fact that life leaks out of what we say… teach and pray- especially when we are using the sterile life-less language that objectifies words like God, Jesus, prayer, believe – we are left with nothing but god-talk.” (The Pastor, a Memoir)

So what is God-talk?  It is that kind of religious words that refuse the gritty reality of real life. God-talk does not allow for fear, confusion, sorrow, or doubt. God-talk consists of endless Bible quotations and stories that the person has heard a preacher on the radio. God-talk robs our Lord of His majesty and mystery by reducing Him largely to mottos and slogans. Yes, those who speak it are often saying true things but in a way that is not engaged with their world. I stood at the bedside of a dying man yesterday. God-talk would have had me saying things like ‘It is the will of God,’ ‘Jesus never fails.’  True, enough.  But, the man did not need platitudes. He needed the Word lived with empathy, with caring, and a genuine prayer for his heart to be held safe, for Light to shine in his dark place.

Do you know that Jesus is just as much Lord of our broken, doubtful, insecure, neurotic, temptation filled days as He is of the days when we are living on the “hallelujah side” of life? When I hear somebody desperately trying to out-talk their circumstances with blustery words of faith – “I just know God has a real purpose in this and I’m so excited to see how it all works out” - while I know they are deeply depressed and wishing to run away; it breaks my heart. They might find the support they need and certainly will connect with the Holy Spirit’s comfort if they will confess the truth about life as they know it, their emotions, and Who God is.

Since Bev’s death I have lived with a whole lot of God-talk which I patiently endure.  Most people expect me to say things like “I know she is in Heaven,” or “I am a peace with it all.” So, when I admit that prayer is difficult, that I sometimes feel deep anger at God for allowing her to be taken from me so soon, I see surprised, if not shocked, responses. I believe that only when we are honest with ourselves and with the Lord can we really find His healing. Only when we are willing to face those things we think and feel do we open our lives to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah had a terrible assignment from God. He was commissioned to preach warnings of judgment to Judah in the years before her destruction by Assyria. God-talk was not his method. His message was uncompromising - “Death, murder, rape are going to befall you who ignore the living God!” His sermons rubbed sores onto the national conscience. Did he love his ministry?  He felt the pain of rejection and hatred and complained honestly to the Lord. "When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke." (Jeremiah 20:8, NLT)  At first glance his complaint seems shocking, a faithless statement of despair. But, this is really an amazing indication of the depth of intimacy he had with the Lord. His prayer was so much more than mere God-talk.

Christian, do you desire to know Him in that way?  Then, do not let yourself hide real emotions behind happy, sappy, pious “everything is wonderful” platitudes. We need to believe deeply in a Person who loves us all of the time. Our walk with Him will take us through the valley’s shadowy path and along the ridges of the peaks of glorious triumph. Job recounted his sorrows and then declared: "Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life— and eventually he’ll take his stand on earth. And I’ll see him—even though I get skinned alive!”  (Job 19:25-26, The Message) His declaration does not mask his pain and sorrow; it is wrung from him like sweet juice squeezed from a grape!

When someone begins to share their pain are you just ready to listen and slide a shoulder under the burden to help carry it; or are you quick to distance yourself, protecting yourself with a cliché - ‘just trust the Lord’ - as you pray a quick, insincere prayer?

In the Decalogue, the Lord forbade using His Name in vain. It applies to god-talk that is only lip deep, without heart or mind. Immerse yourself in worship. Make laughter and tears the language of your prayers. Confess His Glory with groans and shouts of joy. Push past the vanity of god-talk and get to know, really know, the One who is life.

Here’s word from the Word! It’s real. It’s blessed. Live it. "Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out." (Ephesians 6:13-18, The Message)

______

I Stand In Awe

You are beautiful beyond description,Too marvelous for words,Too wonderful for comprehension,Like nothing ever seen or heard.Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?Who can fathom the depth of Your love?You are beautiful beyond description,Majesty, enthroned above!

 And I stand I stand in awe of You,I stand I stand in awe of You,Holy God, to whom all praise is due,I stand in awe of You!

Mark Altrogge© 1987 Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by Sovereign Grace Ministries)
CCLI License # 810055

Not a private experience

As Sunday came to a close, I looked back across a day with my heart full of thankfulness. Since Bev’s death, Christ’s Body, the church, has been a source of invaluable strength.  I could not complete this journey without the love and sustaining prayers of my ‘brothers and sisters.’  I appreciate dinner invitations and the practical kindnesses, but the greater gift is the sense of ‘connection’ with people who let me lean on them. Some comment on my strength, wondering ‘how do you do it?’ as if I were some kind of superman because I continue to work and move forward.  The ‘how’ is not in my character or personality. It is the fellowship of the company of Christians into which I am called.

In John 15 we read this familiar invitation - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:5-6, NIV)  That passage is usually read with a focus on our mystical connection to The Vine; on the spiritual life that we receive from Him through faith. But, there is a sub-text that we cannot ignore.  “You are the branches!”  The ‘you’ is plural, a reminder that Christians are not only alive in Christ, but connected to one another in a way that makes them alive and fruitful.

When Jesus’ followers received the Spirit and began to be formed into ‘the Church,’ they did not gather around organizations or buildings. Those things can help us in our mission, but we need to learn from them about what is of first priority.  Look at this amazing passage that describes their experience.  "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2, NIV) “The fellowship” is a translation of the text ‘koinonia.’  (coin-non-ee-ah), a Greek word about connection, relationship, participation, and shared experience.

Those first Christians would find our 21^st century ideas about knowing Jesus as our ‘personal’ Savior strange. They knew Jesus through His Body, through the connections with one another. In truth, so do we. There is no real private experience. We are, by the Spirit, called into the Body, and in knowing one another, sharing our gifts, our joy, our sorrow, our hopes, our fears, and our prayers – we know Him!

Are you connected to the Church?  If you think the best way to answer that is to point to your stellar record of attendance at Sunday worship, please re-consider.  Our worship together is surely a part of being in the Vine and in fellowship, but it is only part.  We also share daily life.  At least, we should, but many have no contact with the Body from Sunday to Sunday.  Let’s be intentional about making life together, about getting involved in the work of the Kingdom in a way that demands a second set of hands, that makes us love the prayers of the saints.

Our word from the Word is a call to connection.  Do you hear it? Will you listen and obey?  "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." (1 Corinthians 12:12, The Message) "What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons." (1 Corinthians 12:20-23, The Message)

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Heavenly Father, we come before you to magnify and glorify your name. 
We, as the body of Christ, give you all the praise and honor you deserve. 
Help us all to unite and pray together as a congregation, 
for we know where two or more are gathered in your name, you are with us, Oh Lord.

Bless us, Oh Divine Father, to find unity with each other, 
to work together to deliver your word, Oh Lord, 
for we know man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 

May we be a blessing to others, as we strive to be more like Jesus, 
Oh Loving Father; kind, caring, compassionate, loving, giving, forgiving and humble. 

Oh Lord, as we work together let us be the light that leads the world to you. 
God, teach us to be good role models to the people around us, 
so that when they see you and your love within us, 
they would want to know you more and more. 
God grant us the patience to work together, bring us all together as a family. 
Let us work together with understanding and compassion in our hearts. 
Let us not be rude or arrogant towards one another, as we light the way to your heavenly kingdom.

In Jesus’ most Holy and Precious name, AMEN!! (prayer copied)

Self's Conceit or 'Coram Deo'?

It’s Monday morning.  What kind of emotions are you experiencing as you prepare for this new week?  I look at my calendar and see a full schedule, meetings, responsibilities, preparation, and decisions to be made.  Will I see those moments as opportunities presented to me to do good things or as yet another thing to cross off the list?  I want us to remember this – the way we live out this week will result largely from our choice of attitude. If we allow ourselves to be hurried and see things only as a hassle, exhaustion will quickly come. If we take each day, each person, in the flow of life – engaging fully in that moment, we will discover a new kind of effectiveness.

God promises to renew our strength, to provide grace for every moment.  I do not know who said it first, but I believe that “Where God guides, He provides.”   The Lord asked Abraham to offer up his dearest son. The request was hard, unreasonable by every estimate, and could have broken the man. But, in his hour of trial, Abraham choose to trust God totally.  As he prepared to obey, God provided a ram in the thicket to replace his son on the altar. There on that mountain, the man worshipped “Yahweh Yireh” – “the Lord, My Provider!”

We cannot know what He has provided if we are full of ourselves, if we resent others for asking much of us, or if we complain when we feel the pressures of life. When the ancient Israelites left Egypt with nothing, God fed them and led them every day. They had all that they needed. But, remember their attitude?  They were full of complaints with only contempt for what God freely gave to them. Because they were not humble before Him to receive each day’s manna, they lost their sweet fellowship with their Heavenly Father.  And, that conceit of Self eventually concealed His power from them and they did not enter into the Promised Land. Lacking the boldness of a God-centered faith, they saw only the walled cities and inhabitants that became ‘giants’ in their twisted perspective.

We are pilgrims. This world is not a resting place. It is a battleground. The battle belongs to the Lord, we learn from the Scripture. Our resources are insufficient to overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil. But, Jesus walks with us and assures us that “in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV)  

On this Monday morning, I bow my head and my heart before the One who leads me from strength to strength. I will pray to be fully engaged in each moment, with each person, taking each day from Him with His promise of provision. Will you?  As we walk with Him, there is joy, there is peace, and the Kingdom is made visible on this earth.

The key is “Coram Deo.”   The Latin phrase means ‘in the Presence of God.’  To live “coram Deo” is to live out our days, ‘before His face’ under the guidance of the Spirit; becoming ‘living sacrifices’ for the glory of God.

Here’s a word from the Word. May the truth inspire us to be centered on Jesus, to live ‘coram Deo’ and to defeat Self’s conceit. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:7-9, NIV)  "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV)

_________________

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 powers, 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.

A Mighty Fortress- Martin Luther, Public Domain

Paradigm Shift

Can God change your mind?

What stirs up strong opinions in you?  Politics, perhaps? Or maybe it is some deep moral conviction that makes your passions rise?  Peter, the apostle, was completely convinced that Jesus and His Gospel was only for Jews. He never even considered that the good news could or should be presented to the Greeks and Romans that lived around him. If you had asked him if he would invite a Gentile to become a child of God, he would have looked at you like you had two heads. It just wasn’t possible.  Except … it was!

In Acts 10, God steps into Peter’s life dramatically aiming to shake up his assumptions and view of life. "Peter got hungry and started thinking about lunch. While lunch was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the skies open up. Something that looked like a huge blanket lowered by ropes at its four corners settled on the ground. Every kind of animal and reptile and bird you could think of was on it. Then a voice came: “Go to it, Peter—kill and eat.”

Peter said, “Oh, no, Lord. I’ve never so much as tasted food that was not kosher.” The voice came a second time: “If God says it’s okay, it’s okay.” This happened three times, and then the blanket was pulled back up into the skies. As Peter, puzzled, sat there trying to figure out what it all meant, the men sent by Cornelius showed up at Simon’s front door." (Acts 10:10-17, The Message)

To his credit, he was able to discern what God was saying to him about loving everybody.  Peter took the invitation of Cornelius and went to tell him about Jesus.  There, in that Roman soldier’s home, his change of conviction was completed when the Spirit fell on those newly converted Gentiles and they spoke in tongues just as the apostles had done at the birth of the Church at Pentecost. (Acts 2)  Peter reported his experience to the Jerusalem council with these words that resonate with amazement: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34) And, a whole new era began.

Spiritual growth will bring about disturbance in our convictions, assumptions, and prejudice. Some of those things we ‘just know must be true,’ are not really true at all.  Will we be people of the Spirit who are prepared to listen and learn?

Ptolemy, an astronomer who lived in the first century, set forth an explanation of the universe that set the earth in the center.  His view was argued and defended for 1400 years! The Church accepted the Ptolemaic view as fixed doctrine, threatening anyone who dared question it with a heresy trial! Copernicus came along around 1500 AD and presented the view that the earth orbited the sun. It took courage to challenge accepted knowledge and the status quo.  It took guts and a willingness to think differently.

Few things hinder God’s purposes in us more than a closed mind that says, “I know all about how God works and what God wills.” Change is difficult. Letting the Spirit lead demands courage, deep faith, and a readiness to be disturbed.  Do you want to grow and discover His best for you and your world?  Then, listen carefully. Have a child-like mind that is ready to learn from His Word and the Spirit. Be cautious about declaring positions and digging in to defend them.

Here is a word from the Word that excites me. It is an amazing promise of Life that is rich with discovery. It is my favorite text from the Holy Word. "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 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 3:14-21 NIV)

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Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

You call me out upon the waters,
The great unknown where feet may fail;
And there I find You in the mystery,
In oceans deep, my faith will stand.

And I will call upon Your name,
And keep my eyes above the waves,
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace,
For I am Yours, and You are mine.

Your grace abounds in deepest waters,
Your sov'reign hand will be my guide.
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me,
You've never failed and You won't start now.
Oh and You are mine.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders,
Let me walk upon the waters,
Wherever You would call me.Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander,
And my faith will be made stronger,
In the presence of my Savior.I will call upon Your name.Keep my eyes above the waves.
My soul will rest in Your embrace,
I am Yours and You are mine!

Joel Houston | Matt Crocker | Salomon Ligthelm
© 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
CCLI License # 810055

Singing in a Minor Key?

The day dawned brightly. After a cup of coffee with my daughter and her family I headed for a much anticipated visit to the school where Peter is an administrator.  At 7:47 am, there was a thunderous crash that left two cars ruined.  The other driver walked away with bangs and bruises in body. My feelings?  Renewed anxiety! Where was God? Is He with me, or not? My recent life has led me through many sorrows, great and small, one piled on the other. (I am thankful for the gentle, loving people who willingly walk with me!)  A man of mature faith and confidence, these days I am acquainted with fear.  (Oh, yes, I am grateful for the fact that the accident could have been so much worse, but why did it happen at all?)

The Sons of Korah penned a song that asks- God, what are You doing? Where have You gone? After affirming their faith and thankfulness for God’s provisions in the past, they switch to a minor key. "But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle." (Psalm 44:9, NLT) "You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale. You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us. You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn." (Psalm 44:12-14, NLT)  "All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant." (Psalm 44:17, NLT) "Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever. Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?" (Psalm 44:23-24, NLT)

There is a place for singing in the minor key as we make our way in this pilgrimage. Oh how easy it is to pray and praise, to sing and preach, when healthy, beloved, and without trials. In such times those strong and whole are sometimes too quick to blame the broken, adding insult to injury.  I believe we need to make it safe for saints to wonder and weep! 

A healthy range of emotions includes sorrow and joy, doubt and confidence.  We know that psychological wholeness is found in proper expression of all emotions. Why is it that we do not recognize the same in our walk with Christ? When disciples lament, when they ask the hard questions of our God, they can grow into a new dimension of faith. I fear that our constant emphasis on the goodness of the Lord, our songs that only celebrate that “God is good all the time,” leaves a large group of Christians without a way to worship.  

The newly divorced person needs to be able to tell God and their community of the ache.
That parent whose child is disabled needs love as they wonder why their son will never read or sing.  
Grief is real and changes my worship!

If songs in the minor key are written out of our worship, we may Christians to one of two faulty conclusions:  that their faith is faulty or that God is justly judging them for some moral failure. Truthfully, suffering comes to us all and we need Him to be our Lord when we walk through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ as much as when we are led by ‘quiet waters where He restores the soul.’   We need songs of lament as much as we need songs of celebration, songs that wonder as much as songs that make bold proclamation.  If God is to be truly our God, then we must learn to talk with Him in every situation and trust Him when the sun refuses to shine.

Christians need to give place and space to those who weep without rushing them to a counselor to get them to ‘deal with their emotions,’ or handing them a manual to help them to “get life right.” 

There are not many sermons preached from the third chapter of Lamentations. Jeremiah’s sorrow is simply too unpleasant for most of us to share.  Look at this portion: "He has filled me with bitter herbs and sated me with gall. He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:15-18, NIV)  Oh my! And Amen!

I can tell you this:  times of lament make one weary to the bone, bring on times of temptation of a very different kind than prosperity, and are lonely for few want to sing in the minor key with those who are sad.  But, these times can also soften the heart, make tender the spirit, and enlarge the reservoirs of compassion. So, I will, despite my sorrow, let Jeremiah lead me to hope. I will join in him in a confession of faith. Will you?  "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." (Lamentations 3:21-26, NIV)

"For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love." (Lamentations 3:31-32, NIV)

Meantime I may need to sing in a minor key for a time, until the sorrow finds comfort.

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 Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.The darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide.When other helpers fail and comforts flee,Help of the helpless, O abide with me.  - Public Domain

Suffering? Why?

Monday was a tough day, exactly 2 months since Bev died.  I made my way to Texas, there visiting my daughter and family. Seeing her triggered grief; deep, hard sorrow.  As I lay down to sleep that evening, I was angry with the Lord and prayer came from a cold fury. “So, Father (tone is sarcasm, not endearment) You have surely been a comfort to me today. Are You listening? Do You even care?” The implication of those words was that He owed me something different than what I have found: a living wife, not a dead one, a healed wife, not one in His heaven.  I would be lying if I said I heard an audible voice, but I do believe He placed a word in my heart. It was simple and profound – “I suffer, too.”

In an era when so many Christians want only victory and nicely summed up answers, the Bible takes us to the awfulness of the Cross to explain God’s response to evil, sin, and brokenness.

• Why doesn’t He just make an end of this broken world? We wonder.
• Why doesn’t He compel humans to be good? We ask.
• Why doesn’t He topple the oppressors, end sickness, break the grip of Satan? We ponder.

The answer comes to us in His choice to suffer. 

Isaiah saw the mission of the Messiah and described it this way: "He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." (Isaiah 53:3-5, NLT)  God entered into His creation, born a baby to Mary, lived in the real world, felt hunger and pain, and ultimately suffered an ignominious death on a Cross. What an inglorious life – at first glance!

Our God allows us be fully human, gives us freedom to choose, and even when our choices -as well as those of a sinful world- are crushing us, He does not rush in to change everything. Instead, He comes to stand alongside of us, offering to lead us to wholeness, to engage with us, to suffer.  And somehow in all that, we are transformed.  By the Cross, we are lifted and in the hope of the Resurrection we learn to live with tears, while we hope for the moment we are revealed as eternal children of God beyond the reach of pain. Our wise Father knows that we could never be who He desires us to be, we would never love Him as He desires us to love, we could not grow into mature saints without fiery trials.

Thus, He does not always send a lamb in thicket to save us from the altar, as He did Isaac. (See Genesis 22:14) Sometimes He leads us to a cross where we die to Self, to this world, so that we can be raised.  There simply is no Easter without Good Friday, no celebration of an Empty Tomb without a Full Cross!  Meditations on the Cross are so gruesome, so unpleasant, so bloody awful – we want to rush on quickly to the Resurrection, but we must not.

In our time of instant everything, the development of the character of Christ through suffering is not a theme that is much preached. We like the miracle stories, the crisis moments that bring quick conversion. But, mostly our God prefers to let us walk among sinners, just like He did and does.

Yes, Christian friend, there is meaning in my path. I do not like it! There is purpose in the tears, though I am not filled with pleasure in the discovery. But, as He leads, as I accept the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) I will find “green pastures, quiet waters, and a restored soul.”  (Psalm 23)

The way of discipleship sometimes descends into darkness, leads occasionally through searing pain, does not evidence great triumph in every circumstance, but the disciple who humbly seeks is always led by the Spirit as he is ‘made into the likeness of Jesus.’  God’s ultimate desire for us is not blue skies and untroubled minds. It is that we would love Him more than life itself and find our Hope in His embrace.   

So, in the middle of Lent, the season of suffering before the Victory, here is a word for suffering followers of the suffering Savior.  Jesus "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:6-11, NIV)

God lead us to the Cross and walk with us to give us steadiness and comfort so that we will not lose heart, grow weary, or give up.  For Christ’s glory. Amen