Humble leader. Oxymoron?

Politics is full of dirty tricks and power plays.  The level of media attention being given to NJ Governor Chris Christie over allegations that he played some petty games with rivals is rather strange to me.  Is he the first politician that ever pushed people to fall in line?  Of course, hindering the travel of NJ commuters was a stupid thing to do. But, the Gov. says he knew nothing about it. Is he telling the truth?  Who knows?   What I do know is this:  power is frequently a corrupting force.  Those who are trusted with it- in a home, in a church, in a city, or nation-  need to be reminded that authority is a gift to be used for others, not for self.

When I was a young man, one of my uncles advised me about making my way in the world with this parody of a Bible verse. "He who tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted!"  He believed that gaining success required that a person position himself to gain notice.  He counseled me to do things to that caught the eye of the ‘right people.’ Get out the press releases, make sure that others know your achievements. He also thought it important to get to the head of line, pushing if necessary. He was wrong, especially about leadership in Christ’s Kingdom.   

All of us must pursue humility, but it is particularly required in those entrusted with spiritual leadership. The gentleness that the Lord asks of us is an expression of ultimate trust in Him! A gentle person shows real courage when he willingly seeks a greater good than his own agenda or security. The Spirit says, "Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people." (Ephesians 4:2-4, CEV) We are not to threaten anyone, ever!  Gentle, humble leadership is a difficult (and sometimes personally costly) but it what He desires from us. Our security and our personal happiness are not found in forcing our way or intimidation. They are found in giving away ourselves and our personal preferences.   We trust God to be our Strength.  His power will assure the success of His plans.

Human relationships will be difficult.  The Word implicitly acknowledges that when it asks us to "Patiently put up with each other!"  People, even those who are Christian, will sometimes be cranky, headstrong, selfish, or immature. (Yes, I fail in those ways, too, I am sad to confess.) The church is not a utopian community where 'never is heard a discouraging word.' It is a developing, evolving community of people.  We are all 'in process,'  called to choose patience over power, to move - together- toward the calling of God - s l o w l y - but steadily as the Spirit leads us.

Have you been given authority – in your home, at work, in ministry? The Proverb teaches "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan." (Proverbs 29:2, NKJV)  The best leaders are those who have learned how to follow.  When we submit ourselves completely to Christ, through the Spirit, He will help us to use authority responsibly and to benefit those we lead.

Second only to loving our Lord, is the command to "Love each other!" I propose an experiment for us. When we are tempted to use some lever of power to gain compliance from another, even in the little things of life, let’s deliberately choose the way of humility.  Let’s seek to serve rather than to be served, to listen carefully to find out what the other person desires.  Demonstrate submission by asking God’s Holy Spirit - “what is Your divine will in this matter?”   In this, we will surely please the Father and bless His children.
__________________

Give as 'twas given to you in your need,

Love as the Master loved you.

Be to the helpless a helper, indeed.

Unto your mission be true.

Make me a blessing.

Make me a blessing

Out of my life, may Jesus shine.

Make me a blessing,

O Savior, I pray,

Make me a blessing

to someone today.

George S. Schuler | Ira Bishop Wilson

© Words: 1924, Renewed 1952 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

The Gospel is more than a little ‘Jesus therapy’

Knowing how our emotions work, understanding the ongoing effect of past experiences, learning about our personality can be quite useful. Therapists give us tools that aid in overcoming self-destructive ways and addictions. But, Freud is no replacement for Jesus Christ! At the core of the Gospel is the promise of our transformation. A religion focused on self-help is not Christianity.

The true Gospel offers spiritual transformation. If we turn Jesus into the Great Therapist instead of the Great Savior, we are stealing His power, exchanging the truth for a half-truth; yes, in essence a lie. People broken by the evil of this world need more than someone who soothes. They want to be healed! Our Savior reveals the deceptions. He is the Light that shows us the Way, to life and to the love of our Father. Psychology is a tool for dealing with dysfunctional human behaviors but it has its limits. At the end of the road of counseling, we kneel and accept the Lord Jesus.  The Word promises that "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)

The Therapeutic Jesus is a Friend that we talk to, sharing our burdens, finding love and understanding. He is more than a Friend. He is the Lord, the Savior, the Mediator who bridges the wide gap between us and our Creator! He not only listens with empathy, He is able to change us and heal us by giving us the Spirit to live in us! The Word says, "He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him." (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV) Another version states the wonderful promise like this - "Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God. ... Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. ... he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people's sins." (Hebrews  7:22-27, NLT)

Have you 'psychologized' Jesus?

Have you made Him a kind of super "Dr. Phil" without really realizing it?

Do you talk over your fears, problems, failures, and sins with Him but without the expectation that He can do more than just listen and advise?

He is the Lord of Glory who came to 'save us from our sins.'

When you discover why you act in ways that are harmful, why you cannot trust others, why you are full of rage; learn and understand. Tell Him you want forgiveness, that you want to be healed, that you want to overcome fear, doubt, and dysfunction. Expect the power of the Spirit to begin working deeply in you, not just to comfort, but to change you from the inside out.  He can, and He will.  Receive Him with new faith. Follow Him to the Cross, into suffering and death, and into a new life marked by the Eternal Life of the Spirit.

The word from the Word is full of promise of inner change- "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. .... I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:10-11, NLT)

__________________

"Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,

Ye ransomed from the Fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

and crown Him, Lord of All.

All Hail the pow'r of Jesus' Name,

let angels prostrate fall,

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown Him, Lord of All!"

The Best News

What’s the best news that you have heard?  Near the top of the list are things like the birth of a child, the discovery of love, or a recovery of a very ill person.  Somewhat further down are moments of success; a new business, a windfall profit, a new home. I love to share good news, don’t you?

We who know Christ are entrusted with the Best News. What is it? If you say, “Jesus died on the cross for my sins,” I’ll disagree. Now you are wondering about my Christianity, aren’t you? 

Listen to what Jesus told His disciples to tell others: "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15, NIV)  "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick." (Luke 9:1-2, NIV)

Telling others that they are ‘sinners,’ is not good news. It is true that apart from Christ, we all will miss God’s plan, we are hopelessly corrupted by evil, and we are spiritually dead.  But, how can we ever reach others if the first thing we tell them is that they are miserable, sinful wretches destined for destruction?  We must announce Good News.  We are messengers of a glorious Kingdom.  We declare: “God loves you. He has a destiny that you can discover through faith. He is greater than the evil so prevalent in this world. Would you like to know Him?”   The Gospel is that "to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son." (John 1:12-14, NLT)

When the Spirit has awakened a desire, then we can turn attention to the Cross of Christ, where the guilt is erased, where atonement (at-one-ment) replaces alienation!  The best news for people is that there is something better than can be found in pleasure, money, sex, or power.  Jesus calls it the abundant life or life to the full.  We can know a life of love, become people with purpose, and take hold of the promise of eternal life right now.  That is Great News.

Paul, a man who knew first-hand the disappointment of religiosity, celebrates the love of God and the possibilities that His Kingdom creates for those who enter it through faith in the Savior. "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." (Ephesians 1:3-5, NLT)  "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:19-21, NLT)  That is the BEST News.

As you pray for friends and family members who are not yet disciples of Christ Jesus, begin to pray for their hearts and minds to desire more than they can find in the daily scramble of existence. Ask the Spirit to speak to them of a better kingdom.  Take the opportunity to speak boldly of the new way that God has prepared.

_____________

Satisfied

All my lifelong I had panted

For a draught from some cool spring

That I hoped would quench the burning

Of the thirst I felt within.

Poor I was and sought for riches,

Something that would satisfy,

But the dust I gathered 'round me

Only mocked my soul's sad cry.

Well of water ever springing,

Bread of life, so rich and free.

Untold wealth that never faileth,

My Redeemer is to me.

Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved.

Jesus satisfies my longings

Thro' His blood I now am saved!

Clara Tear Williams | Ralph E. Hudson

© Words: Public Domain

Music: Public Domain

This Little Light of Mine

Dad loved bright rooms!  I don’t think he ever bought a light bulb that was not a 100 watt. When I visited his house I found every light in the room switched on.  The idea of accent lighting was lost on him.  Apparently that gene resides in me.  I’m not much on having dinner in semi-darkness!  I like to turn on the ceiling lights; Bev to use lamps that she says make the room ‘cozy.’  What about you? Are you a make it brighter or a mood lighting kind of person? Light is amazing. A sunny day makes us more cheerful.  A tiny nightlight chases away the monsters that terrifies a little boy. A flashlight gives us confidence to walk across the yard in the middle of the night.

Are you a bright light in your world? Jesus said, "You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, CEV)  In His time, there were no street lights along the roads or pathways.  If a traveler was trying to make it home, he looked for the light that spilled from the windows of the town. If a town was built on a hilltop, those lights guided travelers to home by shining for miles!

The prophet Isaiah, moved by the Spirit, spoke of God’s glory (a holy glow!) that spills from His people “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." (Isaiah 60:1-3, NIV)  What does this mean?

When Christ comes to us, by the Holy Spirit we are made alive to God and we begin to see clearly.  We understand right and wrong, we see through the deceptions of evil. Our lives are not wasted wandering in confusion or chasing shadows. Instead we live with purpose. We love in a hate-filled world. We are people of integrity in a world where lies abound. We are ready to care for the weak, to give dignity to those who are outcast, to seek justice for those who are downtrodden.  By the Spirit, we bring lasting joy to a world that chases momentary happiness.  And yes, we know where our true home is and we show others the way. "It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful." (2 Corinthians 4:6, The Message)

Has the Light shined into your life? If not, invite Him to come and dispel the darkness.  If so, let Him shine brightly.

Here’s the word from the Word.
"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. … the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1 John 2:2-11, NIV)

__________

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine,

I’m gonna let it shine.

Let it shine,

Let it shine,

Let it shine!