Tempted? We all are!

There are days when there is a war that is violent inside my head. My sinful nature asserts its desire, the spirit, made alive by God’s Spirit, stands against it. It is an intense battle between the 'right' and the 'wrong.'  For example, I know that faith is the ‘ought to’ but I am drawn to fear instead. Or, I know that I should be gently forgiving but my natural inclination is to hang onto a grudge.  In such moments it is easy to think that something is wrong in my walk with God. But, I know that temptation comes to all Christians! The Bible says that “the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:17, NIV) 

Over the years I have learned that ‘normal’ does not make it acceptable for me to give in! I also have learned that I become more vulnerable to temptation at times of exhaustion, that I am less afflicted when I am in regular fellowship with other Christians, when I am ‘filled’ with the Word. Some make the error of thinking that since everybody is subject to temptation, since it is part of what it means to be ‘human,’ that they need not resist the pull of the ‘flesh.’’  Wrong! The Word says, "we must not live to satisfy our desires. If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say "No" to your desires. Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children. God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father."  (Romans 8:12-15, CEV)

So what we need is more will-power, right? Not so fast. Making good choices is certainly important, but the war against temptation can never be won by sheer strength of human will alone!  Victory begins with a transformation that Jesus dramatically described as a new birth. "Unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God."  (John 3.3) We come under His rule, live in His benevolent care, when our spirit is ‘brought to life’ like a baby taking her first breath, when the Spirit comes on us through faith.   Jesus Christ has forgiven our sins and restored our relationship with our Abba (Father).  But that is not the end of the matter!   

At that moment of rebirth, the struggle is launched. The Scripture calls the Christian life "a race set before us... run with endurance."  (Heb. 12)  Alive in the Spirit, we are more attuned to the will of God - both through knowing the Bible and a newly awakened conscience. This means that also begin to realize just how incapable we are of consistently pleasing God. But, we need not despair! Instead, we surrender! Paul cried, “What a wretched man I am, who will deliver me from this body of Death?” He quickly follows that with a victory cry - "Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 7:25-8:2, NIV)  The revelation is that we win the war only when there is complete reliance on the Spirit's powerful Presence. We can rationalize a choice to yield to temptation - explaining away the gaps in our love as 'just natural,'  giving in to our desires because 'everybody does it.' Or, we can receive grace, acknowledging the truth about ourselves, and strip away the layers of duplicity.   Vulnerable before God and man, we rely solely on God's Spirit, 'taking up the shield of faith.' 

The confrontations with Self and Sin and Satan are ongoing, but if we rely on God's grace, we gain the upper hand, living holy lives that reflect His goodness and glory. A victory today does not mean the war is over! Our perfection will come with the fullness of His Kingdom. Until then, we remain subject to the enticing songs of ‘the world, the flesh, and the Devil!’  That is why I believe so strongly in the daily practices of the spiritual disciplines. (see Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster)  The disciplines are a ‘means of grace,’ openings through which God’s Spirit flows into me with grace, strength, truth, and love. In that place, and with humble confession of my sins, I can be an overcomer through Christ, my Savior. Where there is a conflict (and there will be conflict!) confess your temptation to God and accept His grace to choose His way - even if it seems to kill you. (It must!) The life that emerges from this daily release of the Spirit's life will be a thing of beauty in the eyes of God, even if rejected as foolishness by others who think they are living to the full by doing their own thing, serving themselves.  

Tempted? 
Refuse the condemnation that usually comes with it. Instead live like the child of God that you are.  Here is a word from the Word. Live it! "Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." (Romans 8:37, NLT)  "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT)

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Our Great Savior

 Jesus, what a Friend for sinners.Jesus, Lover of my soul.Friends may fail me, foes assail me;He, my Savior, makes me whole.

 Jesus, what a Strength in weakness,Let me hide myself in Him.Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing;He, my Strength, my vict'ry wins.

 Jesus, I do now receive Him,More than all in Him I find.He hath granted me forgiveness,I am His and He is mine.

 Hallelujah, what a Savior!Hallelujah, what a Friend!Saving, helping, keeping, loving;He is with me to the end!

John Wilbur Chapman© Words: Public Domain

“Content to simply be yourself?”

Do you ever forget the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ of life?  Oh, it is so easy to do all the right things for all the wrong reasons, isn’t it? I served faithfully in a certain situation but what I had done was overlooked or ignored. For a few moments I allowed resentment to take charge. “Well, if that is the way they want to treat me, then forget it. Let them handle their own situation.”  As my disappointment subsided, the Holy Spirit whispered gently – “Jerry, for whom did you do it in the first place?” Realization of my sin drove me immediately to confession and to prayer.  Jesus is the ‘why,’ not appreciation, not recognition, not monetary reward.

True service is about giving ourselves away without thought of cost, recognition, or reward.  Especially in ministry we must always keep this truth front and center in our mind – It is never about 'me!' Jesus teaches us that “whatever we do for the least, we do for Him.”  If we teach that Sunday School class, make meals for the sick, preach excellent and inspiring sermons, or give sacrificially but only to gain affirmation, or feel a sense of fulfillment, or just to 'be somebody' in the big wide world; we will miss out on the true blessing of God’s reward.  What we did, allegedly, “for the Lord,” no matter how well done, will be corrupted and the fruit spoiled by our prideful motive. Like the Pharisees so roundly condemned by Jesus, pride will turn us into hypocrites who look great on the surface but who are full of ugliness inside!

Barnabas was very influential in the early years of the development of Christianity. The Bible describes him with these glowing words... "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith." (Acts 11:24, NLT) This leader heard about a man named Saul who had been very hostile to Christians. Paul was saved by Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and yet he could not find acceptance by Christians. And, no wonder.  They were frightened by his reputation. What if his ‘conversion’ was just a ruse to get inside the group so he could arrest or kill more of them?  But, Barnabas discerned the reality of Paul’s transformation. So, he went and found Saul (later renamed Paul) and introduced him to the Church. For the next few years, it was always "Barnabas and Paul." But, the mentor found his gifts eclipsed by those of his student. It shifted to "Paul and Barnabas." After a few years, Barnabas slipped into obscurity and Paul went on to be well-known throughout the Church! But, there is no evidence that Barnabas ever resented this. He served His Savior and knew the joy of being faithful in his own place, without pride.

• Do you wonder what would have happened if Barnabas had gone to see Paul, recognized the man's greater gifts and tremendous abilities, and thought “if I help him, he will steal my position!”?
• What if he saw Paul's potential to become greater and decided that he didn't want the 'competition?'

Thankfully, good ole' Barney didn't see his 'service' to the Church as a means of building his reputation, feeling good about himself, or gaining a place where he could be recognized in this world.

Our word from the Word is a story that Jesus told about service that wrecks prideful motives. As you read it, if you realize that your service has even a grain of pride, of self-serving, of concern for reputation or reward, ask the Lord for forgiveness and for the Spirit's help in developing true humility. "He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he’ll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You’re in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.’ Red-faced, you’ll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.

“When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about!

What I’m saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”  (Luke 14:7-11, The Message)

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Love Divine

Love divine, all loves excelling,Joy of heav'n, to earth come down.Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,All Thy faithful mercies crown.Jesus, Thou art all compassion;          Pure unbounded love Thou art!Visit us with Thy salvation,Enter ev'ry trembling heart.

 Finish then Thy new creation,Pure and spotless let us be.Let us see Thy great salvationPerfectly restored in Thee!Changed from glory into glory,‘Til in heaven we take our place.Till we cast our crowns before TheeLost in wonder love and praise.

Charles Wesley | John Zundel
Public Domain

When God Stirs A Child's Heart

He’s just a little guy, 4 years of age, I believe. His grandmother called me yesterday to inquire about the lyrics to a song. It seems that during our worship service on Sunday she noticed that Ethan was emotional, some tears on his sweet face. Thinking that he was not feeling well, she asked what was the matter. It was the song we were singing that was touching his heart. That song? “Oceans” – “You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail. And there I find You in the mystery, in oceans deep my faith will stand.”  That’s not exactly “Jesus Loves Me,” is it? 

Joel Houston’s song speaks of walking through deep waters, life’s oceans, with Jesus at our side. It is an anthem of faith, with themes that are deep.  Bev and I listened to it often during her illness and it was our cry for faith to be sustained in our trials.  Yet, the Spirit used it to stir a little boy’s heart. My own face was wet with tears as I listened to the story, oh so thankful for the moving of the Spirit of God, and filled anew with wonder at His amazing ways.

Is your heart open to the Spirit, tender before Him ready to respond when He moves – in a song, by the preaching of the Word, in the words of a fellow Christian, through revelation of God’s love, in times of trial and suffering? Jesus explains that "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8, NIV) We need to let Him move as He wills, ready to catch the Wind of the Spirit and move with Him.

How easily our heart and head get stuffed with life’s responsibilities, calloused and scarred by our daily interactions. We can slip into an ‘adult’ skepticism, all the while just calling it being ‘realistic.’ A beautiful song that calls for faith cannot find a place in us, even in church, because we are either tuned out or arguing with God about why He does not do what we want Him to do. The sweet love of Jesus is lost to us if we are unwilling to experience wonder, too full of ourselves to let our joy or sorrow into the open. 

Jesus’ disciples were being ‘adult’ one day when some children came to Him. They felt He was too busy and important to be ‘bothered’ with some kids! What did Jesus do? "One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them." (Mark 10:13-16, NLT)  He loved those children and reminds us that we need a child-like heart in order to find God’s kingdom flourishing in our own lives!

Set aside your pretensions for a while today. Be a kid. Find the joy that the Lord provides in the moment. Pray simple prayers that are not about negotiating a deal with God but rather that just desires His Presence. Love God and others without reservation or calculation.

Ponder this word from the Word. "After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.” (Mark 9:33-37, NLT)

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Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

 You call me out upon the watersThe great unknown where feet may failAnd there I find You in the mysteryIn oceans deep my faith will stand 

And I will call upon Your nameAnd keep my eyes above the wavesWhen oceans riseMy soul will rest in Your embraceFor I am Yours and You are mine

 Your grace abounds in deepest watersYour sov'reign hand will be my guideWhere feet may fail and fear surrounds meYou've never failed and You won't start now

 Spirit lead me where my trust is without bordersLet me walk upon the watersWherever You would call meTake me deeper than my feet could ever wanderAnd my faith will be made strongerIn the presence of my Saviour

 I will call upon Your nameKeep my eyes above the wavesMy soul will rest in Your embraceI am Yours and You are mine

 Joel Houston | Matt Crocker | Salomon Ligthelm
© 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

“pretentious and infantile religion”

People who try to act ‘spiritual’ sometimes just amuse me and sometimes, I hate to admit this, they irritate me. Does loving God really mean being incapable of laughter, unable to acknowledge the absurdity of life, or being stuffy? I love to laugh, enjoy a practical joke, and I eat bean burritos and find the consequences a source of silly amusement. Does that mean I am not spiritual? To some, perhaps. Spirituality often gets confused with pious acts.  Is that what it is all about?

The Pharisees of Jesus’ time desired to be holy, but mostly they got it wrong. I have that on the best authority – that of Jesus Himself! He told them that if they really loved God they should take care of their aging parents and clean up their inner thoughts. (Mark 7) They focused their ‘spirituality’ on a set of rigid rules about where they went, how they ate, what they said, and how they dressed. Sound familiar? But listen to Jesus’ observation about the relative unimportance of all those things to God: “And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others. … For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (Mark 7:21-23, NLT)

The disciples in the Church in the city of Corinth wanted to ‘spiritual.’ They spoke, at length, in tongues, prophesied, and had meeting that supposedly were non-stop Holy Spirit manifestations.  And, then at their ‘love feast’ they discriminated rich from poor! Paul wrote a corrective letter about true spirituality. They must have been shocked to read, “when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life.” (1 Corinthians 3:1, NLT)

In spite of their spiritual gifts, they were a moral mess! They had constant conflict, indicating that they did not truly love. They were arrogant and took their disputes to the courts! They tolerated an open incestuous relationship, thinking they were so spiritual it did not matter! They were proud and took little thought about how their choices were affecting baby Believers. Pastor Paul told them, “You think you’re so spiritual, but you’re really not very deep in God, at all! You have not even grasped the basics!” Throughout his letter, he reminds them that true spirituality will produce a transformation of character. True spirituality is first about experiencing the love of God and subsequently about living with a love for God and others. Real ‘spiritual’ worship is about mutuality. “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:26, NIV)

Mastery of church doctrine, speaking in tongues, and engaging in prayers shaped by “King James” language – does not make one spiritual!

Want to really please God and make His wonderful Presence known in your world?  Here is how Jesus said it happens– “Love God and love others!” 
Want to grow in grace, to develop a great soul?  Learn to repent when you sin against God. Learn to die daily to Self and forget about being known or recognized.

A by-product of self-made ‘spirituality’ is arrogance, something Paul called being ‘puffed up.’  He told the Corinthians that they “have become arrogant … I will come—and soon—if the Lord will let me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people are just big talkers or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 4:18-21, NLT)

Spirituality that is formed around external choices turns you and me into actors. In no time looking good will replace being good!  I really do want to live a holy life. I want to know God and make Him known. No desire in me is greater than those. Will others see Jesus in me? Will my heart overflow with loving concern for people in my home and my world? If I am living with integrity about that desire to honor the One Whom I call, “Lord” – I will be ‘spiritual’ but it will have nothing to do with pious acting.

Oh God protect us from religiosity and superficial piety. Create the true and lasting beauty of genuine holiness in us, Spirit, I pray.

Here’s a word from the Word.  “So, then, if with Christ you’ve put all that pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and ascetic. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important. So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides.” (Colossians 2:20-3:1, The Message)

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Refiner’s Fire

Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
Pure gold

Refiner’s fire
My heart’s one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within

Brian Doerksen © 1990 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)
CCLI License # 810055

Stronger Together

I fell asleep last night thanking God for all the people that are a part of my life. If a person’s wealth is measured by friends, I am a rich man. Since Bev’s death five months ago my greatest curse, aside from sorrow, is loneliness. In spite of being an introvert, I still find extended time alone in my house difficult. There the silence envelops me like a thick fog.  There is real joy found in interactions with friends who walk alongside of me, who share life in all its moments – tears, laughter, work, worship, and play. Did you know that Jesus needed friends? On the night before He was crucified, in His great sorrow, He drew His disciples close! "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:36-38, NIV)

There is a time for solitude, a value in being alone – just God, the Holy Spirit, and you in prayerful waiting.  Generally, though, we need community. God made us to be together:  to multiply our joy by sharing it, to halve our grief by allowing others to be part of it. David had his ‘mighty men’ who fought with him. Paul ministered first with Barnabas, then with Silas, and mentored young Timothy. Peter traveled with Mark.

Forming friendships is not easy. They are costly and to a degree, risky.  Friends require time, will pull us into their bad times as well as the good ones, and will sometimes fail in the critical hour! Still we need both to be a friend and to have friends. True friends keep us spiritually and emotionally healthy, make us much more effective in our work, and improve both the quality and average length of life!

So, how do we create and sustain friendships?

Learn how to love!
People are not just objects. Too often we see others of value only for the way they can help us get the job done, or make us feel better about ourselves, or because they are attractive. An old song reminds us “that loving things and using people only leads to misery. Using things and loving people, that's the way it's got to be.” (B.J. Thomas) Love transmits value to the other person. It feels great when someone notices you, not just for what you have done, but just because you are. Their attention says, “You matter,” and makes your feel more alive, doesn’t it?

Serve with others.Strong friendship are complementary. No, I did not write ‘complimentary’ though that is not a bad thing. Giving a sincere compliment is a good thing.  We need to find ways to complete the people around us, by finding ways to combine our strengths, creating teams.  We do this when we find ways to serve and give ourselves even when it is inconvenient or sacrificial. Are you part of a team that serves?

Be vulnerable.Do not confuse this with being ‘needy.’ A vulnerable person appropriately allows others to see the ‘true self,’ not just a carefully enhanced public image. If you are guarded, closed, and unwilling to admit that there are parts of your life where you are a work in progress, you will never build the kind of friendships that are best.  Being vulnerable requires wisdom. It is not always wise nor wanted to let others see inside our hearts!  On the whole, we are better friends when we live authentically and let others see us honestly. It is impossible to love a ‘Superman.’

Make Christ the center.A Christian can and should have friendships with those who are not yet believing, but our closest confidantes must be drawn from the family of God. We ignore the wisdom of the Word to our peril. The Spirit says, "Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15, NLT) Be it marriage, business partnership, or sharing life – having Christ as the third strand in every relationship makes those friendship much stronger, more productive, richer!

On this Monday morning, I encourage you to think deeply about the value of friendships, to creatively think of ways to build and sustain relationships that enrich your life. Don’t be a “Lone Ranger.” Here is a word from the Word. "In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. … I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness." (Ephesians 4:1-6, The Message) 

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Using things and loving people

That's the way it's got to be

Using things and loving people

Look around and you can see

That loving things and using people

Only leads to misery

Using things and loving people

That's the way it's got to be

Being loved is in the giving

All we have is what we share

Loving life is for the living

You have to have a heart to care

And loving things and using people

Only leads to misery

Using things and loving people

That's the way it's got to be

So put your hand inside my hand

I don't know where the road will lead

We may not find the things we want

But we will find the things we need

And all we need is love

Using things and loving people

Brings you happiness I've found

Using things and loving people

Not the other way around

'Cause loving things and using people

Only leads to misery

Using things and loving people

That's the way it's got to be

For you and me

For you and me

B.J. Thomas