Can you 'see' it?

I met a special lady last night. 20 years ago, in the middle of a regular business day in NYC, she had a vision with her eyes wide open; it changed her life! Karen Olson was on her way to work when she saw a woman who was living on the street, I mean really saw her. She realized that buying that woman a sandwich was a great gesture, but did nothing to actually help her out of her poverty. Over the next year, Karen and her friends developed a new strategy to help homeless families that involved volunteers from congregations linking up to provide services of compassion, care, and hope. Family Promise, now a national organization, helps to organize the efforts of more than 4100 local congregations into Interfaith Hospitality Networks that serve thousands of families each year - giving them a safe place to get their financial lives back in order and to regain housing while keeping their family intact.

I admire people like Karen, who are willing to think out of the box, who can see past the obvious, and create new solutions. We so often are content to do what always been done, to take the 'tried and true' road, to parrot the party line, aren't we? There is so little risk in doing that. People and organizations fall into the ruts of the familiar, doing what's safe over engaging the ever changing challenges of the world with new responses. The result is always stagnation, ineffectiveness, and then slow death. Someone smarter than I has said, "The system you are a part of is perfectly designed to produce the results you are seeing." Think about that!

Want a better marriage? Then change is required.
Want a better church, school, neighborhood, nation?

VISION is the starting point! We have to 'see' the new, grab hold of the possibilities and create new strategies that allow different results. Believer, here's the best part of this for you and me. God, the Holy Spirit, lives in us. He will inspire us, breathing new vision into our hearts and minds IF we have the courage to accept it. That's the real challenge. Accepting a vision demands action. Action earns enemies. Visionaries are attacked, demeaned, and criticized those who do not understand the vision or who are threatened by change to the status quo.

So, what are you complaining about today? Where do you perceive real need, or see a challenge that is going unmet, or know of a mission unfulfilled?
Are you ready to become part of God's solution? Define the problem in conversation with God. Listen carefully to what you believe the Spirit is whispering to you. Gather trusted friends and advisors and share the vision that you think is emerging. And - then go make a change!

Read this story of a teenager who heard from God, who did what others did not think he could or should do. Let it inspire you today. Yes, it's a familiar story, but don't rush through it. OK?
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"Enter David. He was the son of Jesse the Ephrathite from Bethlehem ... While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul to tending his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech.

One day, Jesse told David his son, “Take this sack of cracked wheat and these ten loaves of bread and run them down to your brothers in the camp. And take these ten wedges of cheese to the captain of their division. Check in on your brothers to see whether they are getting along all right, and let me know how they’re doing —Saul and your brothers, and all the Israelites in their war with the Philistines in the Oak Valley.”

David was up at the crack of dawn and, having arranged for someone to tend his flock, took the food and was on his way just as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines moved into position, facing each other, battle-ready. David left his bundles of food in the care of a sentry, ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers.

While they were talking together, the Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, stepped out from the front lines of the Philistines, and gave his usual challenge. David heard him. The Israelites, to a man, fell back the moment they saw the giant—totally frightened. ... David, who was talking to the men standing around him, asked, “What’s in it for the man who kills that Philistine and gets rid of this ugly blot on Israel’s honor? Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of God-Alive?” ...

The things David was saying were picked up and reported to Saul. Saul sent for him. “Master,” said David, “don’t give up hope. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced—and he’s been at this fighting business since before you were born.” David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” Saul said, “Go. And God help you!”

Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. (the usual, the customary, the familiar!) He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, “I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this.” And he took it all off. Then David took his shepherd’s staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath. (God's plan, a new way!)

As the Philistine paced back and forth, his shield bearer in front of him, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere youngster, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed. The Philistine ridiculed David. “Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?” And he cursed him by his gods. “Come on,” said the Philistine. “I’ll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I’ll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice.”

David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn’t save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!” That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt. That’s how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David! Then David ran up to the Philistine and stood over him, pulled the giant’s sword from its sheath, and finished the job by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their great champion was dead, they scattered, running for their lives." (1 Samuel 17:12-51, The Message)
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So, what's God saying to you about that Goliath in your life?

New challenges, new strength

With a smile, I remarked to a friend - "When you solve one set of problems, a whole new set appears requiring attention." She laughed, a knowing chuckle, for she knew exactly what I was talking about. Is that your experience, too? Remember the angst of the teen years, the struggle with a sense of identity, the work at finding your place in this world. Then came college and calling. Along with getting established in the working world, most of were working at building a good marriage. Oh, yes, let's not forget the job changes, the financial decisions made along the way. For a few years, when in my mid-40's, I was certain that once our kids were on their own and I was approaching 50, life would settle down. I was wrong! The challenges are still there, just different. But, there is coming a day when all will change, really!

I found myself humming an old spiritual this morning. It says,
I got a crown up in'a that Kingdom, Ain'ta that'a good news?
I got a crown up in'a that Kingdom, Ain'ta that'a good news?
I'm gonna lay down this world- Gonna shoulder up my Cross -
Gonna take it home to my Jesus, Ain'ta that'a good news?

As he came to the end of his life, waiting execution at the hands of the Roman Emperor, Paul sent these words to his protégé, Timothy. They are not the words of a man broken by his life, despite the challenges he dealt with day after day for decades! They are the sounds of man who is about to realize his dream. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NLT) Ain'ta that good news? We really will find rest beyond the river!

Heaven is not a 'pie the sky, by and by' doctrine. It is our hope, that which keeps us faithful as those multiple challenges come our way. After teaching about the certainty of the Resurrection of Christ and therefore the certainty of our own eternal life, Paul concludes - "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV) We need to think about Heaven often, not in an escapist way, but in a hopeful way. We need to let the promise of a crown in that Kingdom cause us to press on when we are so tired that we just want to lay down and sleep for days.

The truth is, it won't be so long until we are home! Does that frighten you? It should not, IF you're living with Christ as Savior and Lord today. I realized just how quickly life moves along when I received an email from a person that was part of a church I pastored back in 1991. She had found my email address and wrote to express her appreciation for the teaching and counsel I provided for her during a time of difficult transitions. As I read her words, the years fell away and I was there, in that little church in New England again, just for a few moments. Her affirmation of God's work being done through me was a pleasant reminder that being faithful to wrestle with the challenges creates a reward. Then, in my reverie, I faced the other direction, and wondered what kind of email I might be reading in 2021! If the next 15 years pass as quickly as the previous ones did, it will happen in a flash. May I be faithful, drawn on by the promise of a 'crown up in'a that Kingdom!'

Here's wisdom to take with you today -
"So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom...
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:12, 17, NKJV)

Blessed assurance!

Don't you love the sense of confidence that comes from being 'well-connected' - that is resourced and protected by another person? For example, think of a little child who has a sense of security in her home, whose father is strong and present in her life. she will likely deal with the taunts on the playground much more easily than the child without the same resource. A person who is having a rough go in life at work, who has a supportive spouse that provides affirmation in the home, will have a much easier time navigating the rapids! A person starting up a new business with a partner who has deep pockets will sleep better.

Believer, have you realized that you have a rich, strong Father? Did you know that you have a Partner in Christ that is your best Friend? I believe that one of more debilitating experiences for the Christian is to lose his sense of God's Presence, to lose the assurance that he is under the care of a benevolent God who cares about the needs, the trials, the successes of his life.

Sometimes by our own willful disobedience we break the fellowship with the Father that provides us with security, don't we? Ephesians 4 warns us not to 'grieve the Holy Spirit.' The Word teaches - "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." (Psalm 66:18, NIV) We cannot dismiss the Spirit's appeal to us to change our ways and expect to enjoy the intimate fellowship of God's presence in our lives.

Then, there are those times when the pressures and problems that come our way are like the black clouds that block the bright rays of the sun. I sometimes fall into that place from which I just cannot reach God! A combination of fatigue and fear come over me and I begin to wonder, "does God really care about me?" He is patient with me in those moments. I've learned to turn to other Believers when my faith is weak, or my strength is gone. The prayers of the saints become the support that I lean on, letting them surround me. I don't mean any disrespect for the things of the Lord, but sometimes I need "Jesus with skin on!"

His loving care is shown to me by people who are filled with the Spirit. An actual touch, an expression of concern, goes a long, long way in reminding me that God is still there - though hidden for the moment in behind the clouds. This is, my good friend, one of the best arguments for building close relationship with other Believers within the context of the Church! A Christian who is attempting a solo journey to Heaven is foolishly abandoning one of his most important sources of encouragement. The Word urges us to "keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer." (Hebrews 10:24-25, CEV)

Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a while.
Let the powerful promise soak your soul with the peace of God.

"I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." (Deuteronomy 32:3-4, NIV)

"For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
"He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
he guarded them as his most precious possession.
Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young,
so he spread his wings to take them in and carried them aloft on his pinions." (Deuteronomy 32:9-11, NLT)
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Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Tho the night deepens and tempest are wild;
Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me and I am His child.

Under His wings, Under His wings
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, What a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort and there I am blest.

Under His wings, O what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide 'til life's trials are o'er!
Sheltered, protected!
No evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus; I'm safe evermore.

© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

It's not the numbers

Today is 6-6-06 and, for some, it is a feared day when evil lurks! Revelation 13 makes a reference to the 'the number of the beast, the number of a man, 666.' In the popular scenarios of the "End Times," that passage and the number refers symbolically to an evil world ruler, the Anti-Christ, who is a figure of awesome evil powers, under who power and influence millions suffer and die during the Great Tribulation at the end of the age. Historic Christianity interpreted John's symbolism as a reference to Nero Caesar, the persecutor of the Church, a terrible and cruel figure. Thus, under both interpretative systems the number is a potent emblem of evil.

Nearly every American, whether Christian or not, whether Bible believing or not, knows about 666 and the suggestions of evil and malevolence associated with it. The number is thought to be 'unlucky.' It is adopted by Satanists in their rituals. It shows up in the tattoos on the arms of rebellious teenagers attempting to shock their elders by declaring how 'bad' they are. People are continually reacting with fear to 666 when it shows up on credit cards, in addresses, and in other computer generated sequences of numbers.

Believer, we don't need to fear numbers! Superstition creates needless fear and causes us to work at eradicating evil all the wrong places. There is an Evil One, the Devil, about whom Jesus warns us. His work to resist and destroy God's work is real and demands our best efforts, as we empowered by the Holy Spirit, to establish the Kingdom of God as Jesus commissioned us to do. The father of evil delights in our readiness to caricature him with silly superstitions about numbers! When we worry about things like 666 showing up on a ticket, or in a credit card number, we do not see his real acts of evil. He is at work in this world today. That isn't superstition!

When I see the stories about young children who lives are terribly effected when they are molested by selfish men in the grip of lust fed by child pornography, I see the handiwork of the Devil!

When I see millions of refugees living in terrible fear of brutal rapes and murders in the Darfur region of the Sudan; that is Satan is at work.

When I see greedy drug dealers willing to traffic in substances that will addict and ruin lives, I see the Devil's presence.

When I see Christians in the grip of vehement hatred for people of another race or religion or sexual orientation, I see a diabolic deception from the master of lies!

Wherever I see a person giving all of his strength to acquiring wealth, or to chasing after sensual pleasure as the meaning of life, I see the shadowy leer of the Devil as he exults over another deceived soul.

Let's grow up in our understanding of evil. No more childish and reactive superstitions. Instead, let's take evil seriously and take up the Scripture's charge to us:

"Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." (1 Peter 5:8-10, NLT)
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A mighty Fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our Ancient Foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;Lord Sabaoth, (Sabaoth - "the Lord of the Heavenly Armies") His name,
From age to age the same,
and He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed, His will to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure, For, lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours, through Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also.
The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever.
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Title: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Author: Luther, Martin
Copyright: Public Domain

No contradiction

I'm trying to work out a riddle in my Christian life! How much, and in what ways, should I be involved with the world around me? I read two concepts in the Scripture that seem, at first glance anyway, to be contradictory. In the separatist ideal of the Jewish people, the covenant people who had many laws designed to make them a distinct and holy people of God in their world, Paul urges Christ-followers to holiness, reminding us that "God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you." (2 Corinthians 6:16-17, NLT) That passage was a kind of mantra in the church of my childhood. It was used to justify not having anything to do with politics, or culture, or even pop culture.

I grew up without a TV in our house because it was considered a source of 'worldly' contagion. With the benefit of reflection, that was a good idea as I learned to love books inside of rotting my brain on sit-coms! But was living without a TV really an expression of true holiness? I sneaked into my room to listen to the Beatles on my transistor radio, because listening to non-Christian music was a 'sin.' Wanting to grow my hair a inch over my ears and down on my collar was just opening the door of my life to the devil, or so I concluded. In my early adulthood, American Believers decided to abandon their separation from the politics of the nation and almost overnight, evangelical Christians turned into the Falwellian "Moral Majority." I think most of us would agree that flexing our muscle in Washington has not been the best thing for the Church of Jesus Christ, now that we are better know for our opposition to homosexual rights and abortion than we are for being a source of compassion and care given in the name of the Savior.

In the Gospels, I see Jesus mocked for His involvement with 'undesirables.' He gathered the 'sinners' of his world around Him and ate with them, talked with them, and brought God's loving grace to them. His parting words to those of us who follow Him are - “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all." (Mark 16:15, The Message) He calls us 'salt and light' and in that passage tells us that we must not hide ourselves from the WORLD, but that we should shine brightly in it. In the spirit of those commands, Christians have rolled up their sleeves and gone into the saddest, sorriest hell-holes in the world over the centuries and brought transformation. Human rights, and the ideals of individual dignity and worth, have been championed by Christians precisely because they believe that Jesus has commissioned them to care for the weakest, to take up the case of those who are being exploited by both the world systems and the Devil!

So the riddle, for me anyway, is - how do I function as the salt of the earth, flavoring and preserving my world, without losing the distinctive of being a holy person belonging exclusively to God?
The answer isn't an easy one. I am fairly certain the answer can't be a law for all people either, for we all have different callings, spiritual giftings, and weaknesses that will effect how and where we serve God.

I have worked out the extremes and rejected those as options! I not going to lock myself in a monastery, isolated from my world completely. That might be safe for me, but by doing it I am abandoning much of the world and letting it go to Hell while I rejoice in my own security. At the other extreme, I will not throw away God's call to a distinctively different life, one that seeks His purity, His love, in every expression of life. That leaves me with a wide middle - where I'm still working out the demands that seem to contradict.

"God guide me.
God keep me, in your Spirit,
in the ways that honor you,
yet allow me to reach out
with your love
to those who are living in the darkness.
For Jesus' sake. Amen."

Have you heard from the Lord?

In our time there are more words with less content than in any previous era! We are flooded with communications. Is your mailbox anything like mine bringing you glossy flyers advertising everything from political candidates to extermination companies; dozens of bulging envelopes offering yet another credit card; magazines with advice on everything? Add to all that print the fact that we have 250 channels more or less on the TV, access to hundreds of radio stations, and the amazing Internet providing us with some very good and very bad information! Who do we trust, what should we read? Is the information accurate or biased?

This surfeit of information has invaded Christianity as well! Messages pour out over pulpits, in emails like this one, from TV shows, in magazines and a person has to wonder - how much of it is inspired by the Spirit? The impact we are having in our world does not, to me at least, seem to be in proportion to all the noise we're making. Could it be that the word of God is not being heard, that many who speak in His Name really have not heard from Him, at all?

Jeremiah warned of prophets whose words were without inspiration. “These preachers are liars, and they use my name to cover their lies. I never sent them, I never commanded them, and I don’t talk with them. The sermons they’ve been handing out are sheer illusion, tissues of lies, whistlings in the dark." (Jeremiah 14:14, The Message)

Peter is even stronger in his condemnation of those who speak for God without listening to Him - "These people are as useless as dried-up springs of water or as clouds blown away by the wind—promising much and delivering nothing. They are doomed to blackest darkness. They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With lustful desire as their bait, they lure back into sin those who have just escaped from such wicked living. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. (2 Peter 2:17-19, NLT)

But, when a person hears from God: truly hears the Word and knows the voice of the Spirit, that person hears words of life. That man or woman gains wisdom that leads to life that is genuine, rich, abundant, and eternal! Have you learned to listen? Do you quiet your soul, still your mind, and close your mouth long enough each day to let God speak to you? He is speaking, friend. His voice has not been stilled, but it is often ignored.

Today, let me urge you to borrow the prayer of young Samuel and make it yours. When he was just a young boy he prayed, "Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10, NIV) Listen well, God is speaking,
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This Sunday at the Assembly I will be talking about how to listen well to the word of God. Remember, we begin our Summer schedule- Sunday School in recess; Worship beginning at 10 AM. See www.WashingtonAG.com

Too tired even to think?

When I picked up my Bible this morning and tried to read, my mind was closed. I saw the words on the page, but they just bounced off my brain. No, it is not a crisis of faith, nor is it intellectual deterioration, though some might want to argue that point. (smile) I'm just tired! It's been a season of high demand, of extended ministry, of family needs. So, for weeks now, I have not been able to hit the 'off' button for any real breaks. When I see a long stretch of work in front of me, my natural response is to press the accelerator, to try to go faster to get it all done more quickly. But, that's not the best way, as I've learned over time. God's wisdom asks us to endure, to patiently pace ourselves, and to wait on Him as we pray for His will to unfold.

Since my mind resisted study of the Word this morning, I turned to a familiar passage, one I know well and that is filled with promise and hope. Here it is:

"God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. " (Isaiah 40:28-31, The Message)

In moments of fatigue, we can easily alienate ourselves from the people who could best support us and help us meet the needs that are making such demands of us. Temptation comes to us when our strength is depleted offering us apparent relief from the pressures. When we're really exhausted, we might even begin to think that God has left us. But the Word assures us that everybody has times when the demands of life are high, when the pressure is on.

So what does God ask of us in those moments? Go faster, work harder? No! He says, that "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." (Isaiah 40:31, NIV) That phrase is translated in various ways in different Bible versions. In place of 'hope,' some translation say 'wait.' Others say 'trust.' The Hebrew of the original text connotes being expectant, to anticipate; hence to wait hopefully! Since that is God's counsel, we would be wise to let it speak to us, wouldn't we?

I'll make time this day to 'wait' for Him, to quiet my heart and mind, to listen carefully to Him - yes, even to worship. And, I know from experience that the next part of that passage is true. There will be 'fresh strength!' Yes, as the Spirit blows over me, I'll be lifted like an eagle is lifted on the air currents under his wings.

Are you tired, too, my friend? Has life demanded much of you recently, drawing down your resources?
Be aware of the Tempter's efforts to seduce you from the very Presence of the One who can renew your strength.
Make time to wait and worship. Re-arrange your priorities to include the important, not merely to address the urgent.

Psalm 46:1-7 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Don't be deceived!

"The church has nothing to offer me."
"My needs are not addressed by the church so I'll form my own fellowship."
"I don't need the church to serve Christ."
"He's my personal Savior."

Statements like those are evidence of a misplaced focus that has deceived Americans almost completely. We are individualists, who seek personalized service, and who want the freedom to 'do our own thing,' but our radical commitment to Self is destroying our community structures - government, neighborhood, and Church. Individualism is not a bad thing when it comes to buying a car that reflects our personality or ordering a sandwich to satisfy our tastes; but it is terribly destructive when we buy into the assumption that "the world owes me happiness." That attitude is especially destructive to the Christian church. The Word requires that as Christians we set aside our own needs, that we dethrone Self, and that we become servants of all, readily accepting a place in the Body that is assigned to us by the Spirit. But that is not a popular instruction among Believers in this culture!

Many Believers are quite willing to move from church to church for no better reason than - "My needs were not being taken care of in that fellowship." Pastors feel tremendous pressure to provide individualized care, specialized ministry, and a comfortable environment in order to keep people in the building. This Pastor knows too well the pain of that comes when a family picks up and moves down the road, not for valid reasons such as genuine doctrinal differences or the call of God to another place of service, but because 'their youth program has a better leader,' or ' the music fits my preferences,' or 'the sermons are shorter.'

Brian McLaren, in a recent lecture delivered at Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem, PA, observed that he believes that many Christians have bought into a 'gospel of self-enhancement.' They have turned the Bible's declaration that "God loves the world," into "God loves ME!" While it is true that God loves each of us individually, He did not send Jesus into the world to give us the ability to become self-actualized - more healthy, more wealthy, and more happy than our neighbors - despite much preaching that would imply that to be true. Christ came to restore us, individually, to the image of God; calls us into the Church, and from a place in the Church, requires that we find ways to link to other Believers to lovingly serve the wide world around us. This is the message of Rick Warren's bestseller - The Purpose Driven Life. The whisper of the Spirit, deep within us, is insistent that we exist for some reason greater than piling up lots of stuff to play with or carving out a place of comfort where we can live out our days in self-indulgence. We were created for mission - to know and serve God- called into the Body, the Church. Jesus says that if we embrace self-sacrifice, only then do we truly find life! His word challenge us - “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross 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. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)

The deception of self-service is subtle. Outright selfishness is usually awfully obvious, even to ourselves. I quickly realize when I'm being a selfish baby demanding that others 'serve me, coddle me, comfort me.' But I don't always see how I'm manipulating others so that they will meet my ego needs. Criticism of another person that is rooted in my own discomfort is easily masked behind spiritual language. Resistance to leadership which is really just about my desire to be first, is often wrapped in a supposed concern for the greater good of the organization. Jesus draws the line starkly. "No one," He says, "can serve two masters!" We can't love Self and Christ equally.

Meditate on this passage for a time today. As you do, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the joy that you can find in humble service to God, expressed in serving others.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.

He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges.

Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. - Philippians 2:5-11 (The Message)

A Great Life?

So, how would you define a great life?
Being wealthy enough to buy all the 'toys' your heart desires?
Being healthy 'til the day you die?
Being famous, applauded by people?
Being able to go fishing at least two days a week and catching your legal limit every time? Hitting 715 homeruns in your baseball career? Two kids, a wife, and a house with a white picket fence? The list could go on!

Jim Collins, in a book entitled Good to Great (Harper Collins, 2001), written about American companies and why some of them grow, writes this-
"It is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life; and it very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Only then can you have the tranquility that comes from knowing you've had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain the deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on earth has been well spent, and that it mattered."

I don't know what Mr. Collins' spiritual background is, but that paragraph points to a great life! A great life is not attained by accumulating power, money, or other symbols of 'success.' Nor is a great life reached by self-indulgence, creating a life that is packed with pleasure and 'fun'- though for many, perhaps most, Americans that is the apparent goal of life. A great life is one that is focused on creating excellence, making a genuine difference in the world, for the 7 or 8 decades in which we are privileged to breath the air of this planet.

Achieving that mark demands one more step - receiving Jesus Christ as Lord - and then; finding and living in the purpose for which He created you.

The Bible says, "God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." (Romans 12:6-8, NLT) Some of you just read that as 'church speak' disconnected from your 'real' life in the world. That is wrong, and I want to urge you to go back and re-read it as a way to live in every part of your life. Go back - read it again!

God has put certain gifts at your disposal, spiritual endowments that you uniquely can use, and He expects that you will use those gifts to make a difference - not just in your church a couple of hours each week - but everywhere, all the time. Greatness, in God's eyes, is not reserved for a few privileged people. It is available to every man and woman who submits his or her life to Christ. "Anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:19, NLT) Great people see each day as a sacred trust, and find ways to add value wherever they are!

Perhaps you're on the 'Mommy track' right now and think that your life is one of obscure servitude, as you wipe noses, deliver kids to school and Little League practice, and pick up after your thoughtless husband. You can do those things with gritted teeth, resenting each day, or you can add value - becoming a great Mom and a discovering opportunities to build character in the lives you influence in hundreds of ways each day.

Maybe you're stuck in a job that seems pointless, where you have little freedom to be creative. You can find meaning as you invest yourself in the people around you. You're thinking - "Come on, Jerry, get real! They hate this place as much as I do." - aren't you? If the Word is true, you are different from the inside out, so add value to your workplace by taking Christ with you to that office. Don't let the darkness envelop you; break it up by being light. No matter how vast the darkness, it cannot overcome the smallest light. Darkness is a void which is always filled with Light!

Do you attend a church marked by mediocrity, full of people who like low accountability and who do what they do without any passion for God; a church full of people who criticize and resist excellence? There's a place to become great! I mean it. Instead of joining in with those who suck life out of the air, become a person who asks God, the Spirit, to radiate His life and joy from you. Determine to become the best (you'll be attacked) at what you do for God there. Determine to hit the mark of excellence, even though it earns you scorn or even outright rejection. You will inspire a few, and gradually the few will become a majority with God's help, turning a 'hopeless' situation into a thing of God's glory.

Choose greatness. Pursue it with all of your heart, mind, and strength.

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward.
Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven."
(Hebrews 12:2, NLT)

Memory - Precious, short, and subject to revision.

I close my eyes and . . . without leaving my chair, I can visit the beaches of Nags Head, NC where our family had some great vacations! The sounds - waves rolling onto the beach, sea gulls calling as they soar overhead, children laughing; the smells, the faces are stored in my memory. It can be fun to relive some of them, horrifying to remember others. We all know that the good things get better and the bad things get worse as they age in our memories! That's one reason we write the best and/or important memories down, preserving them for posterity.

The Bible tells us about some people who remembered... and found encouragement in celebrating the goodness of the Lord and those who served Him. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name. " (Malachi 3:16, NKJV) Jesus commanded that His followers to remember. We call it Communion, or the Lord's Supper. Every time we reverently move through the rite- it becomes an occasion to refresh the wonder of our salvation and His sacrifice - "The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, The Message)

Today is Memorial Day. It began after the Civil War that torn these United States apart. People were urged to go and decorate the graves of those whose lives were taken by that terrible, blood-soaked conflict. Decoration Day became a time to remember those who died in all of our nation's wars, and today is called Memorial Day. For many of us, it is kind of an unofficial first day of Summer, with picnics and cook-outs, pool parties, and perhaps a parade.

Today - as you enjoy a day off - remember those who lives were cut short by a bullet or a bomb. Give thanks to God for this wonderful nation and the freedoms we enjoy from tyranny because of those who were willing to defend our liberties. Ask Him for wisdom to use the freedoms and opportunities in a way that is honorable, that makes their sacrifice noble.

And, as you remember, pray for the coming of the Prince of Peace and for the Kingdom of Peace which the Bible describes.
"Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the Temple of the God of Israel.
There he will teach us his ways, so that we may obey him.”
For in those days the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will settle international disputes.
All the nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
All wars will stop, and military training will come to an end. Come, people of Israel, let us walk in the light of the Lord!" (Isaiah 2:3-5, NLT)

Live well!

I awakened this morning thinking of death. Very cheery, isn't it? Just before going to bed I received a call that an acquaintance had died on Wednesday afternoon in a freaky accident. His death was tragic enough, but the years that preceded it were also tragic, marked by failure, at least to all external appearances. The man, who was about my age, lived with a lot of disappointment in his last decade of life. He left behind relationships without resolution, and a record that would be, at best, marked- incomplete. I don't want to imply that he was a bad man. He was an unfinished work, a man who appeared to fail to meet his potential in so many ways. The news that he was now in God's hands sobered me, made me think about the way I'm living today.

When I step into the Presence of my Lord - be it today, tomorrow, or 35 years from now - there are two things that I desire.

First and most important, I desire that Jesus, my Lord, will find my life complete and welcome me home with this greeting, "Well done, Jerry, enter the joy of my Presence."

Second, I desire that I leave behind a legacy of finished business - all relationships up to date and obligations met.

Achieving those goals requires that I live TODAY with purpose, not deferring the hard choices, the tough stuff, to another day! It demands selflessness, focus, and determination. The Bible talks about a life lived well this way - "You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. " (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, The Message)

Believer, are you giving yourself to living well? Please do not answer that by saying, "I'm not doing anything that is terribly wrong." That's not enough!

Are you doing what is right, what is good, what is Christ-honoring?
Are you giving life your best efforts or just floating along on the currents of the stream?

Take a few moments to add it all up. Ask yourself, while inviting the Spirit of God to bring clarity to your thoughts, "if I were to die today, would there be a lot of dangling threads, disappointed people, words unspoken, obligations unmet?" Perhaps that strikes you as morbid. That's not my intention, but I know that mortality is 100%! The Bible is stark - "man is destined to die and then to face judgment."

Live well! How? "Love God totally... love others selflessly!" That's the whole thing in a phrase.
_______________________

Here's a thought to ponder today -

"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has enjoyed the trust of pure women,
the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of Earth`s beauty or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."- Anonymous

Quick fixes, easy solutions

I'm not much on Christian television. I find most of the religious TV programs worse than offensive. The very things that makes TV work - being bland, inoffensive, appealing to the widest audience, promising immediate gratification - are things that are incompatible with Biblical Christianity. The message of Jesus is one that challenges us, pierces us to the heart, and demands real change for our whole lifetime. Becoming a mature, effective, Spirit-filled Christian isn't accomplished in 3 easy steps, outlined by a preacher who proclaims, through the tears in her mascara, how God raised her up from the trailer park to a mansion. Following Christ is a life-long commitment, worked out in close community, through good and bad months; in moments of tremendous joy and heart-crushing sorrow; on the mountain top and deep in the dark valley.

But we Americans aren't much for process, are we? Phil Cooke, in an article in the June, 2006 issue of Charisma, writes: "We've created a generation of Christians who look for a magic bullet. That's why people travel thousands of miles, from conference to conference, just to 'get a word,' find 'fresh oil,' get 'the glory,' or 'catch the blessing.' ... After WW2, we experienced a time of real miracles in this country. We had amazing prefab houses, miracle drugs, fast food, and space-age appliances - instant satisfaction was everywhere. It changed everything. ... 50 years later we are still addicted to the feeling." We like quick fixes. Want to become a happy Believer? Tune into your favorite TV evangelist and order his 'gimmick,' - miracle seeds, prayer clothes, holy oil, vials of water from Jerusalem - and instantly life will be easier and better. No discipline is involved, just a credit card to place the order. How can we be so gullible?

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; ... those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth. " (Psalm 37:7, 9 NKJV) That work, "patiently," in the Hebrew text of the Psalms is a word that has the connotation of writhing in pain, like a woman in childbirth! What an appropriate image for the Believer's experience. New life is being birthed in us by the Spirit's work. As the new man emerges, there will be times when we simply have to go through the pain. We won't be able to sidestep it, to go over it, or avoid it. It's just part of the process. Are you irritated by that statement? Do you think that I've become some masochistic kind of person who seeks pain for it's own sake? Think again. I hate pain and tears and conflict. I'd like nothing better than to live in perpetual happiness. But, the call of Christ on my life is to faithfulness, not happiness!

Of course there is joy, and truthfully, there is a lot of joy in my life. But, the times of growth, when my character is being shaped to be Christ-like, often involve sorrow and/or pain. It will be true for you, too, Believer friend. That is why the Scripture says,

"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.

When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!

So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training," (Hebrews 12:2-7, The Message)

There's a goal - to be like Jesus!
There's a home - in the Eternal Presence of God.
There's a reward - the commendation of the Lord of Life!

Keep those things in mind, all the time. Then engage with the struggle, dig in. Commit yourself to making a real Kingdom difference, not just to carving out a spot of greater ease or comfort for yourself. It will be worth it all - when we see Jesus!
_________________________

Jesus, what can I give,
What can I bring to so faithful a friend,
To so loving a King? Savior, what can be said,
What can be sung as a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?

Oh, my words could not tell, Not even in part,
Of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.

I will offer up my life in spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You.
In surrender I must give my ev'ry part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.

You deserve my every breath for You've paid the great cost.
Giving up Your life to death, Even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away, There defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of heaven, And have beckoned me in.

© 1994 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055

Patiently - getting it right

I'm an American Idol fan. The TV program is created around a great premise. Find people in America with vocal talent; bring them together to compete, and turn the winner into an instant celebrity with name recognition all over the United States. Just about everybody knows about McPhee and Hicks today. Who's going to be this season's winner? I say Taylor Hicks, but we'll know tonight. Randy Jackson, one of the judges of the competition, sometimes tells one of the performers, "It was a rough start, dog, but you worked it out!" What does he mean? The performer kept going when the song was falling apart, when the pitch was off, when he missed a few words. And, as he kept singing, he fixed the mistakes, adjusted pitch, got better - until he found his way to a big finish and wild applause.

I find that there are a lot of days in my life when I have to just keep going, praying that the Lord will help me to get things worked out, how about you? There are mornings when I wake up feeling like staying in bed. I stumble over my sinful nature getting angry, letting myself go negative, wandering into greed or doubt or self-pity or laziness. I go to work and waste the first half of the day in meaningless stuff. I start the week on a bad note and wake up on Thursday, still singing off-key. Or, somebody decides to try to make my life miserable and no matter what I say or do, they just won't quit. Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes I think to myself, 'wouldn't it be wonderful if there were no battles, internal or external?' But that's not life in the real world. From the first gasp to the last wheeze, if we want to live the way God plans, we will be working it out - patiently dealing with the sins, the obstacles, the disappointments, the temptations, the tests, the people who provoke... with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible encourages us with these words from Jesus Christ- “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can shut. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. ... Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. Look, I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown." (Revelation 3:8-11, NLT)

Few things in life that have significant value are accomplished without sustained effort, patience for the long haul. There is nowhere that is more true than in our Christianity. If we want to please God, we have to be willing to work it out! "Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:36, NLT) Take a tip from Randy Jackson and just keep singing 'til you get it worked out. Keep asking God to help you win over that habit that you know grieves Him. Keep loving that teenager, that spouse, that neighbor - who makes your life so difficult. Keep serving others with the gifts that God has given you, even when it seems that nothing is being accomplished.

Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it for a few moments right now. Invite the Holy Spirit to use it to strengthen your resolve to remain faithful to Christ while you 'work it out!'

"... be careful to put into action God’s saving work in your lives, (work out your salvation - NIV) obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them. Hold tightly to the word of life, so that when Christ returns, I will be proud that I did not lose the race and that my work was not useless." (Philippians 2:12-16, NLT)

Plans to go to Heaven?

Most people who believe in an afterlife plan to live in Heaven! I've met a few fools who say, "I want to be in Hell. It's where all my friends are!" Further discussion reveals their ignorance of the true nature of an eternity without God. There won't be any wild parties in Hell, nothing of fun, joy, or pleasure. Jesus describes Hell as an awful place of torment. I think that there is ample reason to believe in a place apart from God where the greatest pain is not a physical one, nor one of burning torture; but rather as longing for fulfillment with absolutely no satisfaction. Hell will be, I believe, the ultimate realization of a life lived for selfish purposes, a life without love or worship.

One poll reports that when Americans were asked about eternity, 55% said they were certain they would go to Heaven. An additional 35% hoped that they would go there. Only 4% said they would be going to Hell and 6% said they didn't believe in Heaven or Hell. It's not my business to make the determination about who will spend eternity in God's Presence! I am sure thankful for that. But, I am concerned that many who think they are going there are mistaken because they have not prepared properly.

They might take the this news note online as a little parable.
It made me laugh and it made me think about being prepared!

O'Brien Middle School in Reno, Nevada, lined up four buses to take its top students to Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California. It's a four-hour bus ride from the school. The students arrived at the park on Monday only to find out the park was closed. A school district spokesman says, "It was pretty much a fiasco." School officials are refunding the kids' money, and the tour bus company says it will pick up the tab for the next trip. The principal says somebody should have checked. - RENO, Nev. (AP)

I wonder after a long life journey how many will find the way to Heaven closed because they never prepared, never paid attention to the Holy Spirit's call? Tragically most Americans who claim to be Christians are woefully ignorant about what the Bible has to say about spending all of eternity with the Lord. They are living with false hope, unprepared for the most important transition of their entire lives!

When asked why they think they are going to Heaven, about 60% of us say, "Because I'm basically a good person." The truth is that basically we are rebels, self-willed, who readily set aside God's plans and purposes to do what we want to do. That doesn't mean we're all mass murderers, or wildly promiscuous, or big-time bad guys. We're just ordinary sinners, people who are in the grip of fallen human natures, that love self more than God; who gossip, fight, grab stuff for ourselves, and live to satisfy our appetites. The declaration of the Word is, "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory."

Another 10-15% of Americans think that they are going to Heaven because they are religious. They point to church attendance, or a good faith effort to keep the 10 Commandments, etc. as the reason that they will be in Heaven. Once again they are ignorant about what the Bible has to say. If religion is our hope, we embrace God's standard - which is - absolute purity. Who among us can lay claim to perfection except those deep into self-deception? No amount of goodness can offset the sin that lurks in our hearts.

Here's the Good News. We can know that we're going to Heaven! We don't have to wait for the Final Judgment, for some imaginary set of scales that weighs our 'good' and 'bad' deeds. We can anticipate an eternal home with God with certainty. God has made an agreement (the Bible calls it a covenant) that is based in His mercy, His gracious gift, not on our human efforts.

It is explained in Ephesians 2 where we read:
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. . . . It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.
Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.

He did all this on his own, with no help from us! . . . Saving is all his idea, and all his work.
All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves.
God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing. Ephesians 2:1-10 (The Message)

The best part of all this isn't some big house on a golden boulevard (as so many caricature Heaven because they misunderstand Biblical metaphors!) It is being in the Presence of God, able to know and love Him without hindrance, without the limitations that our present existence imposes on us. I am already enjoying Heaven! No, I haven't died yet, but Heaven is implanted in my heart and mind. I commune with God, enjoying the fullness of life that the Spirit brings to me. In that I have a foretaste of heaven and I'm drawn to live a life that pleases God, so that when my eyes close in death, there will be no surprises, for my Savior will say, "Hi, friend. Welcome home, forever!"
________________________
O, heaven is in my heart,
O, heaven is in my heart.
The kingdom of our God is here,
Heaven is in my heart.

The presence of His majesty,
Heaven is in my heart.
And in His presence joy abounds,
Heaven is in my heart.

The light of holiness surrounds,
Heaven is in my heart.
His precious life on me He spent,
Heaven is in my heart.
To give me life without an end,
Heaven is in my heart.
In Christ is all my confidence,
Heaven is in my heart.

The hope of my inheritance,
Heaven is in my heart.
We are a temple for His throne,
Heaven is in my heart.
And Christ is the foundation stone,
Heaven is in my heart.
He will return to take us home,
Heaven is in my heart.

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come!"
Heaven is in my heart.

© 1991 Make Way Music
(Admin. by Music Services) Graham Kendrick CCLI License No. 810055
_____________________________________

Authority- God's gift

In my rear-view mirror, I saw the red lights begin to rotate on the patrol car. Easing to the side of the road, I realized he was not going around me, but stopping behind me! The young patrolman informed me that I had squeezed the yellow light at the intersection a little too closely and that, as he saw it, I had broken the law by running a red light. I was very glad that after a word of warning, he sent me on my way. I don't like getting an expensive traffic ticket! However, I've seen public roads in developing nations that don't have traffic law enforcement and the chaos is dangerous. So, I am thankful for the men and women who enforce the law and help to keep me safe. I don't choose to submit to the police because I like or even respect the individual officer. Some cops are even corrupt, some judges are crooked; but I recognize the importance of the system for order, so I submit to the rule of law.

Do you know that submission to those who are in authority is a spiritual issue?
The Bible teaches us that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience."
(Romans 13:1-5, NIV)

Authority principles run through all of society - the family, the government, and even the church.
A family where the children do not recognize the authority of parents will be a family in chaos.
A citizenry that does not respect the governing authorities will become a terrible place, a dangerous place.
A church where those with spiritual authority are not allowed to lead will be a joyless, conflict filled place, too. It isn't always the 'followers' that are at fault! Sometimes those entrusted with authority fail to lead! Why? Because providing leadership is a hard thing to do.
Ask any parent of teenagers how much fun it is to enforce necessary rules. It is hard to have our kids dislike us, resist us. They even think we're being tyrants. So some parents abdicate their God-given authority! Those who provide leadership in a nation have to deal with resistance, too! I can't think that reading opinion polls that show declining support is all that enjoyable for our elected officials. Pastors who are called to lead local churches know both the joy of cooperative congregations and the pain of those who refuse their leadership. The most tragic thing for those who rebel and resist leadership is not how the effect on the leader, but the effect on the church! When people pray for their spiritual leaders and follow them willingly, unity grows; relationships deepen, and amazing things happen in the Kingdom of God.

Authority (and many despise that word) is necessary. Authority comes from God and is not just an unpleasant necessity. Good authority is a gift from God. That is why we need to encourage those who lead us, pray for them, and help them to govern well. Consider the example of Israel following the exodus from Egypt. When they obeyed God and willingly submitted themselves to Moses' leadership, they prospered and were at peace. When they grumbled, griped, and rebelled - they found themselves under the judgment of God, divided, and eventually dying. The Word makes this observation - "We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live?" (Hebrews 12:9, The Message)

Here's a word from the Word to think on today - "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrews 13:17, NIV)

A real wise guy or really wise?

It isn't a compliment to be labeled a 'wise guy.' It means to be arrogant, flippant, and a bit too sure of one's self. 'Wise guys' aren't wise at all. Truthfully, they are usually very much like the adolescent boys in 6th or 7th grade who think they know so much about life, yet who know so little. Their ignorance is apparent to all except their peers. The boasts, bravado, and banter cover up deep insecurities and uncertainties about their identities in this world. It makes me laugh to remember what a little wise guy I was at age 13! God delayed my growth, so I was the little guy in my group. Lacking physical strength, I compensated by developing verbal skills that I used as my 'armor.' I thought I was so witty, so clever... really, I was just obnoxious, a real 'wise guy.'

Hopefully the experience of the passing years has caused me to become less a 'wise guy' and a man possessing true wisdom. Wisdom is a beautiful thing, a grace that creates confidence, that blesses both the one who possesses it and those with whom she walks in life. How I love spending time with a person who is wise, whose words impart life and health. When I am with someone in whom I perceive wisdom, I love to listen and learn.

The Bible lauds wisdom saying:
"Learn to be wise, and develop good judgment. Don’t forget or turn away from my words. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment.

If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” (Proverbs 4:5-9, NLT)

How do we get wisdom?

First, we submit ourselves to the Wisdom of the Ages! There is a worldly wisdom, a knowledge of the ways of the systems that we work with each day, that may help us 'get ahead' of the pack, gain wealth, hold onto position, and exert our influence. But all that cleverness is built on a foundation of sand and will collapse. "Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense?... to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one." (1 Corinthians 1:20, 24, The Message) The true wisdom of God is not temporary, nor is it set aside by the changing times.

Second, we ask for the Spirit to give us wisdom! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking." (James 1:5, NLT) If you pray for wisdom, prepare for class! That's right. God seldom just opens up our head and pours in His wisdom. Instead, He sends us to school. With trials and tests, He shows us our limits and teaches us to rely on Him. Job entered God's Wisdom University. He professed -"when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent. “For I have stayed in God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart." (Job 23:10-12, NLT)

Third, we learn from the Word! "Your commands give me an edge on my enemies; they never become obsolete. I’ve even become smarter than my teachers since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel." (Psalm 119:98-99, The Message) As we learn the Scripture, we are privileged to attend classes taught by Moses, David, Isaiah, Jesus, Luke, and Paul. What professors they are. The wisdom they give to us is not simply their own; they speak the inspired Truth of God.

Wisdom gives us the ability to discern. We have insight and can separate truth from error, mere image from reality. We know what is true food for our soul and what is just mental junk food.

Want to live well? Then, learn to live wisely! Let God take you from being a 'wise guy' to real wisdom. It will make your life a thing of beauty!

"If you want to live well, make sure you understand all of this. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll learn this inside and out. God’s paths get you where you want to go. Right-living people walk them easily; wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling. " (Hosea 14:9-12, The Message)

Spirit-led does not preclude using your head

Many years ago, one Summer afternoon, I picked up a copy of Time magazine and read an article about a town in Wyoming that was growing, booming. A sleepy cow town had sprouted overnight to become home to thousands of young workers in the coal mines of that region. As I read the article, I felt an inner compelling - "Jerry, take your wife and baby son to Gillette!" It didn't go away and days later I approached my wife with the idea of tearing ourselves away from family, friends, and job to go to do ministry in that town. Late August, 1977, found us transversing these United States in an old school bus that was packed with our possessions. We had no job waiting, very little money to sustain, and a big dream pulling westward! Our trip was an exercise in hilarity, something I'll write about some other time. The year that followed our decision to to to Wyoming was full of experiences we have never forgotten, lessons that shaped us, and people who influenced us to this very day. What many labeled a fool's errand was God's way of helping us to become more useful in His kingdom. I believe we were led there by the Spirit, but not for the purpose which I thought - establishing a ministry in Gillette, WY- but rather so He could mature us, preparing us for His work!

Part of the lexicon with which I am very familiar includes the line, "I feel led..." People use it to explain their choice to seek out a new church, to justify their purchase of a new car, to explain all kinds of important life choices. Most Believers who claim to 'feel led' by the Lord are quite sincere in their intent and motive. There are plenty of examples in the book of Acts to demonstrate that the Spirit-filled Christian can and should be led by the Spirit. Indeed, Paul says that "those who are led by the Spirit are children of God." (Gal. 6.14) I am not taking issue with that concept. What I am speaking to today is the erroneous idea that being led by the Spirit is just a feeling, a hunch, an intuition!

Rick Nanez writes - "Waves of romanticism, relativism, individualism, and New Age teachings have unleashed a rising emphasis on feelings over thinking, emotions over doctrine, and experience over intellect. Wherever these find an inroad, it comes at the expense of casting away our rational rudders. In turn, this steers many Believers into the currents of waywardness - into the vast sea of subjectivity, where the drizzling clouds of mysticism dictate their spiritual journey. ... the turbulent winds of half-truth blow these helpless castaways into the vicious crags of confusion and mindless spirituality." - Full Gospel, Fractured Minds? Zondervan, 2005

Mature, stable, and effective Believers understand that they are whole people given both mind and heart and that God's Spirit operates through both equally to bring about His purposes and will. The Bible invites us to “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. Isaiah 1:18 (NIV) The word, 'reason' is a word meaning, "argue your case, talk it over, work it out!" God does not expect His Spirit-led people to live with a blind faith. Paul encourages us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1 (NKJV) Note the word, "reasonable." In the original language of the Bible it is the word, logikos, from which we get our word, logical. As we serve God, we do so with reason intact.

Are you objecting, wondering -"Jerry, what of faith? Are we to be locked into rationalism, living only by what can be proven or tested by natural means?" No, friend, a hundred times no. Pure rationalism eliminates the possibility of revelation. We, as individual Believers and as the Church of Jesus Christ must be led by the Spirit, open to truth that is revealed by Him to us, in ways outside of the usual channels of discovery and learning. I fully recognize that claiming to hear from God, to know His voice, is regarded by many as loony, or as some sort of self-deception based in our psychological need to have a god. But, I am convinced - both by my experience and the testimony of the Scripture- that God speaks to His people, individually and collectively. There will be moments when His leading defies our natural reasoning powers, when what we believe God is asking of us flies in the face of the facts that surround us.

We do not offend God in those moments when we take time to evaluate what we believe He is saying to us. Asking God to give us discerning minds, to keep us from impulse or gullibility is not the same as refusing to follow His lead. It is a humble recognition that we are imperfect, that we can get it wrong. John tells us - "do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world." 1 John 4:1 (NLT) The passage goes on to say that the primary test to determine who is a genuine 'prophet' - that is one who is claiming to hear from God and speak for God- is the way he conducts himself day to day. His life must be marked by overt evidence of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord. There is no one so dangerous to your spiritual health as the person who is a rebellious rogue, who submits to no authority but himself, who claims - "God speaks to me and I speak for Him."

Let's be people of the Spirit, led by Him into works of faith, using the wonderful powers of reason that He has given to us. By this God will be glorified and His kingdom built strong.
________________

Lavish love, abundant beauty,
gracious gifts for heart and hand,
Life that fills the soul and senses -
all burst forth at Your command.

Lord, our Lord, eternal Father,
Great Creator, God and Friend,
Boundless power gave full expression,
to Your love which knows no end.

I am Yours, eternal Father,
All my body, mind, and heart.
Take and use me to Your glory,
Form Yourself in every part.

Lord, Your love brings joy and gladness,
flowing from within my soul.
May my very breath and being,
rise to You, their source and goal.
Amen.

- Peter Ellis

Don't ignore your mind!

It was an entirely sincere statement, offered up by a devout Believer in Christ - "I don't really need to know church history or the origins of theology. I just know Jesus Christ, living in me." The speaker was referring to a recent series of sermons that I am preaching in response to the questions that the best-seller, The DaVinci Code, has raised in the minds of many Americans. What can a person gain by having a grasp on how the New Testament came into existence, by understanding the why's and wherefore's of the councils held many centuries ago to forge the creeds that shape our faith? Is it all really important? Or can a Believer sustain a vital faith with a personal experience of Jesus' Presence centered in the now?

It is not really a choice an either/or choice. If our Christianity is all about history and theology, about just knowing a set of facts and memorizing a creed, it will quickly become a dead thing, incapable of sustaining us in the present troubles and trials of life. However, if our faith is entirely a subjective experience fueled by fervent worship and personal piety, we will be unable to successfully engage in dialogue with those who claim their own religious experiences apart from Christ Jesus.

I am a Pentecostal by training and experience. The strength of my tradition is the immediacy of it, the warmth of heart that comes with expecting the Holy Spirit to be personally close, leading and guiding, healing, saving, and keeping me. I wouldn't trade that for anything. What a wonderfully powerful experience it is to go to prayer and to have the privilege of praying in the Spirit, beyond the formation of words. The intimacy of such moments is a treasured gift for me in my Christian life. The weakness of my tradition is that, too! Pentecostals are big on 'the heart,' on inspiration that leads to launching out in faith into some endeavor or another. There is a tendency to ignore 'the head,' to treat reason and understanding with suspicion, if not outright hostility. Jesus urges us to love God with 'all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.' It has befallen me many times to find myself in a revival meeting where the speaker urges people to set aside their minds to just 'go with the flow of the Spirit.' Because I am steeped the language and tradition of Pentecost, I understand that he doesn't really intend for the crowd to go into a trance. But, I have seen some strange, silly things happen because of such rhetoric. For some, that exhortation becomes an excuse to set aside common courtesy and even common sense to engage in emotional excesses that have little or nothing to do with a genuine experience of the Spirit's power or Presence.

True worship, whether private and personal, or corporate and public, involves both the mind and the heart, the cognitive functions of reason and the emotive responses that come from deep inside of us. A recent phenomenon in Christianity is something called 'the emergent church.' I still evaluating it, reading the books published by the leaders of the movement, but I am starting to conclude that the movement is a reaction to both 'heart-less' Christianity and 'mind-less' Christianity. The leaders are attempting to be thoughtful, without becoming dogmatic; warmly inspired, without becoming silly in emotional excess. But I'm also concluding that they are, perhaps, too ready to sacrifice the hard sayings of the Scripture in an effort to be 'relevant' to our culture.

Don't ignore your mind, and don't 'worship' your heart! Take Paul's advice to the Corinthian church. Think on this word from the Word today:

So what’s the solution? The answer is simple enough.
Do both. I should be spiritually free and expressive as I pray, but I should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my spirit, and sing with my mind.

If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what’s going on know when to say “Amen”? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it. I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.

To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your infantile thinking.
How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility. - 1 Corinthians 14:15-20 (The Message)

Accommodation, Adaptation, Apathy?

While we sat at my Mom's hospital bedside yesterday, my Dad and I talked. Both of us have given our lives to church leadership so naturally we discussed church life and trends. Since he relocated to Pennsylvania this Spring, he has been visiting churches seeking a spiritual home for his family. What he has found has not, by and large, made him thrilled with the state of the church! Much of what he labels as evidence of 'worldliness' and compromise in abundance, I see as expressions of generational differences over what is good and/or acceptable Christian practice. He sees compromise; I see adaptation.

I serve as part of a committee that guides a ministry. It's a good assignment with people who are earnest about their responsibilities. Recently they made a decision that I think weakened the core mission of the ministry, but which the rest of the group believed to be a necessary accommodation of the demands of the ministry at this time. I keep asking myself, "Jerry, are just attached to a tradition? Does your discomfort come from that tradition being violated or does your disagreement arise out of a necessary defense of principle?" Time will tell, as the Spirit leads.

How do we honor God, living as holy people who are distinct from the world of which we are a part, yet continue to be effective in reaching out to those who do not know Him? Ah, that is the question, isn't it? The gray choices of life are the hardest, aren't they? And the older I get in this world, the less black and white I see!

So many choices I make everyday involves many shades of gray and thus, I must lean hard on the guidance of the Spirit, who has promised to create the mind of Christ in me. The safest choice, and often the most comfortable, is to preserve the status quo. But, just doing what we've always done, just because we've always done it that way, will lead to increasing isolation and ineffectiveness. The world continues to spin, change continues, the march of time never slows. The other side of that argument is that constant innovation that is not solidly grounded in truth will lead to disastrous consequences.

So, again, I circle around to ask, how do we choose?

Humility must be a part of the process that guides us. If we really want to know God's leading, we need to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. He speaks to us through the Scripture, through the traditions of the church, and through dialogue with our brothers and sisters that can be intense. It's that last part that I find most difficult! But in Proverbs I am reminded, "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17, NLT) Wrestling with the truth helps us not only to discover it, but to own it. I am learning that a decision that does not allow for honest, open dialogue is usually not the best, nor wisest, one.

Prayerfulness, too, must always be part of a decision-making process. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV) It is the Holy Spirit that gives us true wisdom. We find life when we find His way. We find His way by remaining in a place of intimate communion with Him. When prods our conscience, quickly we respond, "yes, Lord!" When He lifts His peace from us, we stop and wait and listen. When we grieve Him with willfulness, we repent quickly. This walk with the Spirit allows Him to 'guide us into all truth.' (John 16.13)

Don't become apathetic. The response to the complexity of life cannot be - "Oh, whatever." The path of least resistance is always downward!

Got a challenge today?
Not sure what is the right course?

God promises to lead. Let Him. Listen to counsel. Meditate on the Scripture.
Pray! "If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." (James 1:5-7, NLT)

My really mean Mom

I'm writing this while watching my Mom sleep in a hospital bed. Occasionally she sort of rouses to recognize that I'm here, but mostly the morphine has her in a haze of semi-consciousness. It's my privilege to sit here by her bed, but it's oh, so hard to see her in such pain. She was on a stepladder on Saturday evening changing a light bulb or something like that, fell off and broke her shoulder and hip! Mom doesn't like to acknowledge that she's days shy of 70 years of age, hence being on a ladder when she might have been more cautious. I'd scold her, but I'll probably be just like her 20 years from now - resisting every limitation of age with kicking and screaming.

It's Mother's Day and while I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered - Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications, (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) and I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!) - but from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!

She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready, when the laundry was piled up, or when the house was a mess! I didn't her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.

So, sitting her watching her face, a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!

An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."

Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!

• "Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise." (Proverbs 31:28-31, NLT)
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I pray that your week is blessed. If you're a Mom, I hope you had a good Mother's Day.
And, please pray for my Mom. She's going to have surgery tomorrow to repair her broken bones. Ask the Lord to bless her with peace and healing. I thank you for that on her behalf!