Splendor of the Spirit

Some people have a 'presence' that causes others to take notice when they are around. Physical beauty captivates us. Personal charisma makes us pay attention. Celebrity, our uniquely American phenomenon of being 'famous for being famous' rather than for some remarkable accomplishment, gets some the best table in the restaurant. (Paris Hilton stands out as an example of empty celebrity.) Wealth displayed ostentatiously will get noticed every time! We take note of that stretch limo when it glides past us on the Interstate and we wonder who is behind the tinted windows, don't we? Beauty, wealth, and fame have a certain splendor but they last for a short moment in time, then are gone as others takes the spotlight.

There is a 'glory' that we all can know, a splendor in life that is not reserved for a small coterie that the rest of us envy! This 'presence' is one that makes our lives truly beautiful, meaningful, and yes - worthy of being emulated. It is the radiance of the Spirit of God in us!

Several years ago, Bev and I hosted a woman from China in our home. (She must remain anonymous in a public forum like this.) Her life is dedicated to Christ and given to serving His purposes in her land. Her devotion to Him had caused the state to imprison her on more than one occasion, but she is not cynical or embittered. She doesn't carry out around a sense of defeat or resignation. She has an infectious joy, an obvious love for God, and a compelling Presence of the Spirit that developed as a result of her love affair with Jesus! Despite being poor by most measures, rather plain in appearance, without title, and even quiet in demeanor; she captivates people's heart wherever she goes.

Believer, are you 'reflecting the Lord's glory,' radiant with His Presence?

The Bible speaks of the temporary glory that made Moses remarkable among the Israelites. His time on Mt. Sinai in the Presence of God gave his face a supernatural glow, literally! In Exodus 34:29 we read, "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." The holy glow on his face frightened the people so he put on a veil! Eventually, the glow faded.

The New Testament teaches that Spirit-filled people can have a holy glow that is unfading, a glory that comes from knowing God that lasts, which increases over time. Using Moses' glory experience as a lesson, Paul writes-
"Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face to face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone.
And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us!
Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Cor. 3:13-18 The Message)

Have you replaced the glory of a Spirit-filled life with the dullness of religion?
Have you allowed the glorious life of intimacy with God that causes us to be radiant to become a life of drudgery, duty, and rigid rule-keeping?

Get alone with the Lord today and stay there soaking up His Presence. Moses spent 40 days with God! Can you spend 4 minutes? There is a glory that we can reflect into the darkened world. But we cannot know that glory unless we have gazed on Him, face to face.
_________________

"O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!"

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in His wonderful face;
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
in the Light of His glory and grace." © Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Let in the Light

Heard the story coming out of Kansas about the so-called "BTK" (stands for Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killer? Dennis Rader; a 59 year old married man, father, Scout leader, and church council president, had a hidden side of horrific evil. He stands accused of at least 10 gruesome murders since 1974. The contrast between the 'two' persons that existed in the same body confounds us. One of Rader's best friends, a fellow Scout leader, appeared on a TV talk show last night close to tears for the entire interview, admitting that he never would have believed the accusations apart from the irrefutable evidence. He said, "There are two Dennis's and I only knew one; a friend I will never see again." Rader's pastor talked in similar terms about the man with whom he sat in church meetings, a man who was dedicated to the community in so many ways, a man who, to all appearances, was far removed from the world of thrill killers!

Even as we shake our heads in amazement, we must acknowledge that we all deal with two natures! Rader's sinful nature found a particularly horrible expression, to be sure, but the scary fact is that everyone of us still deals with a sinful nature. In the book of Romans we read: "For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? " - 7:22-24 NIV There we find a glimpse of the reason why Christians still can be cruel, selfish, materialistic - a saint and a sinner in the same body!

• So what's the answer? How is the sinful nature diminished and the spiritual person strengthened?

We let the Light shine into every corner of our lives! A famous quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis says, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant!" He referred to the corruption that goes on when government operates behind a cloak of secrecy, without accountability. His observation has an application to each of our lives. In those areas we hide from others, that we keep carefully wrapped in secrecy - sin has an opportunity to flourish! So-called 'little' lies we tell to spare ourselves shame, become a breeding ground for increasing deception - of others and even ourselves. Compromises that seem to be insignificant, that are excused as just 'going along to get along' open us to temptations for greater sins over time.

John says, (1 John 1:6-10, NIV) "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives."

The Christian is called to integrity, transparency of heart, so that the Light of Christ can disinfect his soul! A believer who is serious about holiness must not continue to muck about in secrecy, mistakenly thinking that he is preserving his 'dignity' with deception and pretense. He must confess, own up to who he is and what he has done, and find the forgiveness of God. The additional benefit is that there is a cleansing of character. Holiness is found in community, not because we can create our own perfection, but because as we open up to one another, the Light of Christ shines onto the infection of sin and destroys it even as we minister loving grace to each other!

Are you living with secret sin today, carefully tucked away from public view? It's time to let the Light shine in. Sometimes it is enough to confess our 'darkness' to God alone. There are parts of us that are transformed by owning our sinfulness before the Lord and sincerely asking for His forgiveness, His strength to overcome. Then, too, many of the dark places are simply too engrained for us to deal with alone. In those struggles we need an ally, sometimes several allies. As difficult as it may be to do, find a trusted counselor and open up your heart. Find someone who knows grace and who knows how to lead you to the One who is Grace Incarnate. Together, pull open the door that has been shutting out the Light.

We may never know what demons tormented Dennis Rader in the dark corners of his mind. I would take an educated guess that somewhere in the far distant past something happened to him or in him that he never admitted to himself or anyone else. In that place of darkness, sin found a place to grow a monster that committed terrible crimes.

Give no place to darkness.
In Sunday School as a child we happily sang-
"So let the Son shine in, face Him with a grin,
smilers never lose, and frowners never win,
so let the Son shine in, open up your heart and
let the Son shine in!"

That's great wisdom!

Spring Training, again!

Though you would never know it from where I am sitting in NW Jersey today, looking out at 8" of newly fallen snow; Major League Baseball's spring training is well underway. The pro's are at baseball fields in warmer climes working at getting getting their bats and gloves back into top form. These men, many of whom have spent years in the game, are being coached, working on their baseball skills- just like they did when they were rookies on an AA team. I was listening to one of them interviewed and he remarked about the aches and pains of the first few weeks of training, the result of coaxing their bodies into playing form again.

• Do you take time for training, to better equip yourself for serving the Lord, to hone your skills at using the gifts and talents He's invested in you?
• Have you though about what you might do to become a better Christian, a skilled member of God's team?

There are the basics -
daily intake of Scripture,
regular times of meditation when we listen for God's voice,
prayers for the needs of ourselves and others,
worship with other Believers.

These are like the calisthenics the baseball players do to get in shape. No matter their position or particular skill, all the players do the sit-ups, the crunches, the running that tones up their bodies. Likewise, Believers need to do the basics, no matter their calling or ministry. I've been a Believer for 40+ years and an employee of a church for all my adult life, and I still do the basics! Everyday I open the Bible to renew my mind with His wisdom. I spend time listening to Him, quieting my mind before Him. I pray and make the choice to get to church and to prayer group- even when I don't feel like it or when I'm 'on vacation.' Why? Because I think doing those things 'earns' me God's approval? No. Those are the fundamental exercises of the Christian life that help me 'stay in shape.'

There are specialized training times, too. We all, regardless of what we do in God's service, need refresher courses. American Christians are blessed with abundant resources for which we should thank God! No matter what you do in His name, it seems there are books, magazines, and conferences where you can take advantage of shared wisdom that will help to sharpen your skills and the way that you exercise your gifts. My hope is that you take what you do for God so seriously that you earnestly desire to be the BEST at it, for Christ's sake! I regularly search out books that help me evaluate how I am leading the congregation He's entrusted to my care, that help me deepen my understanding of the Scripture, and that coach me on the way I communicate with the people He's called me to teach. I attend conferences, from time to time, to gain new skills and sharpen old ones. Do you train yourself for service for His glory?

Then then are the coaches! At spring training camps, there are dozens of men who watch the players' every move. They check their swing, their stance, the way they field the ball... and then they offer advice that helps these pro's tweak their performance to the highest possible levels. Who coaches you in your Christian walk? I hope and pray that you have those that you trust and to whom you have given permission to speak both the positive and the negative so that you can become ALL that God has called you to be. I've surrounded myself with people that I trust and I seek their feedback. I love it when they take note of the home run, but cringe when one of my trusted coaches points out an area of sloppiness or poor service! All of it helps me be the best for the Master!

Read this passage slowly this morning and let it sink in- and then, won't you commit yourself to continual training in the Master's service?

• Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body (discipline my body like an athlete- NLT ) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. -- 1 Cor. 9:24-28 NIV
  

"He IS Lord."

The football game is tense. The teams face off at the line and the quarterback looks at the defense's deployment realizing that they're onto the next play. What does he do? He 'calls an audible,' changing the play at the last minute. It can be a great choice or a disaster. If all of his players don't hear the call, the play may fall apart, but if the offense comes together, the ball will advance! A great QB knows when to change the play and it makes the winning difference. Last minute change of plans can be a sign of instability or it may reveal a person who is adaptable and aware of quickly shifting situations that demand a different response than the one that was worked out in advance.

• Are you humble enough to recognize when your life plan isn't working?
• Are you willing to change course, to adapt, or even to abandon a choice that you've made which isn't producing the results you want?
• Most importantly, if our Great QB, Christ Jesus, calls an audible for your life, will you respond with faith and obedience?

Pastor Craig Barnes calls these shifts - "The Theology of 'Plan B.'" He writes, "The Bible is filled with people who had to go to Plan B. Abraham's plan A was to have a child with Hagar. Maybe he and Sarah even prayed about this strategy for helping God fulfill His promises. Moses' plan A was to kill an Egyptian slave master, and that plan didn't work so well. John, the Baptist, had a plan A to prepare people for the judgment. Peter's Plan A was to prevent Jesus from going to the cross. Paul's plan A was to preach to the Jewish people... and all of them had to go to plan B." - Leadership, Winter 2005

Hindsight is, as we say, 20/20! We look at the Bible's characters and wonder, "how could they have missed the will of God so widely?" Because they were human and they made plans - just like we do; plans that seemed right in the moment, but which weren't God's plan. What distinguishes these people isn't that they lived perfectly in the center of God's will, but that they were willing to change course when they discovered that He was leading them in another direction!

It would be wonderful to think that every decision we make is the right one the first time around! Who wouldn't like to know that their choices today are perfectly aligned with God's purposes and plans? But we make mistakes. Our biases and prejudices get in the way of hearing the Spirit's voice, and sometimes we choose wrongly. Then, too, some choices just 'seem so obvious' that we fail to pray about them in a meaningful way, we fail to get counsel from trusted people before we set sail.

Sometimes situations develop we simply could not have anticipated and which God doesn't reveal to us in advance-- a job loss, the collapse of our good health, a spouse that takes his affection elsewhere, a unplanned pregnancy -- that call for real trust and deep faith! In those times, we need to set aside the sense of panic that is oh so natural and let the Spirit of God call an audible! I don't know about you, but in my life the hardest prayer to pray from my heart goes something like this: "Lord, you lead, I'll follow. I don't see the way clearly right now; I can't understand, at least in this moment, what purpose could possibly be served by this change of plans, but I'm listening." Why is that hard to pray? For me, it isn't pride so much as it is fear. I like to feel like life's under control, manageable, and unfolding according to plan. But, in my heart, I know that there is no security in my wisdom and plans, but there is eternal security in His purposes, so humbly I must relinquish my need to be 'in control,' to see the future; so that I can follow His call.

He is Lord! Do you really believe that today?
If He calls an audible, will you respond with a ready "Speak, Lord, I'm listening?" or will you take a time-out to protest His call?

Here's a word from the Word to take with you through the day-

... But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ...What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ...Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:24-40 NIV
________________
"Sovereign Lord, Eternal God,
I wait on You today - and pray that you will help me to have a patient faith.
Plan "B" frightens me, messes up my playbook, and even makes me look unstable, but...
you are Lord! I want to follow you closely, to be obedient, and to live honorably.
So, speak and I'll listen.
If the roar of the crowd and the busy-ness of my life causes me to miss Your call,
Lord, please be mercifully patient, and speak more loudly.
I am Your servant, my life offered to You, to be spent at Your pleasure.
Amen."

"Not by might"

I enjoy "The Apprentice." That's the NBC TV reality show where the bright, ambitious people do all kinds of tasks to prove to Donald Trump that they are worthy of becoming a part of his business organization. For each assignment the competing groups choose a team leader who is held responsible for the execution of the task- with the possibility of gaining accolades or scorn depending on performance. The show ends each week with the losing group 'in the board room' where they give account to Trump for the way they did the job. At the end of this inquisition, one person on the losing team, often the team leader, hears the signature line - "you're fired!" The atmosphere of the program is highly competitive, designed to determine each person's ability to assess situations and quickly create solutions. There is a need to cooperate but not because of love! It's truly every man for himself. Yes, for some weird reason, I enjoy watching it.

A lot of people approach life like the contestants on "The Apprentice" tackle their assignments. They scramble to win and work frantically- convinced that they have to do a great job to avoid God's condemnation when they are called into God's Board Room to face His questions about how they lived. They are driven by uncertainty questioning:
What will He see in us? How will He respond to what we've accomplished? Will He understand what we were trying to do? OR will He say, "You're fired?"

This picture is only partially right. All of us will give an account to God, that much is true! And... He is much more fearsome than Donald Trump! The big difference is GRACE. The scandalous truth is that the judgment is 'rigged!' Jesus Christ already settled the deal with God, so that everyone who trusts in Him can appear in Heaven's Board Room assured of hearing "You're accepted!"

Have you read the Magna Carta of grace recently? Take a look at excerpts from Ephesians 2:1-10 (NLT):

"Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. ...
All of us used to live that way, ...and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. ...
And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. ... And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

When we forget God's grace, we become just like the contestants on "The Apprentice" -- anxious and fearful, competitive, ready to cut others down, willing to do anything to try to gain the edge. Apart from grace, real self-sacrificial love is impossible!

So, soak up the promise of the LORD'S acceptance in Christ today. Now, does that remove all responsibility for living a holy life, for doing His will, for giving your utmost for His highest? Not for a moment. BUT, your focus will be changed. Instead of seeing your inabilities and inadequacies (on which the Devil likes us to focus, by the way) you will reach for God's resources. You will not feel the alienation that comes from shame. Grace will draw you close to God where you will find all the power, all the skill, all the love you need to live in a way that is pleasing before Him.

Take this word from the Word with you today--
“This is God’s Message... ‘You can’t force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,’ says God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
‘So, big mountain, who do you think you are? ... you’re nothing but a molehill.
He’ll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!’ ” (Zechariah 4:6-7 The Message)

Saved and Healed- both now and 'not yet.'

The topic at the School of the Bible was healing. We are going through the Old Testament names of God and our text was found in Exodus 15 where there is the revelation of "Yahweh Rapha"- the Lord, our Healer. God made a great promise to His people saying, 26 “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” There is an interesting interplay of actors in that passage -- God is the Healer, but His people have a responsibility to live in a way that 'accepts' His healing.

I belong to a group called Christian Medi-Share which provides an alternative to standard health insurance. Some 30,000 Christian families join together to share medical bills. We pledge to observe a healthy lifestyle as Christians. To qualify for membership a person cannot use tobacco products, must avoid alcohol abuse, and must sexually active only within marriage. In addition, we are encouraged by those who direct the group to healthier diets and regular exercise programs to avoid becoming seriously overweight. The result is that instead of paying $600-800/month for health care, we pay $280! Living a holy life helps promote a healthy body.

It is not hard to make a strong case from the Bible that God does use suffering and/or sickness in judgment of sin. Have you listened to the text that is so often read at the celebration of the Lord's Supper? "For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died." (1 Cor. 11:29-30, NLT) We could dissect that passage at length, but even a superficial reading clearly reminds us that when we take the Bread and Cup as God's people, we accept a responsibility to live God-honoring lives. If we don't, we invite God to discipline us with sickness and even to take our lives!

So, is sickness always the sign of God's displeasure or a lack of self-discipline? We must not be too quick to point fingers at those who are suffering. It is too easy to reach a snap conclusion based on the 'facts,' in the process getting it all wrong. Jesus' disciples did that. One day they saw something fairly common in their time- a blind man. They asked Jesus, (John 9:2) “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Their smug assumption of moral failure is one that is all too commonly shared even today. Christians who have chronic illnesses not only have to deal with the suffering of their disease, but they must cope with other Believers who too readily join with Job's comforters to point and accuse. Jesus' reply is astonishing, even yet today! 9:3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, he was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” Sometimes suffering serves to bring about the glory of God! Yes, that's right. God uses sickness and suffering to shape and mold us in the likeness of Christ. He uses these things to call the whole and healthy to compassion and self-forgetful service. And He even uses these things for a display of His healing power.

I am convinced that salvation from sin (Jesus' primary work on our behalf) includes healing for the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. However, we cannot make healing into the sideshow that all too many healing ministries become! Healing must not be divorced from the proclamation of the Gospel. In the same way that we are being saved from sin's curse and will not realize the fullness (perfection) that is promised to all Believers until the coming of the Lord, so we will not experience the fullness of healing until His Kingdom comes.

Even if today's sickness is healed by His power, we remain mortal and will eventually die. This should cause us to preach that Jesus saves and heals with the humility that recognizes He has not put us in charge, that He remains the Savior and Healer. As with all good gifts that accompany our 'graced' status as sons and daughter of the King, we receive healing with gratitude, humility, and the wonder that God would care for us with such tenderness.

And this is my hope, is it yours? Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. -- Revelation 22:1-5 NIV

"Selfish spirituality"

Christianity is often 'sold' to Americans in consumer terms. "Come to Jesus," we are told, "and you will find a happier life, a better marriage, a brighter future." Churches, especially evangelical ones, have been quick to adopt Walmart's methods of marketing- learning to shape the Gospel in terms that appeal to wide audiences and how to create 'worship' experiences that stir up desirable emotions. Underlying all of this is a not so subtle appeal to the 'self.'

The Word teaches us that the Gospel is costly, not coddling, to self. Responding obediently to the Spirit's invitation to follow Jesus will not necessarily bring a happy, easy, or fulfilling life. It will please God and allow Him to use you in His purposes- which may or may not actually bring you happiness. Paul challenges the whole modern idea of finding a 'rich, fuller life in Jesus' here on earth when he says, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1 Cor. 15:19 NIV) He says that in the context of a presentation of the Resurrection which is the true hope of those who follow Christ Jesus. If a happy, easy life was what Paul wanted, he should have stayed in the tent-making business in Tarsus! As an apostle of Christ, he lived from place to place, was often hungry, was driven away by hostile crowds, got himself beaten by the authorities, and ultimately was put to death by the Romans! None of that would have happened had he not chosen to give his life away to follow Jesus' call!

Even Jesus drove people away by the thousands by telling the truth about their lives and themselves. He called them 'sinners,' told them they faced judgment, and offered a cross to those who would come after him. Uncompromisingly, He told those who came to Him - "Forsake everything you love to follow me!"

He didn't promise cozy family scenes around the fireplace. Read these disturbing words carefully: “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! No, I came to bring a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household! If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it." Matthew 10:34-39 NLT America's mega-churches don't use that quote much in their tri-fold brochures! It isn't very 'seeker sensitive,' is it?

The result of our consumer oriented presentations of the Gospel are many. We have churches filled with unconverted congregants instead of real disciples; people who live almost no differently than their neighbors, who squabble and fight over position and image, who jump from church to church for the most petty reasons, and who think that articles like this one must be the result of the Pastor having not gotten a good night's sleep!

Eugene Peterson observes that even those who are considered 'spiritual' among us are often 'self' focused. "We've all met a certain type of spiritual person. She's a wonderful person. She loves the Lord. She prays and reads her Bible all the time. But all she thinks about is herself. She's not a selfish person, but she's always at the center of everything she's doing. 'How can I witness better? How can I do this better? How can I take care of this person's problem better?' It's me, me, me disguised in a way that is difficult to see because all of her spiritual talk disarms us." (Christianity Today, March, 2005, page 45)

True spirituality isn't about feeling some good vibes, gaining approval of others, or even becoming a nice person. It is about pursuing Christ in the ordinary stuff of life with choices of obedience. It is being a good husband when your wife is tired and cranky. It is offering your kids love and acceptance even when they are walking away from the course of life you think best for them. It is doing service in your community and church as you have opportunity without even considering if there is some benefit to you or your family. It is being part of a church community- not because the music is great, the preacher scintillating, or the Children's program is amazing - but because Christ calls us to be deeply connected to even those who are unlovely, unlikable, and selfish - just like us. It is being part of this mystery called salvation that promises that we will be changed by the persistent work of the Spirit deep inside- from sinners to saints and that at the end of this life- we will be welcomed home - not because we were worthy, but because God is merciful.

And, that, my friend, is the Gospel Truth!

Why do you serve?

Every Christian is called to ministry! No, not every Believer will be a pastor, missionary, evangelist, or employed full time by a church. But, God gives each of us a place to serve Him and others in this world and service is ministry. Why we serve is one of the keys to being effective in our work for God; and as Pastor Rick Warren says in the opening line of his best-seller, The Purpose Driven Life, "it's not about you!" The Lord wants us to forget ourselves, forget the rewards, forget recognition, forget fulfillment - and just serve for His glory alone.

When 'servants' get out of line about the 'why' of their service, what they do for Christ becomes less effective no matter how skillful, hardworking, or gifted they may be. A question we all need to ask ourselves again and again is: Is this about ME or the mission? The answer isn't always obvious. There are a couple of clues that help us discern when the 'why' is wrong.

*The first is that we become territorial. In your service do you make it difficult for others to serve with you because you communicate by your actions if not your words - 'this is my ministry?' Are you threatened by others who want to learn from you or help you in what you do? Some Believers defend 'their' ministry like a Doberman defends a home! Their ministry is numero uno. If someone dares to reduce funding, they blow up. If the board of Deacons allows another group to share 'their' space, they provoke a war. They don't teach anyone to do what they do, never think about who will take over when they cannot serve, because it is 'their' ministry. They mistakenly try to own what belongs exclusively to God.

*The second is that we lose our perspective and cannot see what we do as part of a larger mission! If we build our personal identity around a ministry, sooner or later, we will become an obstacle to God's work. Ask yourself - "if I could no longer serve as a _______________, would I leave the church or become bitter?" If you answered, 'yes,' you probably have lost touch with the larger mission of Christ! In my own life, I remind myself that I am Jerry Scott, first, and Pastor Jerry, second. My sense of value cannot be based on my position in the church. If it is, I will hurt the work more than helping it!

Ministries are not eternal. They have an effective life cycle and then they die or evolve into something new. You can't tell that to someone who is serving for their own needs rather than for the mission, to a person who has built his entire Christian identity around being a Deacon, a Sunday School teacher, or a ____________. He cannot grasp that a ministry has out-grown his skills or that the ministry which he served so faithfully is not a part of the church's present mission. The work of God is crippled by people who hang onto 'their place' long after their effectiveness has been lost. Growth and change are not a part of the self-focused servant's (talk about an oxymoron) vocabulary. They firmly believe, "If it was good enough for the church in 1975, then, by God, it's good enough for the church in 2005." That's not faithfulness, that is mistaken stubbornness. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever but the ministries in which we serve are not. If we want to be effective and useful to the Kingdom of God we must be humble enough to remain life-long learners, to grow our skills, and to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the world in which we are serving.

Serving Jesus and His people is incredibly fulfilling, deeply satisfying, and brings us rewards -- but those are not the reasons we serve. Paradoxically, IF we slip into serving for those reasons, those things slip away from us. Jesus' wisdom is - “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross (crosses were instruments death!) daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." Luke 9:23-24 NLT

Here's a story Jesus told. Meditate on it. IF you read it and say, "That's so unfair!" - it's time for a deep evaluation of your understanding of the meaning and reasons for serving in the Kingdom of God.

• “Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’?
  
  Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him?
  
  It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’ "
  (Luke 17:7-10 The Message)

On His terms!

God is high and holy, majesty enthroned, worthy of our praise, and awesome to contemplate; but you would never know it to see the way some of us talk about Him and to Him. He is a marvelous Treasure to be sought. He is Wisdom to be pursued, and He is the Lord to be obeyed. But many Believers turn Him into a small god relegated to a shelf on the side of life where he can be sought for a ritual blessing, where he exists to keep them happy and satisfied while making few demands. It seems that they want a compliant, indulgent god! ......until tragedy strikes. Then they want Him to change the world on their behalf.

In an intriguing story from David's adventures, we catch a glimpse of God that makes us wonder at Him. David and the people wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant, that chest that was to be kept in the Holiest Place of God's people, to Jerusalem. The lid of the Ark was the place where offerings for the sins of the people were presented to God, the symbolic 'center' of His dwelling with His people. Thus it was the most sacred piece of furniture (dare I label it so casually?) in the tabernacle of God. Moses received the directives about building the tabernacle and the Ark, the directions for proper handling of this holy thing. (see Exodus 25) Rings were built into the sides of the ark through which long poles were to be passed. When it was necessary to move the Ark, priests were to carry it on their shoulders with these long poles. Over the centuries that elapsed from Moses to David's time, these directions were forgotten!

In the book of 1 Chronicles we are told about David's good intentions to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, symbolically returning God to the center of the people's attention in the capitol city! Good thing, right? Yes, it was. After a proclamation, they set out to do this thing. (13:7-8) They transported the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. It must have been quite a parade/worship celebration.
Until... (13:9-10) ....they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. Then the Lord’s anger blazed out against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.

David was angry at God and left the Ark in Obed-Edom's house for 3 months. In the middle of trying to do a good thing, tragedy struck, and - at least at first- David didn't know why! I can imagine that his thoughts may have been something like this: "God, I'm trying to bring the people back to a proper focus on You, trying to raise You up before them, and You choose to kill one of my friends right in the middle of a national worship celebration! What's up with that?" Only after time and research did he learn the proper way to move the Ark and thus to show reverence for God.

Good intentions are admirable, but they are not enough for a holy God. He desires that we revere Him sufficiently to submit ourselves to His will, to live in His ways. When we argue with Him, resist what we know to be His plans, or take our lives into our own hands - we invite His displeasure.

This little story from David's life helps me to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to 'serve' God. Even as I write this, I realize that I am giving aid and comfort to those who 'sanctify' a certain worship style or to those who are bent on writing rules and regulations for others in the name of God. That, however, is a shallow misuse of the principle of this story. My intent is to point us beyond such legalities to our own relationship with God, where we know better in our heart, but where we choose to go our own way believing that God will 'cut us some slack.'

In our cutting corners in disobedience we sow seeds that will produce the harvest of rebellion - alienation, fear, and ultimately death. He is a wonderful God who is worthy of our reverent, submitted, and entire obedience. When we fail and are convicted of the Spirit (thank God He doesn't strike us dead!) let's have the humility to confess our sin. In that attitude, there is life and peace.

How can I stand up before God and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple:
Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. -- Micah 6:6-8, The Message

Words - well seasoned

I enjoy cooking, making dinner more than half the time in our home. It isn't a chore, because it is an opportunity to be a little creative. In the winter, soup is a favorite creation for me. The basics of soup are much the same but it is the seasonings that make the difference between a 'blah' soup and an 'aha' soup! Getting just the right amount of salt and other seasoning is critical. Too much and the flavor overwhelms; too little leaves you wondering - 'what's in this?'

In my Bible reading this morning, I was intrigued by the little phrase in the middle of the passage: "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." (Colossians 4:5-6, NKJV)

As we are interacting with those around us, the Scripture urges us to 'salty' words! Meaning what? The way in which we speak should awaken an appetite in others for Christ as His grace and 'flavor' influences our daily conversation. Are your conversations flavored by the grace of God, filled with the salty truth of the Gospel, and making a noticeable difference in the 'soup' of life that surrounds you? This is the calling of the Believer! Jesus calls us the 'salt of the earth!'

Christians who are wise in the Spirit, who are aware of the needs, hopes, and dreams of those with whom they live and work, can make a big difference with just a little influence, a well-placed comment here and there.

But, don't over do it! I've ruined more than one pot of soup in my attempts to be creative. Tasting the mix I decide to add 'just a little more' salt or pepper or thyme.... and that extra pinch is too much. Christians sometimes try too hard to influence their world. They become obnoxious, trying to make everything into sermon, turning everything into a morality lesson.

Then, too, there are those who are so quiet about their faith in Jesus, they are without influence. They never speak up, never share their hope and faith, never take a stand. The soup of life of which they're part lacks the 'zing' that they could bring if they allowed themselves to be poured out.

A word of caution is in order. Watch your words, dear friend. They will have an influence- and not always the one you intend. This week a friend wrote an email to me about the way that I've spoken to him and about him on several occasions in a group of people. I thought my tossed off 'humorous' (to me!) remarks were funny. He didn't. He thought I was hostile and antagonistic. As I prayerfully reflected on his honest feedback, it became clear, once again, that I need to pay attention not only to what I'm saying, but how it's being heard. What is funny, gentle sarcasm to me can be a painful poke in the eye for someone else. In that situation, my salty words weren't like flavor in the soup, they were like salt in a wound!

Let me leave you with this thought. You need not be calculating in this matter! Rather, let Jesus and the Spirit of God fill you up. Then, the words that spill from you will be gracious, just the right kind of salt for the situation. Pray not to be clever or eloquent, but to be full of grace, truth, and love. And then your words will be, to borrow a phrase from Paul, "not ...persuasive words of wisdom, but (a) demonstration of the Spirit..." (1 Corinthians 2:4, ASV)
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I hope you're already planning to be in corporate worship on Sunday.
At 6 PM on Sunday evening, the "Jeremiah People" -- a group of talented young musician/actors will be at the Assembly for a concert.
Be there and bring a friend!

Live Like You Were Dying

I attended Walter's funeral services yesterday. He had lived 68 years on this earth before he stepped over the threshold of eternity. As we went through the rituals of death and I watched the family deal with their grief, a Tim McGraw song echoed through my mind. As I understand, Tim wrote it after a talk with his Dad, the former Phillies pitcher, Tug McGraw. Tug was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and knew his days were limited. Knowing he was dying (aren't we all?) he changed the way he lived. Take a look at these lyrics:

He said I was in my early forties,
with a lot of life before me,
when a moment came that stop me on a dime.
I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays.
Talking bout’ the options and talking bout’ sweet time.
I asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end,
how’s hit ya’ when you get that kind of news?
Man, what do ya do?

And he said-
"I went skydiving, I went rocky mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fu Man Chu
And I loved deeper, And I spoke sweeter,
And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’
And he said some day I hope you get the chance-
To live like you were dyin'!"

He said I was finally the husband, that most of the time I wasn’t.
And I became a friend; a friend would like to have.
And all a sudden goin’ fishin' wasn't such an imposition,
and I went three times that year I lost my Dad.
Well, I finally read the Good Book,
and took a good long hard look
at what I would do if I could do it all again.

Like tomorrow was a gift,
and ya got eternity to think about what to do with it,
what could you do with it, what did I do with it, what would I do with it?

And I watched an eagle as it was flyin'...
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin'! -- 2004 copyright by Tim McGraw

I going to keep this TFTD very simple this morning and invite you to do what I've done over the last 24 hours, an inventory of unfinished business. Just about all of us think we have plenty of time to get our relationships right, to say what needs to be said, to touch a life with love - and, in fact, we might have another 20, 30, 40 years on this earth - or we might have a day, a week, or a month. We need to "live like we were dying," not in gloom and doom but getting the most from this day, determined that when God says, 'Come on home,' we don't have to leave loose ends that others have to try to tie off!

The Scripture is a lot more eloquent in an appeal to us about living on purpose.
Meditate on this passage for a few moments with bowed head and humble heart, won't you?

"Make the most of every chance you get.
These are desperate times!
Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly.
Make sure you understand what the Master wants.
Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life.
Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of him.
Sing hymns instead of drinking songs!
Sing songs from your heart to Christ." (Ephesians 5:16-19, The Message)

And, if we do these things, when our final appointment on earth is called, we will leave sorrowing, but satisfied people who experienced the greatest gift- our love- and we will meet Him face to face and hear the sweetest words ever:

• Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful ... Let’s celebrate together!’" (Matthew 25:21, NLT)

Truth and/or Experience?

How do you make decisions -- by accumulating facts or talking to others?
Which do you prefer - a good book or a social gathering?
Which do you tend to lean toward in your formation of faith- doctrine or testimony?

Based on our early training and our personality type, we are likely to think that 'our' way of perceiving God and worshipping Him is superior to that of other Christians. For example, Pentecostals are quite certain that ancient liturgical forms are a sure way to die! Many Evangelicals nearly worship study of the Bible and reject emotion as unworthy of a Christian mind. Our teachers turn their preferences into Truth and we learn to insist that the way is our way. I think one of the best things any Believer can do for his spiritual development is to occasionally worship among those who are very different, respectfully learning, without abandoning critical discernment. Then, too, we can learn a lot by listening to our critics!

I joke about conferences I choose to attend saying - "If my mind needs fed, I'll attend a Baptist conference. If my soul needs inspiration, I'll go to a Pentecostal gathering." Pastors, hearing that, chuckle, often with a little nod acknowledging that the joke contained an element of fact! Head and heart... are they enemies or complementary?

To serve God faithfully and fervently, we need both our head and our heart. The study of Scripture that creates sound doctrine is imperative. However, creed without the context of experience is an exercise in emptiness. The opposite is also true - experience without creed to guide, soon descends into chaos or worse.We must diligently study the Scripture so that we are not carried away by smooth talkers who weave mesmerizing tales of spiritual exploits. But we must also remain open to the fresh wind of the Spirit that makes the unchanging truth of the Bible meaningful and keeps the Bible's truth engaged with the culture and society where we live.

Know this, in your journey with Jesus, your head and your heart will not always be in 'perfect balance,' nor should that be the goal of your spiritual life. There are times when we must seek answers, study hard, and build a good foundation of doctrine. Then, too, there are times when we need the fire of emotion to be stirred up in us as we deepen our devotion. I don't know many people in a time of severe crisis who want a logical answer, at least at first. They want to be loved from the heart. As time goes on, their raw emotions heal and explanations become a focus.

Are you missing out on part of what God has prepared for you because you're focusing your spiritual development exclusively on either your head or your heart? Jesus asks us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37, NKJV) Eugene Peterson translates that verse this way: “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence." (The Message)

• Are you trying to be a 'good' Christian just by learning more truth, dissecting obscure passages of the Bible? That's not enough!
• Are you feeding excessively on testimonies and emotional gatherings that 'pump up' your emotions? That's not enough, either!

Ask the Lord to lead you along the paths that nourish both your head and your heart. Make sure that your journey includes times when you stretch the limits of your understanding, when you ask the hard questions, dialogue with other Believers over the Scripture, and listen to challenging messages from the Word. Then, too, make time to 'feel' the Lord's Presence - quiet meditation, a walk by the river, a loud worship gathering of exuberant Christians, a concert of classical music, the whisper of the Spirit deep within your soul.

Paul reminds us about engaging heart and head in this verse from 1st Corinthians- (a bit out of context - but on point, I believe),
"Well then, what shall I do? I will do both. I will pray in the spirit, and I will pray in words I understand. Iwill sing in the spirit, and I will sing in words I understand." (1 Corinthians 14:15, NLT)

Can we do less?

Not yet all I will be.

I am so very grateful to know that I am a work 'in progress.' I am not who I was, nor am I yet all that I will be! Over dinner with friends on Sunday evening we were laughing together over the foibles and foolishness of our youth. Some 31 years ago, one of my wife's friends observed some of my youthful 'sins' and remarked to her mother: "Bev could do so much better than Jerry!" I fairly sure that her estimate of me has changed for the better- thank God! Really, thank God.

Are you changing, growing in character and faith OR are you stuck at some moment of glory or failure? There are guys my age (months shy of 50!) who are still living in high school-- still thinking about the big touchdown they caught or the garage band that took up so many nights and filled so many days with dreams. Other lock in on the college years, memories of life 'tween being a kid and a fully responsible adult. Most of us probably can go to some month or year when things came together for us and life was good. Then, too, many of us remember vividly a time when we fell flat on our face, tripped up by sin. Some just keep re-living the failure, telling themselves they are 'history.'

Paul captures the attitude we need saying: I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (Philippians 3:13-14, NLT) Yesterday's glories and failures are BOTH left behind in pursuit of God's purposes.

Matthew recounts a moment of wonder from Peter's experience. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him to the mountain where he met with the Father. The account reads: Jesus' appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him. Peter broke in, “Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?” While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him.” (Matthew 17:2-5, The Message) Do you think Peter would have liked to re-live that day again and again? Most likely. Who wouldn't? The Glory of God, the radiance of the Spirit, the voice of God.... But, ministry in the world waited at the foot of the mountain. As glorious as that day was, there were great changes ahead for Peter.

Just as Peter was changed by his experience of the Glory, I'm sure that he was even more transformed by another experience much less glorious, but powerful all the same. Days after that terrible night of Jesus' trial, a night when fear caused Peter to swear that he did not know the Man from Galilee, he was back fishing. The text leads me to think that he was disillusioned, captive of the memories of his perfidy. Then the Resurrected Lord comes to the beach near Capernaum, builds a fire, and leads Peter through an exercise of healing and restoration. Three times Jesus asks him, "Peter, do you love me?" Three times Peter affirms his love with escalating expression of his devotion. (see John 21) Then Jesus commissioned Peter to the work of changing the world - telling Peter that he would serve faithfully until a martyr's death. "Follow me," was his parting word to Peter. And follow he did, around the empire, telling the Story, until the day some thirty or so years later when he was crucified in Rome, just like His Lord- except that he asked to be hung upside down on his cross!

Whether you're 17 or 71, God is not through with you. Whether your life is marked with great success or marred by public failure, you are not through. As long as we live, the Lord has a purpose for us and says, "Follow me!" So, let's press on to gain the prize, the victor's crown that awaits all who faithfully follow Him all the way to Eternity. Need to be changed, transformed in your heart and mind? Learn to live 'in the Spirit.' God is faithful and He will sanctify you. That's right, He will increasingly bring you into a place where you do His will as one who belongs to Him. Let Him change you- from the inside out, starting today.
___________________________________________
In the presence of a holy God,
There's new meaning now to grace;
You took all my sins upon Yourself,
I can only stand amazed.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed,
In the Presence of a Holy God.

In the presence of Your infinite might,
I'm so small and frail and weak;
When I see Your pow'r and wisdom, Lord,
I have no words left to speak.

In the presence of Your glory,
All my crowns lie in the dust;
You are righteous in Your judgments, Lord,
You are faithful, true, and just.

And I am changed,
In the Presence of a Holy God.

© 1989 Integrity's Praise! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) / PDI Praise (Admin. by Integrity's Praise! Music) CCLI License No. 810055

Celebrating Love?

A billion, yes that's right, a billion greeting cards will be exchanged today in America on this day of love- Valentine's Day. Guys, we don't come out looking very good in that exchange either. Greeting card companies estimate that about 85% of the Valentine's cards are purchased by women! Today is called a celebration of love, but actually it is more a celebration of romance. The origins of the holiday are shrouded in mystery but certainly had something to do with fertility rites that were common in the pre-Christian world. At this time of year, there were many rituals performed that the ancients thought would increase the fertility of their fields and herds and even their wives!!

We are hungry for love, aren't we? Not just romantic love - but real concern, real caring - genuine love. Show a little compassion and see how most people respond to it. They soak it up like a dry field takes in rain. Why? Because it is an awfully harsh world around us, a desert place when it comes to genuine love.

People hurry push, shove, compete to get to the front of the line. This is not because most of us are all that hostile. We are just pre-occupied with ourselves and feeling the pressures of life we forget the simple kindnesses that make life so pleasant. Remember that week after 9/11's tragic events? Shocked out of our self-absorption, we took time to talk with strangers, let others take the place in line in front of us, spoke about our shared sadness and disbelief. Then, as 'normality' returned, we went back to our thoughtless ways.

There are too many situations where cruelty is the order of the day. The kid with something 'different' finds himself tormented by classmates daily. The woman married to a control freak is mistreated and abused because he knows he can take out his frustrations in life on her. There are places of work where managers act like little Napoleons and make the office a miserable place. Oppression and abuse are the norm in too many corners of the world.

Whether the result of thoughtlessness or intentional cruelty, many people today are starved for love- and Believer - that is a real opportunity for Christ like ministry for you and me. The Bible teaches us that when we are loved by God, we become loving towards others. Yes, in fact, if we are deficient in love for others, there is reason to doubt the genuineness of our experience of God's love! John, the apostle of love, teaches us that "this love that comes from God. God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, ... We, though, are going to love—love and be loved.
First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see?" (1 John 4:16-20, The Message)

Look for opportunities to show love today. Be sure to treat your special somebody to a gift and/or a card that expresses your affection but don't let it stop there. Slow down and listen. Speak an encouraging word. Affirm that person who makes your life a little better by just 'being there' for you. Take an active interest in another. Pick up the phone and make a call to a lonely person. Go and do something for someone that needs done.

As the Lord ennobles you with His perfect love, go and make that world of which you're a part a little less harsh by showing love.

The quality of love to which we're called, Believer, is delineated as follows:
Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT)

THAT IS something to celebrate this Valentine's Day.
_________________________
Lord, I come to You,
Let my heart be changed, renewed;
Flowing from the grace
That I've found in You;
And Lord, I've come to know,
The weaknesses I see in me,
Will be stripped away
By the pow'r of Your love.

Hold me close,
Let Your love surround me;
Bring me near,
Draw me to Your side;
And as I wait,I'll rise up like the eagle,
And I will soar with You,
Your Spirit leads me on
In the pow'r of Your love.

Lord, unveil my eyes,
Let me see You face to face,
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me.
Lord, renew my mind,
As Your will unfolds in my life,
In living ev'ry day
In the pow'r of Your love.
© 1992 Word Music, Inc. (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) / Maranatha! Music (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055

Perfectly Loved

"I feel so unworthy. Can I really be sure of Heaven?" The lady was near tears as she asked the question. Her previous religious tradition was rooted in good works and acts of penance. Though she has trusted Christ for salvation, the old influences continue to dog her so that when she is less than perfect she feels the fear! She is not the only one that feels that way, is she? Too often, we turn our gaze from Christ to self, and in the process lose the assurance we need to walk with Him in this world that is filled with sin and fear.

You do not have to be perfect to be perfectly loved! That is the marvel of grace, the wonder of our Christianity, based on the Cross and the mercy of God. The Text declares - God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8, NLT) Let that thought sink in. At His own initiative, at His own expense, God reached out to love those who were actively offending Him. If that is how He loved us when we still His enemy, should we not accept His love now that we are reaching out for Him, even imperfectly? John declares that 'perfect love drives out all fear.' The perfect love to which he alludes is not coming from us. It is God's love. 'We love,' he says, 'because God first loved us.'

Perhaps you are not dogged by guilt and/or shame, but many of us are. We conclude that in order to find approval and/or acceptance from others we need to do 'right' things. As little children, we observe that teachers like those students who never step out of line and who work hard to create neat papers. That looks like love, so we try to be good and get those A's! We learn that employers generally like employees that answer the call and go beyond the call of duty, so we show up a little early and stay late to secure our job. Conditional 'love' is all around us.

We drag that same sense of 'doing better to earn love' into our relationship with God, thinking that he's like our parent, our teacher, or our boss. He is not. His love is based in Himself, not in us. That's the wonder of grace as presented by the New Testament.

Paul writes about it to the Believers in Galatia. They had accepted the message of the Cross by faith, but quickly returned to religious duties and rituals as a means of experiencing God's love. Paul's pastoral heart was broken for he knew no one could do enough good things to earn God's favor. He had spent the first two decades of his life trying and then was found by the true love of Christ. He continued in the love of Christ, perfectly loved, though yet imperfect. Take a look at what he says to them ---

"Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) ....
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him.
Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central.
It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me.
The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:17-20, The Message)

You are secure -- IN HIS LOVE -- so stay focused there.When you sin, and we all do, kneel at the Cross. Confess your failure, receive His grace, and grow on in grace.

Wonderful Cross --This arrangement -- Chris Tomlin

When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the prince of glory died!
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Oh the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live!
Oh the wonderful cross, oh, the wonderful cross,
All who gather here, by grace draw near, and bless your name-

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small,
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my souls, my life, my all.
________________________

This Lord's Day I will be continuing our exploration of prayer.
I hope you are able to be in worship.
For our schedule of services and access to the church's weekly bulletin, please visit
www.WashingtonAG.net/service.htm

Let Go, Let God

A subtle conceit creeps into our thinking when we start working with God to build His kingdom in this world- no matter what kind of service we perform. As soon as we feel even a little bit competent, we start to believe that it is our performance that produces results. Often without even realizing it, we shift our focus from 'I help God get His work done,' to 'God helps me get my work done.' If those sound like the same thing to you, I'd really encourage you to re-examine your whole approach to life!

Ben Patterson, pastor, has mentored me with his writing over the years, sharing authentically and transparently, his journey of faith and ministry. He recounts an incident from his life when his conceit was revealed to him.

• "For 6 weeks I was totally out of commission. During that time I crossed a frontier in my prayer life... toward the end of my convalescence, I had a conversation with the Lord that went something like this: 'These times of prayer have been sweet. I've actually had time to pray for every single person in this congregation, every day. It's too bad I won't have time to do this when I get back to work.'
  
  The Lord's reply was quick and blunt. 'Stupid, you have the same 24 hours when you're well as when you are sick. The trouble with you, Ben, is that when you're well, you think you're in charge; when you're sick you know you're not.' " - Leadership, Winter, 2005

When I read that, it hit me like a punch in the gut! How often am I burnt out, disgusted, ill-tempered - not because God asks too much of me, but because I don't ask enough of Him! I come to believe that I am competent, in charge, and getting the work done. I, I, I -- Pride takes over and when pride governs, all kinds of ugly things happen to me, in me, and around me. Failing to seek God's ability, I become frustrated by my inabilities; yet, the Word reminds me of His sufficiency! In Psalm 127:1-2, I read:
Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep. ( NKJV)

We need to know this: What ever callings and gifts we may have, they are of little use and less effect apart from the grace and power of God!

God called Moses, a failed prince and fugitive murderer, while he was living in exile, tending a flock of sheep. The LORD told him to go back to Egypt and to prepare the people to return to the Promised Land. It was a tough assignment!

• How would he inspire a people enslaved by a powerful nation to leave behind the lives they had formed for centuries in the land of Egypt? Creating a new vision for a nation is a daunting challenge!
• How would he get the Pharaoh to let the people go? There is no 'up side' for the king, no earthly reason for him to release his work force!

Moses demurs at first, but then relinquishes himself to the will of God, asking a question that intrigues me: "Who should I tell these people has sent me? What's your Name?" The LORD reveals His majesty saying, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ (Exodus 3:14, NKJV) The Self-Existent One, The One Without First Cause, commissioned Moses.

Today, friend, we are in the service of the great 'I AM.' We must not forget that. Oh, yes, He asks much of us; our very lives! He requires that we use the gifts He's given to us diligently, and that we press on to do His work and His will. BUT, He doesn't not leave us without resources, orphaned, or desperate. Jesus promised to be with us, by the Spirit, "day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, The Message)

How are you responding to God's call for your life, in your home, at your church, in your place of work? Are you trying to get Him to help you do your work, OR are you letting go of control and putting yourself at His disposal to do His work? The latter will lead to a sense of accomplishment and, in eternity, to a crown awaiting the faithful!
__________________________
Oh Lord You're Beautiful-- Green, Keith

Oh Lord, You're beautiful,
Your face is all I seek,
For when Your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

Oh Lord, please light the fire,
That once burned bright and clear.
Replace the lamp of my first love,
That burns with holy fear.

I wanna take Your Word
And shine it all around.
First help me just to live it, Lord!
And when I'm doing well,
Help me to never seek a crown,
For my reward is giving glory to You.

© 1980 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055

The Word Effect

Sam (not his real name) is a man with a sin problem who wants to be free! I've met with Sam several times and realize that nothing short of the power of the Spirit and the Word can break the chains. He has good intentions, strong desire, and yet... recently he called me in the middle of the night after a relapse, but this time he was different. He wasn't making excuses for his actions. Instead, he recognized that he had broken God's heart and he acknowledged his real need of forgiveness. He was under the effect of the Word! (Please pray for him, won't you? God knows who he is even though I must use a pseudonym in this TFTD!)

The Psalmist asks - How can a young man keep his way pure? Then, he answers - By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees." (Psalm 119:9-12, NIV)

Does the Word shape your thoughts, your values, your actions?

I cannot over-emphasize the power that the Bible has to transform our ways of thinking! The Bible, when read often and with prayer for understanding from the Holy Spirit, reaches deep into our thought processes and changes us- inside out. I'm not talking about the kind of foolishness that causes people to seize a single verse out of context to justify an action they wish to take. That's called 'proof texting!' Nor am I referring to studying the Bible with a purely literary point of view. though careful, thoughtful study of the historical context and literary forms of the text can be enlightening. One does not have to be an intellectual, nor does a person have to have a degree in ancient Semitic languages, to read the Scripture with understanding. To be transformed by the Word effect, we come with open heart, a willingness to 'hear what the Spirit is saying' as we read. Yes, there is a necessary place for scholarly study, for comparing our interpretation of passages with the understandings of others. And yet, we must not come to believe that the Bible is beyond our ability to read and comprehend.

Each morning, I open the Word to read a passage (sometimes only a verse, other times a whole story, or entire book). Through the course of the day, I find my mind returning to what I've read; reflecting on it, inquiring about the way that it is informing my choices, drawing on the lessons and principles. Admittedly some passages yield more diamonds than others! For sure! The Scripture shapes my worldview, corrects my thoughts; yes, is the arbiter that makes the call when I am faced with two roads from which to choose.

Strangely enough, it is a blessing that keeps many Believers from the Scripture. That blessing is the plethora of Christian books available. Many read much about the Bible, yet they never just read the Bible itself. They think that reading another's interaction with the Word is enough. Then, too, some think that hearing a sermon from the Word (Oh, God help us to fill our pulpits with the Word!) is enough. These are grave errors. Having help to understand what is written in the sacred Text is a blessing, but everyone of us needs to interact with the Word ourselves when possible.

Dr. Timothy Johnson in his book, Finding God In The Questions, relates how he was looking for Jesus Christ, even though he had been a Christian Believer for years. He went back to reading the Gospels carefully and found that the Jesus he discovered again in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John was a Man far removed from the pictures and concepts presented in books and sermons. He found a new wonder over the "surprising teachings" of Jesus.

Believer, get yourself into the Scripture! (That might be better phrased, 'get the Scripture into you.') Make reading of the Bible text itself a daily practice. Don't be discouraged if you don't find a sparkling gem of new understanding on the first day. Don't try to read too much. Don't go for the hard passages first. Instead, pray for the Spirit to be at work, and then sit down to read.

If you're new to the Word, start with Luke's story of Jesus' ministry.
Break away some mornings to read a Psalm, aloud, if possible.
Get a modern translation (or two) of the Scripture: one like the New International Version or the New Living Translation, so you don't have to try to overcome the language barriers.

When you read a passage that defies a ready understanding or application, allow for some ambiguity! After all the Bible is not a textbook, it is a revelation of the Almighty, Eternal God!

• There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
  Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another
  —showing us truth,
  exposing our rebellion,
  correcting our mistakes,
  training us to live God’s way.
  Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, The Message)

May you come under the Word effect, transformed by the wisdom and wonder of the Scriptures!
____________________

How firm a foundation, Ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith In His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not; I am with thee. O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, And cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, Omnipotent hand.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell Should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION © Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Compelling Faith

Real faith is not cheap, nor is it simple, nor is it easy! The Bible says, Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, ASV) Faith, according to Hebrews 11, is how we take possession of eternal life while we yet live in this present world. All around us we see death, physical and spiritual, but by faith we understand that there is more, a reason to transcend the sensual, greedy, lustful, materialistic way of life that the faithless lead. Does such a transforming faith come easily to us? No. Should it? I think not.

Dr. Timothy Johnson (ABC News Medical Editor and pastor) in his best-selling book, Finding God In The Questions, tells about the many skeptics who wonder if there is a God, why He does not make His existence more plain. Woody Allen jokes, "If only God would give me some clear sign, like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank account!" Somewhat irreverent, but which of us has not, at one time or another, wished for God to make Himself plainly known? Johnson suggests that were God to speak in a voice we could plainly discern, He would destroy the gift of our will, for we would be overwhelmed into passive submission. He longs for us to choose to seek Him, by faith, and to love Him without terror.

Johnson re-tells Kierkegaard's parable of a king who falls in love with a peasant girl. He wonders how to make his love known to her without ruining her ability to freely love him in return. He does not want to simply order her to love him though he could. If he gives her liberal gifts befitting his royal status, he can never know if she loves him or just his gifts. So, he decides to assume the guise of a peasant to woo her. This is the story of God! He loves us, leaving us many evidences of that love, but His great act of demonstrated love was in the Incarnation, when He became a man and lived among us.

We read the Bible's revelation, observe the evidence of Creation, sense the Spirit at work and 'seeing' that He exists, we choose to love Him by faith! Like any love relationship, loving God is complicated. We bring expectations that are unrealistic to our love for Him. We misunderstand Him. We try His love when our affections wander to lesser loves- YET, even if we are faithless, it does not destroy His love! The Scripture calls us to understand the greatness of knowing Him saying: This is a sure thing:
If we die with him, we’ll live with him; If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him; If we turn our backs on him, he’ll turn his back on us; If we give up on him, he does not give up— for there’s no way he can be false to himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13, The Message)

One of the mistaken ideas about faith is that it will eliminate the difficulties, answer all the questions. That is not true. The truth is that the deeper our faith, the more profound our questions will be! The more of God we see, the more we begin to know that there is so much more to understand. The greater our love for Him, the more He asks of us in return. That is why the Word reminds us that "it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NLT)

Go deeper, Believer. Press past the shallow faith that is focused on today's bread, on comfortable circumstances. By faith, ask the King to draw you into His embrace so that you will know Him, serve Him, love Him to eternity.

Faith, for what?

Recently I counseled with a Believer who is in a time of great uncertainties. Everything is changing, This person is trying to cope with issues of aging, growing children who resist the old family patterns, a marriage relationship that is being redefined, a sense of place in the world that is shifting, even new thoughts about God and how He works. As we talked, this troubled soul asked - "What can I do to make this all go away? Am I praying the right way? Am I doing something wrong?" As I saw the situation, this Believer is at a moment where there is the potential for great spiritual growth. Yes, in the same moment, there is also potential for tremendous destruction! I quietly told this Believer, "At no time in your life, other than perhaps when you were a teenager, have you had the opportunity to make such a huge difference in your future with a few decisions. You can choose to try to make the pain of change go away by drinking too much, leaving your family, seeking some pleasurable diversions OR you can face the changes with courage, take time in prayer and counsel to learn and do God's will, and become a mature saint with an unshakeable faith!"

The picture of a piece of pasture land comes to mind. A rolling field of grass, a pretty meadow, can only become a fruitful field of grain if the ground is turned by the hard edge of the plow. We cannot become people of abundance in spirit unless we are willing to let God plow up the meadows of our lives! Jeremiah called on the people of God in this way saying: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns." (Jeremiah 4:3, NLT)

I take issue with those prophets of prosperity that fill our TV screens and sell thousands of books telling the people that they need not ever suffer, that they can have more money, better health, and unending happiness if they just 'confess' that they are King's Kids! The spirit of the church of Laodicea (see Revelation 3) pervades the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches of America today. Faith becomes a formula to get rich, to grab power, to avoid anything that is unpleasant. The sales pitch of these false prophets never varies much from the self-focused message of triumphalism -- "You can make your dreams come true by confessing your victory, claiming your inheritance!" They claim that Believers can get what they want from God by saying faith-filled words. All too often what these so-called saints want from God are bigger houses, nicer cars, eternal youth, and more perks at work!

The real issue is not what I want from God - it is what God wants from me. He doesn't exist for me, I exist for Him. But the arrogance of our national success culture has crept into our churches, the 'can-do' attitude of American philosophy has twisted our theology so that we firmly believe God should bless us by endorsing our plans and providing for our personal habits of happiness. God cries out to us; "I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference." (Revelation 3:17-19, NLT)

What do you want most from the Lord today - an easy road or to be full of His Spirit and transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ?
Answer that honestly. Are you willing to let Him plow up the fields of your heart to prepare for planting the seeds of the Word for an abundant harvest to come?

He promises that we will not go through the times of transition alone. And, yes, there is victory for us. No, it isn't the temporal success story. It is the eternal success story that will be told 'round the table of Heaven. Take this promise with you today. Meditate on it and invite Him in.
Jesus says -“Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!" (Revelation 3:20-21, The Message)
_______________________________
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher ev'ry day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious holy Word.

Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

Deeper, deeper! Blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
'Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus
And His perfect will.

Deeper, deeper!
Tho' it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

Deeper, higher, ev'ry day in Jesus,
Till all conflicts past
finds me conqu'ror,
And in His own image perfected at last. - © Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Hupomone

I just get a kick out of saying that word -- hupomone (hoop·om·on·ay). Go ahead, say it again! Hupomone! I've taken leave of my senses, maybe writing in tongues (a new gift?) you think? Actually, I just got you to say a word of Greek from the New Testament. It's a compound word of a prefix meaning 'under' and a root meaning 'remain.' OK, here's the context... since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance (hupomone) the race that is set before us," (Hebrews 12:1, NKJV) The writer of Hebrews calls for us to take a look at the distance runner as an example of how to live as a Christian. Unlike a sprinter who explodes from the starting block, pouring everything he has into a 100 meter dash, we are called to set a pace that we can maintain, steadily and consistently, living for Jesus-- with patience, with endurance, with hupomone! The idea wrapped in the word is holding steady even under intense pressure!

All around us we can find examples of people who start something with gusto- only to collapse in the backstretch! Marriages begin with great romance and fireworks, but too often, fizzle under the strain of kids and bills. People head into new jobs with the intent of being the 'next best' only to become a place holder, a burnt out functionary, instead of an inspiring performer. Students go off to college intending to make the Dean's list and too easily get sidetracked into the three day weekend party life style.

And.... yes, people invite Jesus Christ to become Lord and begin their Believer's journey with enthusiasm (interesting word, by the way, that comes from a compound word meaning to be full of God). When Believers gather, they are there in church or Bible class. They are discovering God's will and purpose and cheerfully becoming conformed to Christ Jesus. When they pray, it is with childlike simplicity and earnest faith. Then, again too often, over time the joy evaporates under the heat of temptation and pressure and they turn into pew warmers, preacher critics, with a 'form of godliness that denies the real Power.' Their Christianity becomes more of a habit than a source of joyful life.

Hupomone is not about a BIG start, it's about a faithful finish! I admire 'finishers,' people who keep their word, who fulfill their calling, who maintain their Christian witness through joy and sorrow, Summer and Winter, sunshine and rain. One of my favorite pages in the newspaper is the one where they print the pictures of couples celebrating 50, 60, even 70 years of marriage. I used to think they were old people, but now they just look older. Reading their names, I inevitably think about the patience that they showed in living through separations of wartime, difficulties of sickness, joys of raising a family, building a life together. In the denomination that ordained me, 25 year ordination pins are headed out at the Annual conference. Often the contrast in numbers of newly minted preachers and seasoned 25 year veterans is startling, maybe a third or so. Somewhere along the way, many gave up, dropped out.

Are you a finisher?
Do you take time to think about commitments, praying for guidance - and only embracing those that you will see through to completion?

Jesus told a little teaching story about this. Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce? (Luke 14:28-32, The Message) The implied conclusion is - FINISH what you start! That means - hupomone!

Remember that it isn't "all guts, no glory." Finishers enjoy what mere starters never find:
the satisfaction of a job well done,
a life well lived,
a victor's crown!

Need a boost to stay in the race today? Here's the way, the follow up verse to the one where we started today--

• 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.
  (Hebrews 12:2, The Message)

HUPOMONE! Say through the day.

People will think you're nuts. If they ask, just tell'em you're speaking Greek. Have fun.
_______________________________