Splendor of the Spirit

Some people have a 'presence' that causes others to take notice when they are around. Physical beauty captivates us. Personal charisma makes us pay attention. Celebrity, our uniquely American phenomenon of being 'famous for being famous' rather than for some remarkable accomplishment, gets some the best table in the restaurant. (Paris Hilton stands out as an example of empty celebrity.) Wealth displayed ostentatiously will get noticed every time! We take note of that stretch limo when it glides past us on the Interstate and we wonder who is behind the tinted windows, don't we? Beauty, wealth, and fame have a certain splendor but they last for a short moment in time, then are gone as others takes the spotlight.

There is a 'glory' that we all can know, a splendor in life that is not reserved for a small coterie that the rest of us envy! This 'presence' is one that makes our lives truly beautiful, meaningful, and yes - worthy of being emulated. It is the radiance of the Spirit of God in us!

Several years ago, Bev and I hosted a woman from China in our home. (She must remain anonymous in a public forum like this.) Her life is dedicated to Christ and given to serving His purposes in her land. Her devotion to Him had caused the state to imprison her on more than one occasion, but she is not cynical or embittered. She doesn't carry out around a sense of defeat or resignation. She has an infectious joy, an obvious love for God, and a compelling Presence of the Spirit that developed as a result of her love affair with Jesus! Despite being poor by most measures, rather plain in appearance, without title, and even quiet in demeanor; she captivates people's heart wherever she goes.

Believer, are you 'reflecting the Lord's glory,' radiant with His Presence?

The Bible speaks of the temporary glory that made Moses remarkable among the Israelites. His time on Mt. Sinai in the Presence of God gave his face a supernatural glow, literally! In Exodus 34:29 we read, "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." The holy glow on his face frightened the people so he put on a veil! Eventually, the glow faded.

The New Testament teaches that Spirit-filled people can have a holy glow that is unfading, a glory that comes from knowing God that lasts, which increases over time. Using Moses' glory experience as a lesson, Paul writes-
"Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face to face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone.
And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us!
Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Cor. 3:13-18 The Message)

Have you replaced the glory of a Spirit-filled life with the dullness of religion?
Have you allowed the glorious life of intimacy with God that causes us to be radiant to become a life of drudgery, duty, and rigid rule-keeping?

Get alone with the Lord today and stay there soaking up His Presence. Moses spent 40 days with God! Can you spend 4 minutes? There is a glory that we can reflect into the darkened world. But we cannot know that glory unless we have gazed on Him, face to face.
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"O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!"

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in His wonderful face;
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
in the Light of His glory and grace." © Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Let in the Light

Heard the story coming out of Kansas about the so-called "BTK" (stands for Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killer? Dennis Rader; a 59 year old married man, father, Scout leader, and church council president, had a hidden side of horrific evil. He stands accused of at least 10 gruesome murders since 1974. The contrast between the 'two' persons that existed in the same body confounds us. One of Rader's best friends, a fellow Scout leader, appeared on a TV talk show last night close to tears for the entire interview, admitting that he never would have believed the accusations apart from the irrefutable evidence. He said, "There are two Dennis's and I only knew one; a friend I will never see again." Rader's pastor talked in similar terms about the man with whom he sat in church meetings, a man who was dedicated to the community in so many ways, a man who, to all appearances, was far removed from the world of thrill killers!

Even as we shake our heads in amazement, we must acknowledge that we all deal with two natures! Rader's sinful nature found a particularly horrible expression, to be sure, but the scary fact is that everyone of us still deals with a sinful nature. In the book of Romans we read: "For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? " - 7:22-24 NIV There we find a glimpse of the reason why Christians still can be cruel, selfish, materialistic - a saint and a sinner in the same body!

• So what's the answer? How is the sinful nature diminished and the spiritual person strengthened?

We let the Light shine into every corner of our lives! A famous quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis says, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant!" He referred to the corruption that goes on when government operates behind a cloak of secrecy, without accountability. His observation has an application to each of our lives. In those areas we hide from others, that we keep carefully wrapped in secrecy - sin has an opportunity to flourish! So-called 'little' lies we tell to spare ourselves shame, become a breeding ground for increasing deception - of others and even ourselves. Compromises that seem to be insignificant, that are excused as just 'going along to get along' open us to temptations for greater sins over time.

John says, (1 John 1:6-10, NIV) "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

The Christian is called to integrity, transparency of heart, so that the Light of Christ can disinfect his soul! A believer who is serious about holiness must not continue to muck about in secrecy, mistakenly thinking that he is preserving his 'dignity' with deception and pretense. He must confess, own up to who he is and what he has done, and find the forgiveness of God. The additional benefit is that there is a cleansing of character. Holiness is found in community, not because we can create our own perfection, but because as we open up to one another, the Light of Christ shines onto the infection of sin and destroys it even as we minister loving grace to each other!

Are you living with secret sin today, carefully tucked away from public view? It's time to let the Light shine in. Sometimes it is enough to confess our 'darkness' to God alone. There are parts of us that are transformed by owning our sinfulness before the Lord and sincerely asking for His forgiveness, His strength to overcome. Then, too, many of the dark places are simply too engrained for us to deal with alone. In those struggles we need an ally, sometimes several allies. As difficult as it may be to do, find a trusted counselor and open up your heart. Find someone who knows grace and who knows how to lead you to the One who is Grace Incarnate. Together, pull open the door that has been shutting out the Light.

We may never know what demons tormented Dennis Rader in the dark corners of his mind. I would take an educated guess that somewhere in the far distant past something happened to him or in him that he never admitted to himself or anyone else. In that place of darkness, sin found a place to grow a monster that committed terrible crimes.

Give no place to darkness.
In Sunday School as a child we happily sang-
"So let the Son shine in, face Him with a grin,
smilers never lose, and frowners never win,
so let the Son shine in, open up your heart and
let the Son shine in!"

That's great wisdom!

Spring Training, again!

Though you would never know it from where I am sitting in NW Jersey today, looking out at 8" of newly fallen snow; Major League Baseball's spring training is well underway. The pro's are at baseball fields in warmer climes working at getting getting their bats and gloves back into top form. These men, many of whom have spent years in the game, are being coached, working on their baseball skills- just like they did when they were rookies on an AA team. I was listening to one of them interviewed and he remarked about the aches and pains of the first few weeks of training, the result of coaxing their bodies into playing form again.

• Do you take time for training, to better equip yourself for serving the Lord, to hone your skills at using the gifts and talents He's invested in you?
• Have you though about what you might do to become a better Christian, a skilled member of God's team?

There are the basics -
daily intake of Scripture,
regular times of meditation when we listen for God's voice,
prayers for the needs of ourselves and others,
worship with other Believers.

These are like the calisthenics the baseball players do to get in shape. No matter their position or particular skill, all the players do the sit-ups, the crunches, the running that tones up their bodies. Likewise, Believers need to do the basics, no matter their calling or ministry. I've been a Believer for 40+ years and an employee of a church for all my adult life, and I still do the basics! Everyday I open the Bible to renew my mind with His wisdom. I spend time listening to Him, quieting my mind before Him. I pray and make the choice to get to church and to prayer group- even when I don't feel like it or when I'm 'on vacation.' Why? Because I think doing those things 'earns' me God's approval? No. Those are the fundamental exercises of the Christian life that help me 'stay in shape.'

There are specialized training times, too. We all, regardless of what we do in God's service, need refresher courses. American Christians are blessed with abundant resources for which we should thank God! No matter what you do in His name, it seems there are books, magazines, and conferences where you can take advantage of shared wisdom that will help to sharpen your skills and the way that you exercise your gifts. My hope is that you take what you do for God so seriously that you earnestly desire to be the BEST at it, for Christ's sake! I regularly search out books that help me evaluate how I am leading the congregation He's entrusted to my care, that help me deepen my understanding of the Scripture, and that coach me on the way I communicate with the people He's called me to teach. I attend conferences, from time to time, to gain new skills and sharpen old ones. Do you train yourself for service for His glory?

Then then are the coaches! At spring training camps, there are dozens of men who watch the players' every move. They check their swing, their stance, the way they field the ball... and then they offer advice that helps these pro's tweak their performance to the highest possible levels. Who coaches you in your Christian walk? I hope and pray that you have those that you trust and to whom you have given permission to speak both the positive and the negative so that you can become ALL that God has called you to be. I've surrounded myself with people that I trust and I seek their feedback. I love it when they take note of the home run, but cringe when one of my trusted coaches points out an area of sloppiness or poor service! All of it helps me be the best for the Master!

Read this passage slowly this morning and let it sink in- and then, won't you commit yourself to continual training in the Master's service?

• Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body (discipline my body like an athlete- NLT ) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. -- 1 Cor. 9:24-28 NIV
  

"He IS Lord."

The football game is tense. The teams face off at the line and the quarterback looks at the defense's deployment realizing that they're onto the next play. What does he do? He 'calls an audible,' changing the play at the last minute. It can be a great choice or a disaster. If all of his players don't hear the call, the play may fall apart, but if the offense comes together, the ball will advance! A great QB knows when to change the play and it makes the winning difference. Last minute change of plans can be a sign of instability or it may reveal a person who is adaptable and aware of quickly shifting situations that demand a different response than the one that was worked out in advance.

• Are you humble enough to recognize when your life plan isn't working?
• Are you willing to change course, to adapt, or even to abandon a choice that you've made which isn't producing the results you want?
• Most importantly, if our Great QB, Christ Jesus, calls an audible for your life, will you respond with faith and obedience?

Pastor Craig Barnes calls these shifts - "The Theology of 'Plan B.'" He writes, "The Bible is filled with people who had to go to Plan B. Abraham's plan A was to have a child with Hagar. Maybe he and Sarah even prayed about this strategy for helping God fulfill His promises. Moses' plan A was to kill an Egyptian slave master, and that plan didn't work so well. John, the Baptist, had a plan A to prepare people for the judgment. Peter's Plan A was to prevent Jesus from going to the cross. Paul's plan A was to preach to the Jewish people... and all of them had to go to plan B." - Leadership, Winter 2005

Hindsight is, as we say, 20/20! We look at the Bible's characters and wonder, "how could they have missed the will of God so widely?" Because they were human and they made plans - just like we do; plans that seemed right in the moment, but which weren't God's plan. What distinguishes these people isn't that they lived perfectly in the center of God's will, but that they were willing to change course when they discovered that He was leading them in another direction!

It would be wonderful to think that every decision we make is the right one the first time around! Who wouldn't like to know that their choices today are perfectly aligned with God's purposes and plans? But we make mistakes. Our biases and prejudices get in the way of hearing the Spirit's voice, and sometimes we choose wrongly. Then, too, some choices just 'seem so obvious' that we fail to pray about them in a meaningful way, we fail to get counsel from trusted people before we set sail.

Sometimes situations develop we simply could not have anticipated and which God doesn't reveal to us in advance-- a job loss, the collapse of our good health, a spouse that takes his affection elsewhere, a unplanned pregnancy -- that call for real trust and deep faith! In those times, we need to set aside the sense of panic that is oh so natural and let the Spirit of God call an audible! I don't know about you, but in my life the hardest prayer to pray from my heart goes something like this: "Lord, you lead, I'll follow. I don't see the way clearly right now; I can't understand, at least in this moment, what purpose could possibly be served by this change of plans, but I'm listening." Why is that hard to pray? For me, it isn't pride so much as it is fear. I like to feel like life's under control, manageable, and unfolding according to plan. But, in my heart, I know that there is no security in my wisdom and plans, but there is eternal security in His purposes, so humbly I must relinquish my need to be 'in control,' to see the future; so that I can follow His call.

He is Lord! Do you really believe that today?
If He calls an audible, will you respond with a ready "Speak, Lord, I'm listening?" or will you take a time-out to protest His call?

Here's a word from the Word to take with you through the day-

... But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ...What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ...Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:24-40 NIV
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"Sovereign Lord, Eternal God,
I wait on You today - and pray that you will help me to have a patient faith.
Plan "B" frightens me, messes up my playbook, and even makes me look unstable, but...
you are Lord! I want to follow you closely, to be obedient, and to live honorably.
So, speak and I'll listen.
If the roar of the crowd and the busy-ness of my life causes me to miss Your call,
Lord, please be mercifully patient, and speak more loudly.
I am Your servant, my life offered to You, to be spent at Your pleasure.
Amen."