Don't quit too soon

Do you practice the spiritual disciplines-  simplicity, fasting, study, submission, meditation – you know, the easy stuff of the Christian life?  Yes, of course, I am joking!  It is not easy to live a disciplined life.  We need to catch sight of the ‘why,’ to understand the potential results of our investment in doing what God asks of us. It’s a process. Our life in Christ must be viewed as a long-term investment!   

 In the closing chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the people of the Lord of God’s promises. "If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world." (Deuteronomy 28:1, The Message) "All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe." (Deuteronomy 28:10, The Message) Those promises apply to the Church, just as they did to the people of Israel. When we love and revere the Lord God, when we accept His merciful grace and goodness and invite the Holy Spirit to lead us, we enter into the ‘abundant life’ that Jesus offers to His disciples.

“Jerry, I know Christians who are suffering. I know people who really love the Lord who are going through very tough times.” And, so do I!  The blessings we enjoy when we walk faithfully with God appear over the long term! It’s foolish to ask after a month of living a spiritual disciplined life:  “Where are the blessings?”  Jesus says that hard times, big storms, and terrible times will come to all.  Those, however, who have lived in the disciplines of the Spirit, have a foundation so that they can weather the storm!   “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:23-25, NIV) Those who stay faithfully close to the Lord through it all are blessed with a security that reaches into eternity.

As we live the disciplines, we must not become ‘religious’ about them.  If  we turn them into a means of earning God’s favor or proving our goodness, they become Law, controlling us, making us slaves to fear.  In hard times, Christians who have put themselves under the Law will wonder, “What did I do to bring this on myself?”   But, if we see spiritual disciplines as a means of opening our lives to knowing Him, as a way of investing ourselves in Eternity – there is liberty, freedom from slavery to Self, Sin, and Satan.  God’s purpose in the disciplines is to create doors through which His Spirit enters our daily life with profound grace. “We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.”  - Romans 5:1-4  The Message

Disciple, don’t go to church, read the Bible, pray, serve others, give your time or money, …  to make God a debtor to you, owing you His blessings.  Instead, love Jesus! Invest yourself in Him, pursue Him.  Remember that the riches of knowing Him develop in deep character, in a transformed heart, with changed values that release us from the love of the world and set our hearts on Heaven. 

Will we quit too soon?  "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3, NIV)

Here’s a word from the Word.  It’s a principle of investment that applies to the practice of the disciplines.  
"Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God.
What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds.
All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds!
But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good.

At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10, The Message)

________

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

-          Public Domain

An excellent guide to the study of the Disciplines – The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster

God's chisel, shaping us into true beauty

What has broken your heart? Rejection will do it! Disappointment will surely bring on sadness. Aging often brings a sense of loss, too. The ‘unfairness’ of life broke the Psalmist’s heart. "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills." (Psalm 73:2-5, NIV) He looked around and wondered "Why me, Lord? I’m yours, a faithful servant, and You allow these things to happen to me?"

Grief is the chisel of the Lord.  It chips away at the grip we have on this present world.  Grief, properly directed, can reshape our lives around eternal treasures. I am convinced that suffering is God’s invitation to know Him well.  we will reach out to take hold of Him.  That same Psalm writer who wondered why moves through His sorrow and comes to deeper joy. "When I was beleaguered and bitter, totally consumed by envy, I was totally ignorant, a dumb ox in your very presence. I’m still in your presence, but you’ve taken my hand. You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then you bless me. You’re all I want in heaven! You’re all I want on earth! When my skin sags and my bones get brittle, God is rock-firm and faithful." (Psalm 73:21-26, The Message)

Jesus says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4, NIV) Are you sad, disappointed, rejected, lonely, afraid – grieving – today?  Look up. (Really. Actually do it, a symbol of looking to God) Pray a prayer of submission. “Lord, not my will, but Yours be done.”  Quiet your words and, with hands extended palms up, receive His comfort by faith.  Yes, many of us pray for a life free from grief.  We are not sure we want to allow our hearts to be broken. However, those who will not let their affections to be fixed to the love of their Father and His promise of a forever home are doomed to living superficially and loving things that will inevitably slip through their fingers regardless of their determination.

Put your hope in God! The Preacher says that there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." (Ecclesiastes 3:4, NIV) When the sorrows come, let them cause you to love the things that you can never lose and the One who holds life everlasting more.

Here’s the word from the Word. "Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. ... You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." (Psalm 30:4-5, 11-12, NIV)

_______________

Father, You are my portion in this life

And You are my hope and my delight.

And I love You, yes, I love You,

Lord, I love You, my delight.

Jesus, You are my treasure in this life

And You are so pure and so kind.

And I love You, yes, I love You,

Lord, I love You, my delight.

My Delight

Park, Andy

© 1987 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)

CCLI License No. 810055 

A 12 minute video about God's Chisel in our lives from The Skit Guys

Who He says I am

Identity is not just about your name, it’s about who you think you are. Do you define yourself as a sinner, saint, bad, good, worthy, worthless? Paul addresses Christians in most of his letters as ‘saints.’  He called the believers at Corinth that. They were actually a mess of sin!  They abused the gifts of the Spirit, were sexually impure, were deeply afflicted by greed, and split into a bunch of factions. Yet, Paul writes to “those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours.”  (1 Cor. 1:2)  Those ordinary, failing human beings were invited to accept God’s declaration about who they were and to take on a NEW identity

If you are ‘in Christ,’ God has given you an identity, and the ability to fulfill His call to be ‘holy.’  “Who me,” you ask, ”I’m holy?”  No, naturally we are not! The Bible says that "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV)  David, praying for forgiveness after falling into terrible sin, says "I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. ... For I was born a sinner- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me." (Psalm 51:3,5, NLT)

Genuine spiritual transformation starts when the Holy Spirit brings crushing conviction of our sinfulness. It’s not pleasant to take an honest look at what the Spirit exposes. We prefer to say, "I'm OK, you're OK."  We comfort each other in our lust, greed, and addictions. I'm all for compassion and I love authenticity! I pray I'll never forget 'the pit from which He pulled me.'   

BUT, I don't want to leave people in their sins nor do I want to stay there!  God created me in His image and at great cost made it possible for me to leave depravity behind me. He will restore my true identity-  son and saint!

Ephesians declares that because of Christ and the Spirit, being captives of sin and Self is a past tense experience for disciples. "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 picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah. ... 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! ...
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)

What do you believe about your identity?  Who is telling you who you are?  Why not take the word of your Creator? "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." (Ephesians 1:18, NLT)

Here's a word from the Word.  Saint, go live it. Be holy ‘in Christ.’  "Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:16-18, NIV)  

In Him, we are all 'ordinary people blessed with extraordinary opportunities,' to participate in the Divine Conspiracy (Thank you, Dallas Willard) to save the world!
______________

Lord, the light of Your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, Light of the World, shine upon us;
Set us free by the truth You now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Lord, I come to Your awesome presence.
From the shadows into Your radiance;
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.

As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,
So our faces display Your likeness;
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirror'd here, may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine.
Fill this land
With the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze.
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow.
Flood the nations
With grace and mercy;
Send forth Your Word,
Lord, and let there be light.

Shine, Jesus, Shine

Kendrick, Graham
© 1987 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055

Tears on a burnt face

The insanity of hatred was on display in HD full color in stories reported from the war in Gaza and the scene of the Malaysian airliner shot down over the Ukraine.

One man’s face is etched into my mind this morning. 

Hassan Ell Halak is a young father in Gaza whose entire family was killed instantly by a shell that landed on their home.  The camera zoomed to a close-up of his burnt face as he talked about feeling ‘helpless,’ caught in a war over which he has no control.  Speaking calmly about his loss, a tear slipped down the side of his face, a wordless indication of the depth of his despair.  I wept, too!  (CBS News report link)  

 I am not taking sides in this conflict.  What does a nation do when another rains rockets on its people? What are the poorest of people supposed to do when their leaders are bent on something like suicide, challenging one of the world’s best armies with donkeys carrying explosives?

Christian, we must pray!  Let our prayers flow from anguish as we let ourselves identify with those who are under the control of evil men, deceived men, cruel men who are themselves deluded by the Devil who delights in the destruction and death!  Some of you may counsel me to turn off the TV. “Jerry, these things are happening on the other side of the world. They come from old enmities, are complex, and will not end anytime soon.”  Naturally, you are right. I am not politically naïve.  But, I serve a mighty God and He calls me (and you) to be people who pray for His Kingdom to come, who give ourselves to the cause of justice.  So I will watch, weep, and pray.

When cameras carry us to the scenes of war and we sense the injustice, it may be a natural response to call for an escalation of the violence. “Send more weapons!” “Call on our elite forces.” “Send in the drones with more bombs.”  But, do we not realize the insanity of all this?  Yes, evil is hard and without mercy. Foes lie and manipulate.  Force is demanded to restrain wickedness. And so is reflection, prayer, listening, educating, and actually dealing with injustice. 

It would be a fool’s kind of arrogance to think that I can cut through the tangled knots of these conflicts. However, I take seriously Jesus’ words to care.  We, His people, are to be salt and light. So, let us pray, and pray some more, and then pray again.  Let us think deeply, not just respond. Let us ask the Spirit to give us insight, to see past the propaganda, and to influence – as we are able – those around us for the Kingdom.

Here is the word from the Word. Lord, use it to make us your radically loving people. Amen.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:3-16, NIV)

You CAN be a GREAT Christian

Several years ago, someone gave me a book by Jim Collins, with the title - Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't    “Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don't have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don't have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.”   Jim, I’d like to add from my position, that many people are not great Christians because they are content to be good Christians. 

Are you one of them? 
Are you content to live a moral life, to show up for church, and to be a good citizen- calling that ‘being Christian?’ 

Or do you want to know God’s will, take up His challenge, and live in the fullness of the Spirit?

Great Christians are the product of time and patience, effort and engagement, faith and vision. But, we Americans aren't much for process, are we? Phil Cooke wrote : "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." (Charisma) We like solutions, self-help, and results.  There are plenty of preachers who offer miracle seeds, prayer clothes, holy oil, vials of water from Jerusalem, or the secret of success in their latest book. No discipline is involved, just a credit card to place the order.

God’s counsel is much different. The Word teaches us to "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 includes the idea of a woman in labor, enduring pain while she anticipates the birth of her baby!   Good Christians won’t allow themselves that kind of pain. They sidestep it.  Great Christians allow the Spirit to grow inside of them, enduring the difficulty of living against the culture all the while anticipating the glorious new life produced by the Spirit.  Pain is just part of the process.  

Do you think that I am the kind of person who seeks pain for its own sake? Think again. I hate pain and tears and conflict. But, the call of Christ on my life is to faithfulness, not happiness!   There is joy in knowing Christ Jesus, but it is not the ‘ha, ha’ laughter of a TV show or produced by the jokes of a comedian.  It is a deep joy, the kind experienced by a mother who has just delivered her child, an artist who has worked to complete a work, a farmer who looks out over a field now ready to harvest after months of work and waiting. There is plenty of joy in my life. But, the process of growth, the season when the Father is chiseling His likeness into my character, often involves sorrow and/or pain.

You can be a GREAT Christian, but you must "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 dig in for the long haul. 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