Look UP!

I drove into the cemetery around 7 last night as one of those Summer rain showers was just ending. I stood at Bev’s grave, remembering, feeling the weight of loss.  Moments later,  on the drive down the mountain towards home, I looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow arched across the sky, a visual reminder of the greatness of God, the enduring life He gives. The sad reality of death met the promise of God and I found another day’s encouragement in faith.

My experience is a parable for the best way to live our Christian life. Those who are the most faithful disciples, who are ‘about the Father’s business,’ will keep an eye on the horizon, an awareness that what we know in this present existence is not the totality of our experience.  Paul, inspired by the Spirit, says "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" (Philippians 3:20-4:1, NIV)

If we ‘forget’ that our passport is issued by the Kingdom of Heaven, we will forget who we really are. Wrong priorities will take over. Living for Christ won’t make much sense, to be honest, without eternity in view.  I am not writing about trying to escape reality by endlessly talking about heaven to come. That what the old phrase “so heavenly minded he’s no earthly good” is talking about. If we sit around dreaming about heaven while the world goes to hell around us we are making a grave mistake.  Heaven is our home and that hope anchors us as we commit ourselves to the work of the Lord.

Have you lost sight of eternity, my Christian friend?
Have the cares and worries of life overtaken you and stolen your joy?

Or, are you so taken with trying to create a little heaven on earth that your desire for God and home are obscured?

Look up! Our word from the Word comes from Peter’s letter. It’s brief. May it restore perspective, bring joy, and cause you to ‘stand firm.’

"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it." (1 Peter 2:11, The Message)

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Here As In Heaven

The atmosphere is changing now

For the Spirit of the Lord is here

The evidence is all around

That the Spirit of the Lord is here

Overflow in this place

Fill our hearts with your love

Your love surrounds us

You're the reason we came to encounter your love

Your love surrounds us

Spirit of God fall fresh on us

We need your presence

Your kingdom come your will be done

Here as in heaven

A miracle can happen now

For the Spirit of the Lord is here

The evidence is all around

That the Spirit of the Lord is here

Chris Brown | Mack Brock | Matthew Ntlele | Steven Furtick | Wade Joye

© 2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)

CCLI License # 810055

Just show up!

You know who I really admire?  People who show up! Those people who actually practice their principles, who give their time and money, who keep their commitments day after day; they are my heroes. 

A young guy in my church, Brian, leads our outreach to teens in our town.  It’s not an easy thing to do. The Vault meets at an inconvenient time of day, often serves teens who are difficult to say the least, but he keeps showing up, and loving those kids. He does what needs to be done (with too few volunteers).   

Tony left the corporate world years ago to start a ministry to men coming out of prison.  They don’t all make the transition successfully, which has to be disappointing, but he does not quit. He is always underfunded; but he keeps going with little fanfare. There are dozens more with whom I share the work of God in the local church I pastor, people young and old, who know the call of God and show up – to teach, to love, to give, to worship, to pray, to mow lawns, to prepare bags of groceries … all of them making a difference.

Many people talk about building communities. Lots of people claim to be ‘influencers’ (I really despise that word) in their world. There are Christians who go on at length about the brokenness of our nation and how the church needs to ‘step up’ but they never really show up. Often these people who do so little say so much, criticizing those who are actually at work. I am reminded of myself during football season. I love to watch the game, but I’ve never played a single minute. When somebody makes a mistake on the field, I shout at the television, as if I really understood the pressure of an NFL game! In reality, I look silly.

Most of us would agree that the world we live in is in desperate need spiritually. People are afraid, alone, often without hope. Children are growing up with no real knowledge of the love of God, without any sense that He made them for a purpose.  Fear stalks many. Despair is an epidemic. Lives that are empty of meaning are too common.

It’s time for Christians to show up. There are hundreds of ways to make a difference, starting in your own home.

• If you are a parent, be present. Lead your children in meaningful prayer, teach them godly principles by word and example. 
• In your work, do your best, without complaining, and encourage those around you – for Christ’s sake, literally.
• Get involved with a church. Yes, the Church is God’s plan for change and if you really want to do His work, it will involve being part of His Body! Show up … when it’s boring and when it’s not; when you agree and when you don’t; when you feel like it and when you’re tired. 
• Pray, not just on Sunday, but everyday. 
• Give, not just when your bank account has a surplus, but as a priority. 
• Seek a place to serve, and keep showing up not just when it’s convenient, or sexy, or fun, but because you’re are called and committed. And, do your best, honing the gift of the Spirit God has invested in you.

Jesus says that those who are His followers are to be ‘salt and light’ meaning that we are people that preserve the world from rot and dispel the darkness of evil. It’s a high and holy calling, that comes with a promise of rich reward. It’s not just the work of a few. It is an opportunity for all – who will show up.

Here is a word from the Word. May the Spirit renew our passion and make us faithful.

“When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink?" "And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’" (Matthew 25:38-39, The Message)

"Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ " (Matthew 25:40, The Message)

Let’s show up and make a difference, starting today.

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A Charge To Keep I Have

A charge to keep I have

A God to glorify

A never dying soul to save

And fit it for the sky

To serve the present age

My calling to fulfill

O may it all my powr's engage

To do my Master's will

Arm me with jealous care

As in Thy sight to live

And O Thy servant Lord prepare

A strict account to give

Help me to watch and pray

And on Thyself rely

Assured if I my trust betray

I shall forever die

Charles Wesley

Public Domain

Smaller lives or greater resources?

David arrived at the battlefield to bring supplies to his brothers who were with the Israelite army. The teenager heard a giant of man bellowing on the other side of the valley, challenging anyone who would to come and fight. Goliath’s roar made a thousand men quake. It made David angry enough to want to go and take him on. You know that familiar story. After Saul’s attempt to armor him, the teenage shepherd went to engage the champion armed only with his slingshot and faith! "David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45, NIV)

When you come up against challenges, trials, and temptation what is your first inclination? 
Do you run from them?
Are you overwhelmed by them?
Or, do you face them with courage and determination, “in the Name of the Lord?”?

Some live small lives because they refuse to venture out where there is risk. The boundaries of their lives are formed what they believe they can accomplish given existing resources. There is another way where with bold faith we pray “Lord, increase my faith!” Knowing that He is a God who can do ‘immeasurably more,’ we do not beg for smaller challenges. Rather, we pray faithfully for greater resources.  Whatever may be coming your way today, present it to the Lord.  

Even if you’re afraid, stand still.
Even if you want to refuse to take the assignment, listen carefully.
Even as your soul is tossed by inner storms, look beyond the moment to eternity.

God can and will increase your resources, not always as you think He should, but to accomplish His purposes in you and through you, as you learn greater faith that trusts Him!

Here is a word from the Word.  Memorize it and live it, letting faith arise.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV)

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Press On
(Selah sings of greater faith)

When the valley is deep

When the mountain is steep

When the body is weary

When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard

When we're battered and scarred

When we've spent our resources

When we've given our all

In Jesus' name, we press on

In Jesus' name, we press on

Dear Lord, with the prize

Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on

In Jesus' name, we press on

In Jesus' name, we press on

Dear Lord, with the prize

Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on

To press on

Confronting Evil

 

“Lord, stop him in his tracks. Don’t let evil prevail.” We don’t pray like very often do we? Christians have largely abandoned the songs like “Onward, Christian Soldiers” because the language offends. We try to find comforting and therapeutic language for our times of worship. And yet … there is a time to take our stand, to name the enemy, to recognize evil where it exists.

Jesus taught us to  'turn the other cheek,' which forbids our retaliation against an enemy.  Further in the Gospels, we see Him making a whip and driving irreverent and greedy men from the Temple with an angry denunciation - "You have made this house of prayer into a den of thieves!"  Paul tells that we should "bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We respond gently when evil things are said about us. " (1 Corinthians 4:12-13, NLT)  Yet, he was also strident in denouncing false teachers who were leading young Christians astray. In the letter to the church in Galatia, his anger spills out as he writes sarcastically about some teachers who insisted that Gentile Believers must be circumcised like observant Jews - "Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!"

These are not inconsistencies of ideals for the godly. The Word guides us to the understanding that while we are personally never to seek revenge, there is a place for resisting evil, for taking a strong stand for Christ, our king.  When we face evil - corrupt world systems, our own sinful nature, or the work of the Devil - our response cannot be conciliatory or soft. We meet evil in the strength of our God, naming it, resisting it, and battling it. But, in the process, we must not lose the character of Jesus Christ! If we become evil in our attempts to fight evil, evil has won the day. Our battle with sin and evil is not aimed at protecting our own happiness or preference. If it is, then it is of Self and is sinful.  When we become passionate about doing good, about loving others to life, about resisting evil – there is a place for doing battle.

The Lord is a Warrior and He calls us to be warriors with Him. Yes, this is a dangerous truth and easily twisted into something ugly! Christians can start ‘holy wars’ that have nothing to do with resisting true evil.  However, we cannot back away from all resistance to evil, or it wins by default.  Here is a key fact for resistance.  Our weapons are not guns and bullets. We wage war on evil with truth and love. The truth can have a sharp edge. Ever felt it cut into you? I have. When someone names a sin in my life it hurts, even when they do it in a loving way. That is why the Bible says that the 'wounds from a friend can be trusted.' It is a loving act to help a brother to move toward overcoming a sinful habit by naming it. But can you see how easily even this 'loving act' could become sinful? When I start to enjoy 'wounding' my friend because it makes me feel spiritually superior, or because it allows me to control him, or because it takes him down a peg or two, I am no longer a godly warrior.

The cliché 'hate the sin, love the sinner' is actual a true statement. It is what God does. He saw sin in this world and hated it.  Evil destroyed what He made, alienated humanity from Him.  God acted, in love, to confront it.

First, He sent His Son to make it possible for us to be restored to Him – and the confrontation included the violent, bloody sacrifice of the Cross.  There He built a bridge of loving forgiveness so that we could be His children once again.

Then, He gave the Spirit, to empower us to change the world - "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:14-18, NIV)

Like our God, in our battle goal is not destruction. Rather we are agents of restoration. Are you reconciled to God through Christ Jesus? Does the love of the Father envelope you, so that you are unafraid? Now, let the Spirit equip you to take you place in the fight with evil – starting with self, reaching to the World.

The word from the Word is thoughtful and compelling. "We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NLT)

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Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?

Am I a soldier of the cross,

A foll'wer of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause,

Or blush to speak His Name?

Must I be carried to the skies

On flow'ry beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize

And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face,

Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace

To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight if I would reign,

Increase my courage, Lord!

I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,

Supported by Thy Word.

Isaac Watts

Public Domain

Music: Public Domain