Full of Anxiety?

Thoughts of inability or incompetence visit me making wonder if I am fit for service.  I sometimes think that the sermons I deliver just add to the excess of words in the world.  The rapid changes in our culture make me to question my ability to relate, even to understand a way to make the unchanging message of Jesus comprehensible.  When I compare myself to others who enjoy a different kind of 'success,' I conclude that I must not have the skills to see the results they enjoy.  Those thoughts do not come from God!  They are an expression of pride, a focus on me instead of Him! 

Many is the Christian (perhaps you are one of them?) who lets insecurity, comparison, or memory of past failures bring on a kind of paralysis in life. When we spend too much time thinking about self we grow anxious and become ineffective; not because we are without gifts or skills, but because we lose connection with the Spirit Who is our Strength!

Moses was an amazing leader of God’s people, mightily used of God. But, he was also insecure, anxious, and prone to losing sight of his true strength. God met Moses in the desert, at the flaming bush. There He commissioned him to return to Egypt and deliver the children of Abraham from slavery and to lead them to the Promised Land. It was a tough calling.  In that supernatural encounter, a bush aflame without being burnt up, one might think Moses would surge in faith and courageously commit himself to the call. He did not!

He was wrapped up in anxious thoughts. He offered excuses. “They won’t trust me. They won’t listen to a word I say. They’re going to say, ‘God? Appear to him? Hardly!’ ”  (Exodus 4:1, The Message) Then, he whined, “O Lord, I’m just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I’m not now, even after you have spoken to me. I’m clumsy with words.” (Exodus 4:10, NLT)  At each excuse, the Lord met Moses with assurance that the real issue was not Moses’ competence, but His.  And we know the rest of the story.  This man, who tried so hard to dodge his calling, became the law-giver, the father of the nation, God’s man!

When God calls, He equips. Truth is – on our own we cannot live a godly life. We cannot defeat sin and Satan. We cannot bring about conversion and new life.  But, God can; He does; and He will – when we let Him be our strength.

 David, the shepherd boy who became king of Israel, wrote a song that celebrates this fact. "Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever." (Psalm 28:6-9, NIV)

When the Lord extends an invitation to live a holy life, to perform acts of service for His church, to carry a burden on behalf of another, you can do it. The real question is not ability; it’s willingness.

God is still building His Church. The Spirit is actively working to equip YOU AND ME to fulfill His calling!  "God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, The Message)    What can you do in the work of God?   What kind of spiritual gift has been invested in you?   Serving, loving, speaking, praying, giving, teaching, leading worship, encouraging, building, making art, telling the Gospel ... the list is long and God has promised us that His Spirit will put skills, ability, and knowledge in us that makes us effective.

Make no mistake. God’s strength and the Spirit’s gifts do not excuse us from study, learning from mentors, and faithfulness.  The Lord demands both our diligence and our dependence on Him. 

We tend to fall into one extreme or the other:
thinking it's all up to me (and making ourselves more susceptible to feelings of failure), orjust sitting back and waiting for God to make puppets of us.  

The Word says, "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.   ... So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3, 10-11, NLT)

Feeling incompetent?
Consumed by anxiety? Resisting God’s call? Spending too much time wanting to be someone else, somewhere else, doing something else?

Focus away from yourself to the One who calls.  Renew your heart and mind with the Truth in this word from the Word from my favorite book in the Bible. Believe it, forget yourself, and discover the wonder of the Spirit’s strength in you. 

"I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!

 Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!" (Ephesians 3:16-21, The Message)

Declare this – “The Lord is my strength and shield. My heart trusts in Him and I am helped!” Amen

Yes, you can!

Last Saturday we climbed onto the inflated raft at 10 am. The next four hours was active on the river; we took some rapids, paddled, talked, laughed, and had fun! It was a great day with my son and grandsons. Near the end our guide told us that there would be a ‘short hike’ to the bus that would take us back to our cars. When we beached the raft the first obstacle was a slope of slippery rocks along a creek bed that we had to navigate. Next, there was a long stairway, not in the best condition. “Just do this and you’ll be on the bus, on your way to dry clothes, your car, and a cup of coffee.”  But, at the top of the stairs, there was a gravel road that sloped upwards - up and up, on and on. It was probably just a half mile or so, but climbing out of that river gorge was a real effort after a day of exertion for this old guy! Inside I kept reminding myself, “Jerry, you can do this.”

What a metaphor for life. In the middle of joy, as you’re finding moments of love and laughter, there are obstacles and difficulties, challenges, and tests, too.  When those things come your way in clusters, one after another, fatigue starts to set in.  What then? Are you going to curse or cry; whine and whimper; sit down and wait for somebody to rescue you; or just press ahead?

Paul’s letter to the church in the city of Philippi is full of joy, a work of encouragement from a man who knew what tough times were! In his ministry, he met disappointment, experienced rejection, found himself unjustly accused, beaten, jailed, and even criticized by the very people he had brought to the knowledge of Christ’s salvation. But, he never quit.  Though the up’s and down’s, he went on serving, loving, and hoping.

How did he do it? There is a little phrase that lets us see the Source of his courage: "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13, NLT)  The Message goes like this: "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."

Christ in me (and in you!) will infuse us with strength beyond our comprehension, with courage that is unimaginable. Careful how you read that. Jesus is not a little slogan to drag out in hard times, a magical mantra for the hard days. We find the strength and joy Paul describes as we learn to live our life centered in Him, shaped by an eternal purpose, in submission that leads to obedience. If we act willfully, doing our own thing, and getting ourselves into a real jam, we are foolish to expect that we can cry ‘Jesus’ and find everything is instantly better. However, as we listen to Him, when we practice the daily spiritual disciplines, we will find Him present when the road gets steep, the problems multiply, and life appears to be an impossibility.

The full context of that phrase quoted above goes like this. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:6-13, NIV)

What a passage. Go back and read it again, slowly and prayerfully. Then, look at the circumstances that you are facing and tell yourself, “Yes, I can!” That is true, not because you are smarter, richer, more gutsy, -but because you are a child of God Who is walking with you, Who will see you through. Near the end of his earthly journey, Paul looked back over it all. There were no regrets, no gripes, just hope.  He said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NLT)  “I did it! Now, all that’s left is the awards ceremony!”

Christian, just do it today, Jesus helping you. 
Choose His strength today. 
Invite Him to lead you through today. 
Yes, you can!

_______

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.Worship the Lord with gladness;    come before him with joyful songs.Know that the Lord is God.    It is he who made us, and we are his;    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving    and his courts with praise;    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Are they 'getting it?'

The sanctuary was full of children; singing, noisy, inquisitive kids!  This is not your Grandma’s VBS. The music is loud, the lesson illustrated with science labs. Active learning is the order of the day! I’m a happy man during Vacation Bible School week. Men, women, teens, and young adults (a team of more than 50 people) come together to make it happen. An amazing amount of effort is invested, hours beyond my calculating. And, for what? Are we just giving 250 kids a happy experience? That is part of it, but there is much more. Our mission is to transmit the simple, radically life-changing truth that there is a living God who loves each one of us and that we can know Him now. Thursday is the high point, when the message of Jesus and His cross are the focus.

Few things weigh more heavily on me in my calling than the question of handing the faith to the next generation. The Good News about Christ is timeless, but the words and methods used to transmit that message, the ways in which we worship Him, change to engage each generation.  My Baby Boomer perspective is clearly different than that of my grandchildren. Part of my fascination with the effort this week is the way that the Story is told. It is not just verbal, as it was for me 50 years ago. It is visual, experiential, the Message set in a context that engaged nearly all the senses, all the while making sure that the ‘wow’ does not replace the core Truth. Deep emotions stirred in me as I stood in the back of the rooms where I could see that 8 year olds were engaged. “Spirit of God, finish the work!” was the prayer I breathed over and over.

Are you concerned about the spiritual health of your children? Is there any evidence that they are becoming disciples of Christ? Do you wonder if they are ‘getting it?’

Take a cue from the Vacation Bible School. Don’t just lecture. Make sure that “Jesus” is not just a word for Sunday morning or reserved for special occasions. Give the Gospel a place in everyday, each moment. Contextualize Christ in ordinary life experiences.  Moses taught the People of God to do this. "Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates." (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, The Message)

The Gospel is as much ‘caught’ as it is ‘taught.’  We must demonstrate its reality if we have much hope of the next generation taking up the Call.

Here is a word from the Word. "Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (Acts 2:38-40, NIV)

_______________

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white;

All are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world!

Jesus calls the children dear,

“Come to me and never fear,

For I love the little children of the world.

I will take you by the hand,

Lead you to a better land,

For I love the little children of the world.”

I am coming, Lord, to Thee

And Your soldier I will be,

For You love the little children of the world.

And your cross I'll always bear,

And for you I'll do and dare,

For You love the little children of the world.

Jesus Loves The Little Children

Clare Herbert Woolston | George Frederick Root

© Words: Public Domain

Show me!

When Bev wanted to know how to do some new thing with her computer, she would ask me about it and then invariably would say, “Don’t just tell me, show me!” She wanted me to stand next to her and actually lead her through the process of learning to edit a picture or post on Facebook. Seeing the process was much more instructive to her than any detailed description. Only recently I discovered the wonder of learning from “YouTube.”  Need to know how to do some small repair around the house?  You can go to that site and find videos uploaded by others that will show you, step by step, the way to get the job done.  Their instruction is enhanced by video that shows as well as tells! 

Here is a question each one of needs to answer honestly - 
Does my life show the Gospel? 
Can people see the Spirit of God at work in me in my daily life?

One of Paul’s earliest places of preaching the message of Jesus was in the city of Thessalonica. Later, after he moved on, he wrote to the converts there, commending them not just for their words but for the way they lived. "We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere." (1 Thessalonians 1:2-8, NIV)  

How did he know that they had really received the Good News of Jesus?
There was visible change – things done in faith, work that flowed from love, steady persistence through hard times that was inspired by hope.

Our relationship with God is founded in faith.  We can never be ‘good enough’ – be that morally or religiously – to merit a place in the family of God. Christ completely finished the work that restores each of us to our place before God. He took ALL our sin on Himself. He FULLY satisfied the holy demands of a perfect God on our behalf. Scripture declares the good news of Jesus "is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-18, NIV)  To make that even more clear we read this - "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! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!" (Ephesians 2:8-9, The Message)

Let’s not make the mistake that true faith is somehow divorced from visible evidence. Genuine faith always produces real, lasting change in the way we live. Is it instant? Not generally. Becoming a mature Christian is a growth process, the work of the Spirit producing the fruit of moral and character change in us, our values and hopes transformed by Him. A growing Christian whose talk is matched by his walk is a beautiful thing to see. I love Paul’s metaphor, ‘treasure in jars of clay.’ When God is at work in us and others see genuine love, real selflessness, enduring hope, generous giving of our resources, and such things; knowing that we are just ordinary human beings, they must conclude that Christ Jesus is powerful and that we are being changed from the inside out.  

Spend time with God and His family. 
Take the Word to heart. 
Quickly say “yes” to the Spirit. 
And you will become living proof of the Gospel’s power.

Here is a word from the Word. Lord, give us grace to hear, courage to engage, and persistence in the work of transformation. "You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. … But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7,13-15, NLT)

Abba, I am thankful today that
You know me better than anyone and love me more than anyone.

I readily confess that I need You,
That my best intentions fall far short of fulfilling Your call.

Jesus, I receive Your love, trust in Your work for me,
That restores me to confident prayer before the Father.

When You work in me, when You are present,
Everything begins to change.

Keep me aware of You. Help me to listen.
Guide me, Spirit of God, to real change.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen