Unstring the Bow

A thousand years ago, a new technology was developed by Europeans called the long bow.  Archers used the tension in bent piece of wood to launch arrows with deadly effect. But, they discovered that unless they unstrung the bow when they were not using it, it would lose the ability to snap back to original shape as quickly and powerfully.  Releasing the tension made the bow  last longer. We all need to ‘unstring the bow’ periodically, don’t we?  If we push ourselves through day after day in high output mode, we will become fatigued in body and mind.

Hobbies, pleasant diversions,  add value to our lives by giving us a creative outlet, by connecting us to other people, and/or by helping us develop new skills. So, what's your hobby? Please don't say watching TV or playing video games. (That just couldn't be helped!) In America, TV watching consumes the largest percentage of our leisure time. TV's are on in US household, on average, for 8 hours of each day. TV is a diversion, but it certainly does not qualify as a real hobby.  

For many people God is a just a hobby. He gets a donation from money that is left over after 'real needs' have been addressed. The Lord’s ‘work’ fills in the gaps in the day planner, after the 'real work' is finished - as a hobby ought to, but as He never should.  If we regard Him as a ‘hobby’ our lives will be out of order, imbalanced, ineffective. We are spiritual beings first and foremost. Our physical bodies to which we are so attached, are temporal; our spirits eternal.  Those to whom God is a hobby will worship themselves, their bodies, their achievements, and their stuff even as they play at spiritual matters- worshipping God and developing the gifts of the Spirit He gives us to extend His rule in this world.

Malachi received a word from God for His people.  The Jews were being blessed, but they were forgetting Who was blessing them. God played second fiddle to their own desires and plans. He got the left-overs and He was angered by this kind of treatment.  “I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God-of-the-Angel-Armies.’ “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me.

You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is God speaking to you! “A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I’m a great king, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I’ll not put up with it!"

God is the core, the hub, the center of life. That is why the Bible says "Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17, NLT) What does that really mean to us? Everything!

As I go to work today, I must ask myself, "Am I going to do God's work or to simply earn a living?" How I answer that question will make a difference in the way I work.  When I am making decisions about spending the resources I have, I must ask, "will it be as one who understands that I am managing a sacred trust or as an American consumer looking for a way to buy more stuff?"  As a parent I can seek to live in such a way that my children are God-aware and I can help them to understand that serving Christ wholeheartedly is their primary purpose; or I can focus on developing their social skills and education with such focus, that they conclude that success in this temporal world is their reason for living.

Don’t make God your weekend hobby.  Don’t put Him on the shelf after church and forget Him until the next Sunday rolls around. A 'hobby' God is unable to meet our deepest needs.  IF the One who could give us purpose, steady us on our way, is pushed to one side; it will cause us to be unbalanced, our vision out of focus.  Christians who separate life into what is sacred (belonging to God) and what is secular (what does not concern God) will become conflicted, confused, and misdirected.  Joy will be lost because they are neither 'of this world,' nor fully devoted to Christ.  

For many Christians in this state, the answer is is to look for a new spiritual experience, to go in search of a new preacher or worship service. However, the real answer is not a 'what' nor is is a 'where.' Satisfaction of soul hunger is only found in a whole-hearted commitment. When we choose to make Him Lord of all, they find that He is more than enough!

I leave us pondering this word from the Word today. Mediate deeply on it! "... do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the (those without God) seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33, NKJV)

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Beneath The Cross Of Jesus (Saint Christopher)

Beneath the cross of Jesus,

I fain would take my stand.

The shadow of a mighty rock,

Within a weary land.

A home within the wilderness,

A rest upon the way,

From the burning of the noontide heat

And the burden of the day.

I take O cross thy shadow

For my abiding place.

I ask no other sunshine than

The sunshine of His face.

Content to let the world go by

To know no gain nor loss,

My sinful self my only shame,

My glory all the cross.

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane | Frederick Charles Maker

© Words: Public Domain

Holy Roller or Spirit-filled?

The young man was self-centered and materialistic, with no time for God the first time I met him. Several years later, I met a transformed man, who was loving, generous, and prayerful. Who or what made the difference for him? It wasn't a religious service. It wasn't therapy, though counselors can play an important part in life change. It wasn't a persuasive presentation! Jim had been saved from sin, born again through the power of the Spirit. It’s a transformation I’ve seen in hundreds of people.

The Bible tells these stories, too. Saul was a self-righteous Pharisee, a man who hated Christians. Acts descriptively says that he was on his way to Damascus “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” Acts 9:1 (NIV) After an encounter with Christ, he was filled with the Spirit. He took the story of Jesus to the empire, giving his life to Christ!

Nicodemus was a man of influence, well acquainted with religion, a wealthy man. In John 3, it says that he came to Jesus at night. He heard Jesus teach and was drawn by the truth he heard about a new way of life. In that conversation, Nicodemus heard these amazing words: “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. So don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” [John 3:5-8 NLT] The Spirit-wind blew across his heart and he was changed. He heard this promise, believed it, and the Spirit caused a new birth! “The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” [John 3:14-17 NIV]

Held in the grip of guilt? Lost and wondering about meaning for your life? Afraid to face God when you step into eternity at death?  Struggling with some habit that makes you a slave to sin?

Behavior modification is not the answer. Just learning to manage your sin is no solution. Real lasting transformation of heart and mind is possible. The simple promise is this: “Anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (The Message)

Has the wind of the Spirit blown through your life?

Have you settled for a routine of religion, a colorless life that has little joy, little power, and no intimacy with God?  Pray this prayer and believe that He will come to you:  “Spirit Wind, come blow over me, again!”

Do not be afraid of the Holy Spirit. In our Pentecostal church we emphasize the power of the Holy Spirit. Through my years of worship, I have seen people do some crazy stuff in the name of God’s Spirit. We used to be called 'holy rollers' because when some got ‘blessed,’ they would fall to the floor and roll around! Strange things like that happen and some call it "the move of the Spirit."  In fact, a lot of that expression is just people blowing off steam! Many of them are just 'emoting.'

The true wind of the Spirit won't lead us into silly, stupid stuff. He will lead us into a deep reverence for God, to a place where we know incredible peace and joy. He will change from the inside out, making us into people of such profound love for others and for God that we will gladly give up even our lives. Ah, yes... when the wind of the Spirit blows over us and we are touched by God, we may well act out a bit - shedding tears, laughing out loud, celebrating with joy unspeakable.  But, He won't cause us to lose our minds! The wind of the Spirit will blow fresh life into our sin weary souls; and that's a fact.

Here’s the word from the Word - “Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. ... as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-19 NLT

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Sweet Wind

There's a wind blowin',

All across the land.

Fragrant breeze of heaven

Blowin' once again.

Don't know where it comes from,

Don't know where it goes,

But let it blow over me.

Oh, sweet wind,

Come and blow over me.

There's a rain a pourin',

Showers from above.

Mercy drops are comin',

Mercy drops of love.

Turn your face to heaven,

Let the water pour,

Well let it pour over me.

Oh, sweet rain,

Come and pour over me.

There's a fire burnin',

Fallin' from the sky.

Awesome tongues of fire

Consuming you and I.

Can you feel it burnin',

Burn the sacrifice,

Well let it burn over me.

Oh, sweet fire,

Come and burn over me.

Author: Ruis, DavidCopyright: 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

Why doesn't God bless me?

“Why doesn’t God bless me, Pastor?” is a question I am asked, in one form or another, many times. A review of life often (not always!) reveals some serious neglect of the basic choices that align the Christian with God’s will that creates a blessed life.  Sometimes the problems result from the sins of the fathers, one generation’s dysfunction passed to the next. Sometimes they come from choices made in immaturity that keep on collecting throughout life.  Sometimes they are the result of willful refusal to walk in the Spirit.

Let me illustrate.  I do preventative maintenance on my cars.  The engine oil and filter are changed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.  Brakes, hoses, filters are checked and replaced when indicated.  My cars run well and last longer because I pay attention to their design.  I can ignore all maintenance and there will be no consequence for a year or two, for 15,000 miles!  But then, the result of my neglect shows up in major problems. I’d be a fool at that point to blame Ford for building a bad product. 

My home is likewise given attention, the small issues with the various systems noted and fixed before they turn into catastrophes.   

 The high school students in my home are encouraged (strongly!) to keep up with homework assignments, to be diligent on a daily basis.  Why? Because they will successfully complete the course’s tests if they have done the work along the way.

Here’s a key fact. If we desire the blessings of God, we must first receive His gift of grace that makes us alive to the Spirit.  Without Christ as Savior and Lord we are living ‘under a curse.’   The Bible says, "thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. …  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:17-23, NIV)

The experience of salvation which Jesus described as a ‘new birth,’ is not a destination. It is a beginning.  As wonderful as it is to be forgiven and freed from the guilt of sin, restored to our Father in heaven, the next step is to become a disciple.  The Holy Spirit teaches us how to be a follower of Jesus.  Disciples tend to the daily disciplines – caring for our bodies, tending our souls, nurturing relationships, dealing with sin and disobedience while it is still in infancy –  and thus, they live as God designed.  And, a life aligned with the will of God and the work of the Spirit will be richer and fuller! What fruit grows in us? “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

A life marred by the sins of sloth, greed, drunkenness, or family disintegration will not know prosperity in the long term.   

·         God teaches us to apply ourselves to our work, to do our daily work for Him. Diligence is a key to blessings.  

God teaches us to be content. A greedy person does foolish things that lead him into high risk and debt. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10, NKJV)

·         God teaches us to exercise self-control.  A person who masters his impulses and desires by the power of the Spirit knows many blessings! "Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life." (Ephesians 5:18, CEV)

·        
God created us to live in community, beginning with family. A strong intact family unit, where there is fidelity and faith, is a key to wealth building.  It creates stability, security, and investment of a previous generation's wealth in the next. The value of being part of His Body, the Church, is beyond estimation.

So, you might be ready to jump to this conclusion:  those who are suffering or not prosperous create their own misery.  It’s their fault, fate, or just dessert.  Be careful lest you become a religious Pharisee, quick to judge, blind to your own sin!   The effect of living in a fallen world touches us all.  Sins of others bring sorrow to us.  To assume that we can live in a way that is good enough to insulate us from all suffering is wrong.  God allows suffering even in the lives of the godly to accomplish His purposes. So, we resist the temptation to judge another and always extend love and concern to those in need. We sin when we assume that we are superior to those who suffer. However, it is foolish to think we can ignore the ways of God and then blame Him for withholding His blessings.

Christian, before you blame God for failing to bless, humbly consider your ways.  Look carefully and see if you’re walking with Him.  Ask if your emotions are tuned to His desires, if your mind is aligned to His truth, if your decisions are surrendered to His will. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)

Meditate on this passage of promise today.
"How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.
May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!" (Psalm 128, NLT) Amen.

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How Rich Am I

How rich I am since Jesus came my way,

Redeemed my soul and turned my night to day,

How very rich, how very rich, I am.

Such peace and joy I never knew before,

And countless blessings from His boundless storem

How very rich, how very rich, I am.

There's a greater glory in a sunset,

A brighter twinkle in a star.

There's much more promise in a rainbow,

More music in a singing bird by far.

All things have changed, my eyes once blind can see.

The whole wide world is now a symphony.

And with all this Heav'n is my destiny-

How rich I am!

John W. Peterson

© 1956. Renewed 1984 John W. Peterson Music Company

CCLI License # 810055

Give and Grow Rich

Give and Grow Rich!

A generation ago, an American evangelist, Oral Roberts, preached ‘seed faith.’  The essence of his message was ‘give to get.’  He took a Biblical principle that expressed the law of the harvest- “Plant little, harvest little; plant generously, harvest generously” – (2 Corinthians 9) and twisted it into something God never meant it to be;  a way to get rich. This perversion of Christianity is going strong to this day. Religious empires are funded by greed disguised as spiritual service.  The Gospel is cheapened by hucksters who turn it into a form of ‘Let’s Make a Deal.’   Their promise comes down to this:  Give and God will make you wealthy.  Live morally upright lives and God will keep you from trouble.  Some of you are wondering, “Jerry, isn’t that true?” aren’t you?  It is and it isn’t, really.  God does love to bless His people and obedience positions us to enjoy the fullest of those blessings.  I can’t argue with that.

The Gospel of Christ is about entering God’s Kingdom, learning to love, serve, and redeem the world from the sin and death. We make a mockery of the Good News of the Kingdom when we turn Jesus’ message about an eternal, God-focused life into something similar to the talks of Tony Robbins.  Jesus did not leave Heaven, become a Man, die on the Cross, and emerge on Resurrection morning triumphant over sin so we could enjoy great sex, live in bigger homes in suburbia, raise beautiful smart kids, and retire to luxury condos in Florida.  If that’s the essence of what you’re hearing in your church, you are being misled; most likely by a pastor who has been misled, too.

Christ calls us into the Kingdom of God.  He demands that we not ‘store up treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupt.’  Rather, He says, that we should “love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.”  The early Christians were encouraged to break the hold of wealth by giving things away. The choice to give themselves and their resources to feed the hungry, house the orphan, challenge oppressive powers, and make Christ’s love known did make them rich, but not just in money.  In The Message we read: "A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough." (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

We should take a lesson from the people of Israel. When God called that rabble of ex-slaves out of Egypt to lead them to the Promised Land, He promised to be their complete resource.  For their daily food He gave them "manna" - which was literally bread from His hand. Every morning He provided and they found white flakes on the ground, which they prepared as their food. The name, "manna" meant 'what is it?' They were told only to gather what they needed, not more. But were those people content? No! Some wanted MORE. The Bible says - “Do not keep any of it overnight.” But, of course, some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. And Moses was very angry with them. The people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need." (Exodus 16:19-21, NLT)

The Lord has promised to meet all of our needs, and even to satisfy our desires, if we are walking with Him and those desires come from a heart that is full of the Spirit. What we really need is a to have our 'want-er' made holy! Instead of constantly telling ourselves, "I need that; I want this." - we learn to say, "Yes, Lord, I joyfully receive what You've provided."   That is the attitude of a person who has actually entered the Kingdom, not just ‘accepted Jesus into his heart.’ 

The great paradox is that when we forget ourselves, God is able to enrich us (not just with stuff or money) so that we are amply supplied for the work. Meditate on this passage. "As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God." (2 Corinthians 9:9-11, NLT)  What do you desire from God, Christian?  A better life now, more money and stuff; or, the joy of life to the full, focused on Christ’s Presence and provision?

Here’s the word from the Word, the song of the truly rich. "At the moment I have all I need—more than I need!  I am generously supplied ....  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now glory be to God our Father forever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4:18-20, NLT)

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Be The Centre

Jesus, be the centre.

Be my source, be my light,  Jesus.

Jesus, be the centre,

Be my hope, be my song, Jesus.

Jesus, be my vision.

Be my path, be my guide, Jesus.

Be the fire in my heart!

Be the wind in these sails!

Be the reason that I live!

Jesus.

Michael Frye

© 1999 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire) (Admin. by Vineyard Music UK)

CCLI License # 810055