Gone with the Wind

I am reading the autobiography of one of our better known politicians, a man of stature and accomplishment. The book reveals a prideful, opportunistic person, ready to catch whatever wind is blowing at the moment in order to advance himself. If the pronoun “I” were taken out of the book, it would be shorter by half! He seems to think he is the smartest guy to come to Washington in the last quarter century. Full of himself and ready to ignore the counsel of others, he has created some disastrous policies that future generations will most likely judge quite harshly. He is intelligent, but is he wise? In my opinion, that answer is no.

Are you wise? Don’t answer with test scores or certificates of achievement! Look at your character, the fruit of your life.
Ask this: is the world a better place for my passing through it? Are people’s lives enhanced, is beauty created, and is God given His due honor?

The Psalm describes the wise this way. I have used a contemporary translation to deepen the impact. It lacks the poetic beauty of the authorized version, but drives home the point.

"How well God must like you—
you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon,
you don’t slink along Dead-End Road,
you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.

Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.

You’re not at all like the wicked,
who are mere wind-blown dust—
Without defense in court,
unfit company for innocent people.
God charts the road you take.
The road they take is Skid Row." (Psalm 1, The Message)

The wise person meditate on the Truths of God, letting the Word and Spirit go to the core of their being. From the inside out, they are shaped into a mature, wholesome person. When the droughts and famines of life come (and they will to each of us) wise and well-planted people continue to draw from the living water that springs from Heaven’s artesian well. They do not fail or fall, retreat or shed tears of regret. This Psalm compares them to an oasis in the desert, a place to which others are drawn to be refreshed! Those who are merely smart enough to build a little empire for themselves will be blown away, gone with the wind!

Choosing the way of wisdom is not simple, easy, or even always quickly apparent to our natural vision. But, if we are responsive to God, persistent in knowing His way and obeying it, wisdom will grow in us.

Take this word from the Word today. Read it prayerfully several times before you move on to other thoughts. “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless." (Proverbs 2:1-7, NIV)

Would you pray with me today?

Father, Your counsel is my wisdom.

help me to humbly bow my mind to it,

to submit my thoughts, words, and actions

to the ways of holiness.

In an age of smart fools,

make me wise in the ways of eternity.

Protect me from the arrogance of the age.
Spirit of God, may your wisdom
give my life lasting and beautiful fruit

so that my work will not ultimately be

blown away like chaff in the wind.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The dancer I want to be

Somewhere I found suggestion for forming a new bond with my wife. “Take dance lessons. She will love it.” So, I enrolled us for swing dance class at the local fitness center. Really, I did! Our instructors opened the first session by putting on a song and showing us the end result they hoped to teach us to achieve.; two people, moving as one, gracefully across the floor. I loved the beauty of it.  

But, more than 15 years later, I still don't know how to dance with my wife! After two frustrating sessions, I gave up and became a swing dance class drop-out. I did not think much about dancing with Bev until one night at a festival where we were sitting in the plaza listening to one of the big bands. Terry and Lisa started to dance together... and could they dance! They were beautiful to watch. I felt genuine envy that night.

There are two primary reasons I still can't dance.  

First, I am self-conscious and won't just 'let myself go.’ 

Second, I am over thinking the dance; trying to break down each movement into tiny parts rather than just moving into the music. To become a dancer, I have to give up control and come under the influence of the music as well as becoming more responsive to the movement of my partner. It isn't happening, yet!

Living as a Spirit-filled Christian has real parallels to a couple in a beautiful dance!  

The Bible says, (Galatians 5:25) “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” He invites us to a dance of life. Some of just will not let go and let Him lead. We wrestle with the music, finding the rhythm for a while, then reasserting our control. Others surrender to Him and move gracefully through life, dancing beautifully through disappointment, financial challenges, ill health, hurricanes, snow storms, traffic jams, and temptation. Yes, those who dance with the Spirit live “grace-fully.”

Simon Peter was called by Jesus to become a disciple. For three years, he didn't get it right. Talk about bad timing. Oh, he tried mightily but, most of the time, things turned out badly. The low point was the night of Jesus' arrest and trial. When warned of impending failure by the Lord, Peter insisted that even if the other disciples failed, "I never will!"
"Ah," Jesus said sadly, "but you will, Peter. Before the rooster announces the dawn, you will deny me three times."   

A few hours later as Jesus was being arrested, Peter pulled out his sword and made an attempt at defending his Friend, succeeding only in cutting off a man's ear, which Jesus promptly healed, as He told Peter, "Put that thing away!" And, later that same night, in the grip of panic in the courtyard of the high priest’s house, Peter was cursing and swearing while emphatically declaring, "I tell you, I never knew him!"

Fifty days later, at Pentecost, we meet a transformed man in Acts, a man dancing with the Spirit! He gives leadership to the emerging group of followers of Jesus, explains the Scripture, preaches on the street, and courageously faces the enemies of the Jesus movement. With grace and beauty he moves through those chapters. How does the Bible account for the difference? Acts 4:8 sums it up, saying "Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ... "

The life and music of the Spirit filled him up and he began to dance gracefully under the Spirit's influence, moving to the rhythms of Heaven. When he came to the end of himself, when he was crushed beyond hope by his failure, God came with the outpouring of His Spirit. From that day, Peter danced. Yes, he made mistakes now and again, but he was a man of grace and power, who spread the message of Jesus and life across the world!

Are you 'keeping step with the Spirit,' or are you stumbling and bumbling, from fall to failure?
Listen to the music of the Spirit. Give yourself over to His lead. Be filled! And, start to dance!
________________________

I danced in the morning

When the world was begun

And I danced in the moon

And the stars and the sun

And I came down from heaven

And I danced on the earth

At Bethlehem I had My birth

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance said He

And I'll lead you all

Wherever you may be

And I'll lead you all

In the Dance said He

I danced for the scribe

And the Pharisee

But they would not dance

And they wouldn't follow Me

I danced for the fishermen

For James and John

They came with Me

And the dance went on

I danced on a Friday

When the sky turned black

It's hard to dance

With the devil on your back

They buried My body

And they thought I'd gone

But I am the dance

And I still go on

They cut Me down

And I leapt up high

I am the life

That'll never never die

I'll live in you

If you'll live in Me

I am the Lord

Of the Dance said He

Dance, then, wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance said He

And I'll lead you all

Wherever you may be

And I'll lead you all

In the Dance said He

Lord of the Dance

© 1963 Stainer & Bell Ltd
(Admin. by Hope Publishing Company)

Sydney Bertram Carter

CCLI License No. 810055

 

I'm going to Disney World (not really)

I struggle to reconcile two ideas that seem to compete: work and rest. Either I am resting or I am working, but I cannot do both at the same time, can I?  Yes, I can and I should. Jesus Christ teaches that work and rest are complementary in our lives: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NLT)  He invites me to put on His yoke, which is an object for doing hard work, but then immediately says that in that yoke I will find rest. How can this be?

Part of my confusion grows out of a misunderstanding of work itself.

·         If my work is the means of proving my worth to myself or my friends, I am driven by competition and thus I can never rest for another may become better than I am at what I do, an intolerable outcome for a competitor.

·         If I believe that my work is how I gain God’s approval, I will never relax for He is always present, knowing what I do; and I can never do enough.

·         If I misuse work as a way to create my own world where I can be a little god, obviously there is a problem that needs no further explanation!

The deepest fulfillment in life is found in working effectively within the will and purpose of God! We were not created for leisure. We were made to be stewards of the earth, to work with Him. The Genesis story is often told in a way that makes us think that Adam spent his time lying under a shade tree, eating fruit that fell into his hands. A more careful reading reveals that Adam joined God in the work of the Garden. "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15, NIV) That paradise included work. Yet, it did not include exhaustion or burn-out.  So, how do we work the Garden and keep our spirit whole?

Jesus’ words quoted earlier show us the way. Work done with God is renewing. If we submit to His yoke, He will pace us so that we do not run too hard, too far, or too fast in our efforts. In that shared yoke, when the load increases, He leans into it alongside of us. If we do what we do, in the way He teaches us to do it, there is rest for our souls. It sounds so simple and it is, yet we miss that Truth as we focus on deadlines, bottom lines, and productivity. How we work is much more important to God than what we produce. That is why Jesus asks to go to work with us. He wants to save us from empty effort, from exhaustion that comes from trying to make work what it can never be- the means of our salvation and right relationship with our Father.

The ancient song of ascents, sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, reminds us of the proper order of our work.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves." (Psalm 127:1-3, NIV)

Are you exhausted? Has life become more than you can manage?
Before you conclude that you must abandon your work or that you need to head to Disney World for a rest, consider changing the way you work!
 
“Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)

Soul-soothing Moments, Songs in the Night

Some days bring circumstances that smother us, exhaust us, and break us. With the growing darkness, as the funk deepens, so does the likelihood of destructive behavior. Rational thought retreats, leaving a person at the mercy of his emotions. Despair is fertile soil for weeds like rage, stupidity, and short-sighted decisions!  Temper flares, craving for food, or drink, or sex may arise. But, there is another way, one we learn from a man who hit the bottom of life but did not destroy himself in that moment.

David, who became the beloved poet-king of ancient Israel, lived as a fugitive from the jealous rage of King Saul for many years. He existed on the fringe of society, attracting men of dubious distinction to follow him. They formed a quasi-military force serving as private security at the frontiers. For a time, David and his men moved to the neighboring region of Philistia and served in the employ of the king of the region. They were sent out as raiders and kept a portion of what they found as their pay. During one of their campaigns, the Amalekites raided the village of Ziglag, where the wives and children of David and his men were living.  David came home to a tragic sight! Let’s pick up the story from the Bible. "When (they) saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more. David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him.” (1 Samuel 30:3-7, NLT)

David was an outcast for no good reason, a man with a claim to the crown but the hope of ever owning it slim to none, living with riff-raff, earning a living by waging war – it was not a good life but somehow he managed to keep it together until this tragic day. There with the smoking ruins of Ziglag in front of him and the accusatory shouts of his men raining down on him, it all came crashing down. Where was God? Why was all this happening? There is a phrase next up in that story which is worth remembering: “But David found strength in the Lord his God.”  He did not get drunk! He did not run off to Vegas! He went to prayer, pulling away from the noisy shouts of his enraged men. It is not hard to imagine him taking his harp and finding a place alone outside of town, where he sang to God and asked for both help and wisdom. (David and his men did recover their families and their treasure several days later!)

Do you know how to comfort yourself in God?

When tragedy or trouble comes are you able to find solace in worship, peace from His Presence?

One of David’s songs reflects his faith, his hope.

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." (Psalm 34:1-5, NIV)

Knowing when and how to call a personal spiritual retreat reveals both faith and wisdom. Job, whose story of brokenness leaves us horrified, came to the end of himself and looked up to God in worship. Jesus was led to the wilderness and there found himself subjected to intense temptation. His choice? To speak the wisdom of God, the truth of the Psalms. Paul, in spite great sacrifice, was rejected and criticized. He turned to God in worship, singing songs in the night, and God rocked his world. (see Acts 16)  May God, the Spirit of Peace, teach how to walk David’s way and “find strength in the Lord!”

______________

Precious Lord, take my hand,

Lead me on, let me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

Through the storm, through the night,

Lead me on to the light:

Take my hand, precious Lord,

Lead me home.

When the darkness appears

And the night draws near,

And the day is past and gone,

At the river I stand,

Guide my feet, hold my hand:

Take my hand, precious Lord,

Lead me home.

-      Tommy Dorsey, 1932
written after his wife died in childbirth

Support Your Local Pastor (from the archive)

Despite an appearance of being a relaxed lifestyle, serving as a local church as a Pastor is not for the faint of heart. It not a ‘job,’ it is a calling, a way of life. Who is he is intrinsically woven into what he does. He deals with life and death on a daily basis, right alongside of balancing church budgets and keeping volunteers on board. He moves rapidly from emotional highs to lows as he shares life with his flock. Sorrow makes its way to his door constantly as he's usually the first person called at death, marriage difficulty, tragedy, or times of serious illness. He studies constantly so that when he stands before the congregation to preach he is not only ‘interesting,’ but able to speak into their souls. And, he must deliver this  message every Sunday -regardless of his personal circumstances. And, he loves every minute of this life to which God has called him!

Until... he's attacked often at a moment when he's struggling to cope with some need in his own life. It's at that moment that some pastors, tragically, give up their service. Tony Campolo describes one of those 'hits' that can knock a pastor off his feet. "Only a pastor truly knows what it feels like to have yet another person call to tell you they're leaving the church- a person you love, a person you helped and served, a person who needed you, a person you now feel you need, and yet another person is going, leaving, abandoning, rejecting. . . People go, and they take a chunk of your heart with them. And of your morale." -Adventures in Missing the Point

So, how can you maximize your Pastor's effectiveness in your church and in your life?

1. Pray for him, everyday.
Spiritual leaders are front-line targets in the battle that the Devil wages in this world against the work of God. We all know the devastation left behind when there is a moral failure in ministry. Even where there is no moral compromise, like all people, pastors become discouraged or disillusioned. Pray for your Pastor - that God will keep and protect him, that he will be disciplined and courageous, and that he will finish the race well.

2. Accept him and the spiritual gifts God has given to him.
Pastors are not all equally adept at all kinds of ministry service. Appreciate the unique strengths of your Pastor and encourage him in those areas where he is not as proficient. He probably knows the gaps in his skills and gifts better than you do, but it will squander his strengths if those in the Body constantly press him to 'fix' those areas rather than focusing on what he can do best in God's service.

3. If you must criticize him, (and no pastor is above correction or criticism) do it honestly and directly.
He cannot respond to anonymous criticism because he has no context for it. He wonders, "Does it mean that a majority feels this way, or is this just the opinion of the same two people who are never satisfied with anything I do?" If you have an issue with your pastor, make a time to sit with him and tell him what you want, where you think he's missed the mark. He may not share your perception. He may have an explanation for the decision with which you disagree. Realize, too, that many get angry with their Pastor because they are angry with God! He can help you with your doubt or confusion when you don't understand why life is turning out a certain way, but it will be doubly difficult if you're attacking him.

4. Don't idolize or idealize him.
You should expect him to live what he teaches, but not perfectly. He is a sinner, too; and, like you, he is working out his salvation each day. If you make him into idol, you sin because only God is worthy of your worship and devotion. If you idealize him, thinking he's more or better than he is really is, you will be disappointed. When you put him on a pedestal, remember that you make his ability to minister to you all the more difficult. He teaches you best, not from some lofty place far removed, but as you watch him live a real life that demonstrates a living faith in a loving Lord.

Here is a word from the Word. "Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all.... Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?" (Hebrews 13:7, 17 The Message)

"Elders who do their work well should be paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” Do not listen to complaints against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses to accuse him." (1 Timothy 5:17-19, NLT)