In our time there are more words with less content than in any previous era! We are flooded with communications. Is your mailbox anything like mine bringing you glossy flyers advertising everything from political candidates to extermination companies; dozens of bulging envelopes offering yet another credit card; magazines with advice on everything? Add to all that print the fact that we have 250 channels more or less on the TV, access to hundreds of radio stations, and the amazing Internet providing us with some very good and very bad information! Who do we trust, what should we read? Is the information accurate or biased?
This surfeit of information has invaded Christianity as well! Messages pour out over pulpits, in emails like this one, from TV shows, in magazines and a person has to wonder - how much of it is inspired by the Spirit? The impact we are having in our world does not, to me at least, seem to be in proportion to all the noise we're making. Could it be that the word of God is not being heard, that many who speak in His Name really have not heard from Him, at all?
Jeremiah warned of prophets whose words were without inspiration. “These preachers are liars, and they use my name to cover their lies. I never sent them, I never commanded them, and I don’t talk with them. The sermons they’ve been handing out are sheer illusion, tissues of lies, whistlings in the dark." (Jeremiah 14:14, The Message)
Peter is even stronger in his condemnation of those who speak for God without listening to Him - "These people are as useless as dried-up springs of water or as clouds blown away by the wind—promising much and delivering nothing. They are doomed to blackest darkness. They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With lustful desire as their bait, they lure back into sin those who have just escaped from such wicked living. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. (2 Peter 2:17-19, NLT)
But, when a person hears from God: truly hears the Word and knows the voice of the Spirit, that person hears words of life. That man or woman gains wisdom that leads to life that is genuine, rich, abundant, and eternal! Have you learned to listen? Do you quiet your soul, still your mind, and close your mouth long enough each day to let God speak to you? He is speaking, friend. His voice has not been stilled, but it is often ignored.
Today, let me urge you to borrow the prayer of young Samuel and make it yours. When he was just a young boy he prayed, "Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10, NIV) Listen well, God is speaking,
______________________________________
This Sunday at the Assembly I will be talking about how to listen well to the word of God. Remember, we begin our Summer schedule- Sunday School in recess; Worship beginning at 10 AM. See www.WashingtonAG.com
Friday, June 02, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Too tired even to think?
When I picked up my Bible this morning and tried to read, my mind was closed. I saw the words on the page, but they just bounced off my brain. No, it is not a crisis of faith, nor is it intellectual deterioration, though some might want to argue that point. (smile) I'm just tired! It's been a season of high demand, of extended ministry, of family needs. So, for weeks now, I have not been able to hit the 'off' button for any real breaks. When I see a long stretch of work in front of me, my natural response is to press the accelerator, to try to go faster to get it all done more quickly. But, that's not the best way, as I've learned over time. God's wisdom asks us to endure, to patiently pace ourselves, and to wait on Him as we pray for His will to unfold.
Since my mind resisted study of the Word this morning, I turned to a familiar passage, one I know well and that is filled with promise and hope. Here it is:
"God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. " (Isaiah 40:28-31, The Message)
In moments of fatigue, we can easily alienate ourselves from the people who could best support us and help us meet the needs that are making such demands of us. Temptation comes to us when our strength is depleted offering us apparent relief from the pressures. When we're really exhausted, we might even begin to think that God has left us. But the Word assures us that everybody has times when the demands of life are high, when the pressure is on.
So what does God ask of us in those moments? Go faster, work harder? No! He says, that "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:31, NIV) That phrase is translated in various ways in different Bible versions. In place of 'hope,' some translation say 'wait.' Others say 'trust.' The Hebrew of the original text connotes being expectant, to anticipate; hence to wait hopefully! Since that is God's counsel, we would be wise to let it speak to us, wouldn't we?
I'll make time this day to 'wait' for Him, to quiet my heart and mind, to listen carefully to Him - yes, even to worship. And, I know from experience that the next part of that passage is true. There will be 'fresh strength!' Yes, as the Spirit blows over me, I'll be lifted like an eagle is lifted on the air currents under his wings.
Are you tired, too, my friend? Has life demanded much of you recently, drawing down your resources?
Be aware of the Tempter's efforts to seduce you from the very Presence of the One who can renew your strength.
Make time to wait and worship. Re-arrange your priorities to include the important, not merely to address the urgent.
Psalm 46:1-7 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Since my mind resisted study of the Word this morning, I turned to a familiar passage, one I know well and that is filled with promise and hope. Here it is:
"God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. " (Isaiah 40:28-31, The Message)
In moments of fatigue, we can easily alienate ourselves from the people who could best support us and help us meet the needs that are making such demands of us. Temptation comes to us when our strength is depleted offering us apparent relief from the pressures. When we're really exhausted, we might even begin to think that God has left us. But the Word assures us that everybody has times when the demands of life are high, when the pressure is on.
So what does God ask of us in those moments? Go faster, work harder? No! He says, that "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:31, NIV) That phrase is translated in various ways in different Bible versions. In place of 'hope,' some translation say 'wait.' Others say 'trust.' The Hebrew of the original text connotes being expectant, to anticipate; hence to wait hopefully! Since that is God's counsel, we would be wise to let it speak to us, wouldn't we?
I'll make time this day to 'wait' for Him, to quiet my heart and mind, to listen carefully to Him - yes, even to worship. And, I know from experience that the next part of that passage is true. There will be 'fresh strength!' Yes, as the Spirit blows over me, I'll be lifted like an eagle is lifted on the air currents under his wings.
Are you tired, too, my friend? Has life demanded much of you recently, drawing down your resources?
Be aware of the Tempter's efforts to seduce you from the very Presence of the One who can renew your strength.
Make time to wait and worship. Re-arrange your priorities to include the important, not merely to address the urgent.
Psalm 46:1-7 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Don't be deceived!
"The church has nothing to offer me."
"My needs are not addressed by the church so I'll form my own fellowship."
"I don't need the church to serve Christ."
"He's my personal Savior."
Statements like those are evidence of a misplaced focus that has deceived Americans almost completely. We are individualists, who seek personalized service, and who want the freedom to 'do our own thing,' but our radical commitment to Self is destroying our community structures - government, neighborhood, and Church. Individualism is not a bad thing when it comes to buying a car that reflects our personality or ordering a sandwich to satisfy our tastes; but it is terribly destructive when we buy into the assumption that "the world owes me happiness." That attitude is especially destructive to the Christian church. The Word requires that as Christians we set aside our own needs, that we dethrone Self, and that we become servants of all, readily accepting a place in the Body that is assigned to us by the Spirit. But that is not a popular instruction among Believers in this culture!
Many Believers are quite willing to move from church to church for no better reason than - "My needs were not being taken care of in that fellowship." Pastors feel tremendous pressure to provide individualized care, specialized ministry, and a comfortable environment in order to keep people in the building. This Pastor knows too well the pain of that comes when a family picks up and moves down the road, not for valid reasons such as genuine doctrinal differences or the call of God to another place of service, but because 'their youth program has a better leader,' or ' the music fits my preferences,' or 'the sermons are shorter.'
Brian McLaren, in a recent lecture delivered at Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, PA, observed that he believes that many Christians have bought into a 'gospel of self-enhancement.' They have turned the Bible's declaration that "God loves the world," into "God loves ME!" While it is true that God loves each of us individually, He did not send Jesus into the world to give us the ability to become self-actualized - more healthy, more wealthy, and more happy than our neighbors - despite much preaching that would imply that to be true. Christ came to restore us, individually, to the image of God; calls us into the Church, and from a place in the Church, requires that we find ways to link to other Believers to lovingly serve the wide world around us. This is the message of Rick Warren's bestseller - The Purpose Driven Life. The whisper of the Spirit, deep within us, is insistent that we exist for some reason greater than piling up lots of stuff to play with or carving out a place of comfort where we can live out our days in self-indulgence. We were created for mission - to know and serve God- called into the Body, the Church. Jesus says that if we embrace self-sacrifice, only then do we truly find life! His word challenge us - “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)
The deception of self-service is subtle. Outright selfishness is usually awfully obvious, even to ourselves. I quickly realize when I'm being a selfish baby demanding that others 'serve me, coddle me, comfort me.' But I don't always see how I'm manipulating others so that they will meet my ego needs. Criticism of another person that is rooted in my own discomfort is easily masked behind spiritual language. Resistance to leadership which is really just about my desire to be first, is often wrapped in a supposed concern for the greater good of the organization. Jesus draws the line starkly. "No one," He says, "can serve two masters!" We can't love Self and Christ equally.
Meditate on this passage for a time today. As you do, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the joy that you can find in humble service to God, expressed in serving others.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. 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, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. - Philippians 2:5-11 (The Message)
"My needs are not addressed by the church so I'll form my own fellowship."
"I don't need the church to serve Christ."
"He's my personal Savior."
Statements like those are evidence of a misplaced focus that has deceived Americans almost completely. We are individualists, who seek personalized service, and who want the freedom to 'do our own thing,' but our radical commitment to Self is destroying our community structures - government, neighborhood, and Church. Individualism is not a bad thing when it comes to buying a car that reflects our personality or ordering a sandwich to satisfy our tastes; but it is terribly destructive when we buy into the assumption that "the world owes me happiness." That attitude is especially destructive to the Christian church. The Word requires that as Christians we set aside our own needs, that we dethrone Self, and that we become servants of all, readily accepting a place in the Body that is assigned to us by the Spirit. But that is not a popular instruction among Believers in this culture!
Many Believers are quite willing to move from church to church for no better reason than - "My needs were not being taken care of in that fellowship." Pastors feel tremendous pressure to provide individualized care, specialized ministry, and a comfortable environment in order to keep people in the building. This Pastor knows too well the pain of that comes when a family picks up and moves down the road, not for valid reasons such as genuine doctrinal differences or the call of God to another place of service, but because 'their youth program has a better leader,' or ' the music fits my preferences,' or 'the sermons are shorter.'
Brian McLaren, in a recent lecture delivered at Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, PA, observed that he believes that many Christians have bought into a 'gospel of self-enhancement.' They have turned the Bible's declaration that "God loves the world," into "God loves ME!" While it is true that God loves each of us individually, He did not send Jesus into the world to give us the ability to become self-actualized - more healthy, more wealthy, and more happy than our neighbors - despite much preaching that would imply that to be true. Christ came to restore us, individually, to the image of God; calls us into the Church, and from a place in the Church, requires that we find ways to link to other Believers to lovingly serve the wide world around us. This is the message of Rick Warren's bestseller - The Purpose Driven Life. The whisper of the Spirit, deep within us, is insistent that we exist for some reason greater than piling up lots of stuff to play with or carving out a place of comfort where we can live out our days in self-indulgence. We were created for mission - to know and serve God- called into the Body, the Church. Jesus says that if we embrace self-sacrifice, only then do we truly find life! His word challenge us - “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)
The deception of self-service is subtle. Outright selfishness is usually awfully obvious, even to ourselves. I quickly realize when I'm being a selfish baby demanding that others 'serve me, coddle me, comfort me.' But I don't always see how I'm manipulating others so that they will meet my ego needs. Criticism of another person that is rooted in my own discomfort is easily masked behind spiritual language. Resistance to leadership which is really just about my desire to be first, is often wrapped in a supposed concern for the greater good of the organization. Jesus draws the line starkly. "No one," He says, "can serve two masters!" We can't love Self and Christ equally.
Meditate on this passage for a time today. As you do, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the joy that you can find in humble service to God, expressed in serving others.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. 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, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. - Philippians 2:5-11 (The Message)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
A Great Life?
So, how would you define a great life?
Being wealthy enough to buy all the 'toys' your heart desires?
Being healthy 'til the day you die?
Being famous, applauded by people?
Being able to go fishing at least two days a week and catching your legal limit every time? Hitting 715 homeruns in your baseball career? Two kids, a wife, and a house with a white picket fence? The list could go on!
Jim Collins, in a book entitled Good to Great (Harper Collins, 2001), written about American companies and why some of them grow, writes this-
"It is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life; and it very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Only then can you have the tranquility that comes from knowing you've had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain the deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on earth has been well spent, and that it mattered."
I don't know what Mr. Collins' spiritual background is, but that paragraph points to a great life! A great life is not attained by accumulating power, money, or other symbols of 'success.' Nor is a great life reached by self-indulgence, creating a life that is packed with pleasure and 'fun'- though for many, perhaps most, Americans that is the apparent goal of life. A great life is one that is focused on creating excellence, making a genuine difference in the world, for the 7 or 8 decades in which we are privileged to breath the air of this planet.
Achieving that mark demands one more step - receiving Jesus Christ as Lord - and then; finding and living in the purpose for which He created you.
The Bible says, "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." (Romans 12:6-8, NLT) Some of you just read that as 'church speak' disconnected from your 'real' life in the world. That is wrong, and I want to urge you to go back and re-read it as a way to live in every part of your life. Go back - read it again!
God has put certain gifts at your disposal, spiritual endowments that you uniquely can use, and He expects that you will use those gifts to make a difference - not just in your church a couple of hours each week - but everywhere, all the time. Greatness, in God's eyes, is not reserved for a few privileged people. It is available to every man and woman who submits his or her life to Christ. "Anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:19, NLT) Great people see each day as a sacred trust, and find ways to add value wherever they are!
Perhaps you're on the 'Mommy track' right now and think that your life is one of obscure servitude, as you wipe noses, deliver kids to school and Little League practice, and pick up after your thoughtless husband. You can do those things with gritted teeth, resenting each day, or you can add value - becoming a great Mom and a discovering opportunities to build character in the lives you influence in hundreds of ways each day.
Maybe you're stuck in a job that seems pointless, where you have little freedom to be creative. You can find meaning as you invest yourself in the people around you. You're thinking - "Come on, Jerry, get real! They hate this place as much as I do." - aren't you? If the Word is true, you are different from the inside out, so add value to your workplace by taking Christ with you to that office. Don't let the darkness envelop you; break it up by being light. No matter how vast the darkness, it cannot overcome the smallest light. Darkness is a void which is always filled with Light!
Do you attend a church marked by mediocrity, full of people who like low accountability and who do what they do without any passion for God; a church full of people who criticize and resist excellence? There's a place to become great! I mean it. Instead of joining in with those who suck life out of the air, become a person who asks God, the Spirit, to radiate His life and joy from you. Determine to become the best (you'll be attacked) at what you do for God there. Determine to hit the mark of excellence, even though it earns you scorn or even outright rejection. You will inspire a few, and gradually the few will become a majority with God's help, turning a 'hopeless' situation into a thing of God's glory.
Choose greatness. Pursue it with all of your heart, mind, and strength.
"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.
Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven."
(Hebrews 12:2, NLT)
Being wealthy enough to buy all the 'toys' your heart desires?
Being healthy 'til the day you die?
Being famous, applauded by people?
Being able to go fishing at least two days a week and catching your legal limit every time? Hitting 715 homeruns in your baseball career? Two kids, a wife, and a house with a white picket fence? The list could go on!
Jim Collins, in a book entitled Good to Great (Harper Collins, 2001), written about American companies and why some of them grow, writes this-
"It is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life; and it very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Only then can you have the tranquility that comes from knowing you've had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain the deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on earth has been well spent, and that it mattered."
I don't know what Mr. Collins' spiritual background is, but that paragraph points to a great life! A great life is not attained by accumulating power, money, or other symbols of 'success.' Nor is a great life reached by self-indulgence, creating a life that is packed with pleasure and 'fun'- though for many, perhaps most, Americans that is the apparent goal of life. A great life is one that is focused on creating excellence, making a genuine difference in the world, for the 7 or 8 decades in which we are privileged to breath the air of this planet.
Achieving that mark demands one more step - receiving Jesus Christ as Lord - and then; finding and living in the purpose for which He created you.
The Bible says, "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." (Romans 12:6-8, NLT) Some of you just read that as 'church speak' disconnected from your 'real' life in the world. That is wrong, and I want to urge you to go back and re-read it as a way to live in every part of your life. Go back - read it again!
God has put certain gifts at your disposal, spiritual endowments that you uniquely can use, and He expects that you will use those gifts to make a difference - not just in your church a couple of hours each week - but everywhere, all the time. Greatness, in God's eyes, is not reserved for a few privileged people. It is available to every man and woman who submits his or her life to Christ. "Anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:19, NLT) Great people see each day as a sacred trust, and find ways to add value wherever they are!
Perhaps you're on the 'Mommy track' right now and think that your life is one of obscure servitude, as you wipe noses, deliver kids to school and Little League practice, and pick up after your thoughtless husband. You can do those things with gritted teeth, resenting each day, or you can add value - becoming a great Mom and a discovering opportunities to build character in the lives you influence in hundreds of ways each day.
Maybe you're stuck in a job that seems pointless, where you have little freedom to be creative. You can find meaning as you invest yourself in the people around you. You're thinking - "Come on, Jerry, get real! They hate this place as much as I do." - aren't you? If the Word is true, you are different from the inside out, so add value to your workplace by taking Christ with you to that office. Don't let the darkness envelop you; break it up by being light. No matter how vast the darkness, it cannot overcome the smallest light. Darkness is a void which is always filled with Light!
Do you attend a church marked by mediocrity, full of people who like low accountability and who do what they do without any passion for God; a church full of people who criticize and resist excellence? There's a place to become great! I mean it. Instead of joining in with those who suck life out of the air, become a person who asks God, the Spirit, to radiate His life and joy from you. Determine to become the best (you'll be attacked) at what you do for God there. Determine to hit the mark of excellence, even though it earns you scorn or even outright rejection. You will inspire a few, and gradually the few will become a majority with God's help, turning a 'hopeless' situation into a thing of God's glory.
Choose greatness. Pursue it with all of your heart, mind, and strength.
"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.
Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven."
(Hebrews 12:2, NLT)
Monday, May 29, 2006
Memory - Precious, short, and subject to revision.
I close my eyes and . . . without leaving my chair, I can visit the beaches of Nags Head, NC where our family had some great vacations! The sounds - waves rolling onto the beach, sea gulls calling as they soar overhead, children laughing; the smells, the faces are stored in my memory. It can be fun to relive some of them, horrifying to remember others. We all know that the good things get better and the bad things get worse as they age in our memories! That's one reason we write the best and/or important memories down, preserving them for posterity.
The Bible tells us about some people who remembered... and found encouragement in celebrating the goodness of the Lord and those who served Him. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. " (Malachi 3:16, NKJV) Jesus commanded that His followers to remember. We call it Communion, or the Lord's Supper. Every time we reverently move through the rite- it becomes an occasion to refresh the wonder of our salvation and His sacrifice - "The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, The Message)
Today is Memorial Day. It began after the Civil War that torn these United States apart. People were urged to go and decorate the graves of those whose lives were taken by that terrible, blood-soaked conflict. Decoration Day became a time to remember those who died in all of our nation's wars, and today is called Memorial Day. For many of us, it is kind of an unofficial first day of Summer, with picnics and cook-outs, pool parties, and perhaps a parade.
Today - as you enjoy a day off - remember those who lives were cut short by a bullet or a bomb. Give thanks to God for this wonderful nation and the freedoms we enjoy from tyranny because of those who were willing to defend our liberties. Ask Him for wisdom to use the freedoms and opportunities in a way that is honorable, that makes their sacrifice noble.
And, as you remember, pray for the coming of the Prince of Peace and for the Kingdom of Peace which the Bible describes.
"Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel.
There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.”
For in those days the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will settle international disputes.
All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. Come, people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord!" (Isaiah 2:3-5, NLT)
The Bible tells us about some people who remembered... and found encouragement in celebrating the goodness of the Lord and those who served Him. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. " (Malachi 3:16, NKJV) Jesus commanded that His followers to remember. We call it Communion, or the Lord's Supper. Every time we reverently move through the rite- it becomes an occasion to refresh the wonder of our salvation and His sacrifice - "The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, The Message)
Today is Memorial Day. It began after the Civil War that torn these United States apart. People were urged to go and decorate the graves of those whose lives were taken by that terrible, blood-soaked conflict. Decoration Day became a time to remember those who died in all of our nation's wars, and today is called Memorial Day. For many of us, it is kind of an unofficial first day of Summer, with picnics and cook-outs, pool parties, and perhaps a parade.
Today - as you enjoy a day off - remember those who lives were cut short by a bullet or a bomb. Give thanks to God for this wonderful nation and the freedoms we enjoy from tyranny because of those who were willing to defend our liberties. Ask Him for wisdom to use the freedoms and opportunities in a way that is honorable, that makes their sacrifice noble.
And, as you remember, pray for the coming of the Prince of Peace and for the Kingdom of Peace which the Bible describes.
"Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel.
There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.”
For in those days the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will settle international disputes.
All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. Come, people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord!" (Isaiah 2:3-5, NLT)
Friday, May 26, 2006
Live well!
I awakened this morning thinking of death. Very cheery, isn't it? Just before going to bed I received a call that an acquaintance had died on Wednesday afternoon in a freaky accident. His death was tragic enough, but the years that preceded it were also tragic, marked by failure, at least to all external appearances. The man, who was about my age, lived with a lot of disappointment in his last decade of life. He left behind relationships without resolution, and a record that would be, at best, marked- incomplete. I don't want to imply that he was a bad man. He was an unfinished work, a man who appeared to fail to meet his potential in so many ways. The news that he was now in God's hands sobered me, made me think about the way I'm living today.
When I step into the Presence of my Lord - be it today, tomorrow, or 35 years from now - there are two things that I desire.
First and most important, I desire that Jesus, my Lord, will find my life complete and welcome me home with this greeting, "Well done, Jerry, enter the joy of my Presence."
Second, I desire that I leave behind a legacy of finished business - all relationships up to date and obligations met.
Achieving those goals requires that I live TODAY with purpose, not deferring the hard choices, the tough stuff, to another day! It demands selflessness, focus, and determination. The Bible talks about a life lived well this way - "You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. " (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, The Message)
Believer, are you giving yourself to living well? Please do not answer that by saying, "I'm not doing anything that is terribly wrong." That's not enough!
Are you doing what is right, what is good, what is Christ-honoring?
Are you giving life your best efforts or just floating along on the currents of the stream?
Take a few moments to add it all up. Ask yourself, while inviting the Spirit of God to bring clarity to your thoughts, "if I were to die today, would there be a lot of dangling threads, disappointed people, words unspoken, obligations unmet?" Perhaps that strikes you as morbid. That's not my intention, but I know that mortality is 100%! The Bible is stark - "man is destined to die and then to face judgment."
Live well! How? "Love God totally... love others selflessly!" That's the whole thing in a phrase.
_______________________
Here's a thought to ponder today -
"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has enjoyed the trust of pure women,
the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of Earth`s beauty or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."- Anonymous
When I step into the Presence of my Lord - be it today, tomorrow, or 35 years from now - there are two things that I desire.
First and most important, I desire that Jesus, my Lord, will find my life complete and welcome me home with this greeting, "Well done, Jerry, enter the joy of my Presence."
Second, I desire that I leave behind a legacy of finished business - all relationships up to date and obligations met.
Achieving those goals requires that I live TODAY with purpose, not deferring the hard choices, the tough stuff, to another day! It demands selflessness, focus, and determination. The Bible talks about a life lived well this way - "You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. " (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, The Message)
Believer, are you giving yourself to living well? Please do not answer that by saying, "I'm not doing anything that is terribly wrong." That's not enough!
Are you doing what is right, what is good, what is Christ-honoring?
Are you giving life your best efforts or just floating along on the currents of the stream?
Take a few moments to add it all up. Ask yourself, while inviting the Spirit of God to bring clarity to your thoughts, "if I were to die today, would there be a lot of dangling threads, disappointed people, words unspoken, obligations unmet?" Perhaps that strikes you as morbid. That's not my intention, but I know that mortality is 100%! The Bible is stark - "man is destined to die and then to face judgment."
Live well! How? "Love God totally... love others selflessly!" That's the whole thing in a phrase.
_______________________
Here's a thought to ponder today -
"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has enjoyed the trust of pure women,
the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of Earth`s beauty or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."- Anonymous
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Quick fixes, easy solutions
I'm not much on Christian television. I find most of the religious TV programs worse than offensive. The very things that makes TV work - being bland, inoffensive, appealing to the widest audience, promising immediate gratification - are things that are incompatible with Biblical Christianity. The message of Jesus is one that challenges us, pierces us to the heart, and demands real change for our whole lifetime. Becoming a mature, effective, Spirit-filled Christian isn't accomplished in 3 easy steps, outlined by a preacher who proclaims, through the tears in her mascara, how God raised her up from the trailer park to a mansion. Following Christ is a life-long commitment, worked out in close community, through good and bad months; in moments of tremendous joy and heart-crushing sorrow; on the mountain top and deep in the dark valley.
But we Americans aren't much for process, are we? Phil Cooke, in an article in the June, 2006 issue of Charisma, writes: "We've created a generation of Christians who look for a magic bullet. That's why people travel thousands of miles, from conference to conference, just to 'get a word,' find 'fresh oil,' get 'the glory,' or 'catch the blessing.' ... After WW2, we experienced a time of real miracles in this country. We had amazing prefab houses, miracle drugs, fast food, and space-age appliances - instant satisfaction was everywhere. It changed everything. ... 50 years later we are still addicted to the feeling." We like quick fixes. Want to become a happy Believer? Tune into your favorite TV evangelist and order his 'gimmick,' - miracle seeds, prayer clothes, holy oil, vials of water from Jerusalem - and instantly life will be easier and better. No discipline is involved, just a credit card to place the order. How can we be so gullible?
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; ... those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. " (Psalm 37:7, 9 NKJV) That work, "patiently," in the Hebrew text of the Psalms is a word that has the connotation of writhing in pain, like a woman in childbirth! What an appropriate image for the Believer's experience. New life is being birthed in us by the Spirit's work. As the new man emerges, there will be times when we simply have to go through the pain. We won't be able to sidestep it, to go over it, or avoid it. It's just part of the process. Are you irritated by that statement? Do you think that I've become some masochistic kind of person who seeks pain for it's own sake? Think again. I hate pain and tears and conflict. I'd like nothing better than to live in perpetual happiness. But, the call of Christ on my life is to faithfulness, not happiness!
Of course there is joy, and truthfully, there is a lot of joy in my life. But, the times of growth, when my character is being shaped to be Christ-like, often involve sorrow and/or pain. It will be true for you, too, Believer friend. That is why the Scripture says,
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!
So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? 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," (Hebrews 12:2-7, The Message)
There's a goal - to be like Jesus!
There's a home - in the Eternal Presence of God.
There's a reward - the commendation of the Lord of Life!
Keep those things in mind, all the time. Then engage with the struggle, dig in. Commit yourself to making a real Kingdom difference, not just to carving out a spot of greater ease or comfort for yourself. It will be worth it all - when we see Jesus!
_________________________
Jesus, what can I give,
What can I bring to so faithful a friend,
To so loving a King? Savior, what can be said,
What can be sung as a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh, my words could not tell, Not even in part,
Of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.
I will offer up my life in spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You.
In surrender I must give my ev'ry part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.
You deserve my every breath for You've paid the great cost.
Giving up Your life to death, Even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away, There defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of heaven, And have beckoned me in.
© 1994 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
But we Americans aren't much for process, are we? Phil Cooke, in an article in the June, 2006 issue of Charisma, writes: "We've created a generation of Christians who look for a magic bullet. That's why people travel thousands of miles, from conference to conference, just to 'get a word,' find 'fresh oil,' get 'the glory,' or 'catch the blessing.' ... After WW2, we experienced a time of real miracles in this country. We had amazing prefab houses, miracle drugs, fast food, and space-age appliances - instant satisfaction was everywhere. It changed everything. ... 50 years later we are still addicted to the feeling." We like quick fixes. Want to become a happy Believer? Tune into your favorite TV evangelist and order his 'gimmick,' - miracle seeds, prayer clothes, holy oil, vials of water from Jerusalem - and instantly life will be easier and better. No discipline is involved, just a credit card to place the order. How can we be so gullible?
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; ... those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. " (Psalm 37:7, 9 NKJV) That work, "patiently," in the Hebrew text of the Psalms is a word that has the connotation of writhing in pain, like a woman in childbirth! What an appropriate image for the Believer's experience. New life is being birthed in us by the Spirit's work. As the new man emerges, there will be times when we simply have to go through the pain. We won't be able to sidestep it, to go over it, or avoid it. It's just part of the process. Are you irritated by that statement? Do you think that I've become some masochistic kind of person who seeks pain for it's own sake? Think again. I hate pain and tears and conflict. I'd like nothing better than to live in perpetual happiness. But, the call of Christ on my life is to faithfulness, not happiness!
Of course there is joy, and truthfully, there is a lot of joy in my life. But, the times of growth, when my character is being shaped to be Christ-like, often involve sorrow and/or pain. It will be true for you, too, Believer friend. That is why the Scripture says,
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!
So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? 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," (Hebrews 12:2-7, The Message)
There's a goal - to be like Jesus!
There's a home - in the Eternal Presence of God.
There's a reward - the commendation of the Lord of Life!
Keep those things in mind, all the time. Then engage with the struggle, dig in. Commit yourself to making a real Kingdom difference, not just to carving out a spot of greater ease or comfort for yourself. It will be worth it all - when we see Jesus!
_________________________
Jesus, what can I give,
What can I bring to so faithful a friend,
To so loving a King? Savior, what can be said,
What can be sung as a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh, my words could not tell, Not even in part,
Of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.
I will offer up my life in spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You.
In surrender I must give my ev'ry part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.
You deserve my every breath for You've paid the great cost.
Giving up Your life to death, Even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away, There defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of heaven, And have beckoned me in.
© 1994 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Patiently - getting it right
I'm an American Idol fan. The TV program is created around a great premise. Find people in America with vocal talent; bring them together to compete, and turn the winner into an instant celebrity with name recognition all over the United States. Just about everybody knows about McPhee and Hicks today. Who's going to be this season's winner? I say Taylor Hicks, but we'll know tonight. Randy Jackson, one of the judges of the competition, sometimes tells one of the performers, "It was a rough start, dog, but you worked it out!" What does he mean? The performer kept going when the song was falling apart, when the pitch was off, when he missed a few words. And, as he kept singing, he fixed the mistakes, adjusted pitch, got better - until he found his way to a big finish and wild applause.
I find that there are a lot of days in my life when I have to just keep going, praying that the Lord will help me to get things worked out, how about you? There are mornings when I wake up feeling like staying in bed. I stumble over my sinful nature getting angry, letting myself go negative, wandering into greed or doubt or self-pity or laziness. I go to work and waste the first half of the day in meaningless stuff. I start the week on a bad note and wake up on Thursday, still singing off-key. Or, somebody decides to try to make my life miserable and no matter what I say or do, they just won't quit. Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes I think to myself, 'wouldn't it be wonderful if there were no battles, internal or external?' But that's not life in the real world. From the first gasp to the last wheeze, if we want to live the way God plans, we will be working it out - patiently dealing with the sins, the obstacles, the disappointments, the temptations, the tests, the people who provoke... with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible encourages us with these words from Jesus Christ- “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. ... Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. Look, I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown." (Revelation 3:8-11, NLT)
Few things in life that have significant value are accomplished without sustained effort, patience for the long haul. There is nowhere that is more true than in our Christianity. If we want to please God, we have to be willing to work it out! "Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:36, NLT) Take a tip from Randy Jackson and just keep singing 'til you get it worked out. Keep asking God to help you win over that habit that you know grieves Him. Keep loving that teenager, that spouse, that neighbor - who makes your life so difficult. Keep serving others with the gifts that God has given you, even when it seems that nothing is being accomplished.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments right now. Invite the Holy Spirit to use it to strengthen your resolve to remain faithful to Christ while you 'work it out!'
"... be careful to put into action God’s saving work in your lives, (work out your salvation - NIV) obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly to the word of life, so that when Christ returns, I will be proud that I did not lose the race and that my work was not useless." (Philippians 2:12-16, NLT)
I find that there are a lot of days in my life when I have to just keep going, praying that the Lord will help me to get things worked out, how about you? There are mornings when I wake up feeling like staying in bed. I stumble over my sinful nature getting angry, letting myself go negative, wandering into greed or doubt or self-pity or laziness. I go to work and waste the first half of the day in meaningless stuff. I start the week on a bad note and wake up on Thursday, still singing off-key. Or, somebody decides to try to make my life miserable and no matter what I say or do, they just won't quit. Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes I think to myself, 'wouldn't it be wonderful if there were no battles, internal or external?' But that's not life in the real world. From the first gasp to the last wheeze, if we want to live the way God plans, we will be working it out - patiently dealing with the sins, the obstacles, the disappointments, the temptations, the tests, the people who provoke... with the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible encourages us with these words from Jesus Christ- “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. ... Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. Look, I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown." (Revelation 3:8-11, NLT)
Few things in life that have significant value are accomplished without sustained effort, patience for the long haul. There is nowhere that is more true than in our Christianity. If we want to please God, we have to be willing to work it out! "Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:36, NLT) Take a tip from Randy Jackson and just keep singing 'til you get it worked out. Keep asking God to help you win over that habit that you know grieves Him. Keep loving that teenager, that spouse, that neighbor - who makes your life so difficult. Keep serving others with the gifts that God has given you, even when it seems that nothing is being accomplished.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments right now. Invite the Holy Spirit to use it to strengthen your resolve to remain faithful to Christ while you 'work it out!'
"... be careful to put into action God’s saving work in your lives, (work out your salvation - NIV) obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly to the word of life, so that when Christ returns, I will be proud that I did not lose the race and that my work was not useless." (Philippians 2:12-16, NLT)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Plans to go to Heaven?
Most people who believe in an afterlife plan to live in Heaven! I've met a few fools who say, "I want to be in Hell. It's where all my friends are!" Further discussion reveals their ignorance of the true nature of an eternity without God. There won't be any wild parties in Hell, nothing of fun, joy, or pleasure. Jesus describes Hell as an awful place of torment. I think that there is ample reason to believe in a place apart from God where the greatest pain is not a physical one, nor one of burning torture; but rather as longing for fulfillment with absolutely no satisfaction. Hell will be, I believe, the ultimate realization of a life lived for selfish purposes, a life without love or worship.
One poll reports that when Americans were asked about eternity, 55% said they were certain they would go to Heaven. An additional 35% hoped that they would go there. Only 4% said they would be going to Hell and 6% said they didn't believe in Heaven or Hell. It's not my business to make the determination about who will spend eternity in God's Presence! I am sure thankful for that. But, I am concerned that many who think they are going there are mistaken because they have not prepared properly.
They might take the this news note online as a little parable.
It made me laugh and it made me think about being prepared!
O'Brien Middle School in Reno, Nevada, lined up four buses to take its top students to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California. It's a four-hour bus ride from the school. The students arrived at the park on Monday only to find out the park was closed. A school district spokesman says, "It was pretty much a fiasco." School officials are refunding the kids' money, and the tour bus company says it will pick up the tab for the next trip. The principal says somebody should have checked. - RENO, Nev. (AP)
I wonder after a long life journey how many will find the way to Heaven closed because they never prepared, never paid attention to the Holy Spirit's call? Tragically most Americans who claim to be Christians are woefully ignorant about what the Bible has to say about spending all of eternity with the Lord. They are living with false hope, unprepared for the most important transition of their entire lives!
When asked why they think they are going to Heaven, about 60% of us say, "Because I'm basically a good person." The truth is that basically we are rebels, self-willed, who readily set aside God's plans and purposes to do what we want to do. That doesn't mean we're all mass murderers, or wildly promiscuous, or big-time bad guys. We're just ordinary sinners, people who are in the grip of fallen human natures, that love self more than God; who gossip, fight, grab stuff for ourselves, and live to satisfy our appetites. The declaration of the Word is, "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory."
Another 10-15% of Americans think that they are going to Heaven because they are religious. They point to church attendance, or a good faith effort to keep the 10 Commandments, etc. as the reason that they will be in Heaven. Once again they are ignorant about what the Bible has to say. If religion is our hope, we embrace God's standard - which is - absolute purity. Who among us can lay claim to perfection except those deep into self-deception? No amount of goodness can offset the sin that lurks in our hearts.
Here's the Good News. We can know that we're going to Heaven! We don't have to wait for the Final Judgment, for some imaginary set of scales that weighs our 'good' and 'bad' deeds. We can anticipate an eternal home with God with certainty. God has made an agreement (the Bible calls it a covenant) that is based in His mercy, His gracious gift, not on our human efforts.
It is explained in Ephesians 2 where we read:
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. . . . It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.
He did all this on his own, with no help from us! . . . Saving is all his idea, and all his work.
All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves.
God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. Ephesians 2:1-10 (The Message)
The best part of all this isn't some big house on a golden boulevard (as so many caricature Heaven because they misunderstand Biblical metaphors!) It is being in the Presence of God, able to know and love Him without hindrance, without the limitations that our present existence imposes on us. I am already enjoying Heaven! No, I haven't died yet, but Heaven is implanted in my heart and mind. I commune with God, enjoying the fullness of life that the Spirit brings to me. In that I have a foretaste of heaven and I'm drawn to live a life that pleases God, so that when my eyes close in death, there will be no surprises, for my Savior will say, "Hi, friend. Welcome home, forever!"
________________________
O, heaven is in my heart,
O, heaven is in my heart.
The kingdom of our God is here,
Heaven is in my heart.
The presence of His majesty,
Heaven is in my heart.
And in His presence joy abounds,
Heaven is in my heart.
The light of holiness surrounds,
Heaven is in my heart.
His precious life on me He spent,
Heaven is in my heart.
To give me life without an end,
Heaven is in my heart.
In Christ is all my confidence,
Heaven is in my heart.
The hope of my inheritance,
Heaven is in my heart.
We are a temple for His throne,
Heaven is in my heart.
And Christ is the foundation stone,
Heaven is in my heart.
He will return to take us home,
Heaven is in my heart.
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"
Heaven is in my heart.
© 1991 Make Way Music
(Admin. by Music Services) Graham Kendrick CCLI License No. 810055
_____________________________________
One poll reports that when Americans were asked about eternity, 55% said they were certain they would go to Heaven. An additional 35% hoped that they would go there. Only 4% said they would be going to Hell and 6% said they didn't believe in Heaven or Hell. It's not my business to make the determination about who will spend eternity in God's Presence! I am sure thankful for that. But, I am concerned that many who think they are going there are mistaken because they have not prepared properly.
They might take the this news note online as a little parable.
It made me laugh and it made me think about being prepared!
O'Brien Middle School in Reno, Nevada, lined up four buses to take its top students to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California. It's a four-hour bus ride from the school. The students arrived at the park on Monday only to find out the park was closed. A school district spokesman says, "It was pretty much a fiasco." School officials are refunding the kids' money, and the tour bus company says it will pick up the tab for the next trip. The principal says somebody should have checked. - RENO, Nev. (AP)
I wonder after a long life journey how many will find the way to Heaven closed because they never prepared, never paid attention to the Holy Spirit's call? Tragically most Americans who claim to be Christians are woefully ignorant about what the Bible has to say about spending all of eternity with the Lord. They are living with false hope, unprepared for the most important transition of their entire lives!
When asked why they think they are going to Heaven, about 60% of us say, "Because I'm basically a good person." The truth is that basically we are rebels, self-willed, who readily set aside God's plans and purposes to do what we want to do. That doesn't mean we're all mass murderers, or wildly promiscuous, or big-time bad guys. We're just ordinary sinners, people who are in the grip of fallen human natures, that love self more than God; who gossip, fight, grab stuff for ourselves, and live to satisfy our appetites. The declaration of the Word is, "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory."
Another 10-15% of Americans think that they are going to Heaven because they are religious. They point to church attendance, or a good faith effort to keep the 10 Commandments, etc. as the reason that they will be in Heaven. Once again they are ignorant about what the Bible has to say. If religion is our hope, we embrace God's standard - which is - absolute purity. Who among us can lay claim to perfection except those deep into self-deception? No amount of goodness can offset the sin that lurks in our hearts.
Here's the Good News. We can know that we're going to Heaven! We don't have to wait for the Final Judgment, for some imaginary set of scales that weighs our 'good' and 'bad' deeds. We can anticipate an eternal home with God with certainty. God has made an agreement (the Bible calls it a covenant) that is based in His mercy, His gracious gift, not on our human efforts.
It is explained in Ephesians 2 where we read:
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. . . . It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.
He did all this on his own, with no help from us! . . . Saving is all his idea, and all his work.
All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves.
God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. Ephesians 2:1-10 (The Message)
The best part of all this isn't some big house on a golden boulevard (as so many caricature Heaven because they misunderstand Biblical metaphors!) It is being in the Presence of God, able to know and love Him without hindrance, without the limitations that our present existence imposes on us. I am already enjoying Heaven! No, I haven't died yet, but Heaven is implanted in my heart and mind. I commune with God, enjoying the fullness of life that the Spirit brings to me. In that I have a foretaste of heaven and I'm drawn to live a life that pleases God, so that when my eyes close in death, there will be no surprises, for my Savior will say, "Hi, friend. Welcome home, forever!"
________________________
O, heaven is in my heart,
O, heaven is in my heart.
The kingdom of our God is here,
Heaven is in my heart.
The presence of His majesty,
Heaven is in my heart.
And in His presence joy abounds,
Heaven is in my heart.
The light of holiness surrounds,
Heaven is in my heart.
His precious life on me He spent,
Heaven is in my heart.
To give me life without an end,
Heaven is in my heart.
In Christ is all my confidence,
Heaven is in my heart.
The hope of my inheritance,
Heaven is in my heart.
We are a temple for His throne,
Heaven is in my heart.
And Christ is the foundation stone,
Heaven is in my heart.
He will return to take us home,
Heaven is in my heart.
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"
Heaven is in my heart.
© 1991 Make Way Music
(Admin. by Music Services) Graham Kendrick CCLI License No. 810055
_____________________________________
Monday, May 22, 2006
Authority- God's gift
In my rear-view mirror, I saw the red lights begin to rotate on the patrol car. Easing to the side of the road, I realized he was not going around me, but stopping behind me! The young patrolman informed me that I had squeezed the yellow light at the intersection a little too closely and that, as he saw it, I had broken the law by running a red light. I was very glad that after a word of warning, he sent me on my way. I don't like getting an expensive traffic ticket! However, I've seen public roads in developing nations that don't have traffic law enforcement and the chaos is dangerous. So, I am thankful for the men and women who enforce the law and help to keep me safe. I don't choose to submit to the police because I like or even respect the individual officer. Some cops are even corrupt, some judges are crooked; but I recognize the importance of the system for order, so I submit to the rule of law.
Do you know that submission to those who are in authority is a spiritual issue?
The Bible teaches us that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience."
(Romans 13:1-5, NIV)
Authority principles run through all of society - the family, the government, and even the church.
A family where the children do not recognize the authority of parents will be a family in chaos.
A citizenry that does not respect the governing authorities will become a terrible place, a dangerous place.
A church where those with spiritual authority are not allowed to lead will be a joyless, conflict filled place, too. It isn't always the 'followers' that are at fault! Sometimes those entrusted with authority fail to lead! Why? Because providing leadership is a hard thing to do.
Ask any parent of teenagers how much fun it is to enforce necessary rules. It is hard to have our kids dislike us, resist us. They even think we're being tyrants. So some parents abdicate their God-given authority! Those who provide leadership in a nation have to deal with resistance, too! I can't think that reading opinion polls that show declining support is all that enjoyable for our elected officials. Pastors who are called to lead local churches know both the joy of cooperative congregations and the pain of those who refuse their leadership. The most tragic thing for those who rebel and resist leadership is not how the effect on the leader, but the effect on the church! When people pray for their spiritual leaders and follow them willingly, unity grows; relationships deepen, and amazing things happen in the Kingdom of God.
Authority (and many despise that word) is necessary. Authority comes from God and is not just an unpleasant necessity. Good authority is a gift from God. That is why we need to encourage those who lead us, pray for them, and help them to govern well. Consider the example of Israel following the exodus from Egypt. When they obeyed God and willingly submitted themselves to Moses' leadership, they prospered and were at peace. When they grumbled, griped, and rebelled - they found themselves under the judgment of God, divided, and eventually dying. The Word makes this observation - "We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?" (Hebrews 12:9, The Message)
Here's a word from the Word to think on today - "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrews 13:17, NIV)
Do you know that submission to those who are in authority is a spiritual issue?
The Bible teaches us that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience."
(Romans 13:1-5, NIV)
Authority principles run through all of society - the family, the government, and even the church.
A family where the children do not recognize the authority of parents will be a family in chaos.
A citizenry that does not respect the governing authorities will become a terrible place, a dangerous place.
A church where those with spiritual authority are not allowed to lead will be a joyless, conflict filled place, too. It isn't always the 'followers' that are at fault! Sometimes those entrusted with authority fail to lead! Why? Because providing leadership is a hard thing to do.
Ask any parent of teenagers how much fun it is to enforce necessary rules. It is hard to have our kids dislike us, resist us. They even think we're being tyrants. So some parents abdicate their God-given authority! Those who provide leadership in a nation have to deal with resistance, too! I can't think that reading opinion polls that show declining support is all that enjoyable for our elected officials. Pastors who are called to lead local churches know both the joy of cooperative congregations and the pain of those who refuse their leadership. The most tragic thing for those who rebel and resist leadership is not how the effect on the leader, but the effect on the church! When people pray for their spiritual leaders and follow them willingly, unity grows; relationships deepen, and amazing things happen in the Kingdom of God.
Authority (and many despise that word) is necessary. Authority comes from God and is not just an unpleasant necessity. Good authority is a gift from God. That is why we need to encourage those who lead us, pray for them, and help them to govern well. Consider the example of Israel following the exodus from Egypt. When they obeyed God and willingly submitted themselves to Moses' leadership, they prospered and were at peace. When they grumbled, griped, and rebelled - they found themselves under the judgment of God, divided, and eventually dying. The Word makes this observation - "We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?" (Hebrews 12:9, The Message)
Here's a word from the Word to think on today - "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrews 13:17, NIV)
Friday, May 19, 2006
A real wise guy or really wise?
It isn't a compliment to be labeled a 'wise guy.' It means to be arrogant, flippant, and a bit too sure of one's self. 'Wise guys' aren't wise at all. Truthfully, they are usually very much like the adolescent boys in 6th or 7th grade who think they know so much about life, yet who know so little. Their ignorance is apparent to all except their peers. The boasts, bravado, and banter cover up deep insecurities and uncertainties about their identities in this world. It makes me laugh to remember what a little wise guy I was at age 13! God delayed my growth, so I was the little guy in my group. Lacking physical strength, I compensated by developing verbal skills that I used as my 'armor.' I thought I was so witty, so clever... really, I was just obnoxious, a real 'wise guy.'
Hopefully the experience of the passing years has caused me to become less a 'wise guy' and a man possessing true wisdom. Wisdom is a beautiful thing, a grace that creates confidence, that blesses both the one who possesses it and those with whom she walks in life. How I love spending time with a person who is wise, whose words impart life and health. When I am with someone in whom I perceive wisdom, I love to listen and learn.
The Bible lauds wisdom saying:
"Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don’t forget or turn away from my words. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” (Proverbs 4:5-9, NLT)
How do we get wisdom?
First, we submit ourselves to the Wisdom of the Ages! There is a worldly wisdom, a knowledge of the ways of the systems that we work with each day, that may help us 'get ahead' of the pack, gain wealth, hold onto position, and exert our influence. But all that cleverness is built on a foundation of sand and will collapse. "Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense?... to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one." (1 Corinthians 1:20, 24, The Message) The true wisdom of God is not temporary, nor is it set aside by the changing times.
Second, we ask for the Spirit to give us wisdom! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking." (James 1:5, NLT) If you pray for wisdom, prepare for class! That's right. God seldom just opens up our head and pours in His wisdom. Instead, He sends us to school. With trials and tests, He shows us our limits and teaches us to rely on Him. Job entered God's Wisdom University. He professed -"when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent. “For I have stayed in God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart." (Job 23:10-12, NLT)
Third, we learn from the Word! "Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel." (Psalm 119:98-99, The Message) As we learn the Scripture, we are privileged to attend classes taught by Moses, David, Isaiah, Jesus, Luke, and Paul. What professors they are. The wisdom they give to us is not simply their own; they speak the inspired Truth of God.
Wisdom gives us the ability to discern. We have insight and can separate truth from error, mere image from reality. We know what is true food for our soul and what is just mental junk food.
Want to live well? Then, learn to live wisely! Let God take you from being a 'wise guy' to real wisdom. It will make your life a thing of beauty!
"If you want to live well, make sure you understand all of this. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll learn this inside and out. God’s paths get you where you want to go. Right-living people walk them easily; wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling. " (Hosea 14:9-12, The Message)
Hopefully the experience of the passing years has caused me to become less a 'wise guy' and a man possessing true wisdom. Wisdom is a beautiful thing, a grace that creates confidence, that blesses both the one who possesses it and those with whom she walks in life. How I love spending time with a person who is wise, whose words impart life and health. When I am with someone in whom I perceive wisdom, I love to listen and learn.
The Bible lauds wisdom saying:
"Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don’t forget or turn away from my words. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment.
If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” (Proverbs 4:5-9, NLT)
How do we get wisdom?
First, we submit ourselves to the Wisdom of the Ages! There is a worldly wisdom, a knowledge of the ways of the systems that we work with each day, that may help us 'get ahead' of the pack, gain wealth, hold onto position, and exert our influence. But all that cleverness is built on a foundation of sand and will collapse. "Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense?... to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one." (1 Corinthians 1:20, 24, The Message) The true wisdom of God is not temporary, nor is it set aside by the changing times.
Second, we ask for the Spirit to give us wisdom! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking." (James 1:5, NLT) If you pray for wisdom, prepare for class! That's right. God seldom just opens up our head and pours in His wisdom. Instead, He sends us to school. With trials and tests, He shows us our limits and teaches us to rely on Him. Job entered God's Wisdom University. He professed -"when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent. “For I have stayed in God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart." (Job 23:10-12, NLT)
Third, we learn from the Word! "Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel." (Psalm 119:98-99, The Message) As we learn the Scripture, we are privileged to attend classes taught by Moses, David, Isaiah, Jesus, Luke, and Paul. What professors they are. The wisdom they give to us is not simply their own; they speak the inspired Truth of God.
Wisdom gives us the ability to discern. We have insight and can separate truth from error, mere image from reality. We know what is true food for our soul and what is just mental junk food.
Want to live well? Then, learn to live wisely! Let God take you from being a 'wise guy' to real wisdom. It will make your life a thing of beauty!
"If you want to live well, make sure you understand all of this. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll learn this inside and out. God’s paths get you where you want to go. Right-living people walk them easily; wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling. " (Hosea 14:9-12, The Message)
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Spirit-led does not preclude using your head
Many years ago, one Summer afternoon, I picked up a copy of Time magazine and read an article about a town in Wyoming that was growing, booming. A sleepy cow town had sprouted overnight to become home to thousands of young workers in the coal mines of that region. As I read the article, I felt an inner compelling - "Jerry, take your wife and baby son to Gillette!" It didn't go away and days later I approached my wife with the idea of tearing ourselves away from family, friends, and job to go to do ministry in that town. Late August, 1977, found us transversing these United States in an old school bus that was packed with our possessions. We had no job waiting, very little money to sustain, and a big dream pulling westward! Our trip was an exercise in hilarity, something I'll write about some other time. The year that followed our decision to to to Wyoming was full of experiences we have never forgotten, lessons that shaped us, and people who influenced us to this very day. What many labeled a fool's errand was God's way of helping us to become more useful in His kingdom. I believe we were led there by the Spirit, but not for the purpose which I thought - establishing a ministry in Gillette, WY- but rather so He could mature us, preparing us for His work!
Part of the lexicon with which I am very familiar includes the line, "I feel led..." People use it to explain their choice to seek out a new church, to justify their purchase of a new car, to explain all kinds of important life choices. Most Believers who claim to 'feel led' by the Lord are quite sincere in their intent and motive. There are plenty of examples in the book of Acts to demonstrate that the Spirit-filled Christian can and should be led by the Spirit. Indeed, Paul says that "those who are led by the Spirit are children of God." (Gal. 6.14) I am not taking issue with that concept. What I am speaking to today is the erroneous idea that being led by the Spirit is just a feeling, a hunch, an intuition!
Rick Nanez writes - "Waves of romanticism, relativism, individualism, and New Age teachings have unleashed a rising emphasis on feelings over thinking, emotions over doctrine, and experience over intellect. Wherever these find an inroad, it comes at the expense of casting away our rational rudders. In turn, this steers many Believers into the currents of waywardness - into the vast sea of subjectivity, where the drizzling clouds of mysticism dictate their spiritual journey. ... the turbulent winds of half-truth blow these helpless castaways into the vicious crags of confusion and mindless spirituality." - Full Gospel, Fractured Minds? Zondervan, 2005
Mature, stable, and effective Believers understand that they are whole people given both mind and heart and that God's Spirit operates through both equally to bring about His purposes and will. The Bible invites us to “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) The word, 'reason' is a word meaning, "argue your case, talk it over, work it out!" God does not expect His Spirit-led people to live with a blind faith. Paul encourages us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1 (NKJV) Note the word, "reasonable." In the original language of the Bible it is the word, logikos, from which we get our word, logical. As we serve God, we do so with reason intact.
Are you objecting, wondering -"Jerry, what of faith? Are we to be locked into rationalism, living only by what can be proven or tested by natural means?" No, friend, a hundred times no. Pure rationalism eliminates the possibility of revelation. We, as individual Believers and as the Church of Jesus Christ must be led by the Spirit, open to truth that is revealed by Him to us, in ways outside of the usual channels of discovery and learning. I fully recognize that claiming to hear from God, to know His voice, is regarded by many as loony, or as some sort of self-deception based in our psychological need to have a god. But, I am convinced - both by my experience and the testimony of the Scripture- that God speaks to His people, individually and collectively. There will be moments when His leading defies our natural reasoning powers, when what we believe God is asking of us flies in the face of the facts that surround us.
We do not offend God in those moments when we take time to evaluate what we believe He is saying to us. Asking God to give us discerning minds, to keep us from impulse or gullibility is not the same as refusing to follow His lead. It is a humble recognition that we are imperfect, that we can get it wrong. John tells us - "do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world." 1 John 4:1 (NLT) The passage goes on to say that the primary test to determine who is a genuine 'prophet' - that is one who is claiming to hear from God and speak for God- is the way he conducts himself day to day. His life must be marked by overt evidence of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. There is no one so dangerous to your spiritual health as the person who is a rebellious rogue, who submits to no authority but himself, who claims - "God speaks to me and I speak for Him."
Let's be people of the Spirit, led by Him into works of faith, using the wonderful powers of reason that He has given to us. By this God will be glorified and His kingdom built strong.
________________
Lavish love, abundant beauty,
gracious gifts for heart and hand,
Life that fills the soul and senses -
all burst forth at Your command.
Lord, our Lord, eternal Father,
Great Creator, God and Friend,
Boundless power gave full expression,
to Your love which knows no end.
I am Yours, eternal Father,
All my body, mind, and heart.
Take and use me to Your glory,
Form Yourself in every part.
Lord, Your love brings joy and gladness,
flowing from within my soul.
May my very breath and being,
rise to You, their source and goal.
Amen.
- Peter Ellis
Part of the lexicon with which I am very familiar includes the line, "I feel led..." People use it to explain their choice to seek out a new church, to justify their purchase of a new car, to explain all kinds of important life choices. Most Believers who claim to 'feel led' by the Lord are quite sincere in their intent and motive. There are plenty of examples in the book of Acts to demonstrate that the Spirit-filled Christian can and should be led by the Spirit. Indeed, Paul says that "those who are led by the Spirit are children of God." (Gal. 6.14) I am not taking issue with that concept. What I am speaking to today is the erroneous idea that being led by the Spirit is just a feeling, a hunch, an intuition!
Rick Nanez writes - "Waves of romanticism, relativism, individualism, and New Age teachings have unleashed a rising emphasis on feelings over thinking, emotions over doctrine, and experience over intellect. Wherever these find an inroad, it comes at the expense of casting away our rational rudders. In turn, this steers many Believers into the currents of waywardness - into the vast sea of subjectivity, where the drizzling clouds of mysticism dictate their spiritual journey. ... the turbulent winds of half-truth blow these helpless castaways into the vicious crags of confusion and mindless spirituality." - Full Gospel, Fractured Minds? Zondervan, 2005
Mature, stable, and effective Believers understand that they are whole people given both mind and heart and that God's Spirit operates through both equally to bring about His purposes and will. The Bible invites us to “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) The word, 'reason' is a word meaning, "argue your case, talk it over, work it out!" God does not expect His Spirit-led people to live with a blind faith. Paul encourages us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1 (NKJV) Note the word, "reasonable." In the original language of the Bible it is the word, logikos, from which we get our word, logical. As we serve God, we do so with reason intact.
Are you objecting, wondering -"Jerry, what of faith? Are we to be locked into rationalism, living only by what can be proven or tested by natural means?" No, friend, a hundred times no. Pure rationalism eliminates the possibility of revelation. We, as individual Believers and as the Church of Jesus Christ must be led by the Spirit, open to truth that is revealed by Him to us, in ways outside of the usual channels of discovery and learning. I fully recognize that claiming to hear from God, to know His voice, is regarded by many as loony, or as some sort of self-deception based in our psychological need to have a god. But, I am convinced - both by my experience and the testimony of the Scripture- that God speaks to His people, individually and collectively. There will be moments when His leading defies our natural reasoning powers, when what we believe God is asking of us flies in the face of the facts that surround us.
We do not offend God in those moments when we take time to evaluate what we believe He is saying to us. Asking God to give us discerning minds, to keep us from impulse or gullibility is not the same as refusing to follow His lead. It is a humble recognition that we are imperfect, that we can get it wrong. John tells us - "do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world." 1 John 4:1 (NLT) The passage goes on to say that the primary test to determine who is a genuine 'prophet' - that is one who is claiming to hear from God and speak for God- is the way he conducts himself day to day. His life must be marked by overt evidence of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. There is no one so dangerous to your spiritual health as the person who is a rebellious rogue, who submits to no authority but himself, who claims - "God speaks to me and I speak for Him."
Let's be people of the Spirit, led by Him into works of faith, using the wonderful powers of reason that He has given to us. By this God will be glorified and His kingdom built strong.
________________
Lavish love, abundant beauty,
gracious gifts for heart and hand,
Life that fills the soul and senses -
all burst forth at Your command.
Lord, our Lord, eternal Father,
Great Creator, God and Friend,
Boundless power gave full expression,
to Your love which knows no end.
I am Yours, eternal Father,
All my body, mind, and heart.
Take and use me to Your glory,
Form Yourself in every part.
Lord, Your love brings joy and gladness,
flowing from within my soul.
May my very breath and being,
rise to You, their source and goal.
Amen.
- Peter Ellis
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Don't ignore your mind!
It was an entirely sincere statement, offered up by a devout Believer in Christ - "I don't really need to know church history or the origins of theology. I just know Jesus Christ, living in me." The speaker was referring to a recent series of sermons that I am preaching in response to the questions that the best-seller, The DaVinci Code, has raised in the minds of many Americans. What can a person gain by having a grasp on how the New Testament came into existence, by understanding the why's and wherefore's of the councils held many centuries ago to forge the creeds that shape our faith? Is it all really important? Or can a Believer sustain a vital faith with a personal experience of Jesus' Presence centered in the now?
It is not really a choice an either/or choice. If our Christianity is all about history and theology, about just knowing a set of facts and memorizing a creed, it will quickly become a dead thing, incapable of sustaining us in the present troubles and trials of life. However, if our faith is entirely a subjective experience fueled by fervent worship and personal piety, we will be unable to successfully engage in dialogue with those who claim their own religious experiences apart from Christ Jesus.
I am a Pentecostal by training and experience. The strength of my tradition is the immediacy of it, the warmth of heart that comes with expecting the Holy Spirit to be personally close, leading and guiding, healing, saving, and keeping me. I wouldn't trade that for anything. What a wonderfully powerful experience it is to go to prayer and to have the privilege of praying in the Spirit, beyond the formation of words. The intimacy of such moments is a treasured gift for me in my Christian life. The weakness of my tradition is that, too! Pentecostals are big on 'the heart,' on inspiration that leads to launching out in faith into some endeavor or another. There is a tendency to ignore 'the head,' to treat reason and understanding with suspicion, if not outright hostility. Jesus urges us to love God with 'all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.' It has befallen me many times to find myself in a revival meeting where the speaker urges people to set aside their minds to just 'go with the flow of the Spirit.' Because I am steeped the language and tradition of Pentecost, I understand that he doesn't really intend for the crowd to go into a trance. But, I have seen some strange, silly things happen because of such rhetoric. For some, that exhortation becomes an excuse to set aside common courtesy and even common sense to engage in emotional excesses that have little or nothing to do with a genuine experience of the Spirit's power or Presence.
True worship, whether private and personal, or corporate and public, involves both the mind and the heart, the cognitive functions of reason and the emotive responses that come from deep inside of us. A recent phenomenon in Christianity is something called 'the emergent church.' I still evaluating it, reading the books published by the leaders of the movement, but I am starting to conclude that the movement is a reaction to both 'heart-less' Christianity and 'mind-less' Christianity. The leaders are attempting to be thoughtful, without becoming dogmatic; warmly inspired, without becoming silly in emotional excess. But I'm also concluding that they are, perhaps, too ready to sacrifice the hard sayings of the Scripture in an effort to be 'relevant' to our culture.
Don't ignore your mind, and don't 'worship' your heart! Take Paul's advice to the Corinthian church. Think on this word from the Word today:
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.
If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what’s going on know when to say “Amen”? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it. I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking.
How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility. - 1 Corinthians 14:15-20 (The Message)
It is not really a choice an either/or choice. If our Christianity is all about history and theology, about just knowing a set of facts and memorizing a creed, it will quickly become a dead thing, incapable of sustaining us in the present troubles and trials of life. However, if our faith is entirely a subjective experience fueled by fervent worship and personal piety, we will be unable to successfully engage in dialogue with those who claim their own religious experiences apart from Christ Jesus.
I am a Pentecostal by training and experience. The strength of my tradition is the immediacy of it, the warmth of heart that comes with expecting the Holy Spirit to be personally close, leading and guiding, healing, saving, and keeping me. I wouldn't trade that for anything. What a wonderfully powerful experience it is to go to prayer and to have the privilege of praying in the Spirit, beyond the formation of words. The intimacy of such moments is a treasured gift for me in my Christian life. The weakness of my tradition is that, too! Pentecostals are big on 'the heart,' on inspiration that leads to launching out in faith into some endeavor or another. There is a tendency to ignore 'the head,' to treat reason and understanding with suspicion, if not outright hostility. Jesus urges us to love God with 'all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.' It has befallen me many times to find myself in a revival meeting where the speaker urges people to set aside their minds to just 'go with the flow of the Spirit.' Because I am steeped the language and tradition of Pentecost, I understand that he doesn't really intend for the crowd to go into a trance. But, I have seen some strange, silly things happen because of such rhetoric. For some, that exhortation becomes an excuse to set aside common courtesy and even common sense to engage in emotional excesses that have little or nothing to do with a genuine experience of the Spirit's power or Presence.
True worship, whether private and personal, or corporate and public, involves both the mind and the heart, the cognitive functions of reason and the emotive responses that come from deep inside of us. A recent phenomenon in Christianity is something called 'the emergent church.' I still evaluating it, reading the books published by the leaders of the movement, but I am starting to conclude that the movement is a reaction to both 'heart-less' Christianity and 'mind-less' Christianity. The leaders are attempting to be thoughtful, without becoming dogmatic; warmly inspired, without becoming silly in emotional excess. But I'm also concluding that they are, perhaps, too ready to sacrifice the hard sayings of the Scripture in an effort to be 'relevant' to our culture.
Don't ignore your mind, and don't 'worship' your heart! Take Paul's advice to the Corinthian church. Think on this word from the Word today:
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.
If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what’s going on know when to say “Amen”? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it. I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.
To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking.
How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility. - 1 Corinthians 14:15-20 (The Message)
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Accommodation, Adaptation, Apathy?
While we sat at my Mom's hospital bedside yesterday, my Dad and I talked. Both of us have given our lives to church leadership so naturally we discussed church life and trends. Since he relocated to Pennsylvania this Spring, he has been visiting churches seeking a spiritual home for his family. What he has found has not, by and large, made him thrilled with the state of the church! Much of what he labels as evidence of 'worldliness' and compromise in abundance, I see as expressions of generational differences over what is good and/or acceptable Christian practice. He sees compromise; I see adaptation.
I serve as part of a committee that guides a ministry. It's a good assignment with people who are earnest about their responsibilities. Recently they made a decision that I think weakened the core mission of the ministry, but which the rest of the group believed to be a necessary accommodation of the demands of the ministry at this time. I keep asking myself, "Jerry, are just attached to a tradition? Does your discomfort come from that tradition being violated or does your disagreement arise out of a necessary defense of principle?" Time will tell, as the Spirit leads.
How do we honor God, living as holy people who are distinct from the world of which we are a part, yet continue to be effective in reaching out to those who do not know Him? Ah, that is the question, isn't it? The gray choices of life are the hardest, aren't they? And the older I get in this world, the less black and white I see!
So many choices I make everyday involves many shades of gray and thus, I must lean hard on the guidance of the Spirit, who has promised to create the mind of Christ in me. The safest choice, and often the most comfortable, is to preserve the status quo. But, just doing what we've always done, just because we've always done it that way, will lead to increasing isolation and ineffectiveness. The world continues to spin, change continues, the march of time never slows. The other side of that argument is that constant innovation that is not solidly grounded in truth will lead to disastrous consequences.
So, again, I circle around to ask, how do we choose?
Humility must be a part of the process that guides us. If we really want to know God's leading, we need to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. He speaks to us through the Scripture, through the traditions of the church, and through dialogue with our brothers and sisters that can be intense. It's that last part that I find most difficult! But in Proverbs I am reminded, "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17, NLT) Wrestling with the truth helps us not only to discover it, but to own it. I am learning that a decision that does not allow for honest, open dialogue is usually not the best, nor wisest, one.
Prayerfulness, too, must always be part of a decision-making process. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) It is the Holy Spirit that gives us true wisdom. We find life when we find His way. We find His way by remaining in a place of intimate communion with Him. When prods our conscience, quickly we respond, "yes, Lord!" When He lifts His peace from us, we stop and wait and listen. When we grieve Him with willfulness, we repent quickly. This walk with the Spirit allows Him to 'guide us into all truth.' (John 16.13)
Don't become apathetic. The response to the complexity of life cannot be - "Oh, whatever." The path of least resistance is always downward!
Got a challenge today?
Not sure what is the right course?
God promises to lead. Let Him. Listen to counsel. Meditate on the Scripture.
Pray! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." (James 1:5-7, NLT)
I serve as part of a committee that guides a ministry. It's a good assignment with people who are earnest about their responsibilities. Recently they made a decision that I think weakened the core mission of the ministry, but which the rest of the group believed to be a necessary accommodation of the demands of the ministry at this time. I keep asking myself, "Jerry, are just attached to a tradition? Does your discomfort come from that tradition being violated or does your disagreement arise out of a necessary defense of principle?" Time will tell, as the Spirit leads.
How do we honor God, living as holy people who are distinct from the world of which we are a part, yet continue to be effective in reaching out to those who do not know Him? Ah, that is the question, isn't it? The gray choices of life are the hardest, aren't they? And the older I get in this world, the less black and white I see!
So many choices I make everyday involves many shades of gray and thus, I must lean hard on the guidance of the Spirit, who has promised to create the mind of Christ in me. The safest choice, and often the most comfortable, is to preserve the status quo. But, just doing what we've always done, just because we've always done it that way, will lead to increasing isolation and ineffectiveness. The world continues to spin, change continues, the march of time never slows. The other side of that argument is that constant innovation that is not solidly grounded in truth will lead to disastrous consequences.
So, again, I circle around to ask, how do we choose?
Humility must be a part of the process that guides us. If we really want to know God's leading, we need to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. He speaks to us through the Scripture, through the traditions of the church, and through dialogue with our brothers and sisters that can be intense. It's that last part that I find most difficult! But in Proverbs I am reminded, "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17, NLT) Wrestling with the truth helps us not only to discover it, but to own it. I am learning that a decision that does not allow for honest, open dialogue is usually not the best, nor wisest, one.
Prayerfulness, too, must always be part of a decision-making process. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) It is the Holy Spirit that gives us true wisdom. We find life when we find His way. We find His way by remaining in a place of intimate communion with Him. When prods our conscience, quickly we respond, "yes, Lord!" When He lifts His peace from us, we stop and wait and listen. When we grieve Him with willfulness, we repent quickly. This walk with the Spirit allows Him to 'guide us into all truth.' (John 16.13)
Don't become apathetic. The response to the complexity of life cannot be - "Oh, whatever." The path of least resistance is always downward!
Got a challenge today?
Not sure what is the right course?
God promises to lead. Let Him. Listen to counsel. Meditate on the Scripture.
Pray! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." (James 1:5-7, NLT)
Sunday, May 14, 2006
My really mean Mom
I'm writing this while watching my Mom sleep in a hospital bed. Occasionally she sort of rouses to recognize that I'm here, but mostly the morphine has her in a haze of semi-consciousness. It's my privilege to sit here by her bed, but it's oh, so hard to see her in such pain. She was on a stepladder on Saturday evening changing a light bulb or something like that, fell off and broke her shoulder and hip! Mom doesn't like to acknowledge that she's days shy of 70 years of age, hence being on a ladder when she might have been more cautious. I'd scold her, but I'll probably be just like her 20 years from now - resisting every limitation of age with kicking and screaming.
It's Mother's Day and while I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered - Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications, (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) and I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!) - but from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!
She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready, when the laundry was piled up, or when the house was a mess! I didn't her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.
So, sitting her watching her face, a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!
An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."
Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!
It's Mother's Day and while I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered - Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications, (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) and I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!) - but from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!
She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready, when the laundry was piled up, or when the house was a mess! I didn't her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.
So, sitting her watching her face, a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!
An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."
Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!
- "Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise." (Proverbs 31:28-31, NLT)
__________________
I pray that your week is blessed. If you're a Mom, I hope you had a good Mother's Day.
And, please pray for my Mom. She's going to have surgery tomorrow to repair her broken bones. Ask the Lord to bless her with peace and healing. I thank you for that on her behalf!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Confusing facts and fiction
Dan Brown's best-seller, The DaVinci Code, is a subtle piece of indoctrination, anti-Christian at its core. Woven into a compelling story are assertions about the doctrines of Christianity- which if true - would rewrite the Bible. I read the book over the weekend and have to agree that it is a fun to read book that kept me turning the pages with a fast paced storyline. But, the premises on which Brown builds his story will, if believed to be true, destroy the Gospel of Christ! A key character in the story is one Leigh Teabing, an English scholar, knight of the realm, and raconteur par excellence. Teabing claims that the Bible is a construct of a few men under the influence of Constantine to erase nature worship and the 'divine feminine.' Teabing claims that until 325 AD, "Jesus was viewed by his followers as a mortal prophet . . . a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal." "Jesus establishment as the 'Son of God' was officially proposed and voted by the Council of Nicea." "Christ as Messiah was critical to the functioning of Church and state... the early Church literally stole Jesus from his original followers, hijacking his human message...." (all quotes from page 233)
Because the novel is packaged by its author as a fictional story that is written around real historical facts, there are millions who swallow the assertions about the Bible's origins, about the 'real' identity of Jesus, uncritically. But, the scholarship that underlies the story is wrong; a reconstruction of select facts and total fabrications arranged to fit a set of assumptions that ignore the supernatural claims of the New Testament, that dismiss long-standing facts about the authenticity of the Bible, and that want to make Jesus into a great Teacher while taking away His claim to be 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' If Jesus is not God come to Earth, a unique God/Man; then he simply takes his place among other spiritual teachers of history and we are free to pick and choose from his words, mixing and matching them with those of the Buddha, of Mohammed, of Confucius, and our Grandpa! If He is not a person unique in history and 'full of grace and truth,' why are we not free to create our own eclectic religion of self-made rules, freely bent and shaped to fit our particular life choices? The troubling issue of "Truth" is gone, replaced by "preference" which allows each one of do whatever is right in our own eyes! How convenient for a society that worships autonomy and choice!
I would be the first to admit that the Truth which Jesus said would set us free has been turned into a cruel set of rules used by various groups down through history to protect their preferred status, to enrich those in power, to enslave, and as an excuse to wage war and kill. The claim to hold the "Truth" has been twisted in our own time by local pastors and congregations to hurt, ostracize, and marginalize people out of favor ! That is tragic, evil, and indefensible. But the answer is not to try to erase the identity of Jesus Christ to make Him more 'people friendly.' Instead, we do well to reclaim the Jesus that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John presented to the world - as witnesses to the Truth- just a few decades after He walked the pathways of Palestine.
They present us with a Man who brought words of life, who demonstrated His uniqueness, His authority, and His love with acts of caring, with incredible wisdom, and with miracles. To me, the majesty of His claim to be the Judge of all the earth lies in His willingness to be the Servant Savior of all. He is the Man of the Cross as well as the Lord of the Universe. I have no qualms about submitting myself to One who would leave Heaven, endure scorn and rejection, who would challenge people intent on using power to oppress, and ultimately die for the very people who rejected His message. Such a Man has demonstrated so great a love that I willingly accept His judgment, willingly bow myself before His Truth - because that which He demands of me is not designed for His good, but rather to give me life! He said, "It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63, NLT)
Don't be duped by those who, in the name of truth, would rob you of the Truth. Yes, they may well have confused the religion of men, which is the letter of the law that kills, with the Gospel that liberates and gives life. They may even believe that they are doing you and me a service by freeing us from 'silly superstitions.'
Here's Jesus' prayer for you and me.
Meditate on it today and feel the power of the Spirit and Truth!
"Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn’t join the world’s ways,
Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth." (John 17:13-17, The Message)
_____________
Come and see the beauty of the Lord,
Come and know the wonder of His grace,
Come and seehow much He cares for you,
Gaze at the compassion on His face.
Come and touch the nail prints in His hands,
Find the Friend who truly understands,
Come and stand beneaththe blood-stained Cross,
Proof of His unchanging love for us.
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is glorious,He is wonderful,
He is everything to me!
Because the novel is packaged by its author as a fictional story that is written around real historical facts, there are millions who swallow the assertions about the Bible's origins, about the 'real' identity of Jesus, uncritically. But, the scholarship that underlies the story is wrong; a reconstruction of select facts and total fabrications arranged to fit a set of assumptions that ignore the supernatural claims of the New Testament, that dismiss long-standing facts about the authenticity of the Bible, and that want to make Jesus into a great Teacher while taking away His claim to be 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' If Jesus is not God come to Earth, a unique God/Man; then he simply takes his place among other spiritual teachers of history and we are free to pick and choose from his words, mixing and matching them with those of the Buddha, of Mohammed, of Confucius, and our Grandpa! If He is not a person unique in history and 'full of grace and truth,' why are we not free to create our own eclectic religion of self-made rules, freely bent and shaped to fit our particular life choices? The troubling issue of "Truth" is gone, replaced by "preference" which allows each one of do whatever is right in our own eyes! How convenient for a society that worships autonomy and choice!
I would be the first to admit that the Truth which Jesus said would set us free has been turned into a cruel set of rules used by various groups down through history to protect their preferred status, to enrich those in power, to enslave, and as an excuse to wage war and kill. The claim to hold the "Truth" has been twisted in our own time by local pastors and congregations to hurt, ostracize, and marginalize people out of favor ! That is tragic, evil, and indefensible. But the answer is not to try to erase the identity of Jesus Christ to make Him more 'people friendly.' Instead, we do well to reclaim the Jesus that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John presented to the world - as witnesses to the Truth- just a few decades after He walked the pathways of Palestine.
They present us with a Man who brought words of life, who demonstrated His uniqueness, His authority, and His love with acts of caring, with incredible wisdom, and with miracles. To me, the majesty of His claim to be the Judge of all the earth lies in His willingness to be the Servant Savior of all. He is the Man of the Cross as well as the Lord of the Universe. I have no qualms about submitting myself to One who would leave Heaven, endure scorn and rejection, who would challenge people intent on using power to oppress, and ultimately die for the very people who rejected His message. Such a Man has demonstrated so great a love that I willingly accept His judgment, willingly bow myself before His Truth - because that which He demands of me is not designed for His good, but rather to give me life! He said, "It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63, NLT)
Don't be duped by those who, in the name of truth, would rob you of the Truth. Yes, they may well have confused the religion of men, which is the letter of the law that kills, with the Gospel that liberates and gives life. They may even believe that they are doing you and me a service by freeing us from 'silly superstitions.'
Here's Jesus' prayer for you and me.
Meditate on it today and feel the power of the Spirit and Truth!
"Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them. I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn’t join the world’s ways,
Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth." (John 17:13-17, The Message)
_____________
Come and see the beauty of the Lord,
Come and know the wonder of His grace,
Come and seehow much He cares for you,
Gaze at the compassion on His face.
Come and touch the nail prints in His hands,
Find the Friend who truly understands,
Come and stand beneaththe blood-stained Cross,
Proof of His unchanging love for us.
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is worthy,worthy of our praise,
He is glorious,He is wonderful,
He is everything to me!
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Apathy - who cares?
Remember that irritating phrase - "whatever?" that was part of the American conversation for a few years? It was a way to casually sidestep commitment or opinion, "whatever, dude." It was the catch phrase of the stereo-typical detached young adult, intent on but one thing - having fun. Anything that asked for engagement, that required thought or effort, that would be costly was met with "Whatever!" I reacted viscerally to the whole thing. I couldn't be blasé in the company of such apathy. Curiously, it aroused something akin to rage in me! The phrase had faded from usage but not the attitude of apathy it represented. For many people, there is a studied indifference to life, to human need; yes, to God Himself.
Apathy comes to us from Latin roots - 'a' which means without; and "pathos" which means, feeling or emotion. There are multiple causes for the development of detachment. Depression is one common cause. Fatigue is another. Some people go at life or some problem full speed ahead, giving their all, and they burn out! When their expectations are frustrated, others do not respond with similar passion for the 'cause,' or their efforts make little difference, they are spent, disillusioned, and apathy results. I'd suggest that there is an even more common cause of apathy than any of the above - Self-absorption! We fall in love with ourselves, our comfort, our TV's, our diversions and games, and our exercise regimes. Our focus in life shifts from purposeful living in the service of Christ and others to ourselves. Because we are so 'busy' we live with the illusion that our lives are full and rich when, in fact, many of us are accomplishing little or nothing of value - frittering away the precious moments of life on worthless, empty activities that feed our self-centeredness!
The call of God is that we are passionate people, who care deeply. When asked how to please God, Jesus did not say, "Live a balanced life - making sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night, taking your exercise regularly, getting your manicure and massage, and scheduled vacations." The kind of life He requires is wildly passionate, engaged - "...love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” Luke 10:27-29 (The Message) Love of this quality is the very opposite of the apathy that marks the lives of so many people.
Jesus went on in that same passage to tell a story that illustrates the kind of love He is looking for in us. It's a familiar parable and many of you will be tempted to skim it, but I want to urge you to slow down and savor the words of the Master. He said,
“A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 (NLT)
Two morally upright, religious, but self-absorbed men saw the bloody, beaten man by the road, but felt that their agenda was more important than loving another. With studied indifference they walked on by. I wonder if they said a quick prayer to soothe their consciences? But another, a person from a group that was felt to be morally and religiously inferior, let his heart be touched by the plight of another human being. He set aside his own plans and, at significant cost to himself, got involved! Jesus command? Go and do the same!
Think you can't make a difference, that your efforts are like a drop in the bucket?
Serve where you have opportunity. Make the difference for one, or two. Leave the rest to God and those He calls to serve alongside of you.
When we appear before Jesus to give an accounting of the way we used our resources and opportunities - He won't ask if we changed the world. He'll ask, "were you faithful?"
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ -- Matthew 25:34-40 (The Message)
Apathy comes to us from Latin roots - 'a' which means without; and "pathos" which means, feeling or emotion. There are multiple causes for the development of detachment. Depression is one common cause. Fatigue is another. Some people go at life or some problem full speed ahead, giving their all, and they burn out! When their expectations are frustrated, others do not respond with similar passion for the 'cause,' or their efforts make little difference, they are spent, disillusioned, and apathy results. I'd suggest that there is an even more common cause of apathy than any of the above - Self-absorption! We fall in love with ourselves, our comfort, our TV's, our diversions and games, and our exercise regimes. Our focus in life shifts from purposeful living in the service of Christ and others to ourselves. Because we are so 'busy' we live with the illusion that our lives are full and rich when, in fact, many of us are accomplishing little or nothing of value - frittering away the precious moments of life on worthless, empty activities that feed our self-centeredness!
The call of God is that we are passionate people, who care deeply. When asked how to please God, Jesus did not say, "Live a balanced life - making sure to get 8 hours of sleep each night, taking your exercise regularly, getting your manicure and massage, and scheduled vacations." The kind of life He requires is wildly passionate, engaged - "...love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.” Luke 10:27-29 (The Message) Love of this quality is the very opposite of the apathy that marks the lives of so many people.
Jesus went on in that same passage to tell a story that illustrates the kind of love He is looking for in us. It's a familiar parable and many of you will be tempted to skim it, but I want to urge you to slow down and savor the words of the Master. He said,
“A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
“By chance a Jewish priest came along; but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’
“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:30-37 (NLT)
Two morally upright, religious, but self-absorbed men saw the bloody, beaten man by the road, but felt that their agenda was more important than loving another. With studied indifference they walked on by. I wonder if they said a quick prayer to soothe their consciences? But another, a person from a group that was felt to be morally and religiously inferior, let his heart be touched by the plight of another human being. He set aside his own plans and, at significant cost to himself, got involved! Jesus command? Go and do the same!
Think you can't make a difference, that your efforts are like a drop in the bucket?
Serve where you have opportunity. Make the difference for one, or two. Leave the rest to God and those He calls to serve alongside of you.
When we appear before Jesus to give an accounting of the way we used our resources and opportunities - He won't ask if we changed the world. He'll ask, "were you faithful?"
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ -- Matthew 25:34-40 (The Message)
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Now, patiently wait for Him!
My daughter and I chatted on the phone yesterday about my dislike of 'loose ends' in life, I shared with her some of the ways in which I have recently observed God's plans working out- and I laughed as I said, "He really does love me!" How could I have ever thought otherwise, given my years of walking with the Lord? I haven't doubted His love, but like most people who He puts in His waiting room, leaving them in a situation that to all appearances isn't going well, I had been tempted to conclude that God had forgotten me or shelved me. Then, the knots started to unravel, the pieces started to fall into place, and I realized, anew, how He's been at work all along.
Habakkuk, the prophet, was tempted to conclude that God had stopped working. He went to prayer and heard these words from the Spirit: "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the purposes of God working out in life, differently than he had planned, but ultimately for the greater good. He is under house arrest in Rome, kept from his preaching travels in the Empire. Those who looked at his life's situation could have concluded that God had sidelined the apostle in a dead-end place. But it wasn't true! God was allowing him to multiply his effectiveness by putting him among the 'movers and shakers' of the Roman world. He wrote, "everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ." (Philippians 1:12-14, NLT) He was evangelizing the soldiers of the palace guard, the elite young men of the realm! Everyday they stood in the room where he prayed, wrote, counseled, and taught. They learned about the living Lord. Some were converted and took the message back to their homes and families.
Be patient. Pray for faith. Ask God to steady you until you're able to grasp the 'what, why, and when' of His purposes. That's not an easy assignment. Some will mock you as you profess your trust in God. Like Job's not so wonderful wife who saw his plight, they will advise you to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2.9) But, like Job, hang onto your trust in Him. It's just fine to cry when it hurts. God sees your tears and weeps along with you. It's just fine to pray, "how long, Lord, before this night breaks into day?" He, too, is waiting for the day when His kingdom comes!
But, never doubt His love or His ability to accomplish His purposes!
Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and let the eternal Word strengthen your faithful resolve to serve the Lord.
"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause." (Isaiah 55:11-12, The Message)
Habakkuk, the prophet, was tempted to conclude that God had stopped working. He went to prayer and heard these words from the Spirit: "Write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else. But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked; but the righteous will live by their faith." (Habakkuk 2:2-4, NLT)
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul talks about the purposes of God working out in life, differently than he had planned, but ultimately for the greater good. He is under house arrest in Rome, kept from his preaching travels in the Empire. Those who looked at his life's situation could have concluded that God had sidelined the apostle in a dead-end place. But it wasn't true! God was allowing him to multiply his effectiveness by putting him among the 'movers and shakers' of the Roman world. He wrote, "everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ." (Philippians 1:12-14, NLT) He was evangelizing the soldiers of the palace guard, the elite young men of the realm! Everyday they stood in the room where he prayed, wrote, counseled, and taught. They learned about the living Lord. Some were converted and took the message back to their homes and families.
Be patient. Pray for faith. Ask God to steady you until you're able to grasp the 'what, why, and when' of His purposes. That's not an easy assignment. Some will mock you as you profess your trust in God. Like Job's not so wonderful wife who saw his plight, they will advise you to "Curse God and die!" (Job 2.9) But, like Job, hang onto your trust in Him. It's just fine to cry when it hurts. God sees your tears and weeps along with you. It's just fine to pray, "how long, Lord, before this night breaks into day?" He, too, is waiting for the day when His kingdom comes!
But, never doubt His love or His ability to accomplish His purposes!
Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and let the eternal Word strengthen your faithful resolve to serve the Lord.
"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed.They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause." (Isaiah 55:11-12, The Message)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Can you see the Promised Land?
Some of you can probably remember when Bush I, ran for the Presidency of the U.S. against Bill Clinton. Much was made of "the vision thing," as the media dubbed it. It was claimed that President George H. W. Bush was a manager who led the nation without a clear leadership vision. Though he was a good and decent man, he failed to inspire the nation. Did he actually lack vision or was this accusation simply an invention of the press? I don't know, but what I do know is that the Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18, KJV) Vision is what causes us to sacrifice, to reach higher, to achieve great things. Without it, people give themselves over to fighting, to selfishness, to indulgence of sensual whims.
Vision is an incredibly important part of reaching God's goals - for our personal life, our family, our church, our local community, or our nation! My life is pulled along by a God-given vision of being a man whose words and actions honors the Lord- as a good and loving husband and father, and as a person who provides solid leadership to the local church that God has called me to shepherd. When that vision is sharp and clear, it makes saying "no" to certain things much easier. For example, when greed creeps up on me and whispers in my ear... if I start to look around and compare my pile of things with what others have... I am tempted by other more lucrative opportunities. But, if I look up and renew the vision, the voice of greed falls silent and I remain faithful to God's calling.
In the organization that I lead, I know that my greatest challenge, my most important work, is to impart vision, to help people see the 'Promised Land.' By that I don't just mean Heaven! God has charged me to help people see who they can be by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He has charged me to help people see the world as God desires it to be, not as it is. Am I always good at that? Nope, 'cause like Bush I, sometimes I fall into management instead of leadership. I get so taken with making sure that the system is running smoothly, that I don't see the 'big picture' as clearly as I should.
Visions are powerful, yet fragile. They motivate people to change, but they die without constant tending. Naturally, we are not visionary. It takes effort and inspiration to lift our eyes to see past our appetites, our comfort, our attachment to the present, to begin to love the vision of a new future! God calls on us to have faith and reminds us that without faith that 'sees' His vision for life, we will never please Him. To understand that, consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses led the Israeli people out of Egypt, they followed him with excitement- for a short while. When things got rough and they grew tired, the vision of the Promised Land faded and they started to whine: “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NLT) They forgot that those foods came to them at the cost of their freedom, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters. They forgot that they were slaves and remembered only the stuff that they put in their bellies!
What vision has God given to you?
Are you keeping it sharp, tending it, renewing it by regular times when you re-connect with the Spirit who gave it to you?
Memory is deceptive and selective! Yesterday's victories and defeats must be left behind as we pursue the calling that God has given to us. If we look back, a rosy glow will come over our vision causing us to long for what we can never have again. We will fall into sin as our vision is clouded with reminisce. If we look forward, God will show us the "Promised Land" of His provision,drawing us to become holy people that honor His Name.
Here's the promise - “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:28-29, NLT) _______________________
Father, give me spiritual eyes that see the promise,
the possible, not just the probable.
Renew Your dream in me, causing me to see the Promised Land.
When I start to love my food, my TV, my comfort -
more than I love You, Your callings -
forgive me and send me messengers that renew the vision.
Pour out the Spirit on me, like a refreshing rain that causes
new life to burst out.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Vision is an incredibly important part of reaching God's goals - for our personal life, our family, our church, our local community, or our nation! My life is pulled along by a God-given vision of being a man whose words and actions honors the Lord- as a good and loving husband and father, and as a person who provides solid leadership to the local church that God has called me to shepherd. When that vision is sharp and clear, it makes saying "no" to certain things much easier. For example, when greed creeps up on me and whispers in my ear... if I start to look around and compare my pile of things with what others have... I am tempted by other more lucrative opportunities. But, if I look up and renew the vision, the voice of greed falls silent and I remain faithful to God's calling.
In the organization that I lead, I know that my greatest challenge, my most important work, is to impart vision, to help people see the 'Promised Land.' By that I don't just mean Heaven! God has charged me to help people see who they can be by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He has charged me to help people see the world as God desires it to be, not as it is. Am I always good at that? Nope, 'cause like Bush I, sometimes I fall into management instead of leadership. I get so taken with making sure that the system is running smoothly, that I don't see the 'big picture' as clearly as I should.
Visions are powerful, yet fragile. They motivate people to change, but they die without constant tending. Naturally, we are not visionary. It takes effort and inspiration to lift our eyes to see past our appetites, our comfort, our attachment to the present, to begin to love the vision of a new future! God calls on us to have faith and reminds us that without faith that 'sees' His vision for life, we will never please Him. To understand that, consider the story of the Exodus. When Moses led the Israeli people out of Egypt, they followed him with excitement- for a short while. When things got rough and they grew tired, the vision of the Promised Land faded and they started to whine: “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:5-6, NLT) They forgot that those foods came to them at the cost of their freedom, at the cost of the lives of their sons and daughters. They forgot that they were slaves and remembered only the stuff that they put in their bellies!
What vision has God given to you?
Are you keeping it sharp, tending it, renewing it by regular times when you re-connect with the Spirit who gave it to you?
Memory is deceptive and selective! Yesterday's victories and defeats must be left behind as we pursue the calling that God has given to us. If we look back, a rosy glow will come over our vision causing us to long for what we can never have again. We will fall into sin as our vision is clouded with reminisce. If we look forward, God will show us the "Promised Land" of His provision,drawing us to become holy people that honor His Name.
Here's the promise - “I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike." (Joel 2:28-29, NLT) _______________________
Father, give me spiritual eyes that see the promise,
the possible, not just the probable.
Renew Your dream in me, causing me to see the Promised Land.
When I start to love my food, my TV, my comfort -
more than I love You, Your callings -
forgive me and send me messengers that renew the vision.
Pour out the Spirit on me, like a refreshing rain that causes
new life to burst out.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Monday, May 08, 2006
"I know the truth!" Really?
When I was a younger man, I lived with the illusion that all questions had easy answers, that all problems had simple solutions! I made a fool of myself more than once by suggesting that I understood things that I didn't 'get' at all. I ignored the mysteries of life, preferring 'black and white' to gray. I'm still an action-oriented guy, who pushes for solutions and results. However I've also learned that seldom, if ever, is a situation exactly what it appears to be on the surface because life is multi-faceted with overlapping issues and competing needs; and people are complex- a mix of good and evil, of high and low motives. Thus, I now conclude that the best solutions and answers to the challenges that we encounter in life will emerge from rich dialogue involving diverse perspectives.
These days there are few things get under my skin as much as labels that lead to simplistic, jingoistic jargon and avoidance of real interaction. Sticking a pejorative label on another person makes it easy to ignore everything he has to say.
Why would a 'liberal' listen to a 'conservative?'
What can a "Presbyterian" learn from a "Pentecostal"? (or vice versa!)
Why would a "Bible-believing" Christian engage in dialogue with a "neo-orthodox" Christian?
Can those of "free will" Arminian and "sovereignty of God" Reformed persuasions come together in the cause of the Kingdom?
Is there common ground to be found between those committed to "contemporary" and "traditional" worship styles?
Yes, I know that these labels help us to identify our positions on various issues. I am not suggesting that having convictions or doctrinal persuasions is a terrible thing. What I'm advocating is listening without immediate judgment! It's amazing what we can learn from a person with a very different point of view when we take time to really talk with them, to draw them out from behind their defenses. But, given our human pride, active and engaged listening is a skill that is most difficult to learn well!
Listen to this appeal from the Scripture - "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.” I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, The Message)
If you and I hope to reach our world with the Good News about Jesus Christ we must learn to listen! We cannot offer answer until we understand the questions. I know that I've been guilty too often of offering people answers for questions they aren't asking, because I only half-listened to them, only half-understood their situation, and then presented them with a solution that fit my pre-conceived notions about their need. Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice whose writings had wide influence on Christianity a generation ago. Though he was a man of keen intellect and sharp insight, a person who had clearly defined theology and strong convictions, he was also very effective in sharing the Christian message with those most resistant to evangelism. He did it by listening! He took time to understand the culture, to learn the language and philosophy of the time, and then to wisely allow the Spirit to form his words into new ways of presenting the unchanging truth of the Gospel. In the late 70's and early 80's Dr. Schaeffer was a leading prophetic voice whose influence is still felt throughout the Church today.
Are you listening? Are building walls around or bridges to other people?
These days there are few things get under my skin as much as labels that lead to simplistic, jingoistic jargon and avoidance of real interaction. Sticking a pejorative label on another person makes it easy to ignore everything he has to say.
Why would a 'liberal' listen to a 'conservative?'
What can a "Presbyterian" learn from a "Pentecostal"? (or vice versa!)
Why would a "Bible-believing" Christian engage in dialogue with a "neo-orthodox" Christian?
Can those of "free will" Arminian and "sovereignty of God" Reformed persuasions come together in the cause of the Kingdom?
Is there common ground to be found between those committed to "contemporary" and "traditional" worship styles?
Yes, I know that these labels help us to identify our positions on various issues. I am not suggesting that having convictions or doctrinal persuasions is a terrible thing. What I'm advocating is listening without immediate judgment! It's amazing what we can learn from a person with a very different point of view when we take time to really talk with them, to draw them out from behind their defenses. But, given our human pride, active and engaged listening is a skill that is most difficult to learn well!
Listen to this appeal from the Scripture - "I have a serious concern to bring up with you, my friends, using the authority of Jesus, our Master. I’ll put it as urgently as I can: You must get along with each other. You must learn to be considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. I bring this up because some from Chloe’s family brought a most disturbing report to my attention—that you’re fighting among yourselves! I’ll tell you exactly what I was told: You’re all picking sides, going around saying, “I’m on Paul’s side,” or “I’m for Apollos,” or “Peter is my man,” or “I’m in the Messiah group.” I ask you, “Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, The Message)
If you and I hope to reach our world with the Good News about Jesus Christ we must learn to listen! We cannot offer answer until we understand the questions. I know that I've been guilty too often of offering people answers for questions they aren't asking, because I only half-listened to them, only half-understood their situation, and then presented them with a solution that fit my pre-conceived notions about their need. Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice whose writings had wide influence on Christianity a generation ago. Though he was a man of keen intellect and sharp insight, a person who had clearly defined theology and strong convictions, he was also very effective in sharing the Christian message with those most resistant to evangelism. He did it by listening! He took time to understand the culture, to learn the language and philosophy of the time, and then to wisely allow the Spirit to form his words into new ways of presenting the unchanging truth of the Gospel. In the late 70's and early 80's Dr. Schaeffer was a leading prophetic voice whose influence is still felt throughout the Church today.
Are you listening? Are building walls around or bridges to other people?
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