What kind of Friend?

 

There are people with whom I am ‘close.’  I know them, love them, and share life’s up’s and down’s with them. Life would be so much poorer without those relationships. There are hundreds of people with whom I am acquainted; knowing some things about them, but only a handful are what would be called ‘intimate friends.’  Intimacy, which enriches us, does not just happen. Developing it and sustaining it requires both the investment of time and a foundation of trust.  We cannot truly know another without significant time spent in conversation and connection. 

“Close” families make the effort to re-connect, to stay in touch. “Close” friends regularly ‘do life’ together, making choices to be together their priority. In addition to those regular connections, there must be honesty, a willingness to lose the masks we all tend to wear when we interact. That creates trust, a sense of safety so that we can let down our guard, take off our armor, and reveal our heart. 

Our relationship with God is quite similar to our human relationships in this sense. We can just know things about God, content to just be acquainted with Him through Sunday worship gatherings and perfunctory prayers, or we can invest time and build trust that allows us to become intimate with Him. Yes, we can know the Holy One and knowing Him fulfills us in a way that no other relationship can.

The Scripture is replete with examples of people who knew God.  In my reading in Genesis, I found this gem.  "When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17, NIV)  Jacob was in a crisis, one of his own making. He was forced to leave his family behind and in his journey to live with distant relatives he met God in a way that began to change him.  

 Another Genesis line without much detail tells us "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24, NIV)   David, in spite of his rogue’s heart, knew God and gave us the worship songs of the Scripture, the Psalms. His intimacy with the Lord shines in these words of longing, in a moment when he felt distant from his God. " How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?" (Psalm 13:1-2, NIV)  One does not ask such a question of a mere acquaintance!

Jesus withdrew from the company of His friends often to spend time with His Father. His disciples saw that rich relationship and asked Him – “Teach us to pray.”   Their real request was ‘show us how to know that kind of intimacy with God!’

How can we know the Presence of God, walking with Him as our Friend?

First, we cannot confuse knowing things about God with actually knowing Him.  

Doctrine and theology are important, but they do not replace the pursuit of His Presence. The religious leaders that Jesus dealt with thought they knew God because they had great knowledge of the Law. Jesus shocked them when He said: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39–40)  One writer rightly observes “never in the history of the Christian church has so much theological knowledge been available to so many people as it is today. The American church enjoys perhaps the greatest amount of this abundance.”  And yet, intimacy with God is not common among Christians.

Second, we must not believe that we can create some ‘right place’ where He will be found. 

Depending on training, past experience, and even personality Christians will seek God in different ways. Some will love their liturgical setting, the ‘sanctuary,’ the candles, the robes, the incense.  Others will love their worship band and high energy gatherings. Some will look for some circles of people who quietly wait on God in someone’s living room. Some will pursue Him in their libraries of books and heady conversations about theological concepts.  While each of those settings may be a place in which, like Jacob, we might muse ‘surely the Presence of the Lord is in this place,’  none guarantees intimacy with Him.   

Thinking that it does is rather like a married couple thinking that a romantic candlelight dinner will make them true lovers. There’s nothing wrong with such a dinner, but true intimacy demand more than being in some ‘special place.’  Intimacy is found in doing dishes together, in long talks about life’s frustrations, in trying to figure out the household budget, in dealing with intransigent teenagers, and wrapped in each other’s arms.

Ultimately intimacy with God is found in the Person of Christ Jesus! 

He says to us “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!” (John 14:6-7, NLT) The only foundation of a relationship with God is Jesus and the only way to find Jesus is faith. We can never ‘do enough’ good things to become His intimate. We come to Him, with open hearts, to receive the gift of grace offered because of His love and assured us by His death on the Cross.  That does not mean that there is nothing for us to do. Intimacy with God requires time and trust, investing in Him as the priority choice and wrestling through the trials of life where we learn to trust Him equally in sunshine and rain!

Are you a friend of God?  Do you find yourself in His Presence, filled with His peace, guided by His purpose?  This is true life, the ‘abundant life’ of which Jesus spoke.

Our word from the Word is not a comforting, soothing one today. Jesus challenges us with an ‘in your face’ statement. Prayerfully read His words even as you invite the Holy Spirit to lead you to a deeper friendship with God.

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39, NIV)

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
- Jim Elliott

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Surely The Presence Of The Lord

Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power
And His grace
I can hear the brush of angel's wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place

In the midst of His children
The Lord said He would be
It doesn't take very many
It can be just two or three
And I feel that same sweet Spirit
That I've felt oft times before
Oh surely I can say
I have been with the Lord

There's a holy hush around us
As God's glory fills this place
I've touched the hem of His garment
And I can almost see His face
And my heart is overflowing
With the fullness of His joy
I know without a doubt
That I have been with the Lord

Lanny Wolfe © 1977 Lanny Wolfe Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
CCLI License # 810055

Vaccinated Christians

 

 
Last night’s elections will provoke a flurry of analysis. Some are glad, some are sad. That’s politics.  One pundit suggested that one of the factors behind the Republican surge is a reflection that “Americans are over COVID and want to get back to normal with vaccine mandates and restrictions lifted.”  Christians all over the political spectrum have opinions about the virus and vaccines.   

My hope is that the Gospel of Christ will not continue to be co-opted by the arguments, that my friends in evangelical Christianity will not make one particular political stance into the marker of ‘true faith.’  Vaccinated or unvaccinated – it’ a decision for thoughtful reflection, for prayer, and in need of wisdom. Let’s just not wrap a Bible verse around our choice and then demonize those who choose another way.

It is so easy to get sidetracked from a pure love of Christ by arguments and issues. Christians fall into the schemes of evil when they choose to turn on each other in vicious debate about personal convictions. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome who were tearing each other up over dietary rules and observance of holy days. 

He told them (and we need to hear this) that we must not become judges of one another. "For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, so that he might be Lord of those who are alive and of those who have died. So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God." (Romans 14:7-10, NLT)

The Church today needs to return to the core practices that Jesus said characterize His disciples: 
“Love God with your whole being,” and
“Love others as you love yourself.”

What we eat, when we worship, what songs we sing, which Bible we read, how we vote, whether we get vaccinated … these are obviously secondary issues. The Scripture warns about turning the message of hope and life into a system of rules for human behavior! "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians 2:8, NIV)

When a disciple becomes an issues person, pride enters in and division inevitably follows. Being ‘right,’ becomes much more important than being loving.  It is a tragedy when we think that ‘being Christian’ is about knowing something instead of knowing Someone.

Stay focused on Christ, disciple. Christians can have very different convictions about how to live, what to eat, and even politics and still love Jesus. The Bible says, "You have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. …having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 

These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions." (Colossians 2:10, 14-18, NIV)

This day after some elections, let’s reflect a bit. I’d say if your candidate won office, great! If your Christian friend did not vote for her, that’s just fine, too. Let’s not divide the Body over our convictions about vaccines, climate change, or tax laws. 

Here’s a word from the Word. It is equally true for all Christians – vaccinated or not, Republican or Democrat, black or white, rich or poor - "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3, NIV)  

 (Video of this blog at this link)

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 Cornerstone

(Take moment to worship and renew your hope in Jesus!)

 My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus' Name

Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour's love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

He is Lord Lord of all

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless stand before the throne

Edward Mote | Eric Liljero | Jonas Myrin | Reuben Morgan | William Batchelder Bradbury

• © 2011 Hillsong MP Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
• Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
• Hillsong Music Publishing UK (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Since Eden

 

The thing of which I write today is one of those that is very difficult to see in ourselves, though we see it so plainly in others!  It wraps itself in ‘the pursuit of excellence,’ hides behind the desire to ‘accomplish great things,’  and lurks even in the places of ‘Christian service.’ This thing drives us to work harder and it congratulates us when we do something we think is noble or beyond the call of duty. It is right there to remind us of our ‘worthlessness’ when others surpass us and makes us incapable of rejoicing in success. It keeps us from true faith, focused on our own ability and hard work.  When we fail it beats us relentlessly. It blinds us to our own failures but gives us the keen sight of a hawk to see the blots in another’s character. The appeal to Eve in the Garden was built around it. Solomon was deceived by it. It is equally at home in a palace and a pigsty.

 By now you probably know that I am writing about pride! This sin, according to Isaiah, was in the heart of the most noble angel and caused his banishment from the Presence of God. “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?" (Isaiah 14:12-16, NLT)  “Shining star” is also translated “Lucifer,” and this passage is believed, by many, to be describing the origins of Satan.

I believe that more Christians are tripped by PRIDE than lust, greed, laziness, and apathy combined!  Our American ideals of individualism and personal success are easily co-opted by pride that sees only the ‘good’ in great ambition, in the drive for perfectionism that produces many good works.  Even the best humanitarian efforts can be easily corrupted by the need that demands ‘look what I have done and admire me.’   The last decade has brought us social media. I enjoy Facebook! I love seeing the pictures and the anecdotes that my friends and family share there. I share there, too often some might say. But, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook feed narcissism. They naturally invite us to say “Hey, look at me.”   

Conversely, they become a source of great despair when we conclude our little, ordinary life will never measure up to the glorious ones that we see paraded across the screen on our smartphone. It is now proven fact that teen-age girls in particular, can be damaged emotionally by the barrage of ‘perfect’ faces and bodies they see in pictures that are carefully filtered and endlessly photo-shopped.

God says "Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." (Proverbs 18:12, NIV)

James teaches that the gateway to greater grace is found in humility. "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.” So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper." (James 4:7, The Message)

So, what can we do with that universal temptation of pride, one as old as Eden?  Where can we go to find release from slavery to the ‘pride of life?’

Confession is a key!  This is not the whiny, fake confession that is pretends to feel remorse in an attempt to gain more attention. This is the confession of the private prayer, that involves being open before God, acknowledging who we are, what we’ve done, and our self-love.  Yes, friend, I have said it a thousand times but it is absolutely true: “The One who knows you best, loves you most.”  When we let Him reveal the truth to us and confess (the Biblical word means we ‘say the same thing’), He forgives us and we are made new.  Only true worship: waiting before the Lord, perhaps in silence, allows the Spirit to break the hold of this acceptable sin. When the Spirit whispers a warning to our heart about a proud attitude, when need to find a quiet retreat.

Service is important!   When an opportunity is presented to us to serve, we simply do so.  We do not calculate the reward, nor do we avoid those things that are hidden from others. We simply serve – in obedience. Curiously, pride withers when we serve for the eyes of God alone. 

We love Jesus!  That may seem to be statement of the obvious, but He said ‘no one can love two masters.’  When we devote ourselves to Him, that love replaces the love of Self. Pride dies.

The word from the Word today points our attention to the one true model for humility - Christ Jesus. Meditate on these words prayerfully.   "Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names." (Philippians 2:4-9, NLT) 

Lord, fill me with the mind of Christ so that I will know humility and the freedom that is found in You. Amen.

 (Video of this blog at this link)

________________

 

Great Are You Lord

 You give life You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope You restore ev'ry heart that is broken
And great are You Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

And all the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry these bones will sing
Great are You Lord

David Leonard | Jason Ingram | Leslie Jordan

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CCLI License # 810055