How do we know if we are submitting to God or to our human flesh? One way is in how we forgive others.
God's grace enables us to forgive, it is not a power we possess in our own flesh. In essence, we will never be able to muster up within our human flesh to forgive like God forgives. You see, when we submit to our human flesh, we aim for recompense and revenge; but if we are submitting to God, w...e aim for recompense and restoration.
Recompense and restitution are certainly important elements in a distressed marred relationship where hurt and pain have developed. But the forgiver that is working in the Grace of God uses these as a way to restore the relationship not continue to unravel and destroy it.
"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going because the darkness has blinded them." 1 John 2:9-11.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Ministry Leaders are Subject to Weakness
It is important to remember as Ministry Leaders that we, too, are subject to weakness. One way that we can tell if we have lost sight of this is in how we treat others that have fallen away from God or those who have not matured in their faith.
If we have become impatient and dictatorial, then we have forgotten our own frailty and need for a Savior.
But if we have become gentle, patient and willing to walk with those that need to return to the Lord and need to grow in His love and His word, we have not forgotten our frailty, we have embraced it remembering that the honor to lead God's people was not something we chose, but was chosen for us by God. We are humbled by His choosing and dependent on His forgiveness. And out of that humility and forgiveness we lead like our gentle Savior, Who is ultimately the High Priest we follow.
"Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God..." Hebrews 5:1-4
If we have become impatient and dictatorial, then we have forgotten our own frailty and need for a Savior.
But if we have become gentle, patient and willing to walk with those that need to return to the Lord and need to grow in His love and His word, we have not forgotten our frailty, we have embraced it remembering that the honor to lead God's people was not something we chose, but was chosen for us by God. We are humbled by His choosing and dependent on His forgiveness. And out of that humility and forgiveness we lead like our gentle Savior, Who is ultimately the High Priest we follow.
"Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God..." Hebrews 5:1-4
Being Perfect Before God
Being perfect before God is being justified. Being justified simply means to be guiltless. Now this guiltless state does not mean we have obtained holiness. Being perfect is a position we hold because of Christ's sacrifice, but being holy is a process we cultivate by His Spirit.
Let’s look at the tabernacle for a minute. Moses was told by God on the mountain to build the tabernacle, a place wher...e God’s Spirit could dwell among the people; it was also a place where the people could be justified daily for their sins. The building of this tabernacle was to be perfect in its construction. God told Moses specifically, “See to it you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.” Why? It was the shadow of God’s holiest place: Heaven It was the replica of ultimate perfection and holiness residing together in its fullness.
Jesus died on a mountain. His life on earth was a life of complete perfection; he was completely justified by God because He had no sin. But Jesus was also holy; he was the perfect and holy bread of heaven that came to earth. He was the epitome of perfection and holiness combined as our example to follow. And His example was and is specific; there is no alteration to His example; there is no other way to be, not even in the slightest. He is our pattern!
So, being holy is a process in which we prepare our souls after the pattern of Jesus. This process involves a life that chooses to live without sin and chooses to resist it when it comes our way. It is a change in our thoughts, our actions, our hearts, our emotions and our decisions in life; a change that boldly decides to be different from the imperfection (non-justified) life we use to live to fulfilling the perfect (justified) life we are living today. It is renewing ourselves day by day by God’s truth. We build with His resources not the world’s.
Think of holiness this way: just like it took many years for the Israelite's to build the tabernacle after the pattern by which God gave Moses, it is taking many years for us to pattern our lives after the life of Jesus. That is called Holiness! It is a process by which we construct our souls in preparation to meet Jesus face to face when He comes a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. Our completion date for holiness does not reach its fullness until we have stepped over into heaven, the place where perfection and holiness reside in its fullness. Can’t wait! But I have much work to do in this process until that day comes. Amen?
“For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
Let’s look at the tabernacle for a minute. Moses was told by God on the mountain to build the tabernacle, a place wher...e God’s Spirit could dwell among the people; it was also a place where the people could be justified daily for their sins. The building of this tabernacle was to be perfect in its construction. God told Moses specifically, “See to it you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.” Why? It was the shadow of God’s holiest place: Heaven It was the replica of ultimate perfection and holiness residing together in its fullness.
Jesus died on a mountain. His life on earth was a life of complete perfection; he was completely justified by God because He had no sin. But Jesus was also holy; he was the perfect and holy bread of heaven that came to earth. He was the epitome of perfection and holiness combined as our example to follow. And His example was and is specific; there is no alteration to His example; there is no other way to be, not even in the slightest. He is our pattern!
So, being holy is a process in which we prepare our souls after the pattern of Jesus. This process involves a life that chooses to live without sin and chooses to resist it when it comes our way. It is a change in our thoughts, our actions, our hearts, our emotions and our decisions in life; a change that boldly decides to be different from the imperfection (non-justified) life we use to live to fulfilling the perfect (justified) life we are living today. It is renewing ourselves day by day by God’s truth. We build with His resources not the world’s.
Think of holiness this way: just like it took many years for the Israelite's to build the tabernacle after the pattern by which God gave Moses, it is taking many years for us to pattern our lives after the life of Jesus. That is called Holiness! It is a process by which we construct our souls in preparation to meet Jesus face to face when He comes a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. Our completion date for holiness does not reach its fullness until we have stepped over into heaven, the place where perfection and holiness reside in its fullness. Can’t wait! But I have much work to do in this process until that day comes. Amen?
“For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
Don't Shrink Back into Your Sin
The more a person focuses on their sins; they are more apt to continue in them. They also become more and more removed from our Savior.
When we keep our conscience constantly aware of our sins that we have done that were/are forgiven, we forget that “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleansed our conscience from those acts we did that led to death.” We ultimately ignore Christ’s sacrifice.
To continue dwelling on our forgiven sins is to say two things: Christ’s sacrifice was not enough; He needs to suffer more for me and God is a liar and His gift was a hoax.
This causes our experience of forgiveness to feel unreal in our life and we halt our ability to serve the Living God. We continue to add to our sins that need forgiveness. It is a vicious cycle of: sin-doubt-more sin-guilt-and-ultimately bondage from the abundant life God offers.
The root of this problem is found in a lack of confidence in God’s power to forgive. And let me remind us that God takes no pleasure in those who shrink back in their doubts. Why? Because it shows a lack of faith; it is faith that pleases God. This faith is not just a faith that God exists, for even Satan has that kind of faith. It is a faith that embraces the gift of forgiveness He offers, believes its power, and rejoices in it by living forward in God’s grace and freedom.
“How much more then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised….And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith are saved.” Hebrews 10:36-39.
When we keep our conscience constantly aware of our sins that we have done that were/are forgiven, we forget that “the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleansed our conscience from those acts we did that led to death.” We ultimately ignore Christ’s sacrifice.
To continue dwelling on our forgiven sins is to say two things: Christ’s sacrifice was not enough; He needs to suffer more for me and God is a liar and His gift was a hoax.
This causes our experience of forgiveness to feel unreal in our life and we halt our ability to serve the Living God. We continue to add to our sins that need forgiveness. It is a vicious cycle of: sin-doubt-more sin-guilt-and-ultimately bondage from the abundant life God offers.
The root of this problem is found in a lack of confidence in God’s power to forgive. And let me remind us that God takes no pleasure in those who shrink back in their doubts. Why? Because it shows a lack of faith; it is faith that pleases God. This faith is not just a faith that God exists, for even Satan has that kind of faith. It is a faith that embraces the gift of forgiveness He offers, believes its power, and rejoices in it by living forward in God’s grace and freedom.
“How much more then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised….And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith are saved.” Hebrews 10:36-39.
Does God Dig Religion?
I have heard it said so many times that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. And this would be a true statement. But I have found that God does dig religion; it's just not the kind the world delivers. The world's view of religion is inner focused, filled with rituals that attempt to purify oneself from sin and open the pathway to heaven forging the fires of hell. This type of religion is all about saving one’s skin! And it never works!
But the religion God digs is pure, faultless, and outer focused. What God desires in religion is "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
Notice the difference. The former view is all about helping oneself in our own distress through self-abasing works and practices. It's about me, me, me! Conversely, the latter is outward – looking to those in need and reaching out to make a difference in the heart of a hurting soul.
Now, if we take a closer look at this verse in James 1:27, there is one part that is important when it comes to ourselves: “keeping oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Keeping oneself from being polluted is to stay clear of the bottomless pit that engulfs us to a place of complete despair. That despair can look enticing believe it or not; but once there, it wounds and it damages.
When I think of keeping myself from being polluted by the world, I stay away from things that will destroy my joy, such as selfishness, the desire for wealth and things, being arrogantly right instead of scripturally holy.
I have found it easier to keep myself from such destructive pits by running to Jesus vs. running from these things. The more I seek His face, His character, the less attractive these worldly things look. In fact, they look detestable, ugly, and repugnant.
Yet, while the second part of James 1:27 is about us, it is really about seeking Jesus. It still takes our focus off of ourselves and places it upward. The true way to accomplish this outward and upward focus is to implement James 4:7 in our lives,“ Submit therefore to God…after this submission it is a lot easier to …Resist the devil…the devil has no choice but to flee from you…because he sees Jesus in you and that is a horrifying sight for him, because when the devil sees Jesus, he sees all that he is not. He so wants to be God, but the mere glimpse of Jesus shows him what a complete failure he is. And when the devil looks at us and sees Jesus, we get to take part in making the devil feel like a LOSER! Amen?
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
But the religion God digs is pure, faultless, and outer focused. What God desires in religion is "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
Notice the difference. The former view is all about helping oneself in our own distress through self-abasing works and practices. It's about me, me, me! Conversely, the latter is outward – looking to those in need and reaching out to make a difference in the heart of a hurting soul.
Now, if we take a closer look at this verse in James 1:27, there is one part that is important when it comes to ourselves: “keeping oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Keeping oneself from being polluted is to stay clear of the bottomless pit that engulfs us to a place of complete despair. That despair can look enticing believe it or not; but once there, it wounds and it damages.
When I think of keeping myself from being polluted by the world, I stay away from things that will destroy my joy, such as selfishness, the desire for wealth and things, being arrogantly right instead of scripturally holy.
I have found it easier to keep myself from such destructive pits by running to Jesus vs. running from these things. The more I seek His face, His character, the less attractive these worldly things look. In fact, they look detestable, ugly, and repugnant.
Yet, while the second part of James 1:27 is about us, it is really about seeking Jesus. It still takes our focus off of ourselves and places it upward. The true way to accomplish this outward and upward focus is to implement James 4:7 in our lives,“ Submit therefore to God…after this submission it is a lot easier to …Resist the devil…the devil has no choice but to flee from you…because he sees Jesus in you and that is a horrifying sight for him, because when the devil sees Jesus, he sees all that he is not. He so wants to be God, but the mere glimpse of Jesus shows him what a complete failure he is. And when the devil looks at us and sees Jesus, we get to take part in making the devil feel like a LOSER! Amen?
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Insignificant Important Words
We can read the Bible so many times it is easy to miss very important words, words that seem so insignificant; so ordinary. On this morning I saw a word that I have read over and over; even pondered many times why it so often stood out to me, yet in my inability to recognize the reason for its importance, I have shrugged it off not giving it another thought. At least until I read it again; I would ponder and wonder, then wave it away. And then, TODAY the Holy Spirit spoke and was clear. Now I know why this seemingly insignificant common every day word has such meaning to mankind. And the funny thing, I had no idea how the passage I was reading was really a Christmas passage! The word: TODAY. The passage: Hebrews 3:7-4:2.
This is one of my favorite passages on rest that I often go to when I am in need of a reminder that rest is part of God’s plan for His people including me. I began reading this passage and again came across verse 7, “So, as the Holy Spirit says…” I stopped and realized the Holy Spirit is speaking, And then I thought, what is He saying, “…Today, if you hear His voice…” I kept thinking, “Yes, Lord. I have today and what You say is what I will do. Help me Lord not to be so distracted by the many voices and demands that are not of You!”
Moving along, thinking that the word “today” literally meant today (there I go again, waving it away), I read on and came to “…their hearts were always going astray and they have not known My ways…” I pondered that thought; truly the Israelite’s hearts were always going astray. Moses had a difficult congregation to lead, indeed. It takes good followers as well as good leaders to make a people most effective in God’s kingdom. And Moses was under a challenge! But then, these people only had the law to lead them, not the experience of the indwelling Spirit of God. They saw live miracles and wonders performed right before them, yet without the indwelling Spirit of God they only saw the Spirit’s external blessing, a shadow in the coming. Their rebellion resulted “in God’s anger, they did not enter God’s rest.” I began to focus on the word “rest.” “What is that exactly, Lord?” I asked.
I continued and there was that amazing word again, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” “Why is this word so stark to me, today?” It was if today the word "today" was not going to be passed along. I kept reading and came across “His rest still stands.” Aw, back to that word rest; this rest still stands, still exist, is still available. Now I know I am getting closer to what TODAY means and what REST is. I can feel it!
I read 4:3, “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.” Good News stood out to me and the Holy Spirit recited in my mind, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” I quickly turned to Luke 2:11-12 and sure enough what I heard was there! And there was that so insignificant important word: TODAY. I realized at that moment that the word today refers to the Day our Lord became flesh, the day when Jesus the long awaited Savior was born, the day that OUR REST finally arrived! Now I am excited! No more shrugging of seemingly unimportant words, no way!
Not only does Today refer to our Savior's birth, it also refers to the good news Jesus' life brought to mankind. It refers to the day that Jesus became our REST; it refers to the day we no longer are a slave to sin; the day that freedom reigns in our souls; the day we can start our eternal life with the Father; Today refers to the day we no longer have to experience the external blessings of the Holy Spirit; today, my friends, we can have Him in us, we in Him! We can now succeed at obedience, because His power resides in our souls! What a GLORIOUS TODAY!
Before Jesus was born, mankind had experienced 400 years of silence from God. The world was in complete despair and darkness. Oppression marked the very lives of the Jews. It was their life! God’s last words to His people that we know of came through the prophet Malachi; they were filled with warning, judgment, yet, God also ended that prophecy with the hope of a new day called Today!
I closed my eyes in gratitude to God’s provision TODAY, then my mind saw the angels singing over the shepherds as they announced the birth of our Lord and my heart broke out singing:
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a Virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
'Cause living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him from rising again
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my beloved one bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious Day by Casting Crowns
This is one of my favorite passages on rest that I often go to when I am in need of a reminder that rest is part of God’s plan for His people including me. I began reading this passage and again came across verse 7, “So, as the Holy Spirit says…” I stopped and realized the Holy Spirit is speaking, And then I thought, what is He saying, “…Today, if you hear His voice…” I kept thinking, “Yes, Lord. I have today and what You say is what I will do. Help me Lord not to be so distracted by the many voices and demands that are not of You!”
Moving along, thinking that the word “today” literally meant today (there I go again, waving it away), I read on and came to “…their hearts were always going astray and they have not known My ways…” I pondered that thought; truly the Israelite’s hearts were always going astray. Moses had a difficult congregation to lead, indeed. It takes good followers as well as good leaders to make a people most effective in God’s kingdom. And Moses was under a challenge! But then, these people only had the law to lead them, not the experience of the indwelling Spirit of God. They saw live miracles and wonders performed right before them, yet without the indwelling Spirit of God they only saw the Spirit’s external blessing, a shadow in the coming. Their rebellion resulted “in God’s anger, they did not enter God’s rest.” I began to focus on the word “rest.” “What is that exactly, Lord?” I asked.
I continued and there was that amazing word again, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” “Why is this word so stark to me, today?” It was if today the word "today" was not going to be passed along. I kept reading and came across “His rest still stands.” Aw, back to that word rest; this rest still stands, still exist, is still available. Now I know I am getting closer to what TODAY means and what REST is. I can feel it!
I read 4:3, “For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.” Good News stood out to me and the Holy Spirit recited in my mind, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” I quickly turned to Luke 2:11-12 and sure enough what I heard was there! And there was that so insignificant important word: TODAY. I realized at that moment that the word today refers to the Day our Lord became flesh, the day when Jesus the long awaited Savior was born, the day that OUR REST finally arrived! Now I am excited! No more shrugging of seemingly unimportant words, no way!
Not only does Today refer to our Savior's birth, it also refers to the good news Jesus' life brought to mankind. It refers to the day that Jesus became our REST; it refers to the day we no longer are a slave to sin; the day that freedom reigns in our souls; the day we can start our eternal life with the Father; Today refers to the day we no longer have to experience the external blessings of the Holy Spirit; today, my friends, we can have Him in us, we in Him! We can now succeed at obedience, because His power resides in our souls! What a GLORIOUS TODAY!
Before Jesus was born, mankind had experienced 400 years of silence from God. The world was in complete despair and darkness. Oppression marked the very lives of the Jews. It was their life! God’s last words to His people that we know of came through the prophet Malachi; they were filled with warning, judgment, yet, God also ended that prophecy with the hope of a new day called Today!
I closed my eyes in gratitude to God’s provision TODAY, then my mind saw the angels singing over the shepherds as they announced the birth of our Lord and my heart broke out singing:
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a Virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
'Cause living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him from rising again
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my beloved one bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine
Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious Day by Casting Crowns
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Shake Us With Your Boldness, Lord!
Acts 4:31-34
"After they (the believers) prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them."
The word “prayed” in the Greek means “desired.” I beleive that it was because of the their deep desire for God’s grace and His power that God literally shook their environment. He not only shook their environment, He shook their very own heart and mind, so much so that God placed each in perfect unison as ONE. In that Oneness, God was able to move their longings for belongings to a place of offering! In one accord they spoke with power, they gave with compassion, they received God’s grace to finish out their commitment and there was not one needy person among them! Everyone was totally full of God’s benevolence.
At River Club we desire to be and remain in this state of ONENESS! Pray with me for our church:
God, You are all we desire. Make our hearts like yours, filled with benevolence, compassion, power, and offering. Help us Lord when we pull back, to instead press forward. Thank you for the freedom to give and the privilege to see our giving change lives! Lord, bless River Club with Your resources, for what You have in mind for this church far outweighs what we can imagine. Make us bold as the believers of Acts so that our very hearts and minds are shaken and placed together in Your Oneness. It is only in Your Spirit that we are able to have flawless love. Move our environment, shake us with Your boldness, and draw every heart this Sunday to Yours. We give ourselves to You with complete abandon! In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.
"After they (the believers) prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them."
The word “prayed” in the Greek means “desired.” I beleive that it was because of the their deep desire for God’s grace and His power that God literally shook their environment. He not only shook their environment, He shook their very own heart and mind, so much so that God placed each in perfect unison as ONE. In that Oneness, God was able to move their longings for belongings to a place of offering! In one accord they spoke with power, they gave with compassion, they received God’s grace to finish out their commitment and there was not one needy person among them! Everyone was totally full of God’s benevolence.
At River Club we desire to be and remain in this state of ONENESS! Pray with me for our church:
God, You are all we desire. Make our hearts like yours, filled with benevolence, compassion, power, and offering. Help us Lord when we pull back, to instead press forward. Thank you for the freedom to give and the privilege to see our giving change lives! Lord, bless River Club with Your resources, for what You have in mind for this church far outweighs what we can imagine. Make us bold as the believers of Acts so that our very hearts and minds are shaken and placed together in Your Oneness. It is only in Your Spirit that we are able to have flawless love. Move our environment, shake us with Your boldness, and draw every heart this Sunday to Yours. We give ourselves to You with complete abandon! In Jesus Holy Name, Amen.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Pass the Salt, Actually, Pour It In Me!
Ever have a meal totally without salt? Not very tasty is it? We are all aware that salt brings out the flavors of food and makes it more enjoyable to eat. It also has the ability to soften the pain of certain physical ailments. Many of us are familiar with mixing salt in warm water and gurgling it for a sore throat; it does make the soreness go away. Salt is a wonderful mineral that God has created. But the biblical purpose of salt in God’s kingdom goes far beyond taste and comfort.
In 2 Kings 2:18-22, the men of Jericho said to Elisha, “The city is a pleasant place, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” In other words, the land was cursed; they knew this because they drank it every day; the taste was stagnant, and certainly not refreshing. To add to the water’s inadequacy, the land proved to be unfruitful. Interestingly, this meant that the women were barren.
Taking a walk back into history, we find that the water and land of Jericho was indeed cursed. Many of you may remember the story of Joshua and the priests who marched with the people of Israel around Jericho; they marched around the city six times, then the seventh time they blew the trumpets and the people shouted; then the walls come tumbling down. Once the walls were down they were able to take hold the city, destroy everything and everyone in it, except the silver, gold, articles of bronze and iron. They also saved Rahab and her family, because she hid the spies that previously scoped out the land before taking it.
At this time in history when Joshua led the people of Israel, he made the people take an oath after the overthrow of Jericho. “…Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city of Jericho; with the loss of his first-born he shall lay its foundations, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.” (Joshua 6:26). And that is exactly what happened centuries later. “Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid it’s foundation with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son, Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.” (1 Kings 16:34). The land was cursed by death and disobedience.
Now returning to Elisha and the men of Jericho who said to him that the water was bad and unfruitful, he responded with telling them to get a new jar and put salt in it. They did as he asked them; Elisha went to the spring and threw the salt in it. After throwing the salt, Elisha said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.” Thus the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha.
We find many wonderful lessons in this small significant passage. This purification of the waters signifies the lifting of a curse and the mercy of God showering over this land. Salt was used in this passage to purify the water because it represented the covenant God made with His people. We find this covenant in Numbers 18:19, “All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offered to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you.” Leviticus 2:13 explains the purpose of the salt which is to employ the above covenant, “Put salt on every grain offering, because salt represents the covenant between you and God. (You must put salt on all your offerings.)
Salt plays a very important role; in addition to the binding covenant God has made with His people, we find that adding salt to the incense that was burned in the Tent of Meeting kept the incense pure and holy. (Exodus 30:35). Elisha shows us that its purpose provides healing and restoration to the bitter and barren. Amen! We, who are the bitter and the barren of eternal life have found healing and restoration in Jesus the salt of the sacrifice!
Jesus has been this salt for us in our current state of sin and His sacrificial life was given for the curse sin has held over us. Jesus represents that covenant God ultimately promised to His people and has extended to the Gentile world. Interestingly, salt itself can lose its saltiness; however, Jesus represents the everlasting salt that solidifies God’s covenant with us forever. Jesus, who never loses His saltiness, became human flesh, the unsalted, yet without sin, to be the perfect, holy and pure sacrifice for us to find redemption and salvation.
Bringing the purpose of salt to our reality, we find that while this salt is a mineral of the earth and a commodity of God’s creation, it obviously shows a tangible functional parallel in our relationship with God. The New Testament takes this salt and brings it to a whole new level of intimacy.
In Mark 9:50, Jesus says, “"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other." Notice where the salt resides in this passage: “in” you is what Jesus stated. “In” us is where it resides. With salt living inside us, what are we able to be with others in our lives? We are able to be at peace. This is impossible without the sacrifice of Jesus; this is impossible without the Spirit of God living inside us. Without salt, we are unable to be who Jesus says we are: at peace with others. When we find ourselves not at peace with others, we need to question ourselves with, “Where is the salt?”
Jesus takes it further, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13). Just before this verse Jesus describes what this salt looks like in virtue:
• poor in spirit, those who recognize that they have great spiritual needs;
• those who mourn here on earth for the lost, destitute, and the hurting;
• the humble who are always putting themselves out there for others, even the unlovely;
• those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and know that the only thing that truly satisfies is Christ and His Word;
• the merciful that grant mercy to the undeserving and guilty;
• the pure in heart who seek the good to dwell on and the clean to live by even when tempted to do otherwise;
• the peacemakers who seek peace when all they want to do is get even;
• and those persecuted for righteousness for they realize that looking up is superior than looking out.
In summary, salt represents purity, holiness, an agreement with God, healing, and peace with others.
Understanding what salt was used for in the Old Testament, and what Jesus said it represents gives Colossians 4:6 whole new meaning: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Grace in this verse means to turn people to Christ; to keep, strengthen, and encourage them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindle them to exercise the Christian virtues as aforementioned in Matthew 5 above.
Looking at Colossians 4:6 with new meaning, let us see it for what it really is to us, “Let your conversation turn people to Christ, encourage them to live virtuous lives; season your words with purity, holiness, constant agreement with God, and healing; and why should we do this? So that everything we say to others will promote peace and foster unity in God’s Spirit.”
This Christmas season, when you salt your turkey or those yummy mash potatoes, think of salt’s purpose in your life? Ponder your part in being the salt of the earth. Do you possess the virtues God can use to heal others, turn others to Christ, kindle Christian virtues in the lives of others; does your life promote peace with others, healing, and illuminate the covenant God has with His people?
Spiritual salt has a source. It’s Jesus. He is the salt that should impede our sinful lives. He is the One who interrupts our will with His Father’s will. He is the One Who makes us tasty and useful to flavor and spice our life with holiness and purity. He salts us with His word and He uses His word to savor our influence around us. I pray to the Lord “Lord, don’t just pass me the salt, frost me, cover me, saturate me with Your salt!”
In 2 Kings 2:18-22, the men of Jericho said to Elisha, “The city is a pleasant place, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” In other words, the land was cursed; they knew this because they drank it every day; the taste was stagnant, and certainly not refreshing. To add to the water’s inadequacy, the land proved to be unfruitful. Interestingly, this meant that the women were barren.
Taking a walk back into history, we find that the water and land of Jericho was indeed cursed. Many of you may remember the story of Joshua and the priests who marched with the people of Israel around Jericho; they marched around the city six times, then the seventh time they blew the trumpets and the people shouted; then the walls come tumbling down. Once the walls were down they were able to take hold the city, destroy everything and everyone in it, except the silver, gold, articles of bronze and iron. They also saved Rahab and her family, because she hid the spies that previously scoped out the land before taking it.
At this time in history when Joshua led the people of Israel, he made the people take an oath after the overthrow of Jericho. “…Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city of Jericho; with the loss of his first-born he shall lay its foundations, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.” (Joshua 6:26). And that is exactly what happened centuries later. “Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. He laid it’s foundation with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son, Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.” (1 Kings 16:34). The land was cursed by death and disobedience.
Now returning to Elisha and the men of Jericho who said to him that the water was bad and unfruitful, he responded with telling them to get a new jar and put salt in it. They did as he asked them; Elisha went to the spring and threw the salt in it. After throwing the salt, Elisha said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.” Thus the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha.
We find many wonderful lessons in this small significant passage. This purification of the waters signifies the lifting of a curse and the mercy of God showering over this land. Salt was used in this passage to purify the water because it represented the covenant God made with His people. We find this covenant in Numbers 18:19, “All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offered to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your descendants with you.” Leviticus 2:13 explains the purpose of the salt which is to employ the above covenant, “Put salt on every grain offering, because salt represents the covenant between you and God. (You must put salt on all your offerings.)
Salt plays a very important role; in addition to the binding covenant God has made with His people, we find that adding salt to the incense that was burned in the Tent of Meeting kept the incense pure and holy. (Exodus 30:35). Elisha shows us that its purpose provides healing and restoration to the bitter and barren. Amen! We, who are the bitter and the barren of eternal life have found healing and restoration in Jesus the salt of the sacrifice!
Jesus has been this salt for us in our current state of sin and His sacrificial life was given for the curse sin has held over us. Jesus represents that covenant God ultimately promised to His people and has extended to the Gentile world. Interestingly, salt itself can lose its saltiness; however, Jesus represents the everlasting salt that solidifies God’s covenant with us forever. Jesus, who never loses His saltiness, became human flesh, the unsalted, yet without sin, to be the perfect, holy and pure sacrifice for us to find redemption and salvation.
Bringing the purpose of salt to our reality, we find that while this salt is a mineral of the earth and a commodity of God’s creation, it obviously shows a tangible functional parallel in our relationship with God. The New Testament takes this salt and brings it to a whole new level of intimacy.
In Mark 9:50, Jesus says, “"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other." Notice where the salt resides in this passage: “in” you is what Jesus stated. “In” us is where it resides. With salt living inside us, what are we able to be with others in our lives? We are able to be at peace. This is impossible without the sacrifice of Jesus; this is impossible without the Spirit of God living inside us. Without salt, we are unable to be who Jesus says we are: at peace with others. When we find ourselves not at peace with others, we need to question ourselves with, “Where is the salt?”
Jesus takes it further, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13). Just before this verse Jesus describes what this salt looks like in virtue:
• poor in spirit, those who recognize that they have great spiritual needs;
• those who mourn here on earth for the lost, destitute, and the hurting;
• the humble who are always putting themselves out there for others, even the unlovely;
• those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and know that the only thing that truly satisfies is Christ and His Word;
• the merciful that grant mercy to the undeserving and guilty;
• the pure in heart who seek the good to dwell on and the clean to live by even when tempted to do otherwise;
• the peacemakers who seek peace when all they want to do is get even;
• and those persecuted for righteousness for they realize that looking up is superior than looking out.
In summary, salt represents purity, holiness, an agreement with God, healing, and peace with others.
Understanding what salt was used for in the Old Testament, and what Jesus said it represents gives Colossians 4:6 whole new meaning: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Grace in this verse means to turn people to Christ; to keep, strengthen, and encourage them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindle them to exercise the Christian virtues as aforementioned in Matthew 5 above.
Looking at Colossians 4:6 with new meaning, let us see it for what it really is to us, “Let your conversation turn people to Christ, encourage them to live virtuous lives; season your words with purity, holiness, constant agreement with God, and healing; and why should we do this? So that everything we say to others will promote peace and foster unity in God’s Spirit.”
This Christmas season, when you salt your turkey or those yummy mash potatoes, think of salt’s purpose in your life? Ponder your part in being the salt of the earth. Do you possess the virtues God can use to heal others, turn others to Christ, kindle Christian virtues in the lives of others; does your life promote peace with others, healing, and illuminate the covenant God has with His people?
Spiritual salt has a source. It’s Jesus. He is the salt that should impede our sinful lives. He is the One who interrupts our will with His Father’s will. He is the One Who makes us tasty and useful to flavor and spice our life with holiness and purity. He salts us with His word and He uses His word to savor our influence around us. I pray to the Lord “Lord, don’t just pass me the salt, frost me, cover me, saturate me with Your salt!”
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Two Things I Ask, Lord
If we could ask the Lord for two things in the Kids Quest Ministry, what would they be? What would we consider the most valuable to us, to our children? Proverbs 30:7-9 gives us a great example of a prayer to pray for ourselves and our children in Kids Quest:
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Way of Holiness is The Way!
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Isaiah 35:8-10
The Way of Holiness is the Way. Today, we fight to remain on this narrow path, but a day is approaching when The Way of Holiness will be the only path to tread upon. Its width will widen and will only encompass great blessings instead of the ravenous beasts that want to devour us and take us away from God’s design. I am grateful and eager for this highway to be the only highway that I see! Such peace that will come over me to know that every step I take forward will only be holy to the Lord. I am eager for the days where only goodness and light will be my temptation. But, what about today? Isn’t the Way of Holiness the pathway we are to travel at present?
Our life at current battles the unclean, the wicked fools, the lions, and the ravenous beasts of unholy temptation, sin, and flesh. Where do I find the strength to carry on, to tread forward, and to remain holy in an unholy scene? We must live our lives much like the men who built the wall in the days of Nehemiah, in one hand be equipped with spears, shield, bows and armor always ready to fight the lion, the wicked, and the deceiver while in the other hand work and walk the highway of holiness! Yes, this is a hard life to live! Because quite often the unclean, the wicked fool, the lion and the ravenous beast often lives inside me! How do I escape? How do I stand firm?
A great leadership principle to remember is to work in your strengths and spend less time serving in your weaknesses. Our ultimate strength is not found in our abilities or our talents. Our ultimate success is found in The Way of Holiness; in the strength of the Lord, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). A steady posture of prayer is my sword, a healthy diet of His word is my nourishment, and the energy drink of the Holy Spirit is my recharge.
In the Kingdom age all of life will be Holy to the Lord. I am eager for it, but even today the path of Holiness is paved for us to gait upon. Weirsbe says it well, “There is no “secular” or “sacred” in the Christian life, because everything comes from God and should be used for His glory.” If His glory is not our aim, then we can expect to be refined in the pool of affliction. Amen?! For God states this quite boldly ““I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction, for My own sake, for My own sake, I do this. How can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.” Isaiah 48:10-11.
Notice that God says "why" we will be refined in the furnace of affliction: for My own sake, for My own sake. He says this twice which gives this statement yet even more unashamed purpose! Yes, it is difficult to walk the Way of Holiness in the setting of sin. But in this setting we can shine especially if we determine to fight for and submit to God’s command to uphold His glory not our own. In all that we do, in all that we eat, in all that we drink, in all that we put our hands and feet to build and tread, we do for the sole purpose of magnifying God, His Praise, His Credit, His Fame. We will only tail on the laurels of His splendor and never ride ahead of His Brilliance. For our Brilliance is found in the shadow of His wings over us.
My friends, a day is coming, “where there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day – a day known only to the Lord – with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.” Zechariah 14:6-7. This vision from God in His word is worth fighting for; and glimpses can be captured today. I have to admit, I can’t imagine a day any more unique than God’s current creation. All that He has made is beautiful, even the darkness amidst the starlit skies. However, according to His word, a day is coming that is unique. I ponder and speculate that the reason this day will be exceptional and irreplaceable is because all of man’s supposed “glory” will be gone and only God’s glory will polish the earth; the shadows of man’s achievements will fade to nothingness and only Holiness will procreate; we will be tempted with only yearnings for more of Him – there will be nothing to compete for His glory, not even the pride of man! Hallelujah, Lord. Keep me going, keep me in your ways, I want to see this!
Isaiah 35:8-10
The Way of Holiness is the Way. Today, we fight to remain on this narrow path, but a day is approaching when The Way of Holiness will be the only path to tread upon. Its width will widen and will only encompass great blessings instead of the ravenous beasts that want to devour us and take us away from God’s design. I am grateful and eager for this highway to be the only highway that I see! Such peace that will come over me to know that every step I take forward will only be holy to the Lord. I am eager for the days where only goodness and light will be my temptation. But, what about today? Isn’t the Way of Holiness the pathway we are to travel at present?
Our life at current battles the unclean, the wicked fools, the lions, and the ravenous beasts of unholy temptation, sin, and flesh. Where do I find the strength to carry on, to tread forward, and to remain holy in an unholy scene? We must live our lives much like the men who built the wall in the days of Nehemiah, in one hand be equipped with spears, shield, bows and armor always ready to fight the lion, the wicked, and the deceiver while in the other hand work and walk the highway of holiness! Yes, this is a hard life to live! Because quite often the unclean, the wicked fool, the lion and the ravenous beast often lives inside me! How do I escape? How do I stand firm?
A great leadership principle to remember is to work in your strengths and spend less time serving in your weaknesses. Our ultimate strength is not found in our abilities or our talents. Our ultimate success is found in The Way of Holiness; in the strength of the Lord, for the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). A steady posture of prayer is my sword, a healthy diet of His word is my nourishment, and the energy drink of the Holy Spirit is my recharge.
In the Kingdom age all of life will be Holy to the Lord. I am eager for it, but even today the path of Holiness is paved for us to gait upon. Weirsbe says it well, “There is no “secular” or “sacred” in the Christian life, because everything comes from God and should be used for His glory.” If His glory is not our aim, then we can expect to be refined in the pool of affliction. Amen?! For God states this quite boldly ““I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction, for My own sake, for My own sake, I do this. How can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.” Isaiah 48:10-11.
Notice that God says "why" we will be refined in the furnace of affliction: for My own sake, for My own sake. He says this twice which gives this statement yet even more unashamed purpose! Yes, it is difficult to walk the Way of Holiness in the setting of sin. But in this setting we can shine especially if we determine to fight for and submit to God’s command to uphold His glory not our own. In all that we do, in all that we eat, in all that we drink, in all that we put our hands and feet to build and tread, we do for the sole purpose of magnifying God, His Praise, His Credit, His Fame. We will only tail on the laurels of His splendor and never ride ahead of His Brilliance. For our Brilliance is found in the shadow of His wings over us.
My friends, a day is coming, “where there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. It will be a unique day – a day known only to the Lord – with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.” Zechariah 14:6-7. This vision from God in His word is worth fighting for; and glimpses can be captured today. I have to admit, I can’t imagine a day any more unique than God’s current creation. All that He has made is beautiful, even the darkness amidst the starlit skies. However, according to His word, a day is coming that is unique. I ponder and speculate that the reason this day will be exceptional and irreplaceable is because all of man’s supposed “glory” will be gone and only God’s glory will polish the earth; the shadows of man’s achievements will fade to nothingness and only Holiness will procreate; we will be tempted with only yearnings for more of Him – there will be nothing to compete for His glory, not even the pride of man! Hallelujah, Lord. Keep me going, keep me in your ways, I want to see this!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Don't Despise the Small Things
"Who dares despise the day of small things..." Zechariah 4:10. When the temple was being rebuilt during the time of Zerubbabel, some of the people were not rejoicing, because the temple did not have the splendor of Solomon's temple. The focus of these few were through a "human's eye" view and not God's eye view.
How many times do we despise or ridicule even the small things we do for God's kingdom. We may not think these things are enough, or have the impact we desire, maybe they are not "flashy" enough to woo the people of the earth, but if these small things are what God has called us to do, who are we to despise the small things? When we look down on these small things, we are looking at them through our ability and our small frame of reference, when we should be looking at them through God's ability and His frame of reference. I mean after all, isn't it our job to plant and to water, but it's God's job to grow the seed.
I like what Weirsbe says, "Bible history is the record of God using small things. When God wanted to set the plan of salvation in motion, He started with a little baby, named Isaac. He used a shepherd boy and a sling to defeat a giant and a little lad's lunch to feed a multitude. He delivered Paul from death by using a basket and a rope. The church began with 120 people and today ministers around the world."
God calls us to work, not fret. He calls us to obedience, not questions. He calls us to faith, not flare. He is a God of small things that makes great things! Our focus must be on Him, then we can become the small He uses to make Him larger. When God becomes more in our life and in the lives of others we then bring Him great glory! Because "glory" means to make God larger!
How many times do we despise or ridicule even the small things we do for God's kingdom. We may not think these things are enough, or have the impact we desire, maybe they are not "flashy" enough to woo the people of the earth, but if these small things are what God has called us to do, who are we to despise the small things? When we look down on these small things, we are looking at them through our ability and our small frame of reference, when we should be looking at them through God's ability and His frame of reference. I mean after all, isn't it our job to plant and to water, but it's God's job to grow the seed.
I like what Weirsbe says, "Bible history is the record of God using small things. When God wanted to set the plan of salvation in motion, He started with a little baby, named Isaac. He used a shepherd boy and a sling to defeat a giant and a little lad's lunch to feed a multitude. He delivered Paul from death by using a basket and a rope. The church began with 120 people and today ministers around the world."
God calls us to work, not fret. He calls us to obedience, not questions. He calls us to faith, not flare. He is a God of small things that makes great things! Our focus must be on Him, then we can become the small He uses to make Him larger. When God becomes more in our life and in the lives of others we then bring Him great glory! Because "glory" means to make God larger!
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Neglected One of the Trinity: Holy Spirit
The church today does not recognize the Holy Spirit like it should. People speak of Him, they sing of Him, they pray for more of Him, but do they really rely on Him?
A faithful quote by Billy Graham to reckon with is, "Ninety-five percent of today's church activities would continue if the Holy Spirit were removed from us; in the early Church, ninety-five percent of all her activities would have stopped if the Holy Spirit were removed."
The lack of recognition of the Holy Spirit who lives inside those who have given their life to Jesus remain immature in their faith; entangle themselves with themselves; find boredom in their Christian life; limit their ability to see God's miracles; rarely serve God's people, and are blinded to the needs of the lost and the poor that live around them.
Jesus was outward focused; He was selfless, completely obedient to His Father; miraculous in all His ways; taught with authority, and had deep compassion for others. What made this possible for Jesus? He relied fully on the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In this reliance He was able to live a life without sin and be in complete submission to the Father. He says this about Himself and His Father, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This oneness was so tightly woven that there was no room for error; no room for selfishness; no room for lazy follow through; no room for fear; no room for faithlessness; no room for anxiety; no room for the evil one to win at temptation. Jesus lived a free life because the Spirit of God was His ticket to freedom, for Paul says, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Jesus in is full humanness chose to lay down His human life as sin's sacrifice , yet, He offered up his humanness for heaven's glory through the Spirit of God.
It's a daily endeavor to ask for the anointing of God's Spirit. Even though we may not ask for Him, we still have Him, however, when we intentionally ask for His fullness, we are doing two things: we are submitting ourselves to His power and control and we ask for His activity in our life. We allow ourselves to see Him work through us. But sadly, He is often neglected. And when neglected, regretfully, we are the ones who lose out; overlooking God's anointing causes us to miss His audible impressions, therefore, we pass up God-given supernatural encounters with Heaven's riches.
A faithful quote by Billy Graham to reckon with is, "Ninety-five percent of today's church activities would continue if the Holy Spirit were removed from us; in the early Church, ninety-five percent of all her activities would have stopped if the Holy Spirit were removed."
The lack of recognition of the Holy Spirit who lives inside those who have given their life to Jesus remain immature in their faith; entangle themselves with themselves; find boredom in their Christian life; limit their ability to see God's miracles; rarely serve God's people, and are blinded to the needs of the lost and the poor that live around them.
Jesus was outward focused; He was selfless, completely obedient to His Father; miraculous in all His ways; taught with authority, and had deep compassion for others. What made this possible for Jesus? He relied fully on the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In this reliance He was able to live a life without sin and be in complete submission to the Father. He says this about Himself and His Father, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). This oneness was so tightly woven that there was no room for error; no room for selfishness; no room for lazy follow through; no room for fear; no room for faithlessness; no room for anxiety; no room for the evil one to win at temptation. Jesus lived a free life because the Spirit of God was His ticket to freedom, for Paul says, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Jesus in is full humanness chose to lay down His human life as sin's sacrifice , yet, He offered up his humanness for heaven's glory through the Spirit of God.
It's a daily endeavor to ask for the anointing of God's Spirit. Even though we may not ask for Him, we still have Him, however, when we intentionally ask for His fullness, we are doing two things: we are submitting ourselves to His power and control and we ask for His activity in our life. We allow ourselves to see Him work through us. But sadly, He is often neglected. And when neglected, regretfully, we are the ones who lose out; overlooking God's anointing causes us to miss His audible impressions, therefore, we pass up God-given supernatural encounters with Heaven's riches.
Don't Hope it! Pray it!
The battle of sin and the incessant injustice we see around us can cause us great anxiety, anger, and worry. As we battle for our very own souls and the souls of others, it can cause us to succumb to its prison. But I am telling you, we can finally, be dead to sin, its injustice and its nagging anxiety!
We no longer need to walk in the deeds of our flesh. Paul tells us so in Colossians 3:5, “Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead…” Did you hear that? DEAD. We are dead “…to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.” Evil desire gives way to anger, anxiety and more injustice. Why? Because evil desire is about us! It’s about our ability to solve our problems. It takes our minds off of God’s riches in Heaven, and puts it on this world and its wisdom.
God calls us to “set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). This is to be every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. We are to never have our minds set on the things of earth. NEVER! Our life is hidden with Christ in God. That means that we have the mind of Christ in us (1 Corinthians 2:16).
It is in this mind we live our life.
Living with the mind of Christ and in the power of His Spirit we are able to walk our days without sin and materialize the justice needed where sin injures the innocents. Our battle against sin has been won and we need to live in that victory, but most often we live in defeat. Why? Because we feast on the wisdom of men and we dine at earth’s table. We partake of the hors d'oeuvres of doubt, delight in the dessert of reasoning, and divulge in the entrée of man’s limitations. When, instead, we are to feast on the wisdom of God and dine at Heaven’s table. God can and will bring the feast to us if we pray. He says so in His word, “Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:5-6). David is talking about his life here on earth, not heaven. This table from heaven comes down to a reality here where we abide. The feast comes filled with the extravagances of justice, honor, peace, grace, mercy, and love. Its main course is power. Its pastries are baked with the finest of spices: healing, liberty, and virtue.
How are we to get Heaven’s table on earth to where we are? How do we share in the feast of God’s riches? Through PRAYER! Prayer opens up heaven’s treasures and pours it down on us like manna in the desert.
I have heard all my life to rebuke satan with these words: “In the name of Jesus, flee from me, satan.” And certainly this statement is true, but God wants us to rebuke satan with not only the powerful name of Jesus, but also the supremacy of His Spirit. In light of this truth, it is effective to say, “In the name of Jesus and through the power of His Spirit, satan disintegrate from my presence; for there is only room for God’s Spirit in this place where I stand, because where I stand is holy ground!”
When we speak with this power, the light of God enters our presence and darkness cannot contain it. The darkness annihilates in the veil of God’s authority. Unfortunately, people often see prayer as “meditation” much like yoga. They see it as a way to calm the soul and dissipate the anxiety for a time, but prayer is an active force that brings the dominance of heaven to earth so that its light assaults the darkness and discloses God’s invisible qualities to a tangible reality. People then listen, they watch, they hear, and through the conviction of the spirit of God, they give themselves to Him. So, my dear friends, don’t hope for the feast of heaven, pray it down!
We no longer need to walk in the deeds of our flesh. Paul tells us so in Colossians 3:5, “Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead…” Did you hear that? DEAD. We are dead “…to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.” Evil desire gives way to anger, anxiety and more injustice. Why? Because evil desire is about us! It’s about our ability to solve our problems. It takes our minds off of God’s riches in Heaven, and puts it on this world and its wisdom.
God calls us to “set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). This is to be every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. We are to never have our minds set on the things of earth. NEVER! Our life is hidden with Christ in God. That means that we have the mind of Christ in us (1 Corinthians 2:16).
It is in this mind we live our life.
Living with the mind of Christ and in the power of His Spirit we are able to walk our days without sin and materialize the justice needed where sin injures the innocents. Our battle against sin has been won and we need to live in that victory, but most often we live in defeat. Why? Because we feast on the wisdom of men and we dine at earth’s table. We partake of the hors d'oeuvres of doubt, delight in the dessert of reasoning, and divulge in the entrée of man’s limitations. When, instead, we are to feast on the wisdom of God and dine at Heaven’s table. God can and will bring the feast to us if we pray. He says so in His word, “Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:5-6). David is talking about his life here on earth, not heaven. This table from heaven comes down to a reality here where we abide. The feast comes filled with the extravagances of justice, honor, peace, grace, mercy, and love. Its main course is power. Its pastries are baked with the finest of spices: healing, liberty, and virtue.
How are we to get Heaven’s table on earth to where we are? How do we share in the feast of God’s riches? Through PRAYER! Prayer opens up heaven’s treasures and pours it down on us like manna in the desert.
I have heard all my life to rebuke satan with these words: “In the name of Jesus, flee from me, satan.” And certainly this statement is true, but God wants us to rebuke satan with not only the powerful name of Jesus, but also the supremacy of His Spirit. In light of this truth, it is effective to say, “In the name of Jesus and through the power of His Spirit, satan disintegrate from my presence; for there is only room for God’s Spirit in this place where I stand, because where I stand is holy ground!”
When we speak with this power, the light of God enters our presence and darkness cannot contain it. The darkness annihilates in the veil of God’s authority. Unfortunately, people often see prayer as “meditation” much like yoga. They see it as a way to calm the soul and dissipate the anxiety for a time, but prayer is an active force that brings the dominance of heaven to earth so that its light assaults the darkness and discloses God’s invisible qualities to a tangible reality. People then listen, they watch, they hear, and through the conviction of the spirit of God, they give themselves to Him. So, my dear friends, don’t hope for the feast of heaven, pray it down!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Bringing God's Throne to Earth
This truth I have discovered has to be shared. I can't keep quiet...so here it is.
Did you know that when we (as believers) gather together to worship our God, we actually create a throne for God in our presence? Psalm 22:3 says, "Yet You (God) are holy, O You (God) who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."
The Gentiles are also apart of this praise; when we receive Christ, we have been grafted into the family of Israel, God's chosen people, a priesthood of believers! And what have the praises of God's people created for Him? a throne!
I have few things for us to think about the next time we go and worship with the church body:
What kind of throne are we creating? When we relentlessly praise God in unity, with all our souls, minds, hearts, and strength, I can visualize a throne of great glory and gold of the finest we have never seen before. Our praises expect to see, not hope to see. Our worship moves from a superficial experience (here today and gone tomorrow) to an everlasting experience that lives on when the worship is over! We bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth as we pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Sing, people of God, sing and usher with power the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Allow your praises to unite God's throne with His people! :) Then those looking on from a distance will seek with intrigue and desire for Christ. Our praises will bring hope to the lost, the broken, and the disheartened.
Did you know that when we (as believers) gather together to worship our God, we actually create a throne for God in our presence? Psalm 22:3 says, "Yet You (God) are holy, O You (God) who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."
The Gentiles are also apart of this praise; when we receive Christ, we have been grafted into the family of Israel, God's chosen people, a priesthood of believers! And what have the praises of God's people created for Him? a throne!
I have few things for us to think about the next time we go and worship with the church body:
What kind of throne are we creating? When we relentlessly praise God in unity, with all our souls, minds, hearts, and strength, I can visualize a throne of great glory and gold of the finest we have never seen before. Our praises expect to see, not hope to see. Our worship moves from a superficial experience (here today and gone tomorrow) to an everlasting experience that lives on when the worship is over! We bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth as we pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Sing, people of God, sing and usher with power the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Allow your praises to unite God's throne with His people! :) Then those looking on from a distance will seek with intrigue and desire for Christ. Our praises will bring hope to the lost, the broken, and the disheartened.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Mangrove Christians
Have you ever met someone who re-dedicates their life to Jesus after living a life of sin, yet again? It appears that they sincerely give their life over to Jesus; they have this amazing emotional experience and become caught up in the redemptive work of Christ. This last for a few days, then the worries of this world and the temptations of this culture begin to do its evil work at drawing this person away from the Lord. Do we blame the world and the culture? Or do we blame the person? Let’s see what Hebrews 6:1-8 has to say about this person:
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
To answer our question of who do we blame, I think we blame the person. Too many Christians today fall away from God so easily. They seem to need a constant experience in order to stay focused or committed to God. They need someone to hold their hand and keep them on the straight and narrow path. They blame everyone for their failure: their life's problems, their parents, their church, their Pastor, their family, their friends, etc.
However, it is their immaturity that cripples their growth. They only focus on the elementary teachings of Jesus. They only know the simple message of salvation. They never dig deeper in the Word; they don’t study their Bible; they focus only on the surface of their faith, keeping them ensnared in defeat; they don’t fully understand the power that lives inside them. They know the traditions of their faith, yet they don’t recognize the God ordained authority they hold in their soul: The Holy Spirit.
The warning in all this is that these people have definitely tasted the heavenly gift of salvation; they have shared in the power of the Holy Spirit. They have even experienced the goodness of God’s Word and the power it holds for their life. These are not unacquainted individuals. They are fully aware. But they are people who do not produce the fruit of righteousness, because they go backward in their faith instead of full-fledged forward in the power of God’s spiritual maturity that is offered to them. Two things happen to this person:
1.They are unable to be brought back to repentance. For they are in a trounced cycle of failure. They are so used to their ways, they can’t move forward. But this is not the real reason they can’t repent fully.
2.They continue to crucify Jesus. Their immaturity costs Jesus’ His reputation and their ability to be an influence to others in His name. Every time a person falls away in the same area of sin, they put Jesus back on the cross. Look at a picture of Jesus on the cross and tell me if putting Him there, yet again, is fair? Of course it is not; it’s wickedness to say that Jesus’ suffering was not enough to keep a person from sinning.
Those who fall away become like fine roots of a plant; a fine root is short lived and succumbs to an ongoing root turnover. Not much different than the immature Christian who experiences constant turnover in their faith. Their life as a Christian is filled with thorns and thistles, rendering them useless and ineffective.
However, the Christian who becomes more like the prop root of a plant grows deep down into the ground, drenched under water. They are known for supporting a heavy plant like a mangrove:
These Christians are drenched in the Word of God and are tapped completely in surrender to the Power of His Spirit. Daily you will see this person lay their wills down and pick up the Spirit of God inside them and live forward in God's will. They suddenly have the wisdom and knowledge needed to see fruit in their own lives. They grow deep and wide: deep in Jesus and wide in influence. They support a heavy weight of suffering in their lives and truly count it all joy. They can carry the worries of others and provide words of wisdom and knowledge that truly lift up a desperate soul.
These Mangrove Christians experience the fruit of being grown up; they see so much more than doctrine and elementary teachings, they see the power of God at work through human flesh! Why would these Christians ever turn back? They wouldn’t. There is nothing in this world worth having in place of this kind of Spirit-filled, power-fueled, and growth-maturing life! Stay the course my fellow Mangroves and to all that are fine roots, get on board, will you?
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
To answer our question of who do we blame, I think we blame the person. Too many Christians today fall away from God so easily. They seem to need a constant experience in order to stay focused or committed to God. They need someone to hold their hand and keep them on the straight and narrow path. They blame everyone for their failure: their life's problems, their parents, their church, their Pastor, their family, their friends, etc.
However, it is their immaturity that cripples their growth. They only focus on the elementary teachings of Jesus. They only know the simple message of salvation. They never dig deeper in the Word; they don’t study their Bible; they focus only on the surface of their faith, keeping them ensnared in defeat; they don’t fully understand the power that lives inside them. They know the traditions of their faith, yet they don’t recognize the God ordained authority they hold in their soul: The Holy Spirit.
The warning in all this is that these people have definitely tasted the heavenly gift of salvation; they have shared in the power of the Holy Spirit. They have even experienced the goodness of God’s Word and the power it holds for their life. These are not unacquainted individuals. They are fully aware. But they are people who do not produce the fruit of righteousness, because they go backward in their faith instead of full-fledged forward in the power of God’s spiritual maturity that is offered to them. Two things happen to this person:
1.They are unable to be brought back to repentance. For they are in a trounced cycle of failure. They are so used to their ways, they can’t move forward. But this is not the real reason they can’t repent fully.
2.They continue to crucify Jesus. Their immaturity costs Jesus’ His reputation and their ability to be an influence to others in His name. Every time a person falls away in the same area of sin, they put Jesus back on the cross. Look at a picture of Jesus on the cross and tell me if putting Him there, yet again, is fair? Of course it is not; it’s wickedness to say that Jesus’ suffering was not enough to keep a person from sinning.
Those who fall away become like fine roots of a plant; a fine root is short lived and succumbs to an ongoing root turnover. Not much different than the immature Christian who experiences constant turnover in their faith. Their life as a Christian is filled with thorns and thistles, rendering them useless and ineffective.
However, the Christian who becomes more like the prop root of a plant grows deep down into the ground, drenched under water. They are known for supporting a heavy plant like a mangrove:
These Christians are drenched in the Word of God and are tapped completely in surrender to the Power of His Spirit. Daily you will see this person lay their wills down and pick up the Spirit of God inside them and live forward in God's will. They suddenly have the wisdom and knowledge needed to see fruit in their own lives. They grow deep and wide: deep in Jesus and wide in influence. They support a heavy weight of suffering in their lives and truly count it all joy. They can carry the worries of others and provide words of wisdom and knowledge that truly lift up a desperate soul.
These Mangrove Christians experience the fruit of being grown up; they see so much more than doctrine and elementary teachings, they see the power of God at work through human flesh! Why would these Christians ever turn back? They wouldn’t. There is nothing in this world worth having in place of this kind of Spirit-filled, power-fueled, and growth-maturing life! Stay the course my fellow Mangroves and to all that are fine roots, get on board, will you?
Monday, June 20, 2011
Hidden Sin is Not Secret to God
Hidden sin is not secret to God. And hidden sin does not go without its consequences.
Joseph's brothers in Genesis 42-45 realized this when they went to Egypt to get grain for their families. For years they had been concealing the sin of selling their brother, Joseph, to Egypt to be a slave and for lying to their father about his supposed death.
There is a cost to living with hidden sin. The company a person keeps torments them. People who live with hidden sin entertain the companions of guilt, anxiety, uncertainty, and paranoia. Interestingly, their foes become mercy, grace, integrity, and faithfulness. These qualities, that they once knew, no longer abide in their being. For righteousness cannot live among evil. This truth is realized in this person’s dealings, their decisions, and their thoughts. They are consumed with themselves, their dreams, their vision and their purpose.
After a while, their new companions have a grave effect not only on their inner being, their personal character, but also their appearance. The Psalmist tells us, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” (Psalm 32:3-4).
It is not until sin is confessed and reconciliation with God and men is complete, that a person will experience peace, insight, wisdom, and fruit. They may experience marginal peace, insight, wisdom, and fruit, but never the fullness of God.
Joseph, unlike his brothers, was faithful to God. He chose not to sin because he loved and honored God more than his own fleshly desires. In the end, he was fruitful in all he did, regardless of the affliction he endured. He never lost his companions of mercy, grace, integrity, and faithfulness. He showed this when he forgave his brothers, reconciled those relationships, and blessed them.
Joseph was a man, not a boy. Boys hang onto their selfish desires, but men do the right thing and surrender their will to God's. Joseph put childish things behind him; he pressed onward for the prize set before him: the example of a forgiving Savior.
Joseph's brothers in Genesis 42-45 realized this when they went to Egypt to get grain for their families. For years they had been concealing the sin of selling their brother, Joseph, to Egypt to be a slave and for lying to their father about his supposed death.
There is a cost to living with hidden sin. The company a person keeps torments them. People who live with hidden sin entertain the companions of guilt, anxiety, uncertainty, and paranoia. Interestingly, their foes become mercy, grace, integrity, and faithfulness. These qualities, that they once knew, no longer abide in their being. For righteousness cannot live among evil. This truth is realized in this person’s dealings, their decisions, and their thoughts. They are consumed with themselves, their dreams, their vision and their purpose.
After a while, their new companions have a grave effect not only on their inner being, their personal character, but also their appearance. The Psalmist tells us, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” (Psalm 32:3-4).
It is not until sin is confessed and reconciliation with God and men is complete, that a person will experience peace, insight, wisdom, and fruit. They may experience marginal peace, insight, wisdom, and fruit, but never the fullness of God.
Joseph, unlike his brothers, was faithful to God. He chose not to sin because he loved and honored God more than his own fleshly desires. In the end, he was fruitful in all he did, regardless of the affliction he endured. He never lost his companions of mercy, grace, integrity, and faithfulness. He showed this when he forgave his brothers, reconciled those relationships, and blessed them.
Joseph was a man, not a boy. Boys hang onto their selfish desires, but men do the right thing and surrender their will to God's. Joseph put childish things behind him; he pressed onward for the prize set before him: the example of a forgiving Savior.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Righteous Anger vs. Destructive Anger. How to Tell the Difference
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. Micah 7:18
God’s anger is a righteous anger. Man’s anger is a destructive anger. What makes the difference?
God’s anger flows from His character of justice. He angers over sin and uses that anger to do justice. Justice’s purpose is to propel repentance; once repentance has taken root and the action of change begins to reveal itself in a person’s life, then God lets the anger go. God does not deal in bitterness or harbor grudges. His purpose is holy and loving. His anger moves a person’s life from sin to His unchanging love. For it is in this unchanging love that God chooses to reside. It is here He finds His greatest delight. His unchanging love is filled with grace, mercy, and kindness.
However, man, in his right to be angry at times does not come to this full circle to grace, mercy and kindness. He who is angry may be angry for the right reasons; he may want justice and will struggle to get that justice and he may even experience the repentance he is longing after; but repentance for man is not enough. For man does deal in bitterness and grudges. Instead of unchanging love, man wants payment for the wrong done. This is where their anger becomes unholy, unrighteous and destructive. Man holds onto his anger, allows it to grow, fester, and destroy.
So, how does man go from this destructive state to the state of delighting in unchanging love, filled with grace, mercy and kindness?
God has granted us everything needed that pertains to our life and everything needed that pertains to godliness. The conduit we find this “everything needed” is through the true knowledge of His Son, Jesus. When we grow in our knowledge of Jesus, he becomes the endless channel that makes it possible for us to be partakers of His divine nature allowing us to also delight in what He delights: unchanging love. We are able to be righteous in our anger and holy in our love. We are able to escape the corruption that anger produces in our hearts and find joy in the changed lives around us. But the minute we cut off that channel, stop learning and growing in our Lord, Jesus Christ, we put a kink in the channel and the flow of God’s delights stop. Subsequently, we become corrupt in our love; we desire payment as we anchor our hearts in bitterness and grudges. We finish with never knowing the true joy of unending love, unchanging grace, and unswerving mercy.
Instead of striving and struggling in our nature, we embrace the knowledge of Jesus, our Lord, by growing moment by moment in His nature. For by His grace, His peace, His love, “…He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2 Peter 1:4)
God’s anger is a righteous anger. Man’s anger is a destructive anger. What makes the difference?
God’s anger flows from His character of justice. He angers over sin and uses that anger to do justice. Justice’s purpose is to propel repentance; once repentance has taken root and the action of change begins to reveal itself in a person’s life, then God lets the anger go. God does not deal in bitterness or harbor grudges. His purpose is holy and loving. His anger moves a person’s life from sin to His unchanging love. For it is in this unchanging love that God chooses to reside. It is here He finds His greatest delight. His unchanging love is filled with grace, mercy, and kindness.
However, man, in his right to be angry at times does not come to this full circle to grace, mercy and kindness. He who is angry may be angry for the right reasons; he may want justice and will struggle to get that justice and he may even experience the repentance he is longing after; but repentance for man is not enough. For man does deal in bitterness and grudges. Instead of unchanging love, man wants payment for the wrong done. This is where their anger becomes unholy, unrighteous and destructive. Man holds onto his anger, allows it to grow, fester, and destroy.
So, how does man go from this destructive state to the state of delighting in unchanging love, filled with grace, mercy and kindness?
God has granted us everything needed that pertains to our life and everything needed that pertains to godliness. The conduit we find this “everything needed” is through the true knowledge of His Son, Jesus. When we grow in our knowledge of Jesus, he becomes the endless channel that makes it possible for us to be partakers of His divine nature allowing us to also delight in what He delights: unchanging love. We are able to be righteous in our anger and holy in our love. We are able to escape the corruption that anger produces in our hearts and find joy in the changed lives around us. But the minute we cut off that channel, stop learning and growing in our Lord, Jesus Christ, we put a kink in the channel and the flow of God’s delights stop. Subsequently, we become corrupt in our love; we desire payment as we anchor our hearts in bitterness and grudges. We finish with never knowing the true joy of unending love, unchanging grace, and unswerving mercy.
Instead of striving and struggling in our nature, we embrace the knowledge of Jesus, our Lord, by growing moment by moment in His nature. For by His grace, His peace, His love, “…He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them we might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2 Peter 1:4)
Monday, May 23, 2011
Seeking Love, A Desperate Cry
Seeking love
Is a desperate cry
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is hurting
My soul is hungry
My mind is wild
My emotions are senseless
My being is despondent
I seek love in approval
Approval lasts for a time
It satisfies until it’s forgotten
When the approval does not come
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is throbbing
My soul is famished
My mind is unruly
My emotions are irrational
My being is downcast
I seek love in accomplishments
Accomplishments last for a moment
It gratifies until it’s obscured
When success is stripped away
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is stinging
My soul is starving
My mind is disorderly
My emotions are vain
My being is dejected
I seek love in purpose
Purpose lasts for an era
It energizes until it’s fruitless
When the need is no longer crucial
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is disappointed
My soul is lifeless
My mind is drained
My emotions are stale
My being is decayed
I seek love in people
People last until they change
They love with self-interest
When the self-interest is no longer pleasing
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is aching
My soul is yearning
My mind is unwise
My emotions are erratic
My being is wretched
Then
I seek love in the eternal
I uncover it in the everlasting
He never fails me, judges me, or uses me
He just loves me for me, just me, only me
His love has no hidden agenda
He is altruistic
He desires me, accepts me, comforts me
His love, God's Love, is unpolluted
He just loves me, for me, just me, only me
When all is wholeless, empty, and wanting
The love of God
Is sufficient, satisfying, and seamless
He loves with spotless assurance
He just loves me for me, just me, only me
So, I seek Him again
I seek Him and seek Him
Until my heart is healed
My soul is filled
My mind is surrendered
My emotions are useful
My being is at peace
Then I discover
I love Him
Our union becomes organic
I find that I need no other
I need Him, for Him, just Him, only Him
Is a desperate cry
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is hurting
My soul is hungry
My mind is wild
My emotions are senseless
My being is despondent
I seek love in approval
Approval lasts for a time
It satisfies until it’s forgotten
When the approval does not come
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is throbbing
My soul is famished
My mind is unruly
My emotions are irrational
My being is downcast
I seek love in accomplishments
Accomplishments last for a moment
It gratifies until it’s obscured
When success is stripped away
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is stinging
My soul is starving
My mind is disorderly
My emotions are vain
My being is dejected
I seek love in purpose
Purpose lasts for an era
It energizes until it’s fruitless
When the need is no longer crucial
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is disappointed
My soul is lifeless
My mind is drained
My emotions are stale
My being is decayed
I seek love in people
People last until they change
They love with self-interest
When the self-interest is no longer pleasing
It leaves me wholeless, empty, and wanting
So, I seek love again
I seek it and seek it
Until my heart is aching
My soul is yearning
My mind is unwise
My emotions are erratic
My being is wretched
Then
I seek love in the eternal
I uncover it in the everlasting
He never fails me, judges me, or uses me
He just loves me for me, just me, only me
His love has no hidden agenda
He is altruistic
He desires me, accepts me, comforts me
His love, God's Love, is unpolluted
He just loves me, for me, just me, only me
When all is wholeless, empty, and wanting
The love of God
Is sufficient, satisfying, and seamless
He loves with spotless assurance
He just loves me for me, just me, only me
So, I seek Him again
I seek Him and seek Him
Until my heart is healed
My soul is filled
My mind is surrendered
My emotions are useful
My being is at peace
Then I discover
I love Him
Our union becomes organic
I find that I need no other
I need Him, for Him, just Him, only Him
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
A Mother Who Never Birthed a Child, Yet Birthed a Family for God.
Mother Teresa, a woman of great courage and strength, followed God’s leading by being the pencil that He used to write a life poured out for the hurting and the poor.
Mother Teresa grew up in a church going home. She was one of five children in which only three survived. Her family was well off financially. Being a peasant was not her experience growing up, yet the poor would be her calling and her passion later in life.
When she was a young girl, she was fascinated with missionaries and their stories. She loved to share about the missions and the service missionaries were doing. At 18 years of age, she decided to follow the missionary path that was obviously developing in her life. God used her love for missions to bring His love to the desponded, discarded, and disheartened.
As a small, quiet, shy and ordinary young woman, Mother Teresa was strong and independent. At 18, she left her mother to begin her religious life in Ireland. As a result, she never saw her mother again. She was sent with the Sisters of Loreto to Darjeeling. She made her vows there and actually changed her original name, Gonxha, to Teresa in honor of Theresa of Avila. She was then sent to St. Mary’s, a high school for girls in the district of Calcutta.
Mother Teresa never lost sight of God’s direction for her life. She ended up leaving the school to go and serve the poor in the streets. She chose to be poor with the poor in order to reach the poor for Jesus. Her life was a clear example of what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 9:17: She went to the weak- became like the weak- so that she could win the weak.
A woman of great ingenuity, she taught the children in the slums using sticks and dirt. She didn’t have all the proper equipment, but instead was resourceful with what God gave her to teach the children to be literate. Also very important to her was teaching children how to care for themselves through basic hygiene. As each child grew in their relationship with her, they loved her. They would crowd around her telling her of their needs. She gathered with them in such squalid shacks to serve them. However, neither the stench, nor the squalor gave her mind, for she was more concerned about their hearts, their souls, and their needs. She loved the people as a mother loves her own children.
It didn’t take long before more people began to help her in this venture. So much help came that it was as if people were simply waiting for her to come along. Love and compassion gave birth: food, clothing, use of buildings, medical supplies and money poured in by the hand of God through the hands of people. This was truly the will of God at work right before the eyes of humanity!
It took faith, love and perseverance to serve the people in Calcutta. “New vocations found its beginning from all parts of the world: Homes for the dying, refuges for the care, education for orphans and abandoned children, treatment centers and hospitals for those suffering from leprosy, centers and refuges for alcoholics, the aged and street people.”*
While Mother Teresa passed away in 1997, her example still lives. She truly was the pencil that God used to write not only her own life story but one that we can all follow. Mother Teresa showed the love of Jesus to the people of Calcutta. Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me….I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:35-39
All hurting people need to be loved just as Mother Teresa loved the people of Calcutta. She never birthed a child, yet through her humble service she birthed a family of God for the Lord. Like Mother Teresa loved these, we can love others in the same way. After all, isn’t that what Jesus meant in Matthew 25:35-39: when we love people, we love Jesus. When Mother Teresa looked at each person, she saw each one as Jesus in disguise. Will we be able to see each hurting, hungry and humble person with the same eyes?
*quoted from book excerpt A Retreat With Mother Teresa and Damien of Molokai: Caring for Those Who Suffer, by Joan Guntzelman
Mother Teresa grew up in a church going home. She was one of five children in which only three survived. Her family was well off financially. Being a peasant was not her experience growing up, yet the poor would be her calling and her passion later in life.
When she was a young girl, she was fascinated with missionaries and their stories. She loved to share about the missions and the service missionaries were doing. At 18 years of age, she decided to follow the missionary path that was obviously developing in her life. God used her love for missions to bring His love to the desponded, discarded, and disheartened.
As a small, quiet, shy and ordinary young woman, Mother Teresa was strong and independent. At 18, she left her mother to begin her religious life in Ireland. As a result, she never saw her mother again. She was sent with the Sisters of Loreto to Darjeeling. She made her vows there and actually changed her original name, Gonxha, to Teresa in honor of Theresa of Avila. She was then sent to St. Mary’s, a high school for girls in the district of Calcutta.
Mother Teresa never lost sight of God’s direction for her life. She ended up leaving the school to go and serve the poor in the streets. She chose to be poor with the poor in order to reach the poor for Jesus. Her life was a clear example of what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 9:17: She went to the weak- became like the weak- so that she could win the weak.
A woman of great ingenuity, she taught the children in the slums using sticks and dirt. She didn’t have all the proper equipment, but instead was resourceful with what God gave her to teach the children to be literate. Also very important to her was teaching children how to care for themselves through basic hygiene. As each child grew in their relationship with her, they loved her. They would crowd around her telling her of their needs. She gathered with them in such squalid shacks to serve them. However, neither the stench, nor the squalor gave her mind, for she was more concerned about their hearts, their souls, and their needs. She loved the people as a mother loves her own children.
It didn’t take long before more people began to help her in this venture. So much help came that it was as if people were simply waiting for her to come along. Love and compassion gave birth: food, clothing, use of buildings, medical supplies and money poured in by the hand of God through the hands of people. This was truly the will of God at work right before the eyes of humanity!
It took faith, love and perseverance to serve the people in Calcutta. “New vocations found its beginning from all parts of the world: Homes for the dying, refuges for the care, education for orphans and abandoned children, treatment centers and hospitals for those suffering from leprosy, centers and refuges for alcoholics, the aged and street people.”*
While Mother Teresa passed away in 1997, her example still lives. She truly was the pencil that God used to write not only her own life story but one that we can all follow. Mother Teresa showed the love of Jesus to the people of Calcutta. Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me….I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:35-39
All hurting people need to be loved just as Mother Teresa loved the people of Calcutta. She never birthed a child, yet through her humble service she birthed a family of God for the Lord. Like Mother Teresa loved these, we can love others in the same way. After all, isn’t that what Jesus meant in Matthew 25:35-39: when we love people, we love Jesus. When Mother Teresa looked at each person, she saw each one as Jesus in disguise. Will we be able to see each hurting, hungry and humble person with the same eyes?
*quoted from book excerpt A Retreat With Mother Teresa and Damien of Molokai: Caring for Those Who Suffer, by Joan Guntzelman
Monday, April 11, 2011
And Who is Adequate for God’s Ministry?
“When it comes to serving the Lord, there is a sense in which nobody is adequate…When God calls us, however, He isn’t making a mistake, and for us to hesitate or refuse to obey is to act on the basis of unbelief and not faith. It’s one thing for us to know our own weaknesses, but it’s quite something else for us to say that our weaknesses prevent God from getting anything done.” ~ Wiersbe
“I can’t” or “I’m not qualified,” are common responses to God’s call for some. But Paul adamantly reprimands us: our adequacy is not of ourselves, it is of God. “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God Who has made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-6.
If I get to the point that I reject God’s calling on my life because I think, “I’m not qualified,” then I have sinned. My sin is unbelief and pride. Because suddenly, the outcome of the calling depends entirely on me! This is not God’s calling for me or for anyone. His calling requires HIM. It is His Spirit that gives life to whatever ministry He calls me to. It is not my doing, not my qualifications, and not my experience. However, it is my faith in Him, His power through me, and my experiences with Him that enable me to be the learning vehicle that He wants to grow and employ. At this point of full faith in His Spirit, I become the one He equips, who sees Him in action in my own life as well as see Him meet the needs of those He leads me to minister.
I am constantly finding people in the Bible that were ill qualified for the calling of God. Jeremiah was only 20 years old when God called him to be a prophet to the nations. He faced physical danger and national decay. He faced a succession of leaders that were deceptive, evil and corrupt. He faced a people that were hardhearted. He was assigned the task of speaking to them the truth of God, something they did not want to hear. At 20 years old, Jeremiah had not had the time to be equipped for this ministry. He had not even had the experience to be equipped, yet God called him, anyway. God calls us all to tasks we cannot do, so that He is the One who receives all the glory. And the interesting thing in it all, He even does this just for you and me. We serve and love an intimate and loving God, who will call us to difficult things in life so that He can grow our faith in Him. He not only cares for those we minister to, but He cares for each of us as well. That’s a loving Shepherd!
As leaders, ourselves, we need to imitate our God in the same way: loving those we lead enough to equip them so they are growing not just getting a task done. Good shepherds care for their flock by tending them, feeding them on knowledge and understanding; they take great joy in seeing their flock go from being afraid to having full trust in their God. Good shepherds release them into ministry so they, too, can experience the full equipping of their God in their life. The ministry of God does not belong to the human shepherd, it belongs to God and it is His will to see all His flock serving in His power and through His Spirit. This is a functioning Body of Christ! This is the Priesthood of Believers operating fully at God’s Hand and Will.
Continuing our story about Jeremiah; he was called to a difficult task as we find in chapter one of his book. He is afraid to do what God has called him to do. His first response to the call is, “Behold, I do not know how to speak.” (Jeremiah 1:6) In other words, “Hey God, I didn’t go to seminary for this…I’m not so sure you have the right guy here.” His second response is, “…I am a youth.” (Jeremiah 1:7) In other words, “And by the way, God, I don’t have any experience in this area of prophesying; I mean, after all I’m only 20 years old. You might need to look for someone with better credentials, you know, someone who’s done this before.” I can almost hear the boom from heaven when God responded to Jeremiah, “Do not say, I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them. For I am with you to deliver you.” (Jeremiah 1:7-8).
Fear can be a crippling emotion when it comes to following God. I see it in my life all the time. I can be just like a doubting Thomas, wanting to see before I believe. There are times, my God is so gracious to give me glimpses of His will just so I will believe. And then, I can be such a stubborn follower, still asking for more glimpses. You would think He would tire of me. But we serve a loving God, who is patient with us and walks with us in these uncertain steps of faith. However, walking in this marginal faith eventually lessons our ability to see Great Faith grow in our soul. With each new step of faith we take, we get to know our God in a whole new way. Many say, “I want more of You, God.” And God says, “And I want more of you, my child.” And the pathway of giving God more of us, is to have more faith in Him.
We come full circle to our question, “Who is adequate for God’s Ministry?” I believe the answer is clear: the one who is willing to fully surrender in faith to Our God; the one who believes in his or her heart, “I can do all things through Him who gives me power.” Philippians 4:13.
“I can’t” or “I’m not qualified,” are common responses to God’s call for some. But Paul adamantly reprimands us: our adequacy is not of ourselves, it is of God. “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God Who has made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-6.
If I get to the point that I reject God’s calling on my life because I think, “I’m not qualified,” then I have sinned. My sin is unbelief and pride. Because suddenly, the outcome of the calling depends entirely on me! This is not God’s calling for me or for anyone. His calling requires HIM. It is His Spirit that gives life to whatever ministry He calls me to. It is not my doing, not my qualifications, and not my experience. However, it is my faith in Him, His power through me, and my experiences with Him that enable me to be the learning vehicle that He wants to grow and employ. At this point of full faith in His Spirit, I become the one He equips, who sees Him in action in my own life as well as see Him meet the needs of those He leads me to minister.
I am constantly finding people in the Bible that were ill qualified for the calling of God. Jeremiah was only 20 years old when God called him to be a prophet to the nations. He faced physical danger and national decay. He faced a succession of leaders that were deceptive, evil and corrupt. He faced a people that were hardhearted. He was assigned the task of speaking to them the truth of God, something they did not want to hear. At 20 years old, Jeremiah had not had the time to be equipped for this ministry. He had not even had the experience to be equipped, yet God called him, anyway. God calls us all to tasks we cannot do, so that He is the One who receives all the glory. And the interesting thing in it all, He even does this just for you and me. We serve and love an intimate and loving God, who will call us to difficult things in life so that He can grow our faith in Him. He not only cares for those we minister to, but He cares for each of us as well. That’s a loving Shepherd!
As leaders, ourselves, we need to imitate our God in the same way: loving those we lead enough to equip them so they are growing not just getting a task done. Good shepherds care for their flock by tending them, feeding them on knowledge and understanding; they take great joy in seeing their flock go from being afraid to having full trust in their God. Good shepherds release them into ministry so they, too, can experience the full equipping of their God in their life. The ministry of God does not belong to the human shepherd, it belongs to God and it is His will to see all His flock serving in His power and through His Spirit. This is a functioning Body of Christ! This is the Priesthood of Believers operating fully at God’s Hand and Will.
Continuing our story about Jeremiah; he was called to a difficult task as we find in chapter one of his book. He is afraid to do what God has called him to do. His first response to the call is, “Behold, I do not know how to speak.” (Jeremiah 1:6) In other words, “Hey God, I didn’t go to seminary for this…I’m not so sure you have the right guy here.” His second response is, “…I am a youth.” (Jeremiah 1:7) In other words, “And by the way, God, I don’t have any experience in this area of prophesying; I mean, after all I’m only 20 years old. You might need to look for someone with better credentials, you know, someone who’s done this before.” I can almost hear the boom from heaven when God responded to Jeremiah, “Do not say, I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them. For I am with you to deliver you.” (Jeremiah 1:7-8).
Fear can be a crippling emotion when it comes to following God. I see it in my life all the time. I can be just like a doubting Thomas, wanting to see before I believe. There are times, my God is so gracious to give me glimpses of His will just so I will believe. And then, I can be such a stubborn follower, still asking for more glimpses. You would think He would tire of me. But we serve a loving God, who is patient with us and walks with us in these uncertain steps of faith. However, walking in this marginal faith eventually lessons our ability to see Great Faith grow in our soul. With each new step of faith we take, we get to know our God in a whole new way. Many say, “I want more of You, God.” And God says, “And I want more of you, my child.” And the pathway of giving God more of us, is to have more faith in Him.
We come full circle to our question, “Who is adequate for God’s Ministry?” I believe the answer is clear: the one who is willing to fully surrender in faith to Our God; the one who believes in his or her heart, “I can do all things through Him who gives me power.” Philippians 4:13.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Earning a Spiritual M.A. in Cultivation
By the glory (opinion) and excellence (modesty) of Jesus, God has granted us His promises. Why? So that we may be partakers of His divine nature and are able to live a life reflective of His Person. In this we are able to escape the corruption of the world that is driven by lust. Lust is the very sin that corrupted the perfect Garden of Eden and its domino effect corrupted the rest of mankind and God’s creation for generations upon generations. The Good News: escaping this corruption is possible here on earth.
The eternal kingdom, which is our refuge from this corruption, begins at the point of repentance of sin and belief in the Lord, Jesus Christ. This means that we are able at this present to escape the corruption of the world. This escape is found in our hearts, our actions and our direction. Yes, externally, we will still be affected by the corruption of the world around us until Jesus puts all evil under His feet and throws it all in the eternal fire. Yet we can be assured that we won’t be infected by the corruption of the world if we submit our very souls, our character, heart and mind to Jesus by earning a Spiritual M.A. in Cultivation.
2 Peter 1:5-7 tells us how we can obtain this M.A. It does not come in the form of diplomas or certificates; it is also never completely finished being obtained until we move from this earth to heaven. That’s why it is called a Masters of Cultivation. Cultivation is a constant growing of crops. It’s hard work; it takes intentional time and effort. It is a spiritual art of growth.
The result: God’s reflective character in our lives.
The fruit: We become functional and fertile.
The benefit: We escape the corruption of lust.
The M.A. Curriculum includes the following crops to be cultivated along with their Greek definition:
“…by applying all diligence, in our faith…”
1. to moral excellence (modesty)…
2. knowledge (understanding the general knowledge of Christian religion)…
3. self-control (one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)…
4. perseverance (his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings)…
5. godliness (dependability on God)…
6. brotherly kindness (love in which Christians prize each other as family)…
7. love (benign benevolent compassion)
All of these in their growing state keep us fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord. (2 Peter 1:8). And ultimately, they award us the aversion of lust and corruption.
Sadly, though, when we lack the cultivation of these crops in our life, it becomes evident that we have abandoned and neglected our cleansing from our sin and we have given ourselves over to those former lusts in our lives.
When the former sins of our lives begin to surface in our attitudes, hearts and decisions, we have allowed the old nature to become the bushel that suffocates the light of Jesus that lives in us. For example, if we are not cherishing and prizing our brothers and sisters in Christ, if we are not depending on God for His provision, if we are not mastering our passions, if we are too busy to learn about our faith in Jesus and grow in the knowledge of Him, then we can be certain that our former lusts will become the driving force of our lives.
Often times, when this happens, we can follow the root of this to an immaturity found in the person: an inability to be diligent. We discover that we are still like children, thinking like a child, reasoning like a child and acting like a child. In this immaturity, a stumbling block protrudes before us, causing us to trip over the truth of God’s word instead of allowing it to complete its good work in us.
While I think this is the saddest thing to happen to an individual, even sadder is their stumbling dominoes the lives of others in their influence, just like the effect we find in the Garden of Eden.
Is it any wonder that we see marriages cease, teens walking away from their faith, leaders corrupting their flock, churches dieing, and a country morally declining? When one falls, another falls, and then another. Before you know it,many marriages are murdered, whole generations of children are lost, false prophets arise, more than one church dies, and countries collapse. Essentially what has happened is Christians have stopped farming!
The deepest pit of all: if a person continues down this path, hardening their heart they become worse than their former state of lustfulness and corruption. (2 Peter 2:20). They become as Proverbs says, "...like a dog that returns to its own vomit or a sow after washing returns to wallowing in the mire."
I like the phrase I have heard from Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington: “Hard words produce soft people, yet soft words produce hard people.” In this passage of 2 Peter 1:13-15, Peter considered it right to stir up the church in reminder of these things, so that when the time came when people see these crops failing to grow in their lives, they can remember the damaging effect it can have on themselves and those around them. And likewise, they can refocus on the crops they neglected and begin to grow in them again.
This blog contains hard words, but if received with humility they will be good words that produce a soft useful crop that causes us to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18). The question then becomes for us all, which crop is being neglected? Which crop needs intentional time and effort? Let us never return to our vomit or wallow again in the mire of our old nature. Let us not hide the Light under the bushel of sin. Let us be a city on a hill that will shine the Light of God and never go out!
The eternal kingdom, which is our refuge from this corruption, begins at the point of repentance of sin and belief in the Lord, Jesus Christ. This means that we are able at this present to escape the corruption of the world. This escape is found in our hearts, our actions and our direction. Yes, externally, we will still be affected by the corruption of the world around us until Jesus puts all evil under His feet and throws it all in the eternal fire. Yet we can be assured that we won’t be infected by the corruption of the world if we submit our very souls, our character, heart and mind to Jesus by earning a Spiritual M.A. in Cultivation.
2 Peter 1:5-7 tells us how we can obtain this M.A. It does not come in the form of diplomas or certificates; it is also never completely finished being obtained until we move from this earth to heaven. That’s why it is called a Masters of Cultivation. Cultivation is a constant growing of crops. It’s hard work; it takes intentional time and effort. It is a spiritual art of growth.
The result: God’s reflective character in our lives.
The fruit: We become functional and fertile.
The benefit: We escape the corruption of lust.
The M.A. Curriculum includes the following crops to be cultivated along with their Greek definition:
“…by applying all diligence, in our faith…”
1. to moral excellence (modesty)…
2. knowledge (understanding the general knowledge of Christian religion)…
3. self-control (one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)…
4. perseverance (his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings)…
5. godliness (dependability on God)…
6. brotherly kindness (love in which Christians prize each other as family)…
7. love (benign benevolent compassion)
All of these in their growing state keep us fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord. (2 Peter 1:8). And ultimately, they award us the aversion of lust and corruption.
Sadly, though, when we lack the cultivation of these crops in our life, it becomes evident that we have abandoned and neglected our cleansing from our sin and we have given ourselves over to those former lusts in our lives.
When the former sins of our lives begin to surface in our attitudes, hearts and decisions, we have allowed the old nature to become the bushel that suffocates the light of Jesus that lives in us. For example, if we are not cherishing and prizing our brothers and sisters in Christ, if we are not depending on God for His provision, if we are not mastering our passions, if we are too busy to learn about our faith in Jesus and grow in the knowledge of Him, then we can be certain that our former lusts will become the driving force of our lives.
Often times, when this happens, we can follow the root of this to an immaturity found in the person: an inability to be diligent. We discover that we are still like children, thinking like a child, reasoning like a child and acting like a child. In this immaturity, a stumbling block protrudes before us, causing us to trip over the truth of God’s word instead of allowing it to complete its good work in us.
While I think this is the saddest thing to happen to an individual, even sadder is their stumbling dominoes the lives of others in their influence, just like the effect we find in the Garden of Eden.
Is it any wonder that we see marriages cease, teens walking away from their faith, leaders corrupting their flock, churches dieing, and a country morally declining? When one falls, another falls, and then another. Before you know it,many marriages are murdered, whole generations of children are lost, false prophets arise, more than one church dies, and countries collapse. Essentially what has happened is Christians have stopped farming!
The deepest pit of all: if a person continues down this path, hardening their heart they become worse than their former state of lustfulness and corruption. (2 Peter 2:20). They become as Proverbs says, "...like a dog that returns to its own vomit or a sow after washing returns to wallowing in the mire."
I like the phrase I have heard from Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington: “Hard words produce soft people, yet soft words produce hard people.” In this passage of 2 Peter 1:13-15, Peter considered it right to stir up the church in reminder of these things, so that when the time came when people see these crops failing to grow in their lives, they can remember the damaging effect it can have on themselves and those around them. And likewise, they can refocus on the crops they neglected and begin to grow in them again.
This blog contains hard words, but if received with humility they will be good words that produce a soft useful crop that causes us to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18). The question then becomes for us all, which crop is being neglected? Which crop needs intentional time and effort? Let us never return to our vomit or wallow again in the mire of our old nature. Let us not hide the Light under the bushel of sin. Let us be a city on a hill that will shine the Light of God and never go out!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Selfless Unity
One of the benefits of being a Christian is that we have an example of selfless unity that we can follow. If only we will follow. One passage that has meant a great deal to me this month has been Philippians 2:1-8. It has challenged me, encouraged me, given me hope as I pray this passage not only for myself, my family, but also my church.
"Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness? If so, make me very happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and having one mind and purpose. When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others. In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death -- death on a cross." (Philippians 2:1-8)
Something our Pastor said in his sermon this past Sunday was, "People watch people." This struck me as I have been meditating on this passage; it is so important that we (as Christians) reflect the same kind of humility that Christ demonstrated by His life on earth as well as His life in Heaven. This passage is not an easy thing to do, but this is God's way of life to be lived. And if God's will is not done His way than it really isn't His will. :)
One of the reasons this passage gives me hope, is because we can actually do this if we submit ourselves completely to His Spirit. Notice that this passage says that Jesus was fully obedient to God. Often times, we (as Christians) forget that we have the power of God living inside us; and that power enables us to be like Christ in our character. The unfortunate thing is that we allow our own defiled character get in the way, block His presence and His reflection through us. His power becomes muted and clouded by our own estranged will.
The best way I can think of that breaks this horrible estrangement is total surrender. Just like Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "...yet not my will, but Thine be done." This prayer takes a faith that is not our own, and can only be increased by our Savior. I find that I am able to surrender easier, by prayer, more prayer that turns into constant prayer. I pray for my will to be crushed, to come to an end, to be withered into dust. Then I pray for God to increase my faith. I pray for Him to replace my will completely in my mind, my heart and my soul. I ask Him to replace this with His. This is a "breaking of the will" prayer. It's hard. Yet, I yearn for this faith and I thirst for this righteous faith of Abraham.
The question then comes to us all, are we willing? If we are willing, there's half the miracle!
"Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness? If so, make me very happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and having one mind and purpose. When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others. In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death -- death on a cross." (Philippians 2:1-8)
Something our Pastor said in his sermon this past Sunday was, "People watch people." This struck me as I have been meditating on this passage; it is so important that we (as Christians) reflect the same kind of humility that Christ demonstrated by His life on earth as well as His life in Heaven. This passage is not an easy thing to do, but this is God's way of life to be lived. And if God's will is not done His way than it really isn't His will. :)
One of the reasons this passage gives me hope, is because we can actually do this if we submit ourselves completely to His Spirit. Notice that this passage says that Jesus was fully obedient to God. Often times, we (as Christians) forget that we have the power of God living inside us; and that power enables us to be like Christ in our character. The unfortunate thing is that we allow our own defiled character get in the way, block His presence and His reflection through us. His power becomes muted and clouded by our own estranged will.
The best way I can think of that breaks this horrible estrangement is total surrender. Just like Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "...yet not my will, but Thine be done." This prayer takes a faith that is not our own, and can only be increased by our Savior. I find that I am able to surrender easier, by prayer, more prayer that turns into constant prayer. I pray for my will to be crushed, to come to an end, to be withered into dust. Then I pray for God to increase my faith. I pray for Him to replace my will completely in my mind, my heart and my soul. I ask Him to replace this with His. This is a "breaking of the will" prayer. It's hard. Yet, I yearn for this faith and I thirst for this righteous faith of Abraham.
The question then comes to us all, are we willing? If we are willing, there's half the miracle!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Come
Come
All you who wearily
Toil, tire and tear
For the lost and the saved
Shelter awaits your frailty
Receive His yoke, flee the burden
Leave it all
Quiet the soul in lowly plea
Request, Reveal, Revere
His Spirit is easy, yours is heavy
Breathe His silence
Exhale your saddle
Decree His goodness
Inhabit His sanction
Rest in the quarters of His love
Then, rise up, press on
Enliven His upward call
Until your will has rusted
And His runs a blazing
All you who wearily
Toil, tire and tear
For the lost and the saved
Shelter awaits your frailty
Receive His yoke, flee the burden
Leave it all
Quiet the soul in lowly plea
Request, Reveal, Revere
His Spirit is easy, yours is heavy
Breathe His silence
Exhale your saddle
Decree His goodness
Inhabit His sanction
Rest in the quarters of His love
Then, rise up, press on
Enliven His upward call
Until your will has rusted
And His runs a blazing
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Signs Don’t Satisfy-The Gospel Does
I struggle with wearing glasses. To be honest, I can’t stand them. They do help me see, but they feel weird on my face. I have never really liked any glasses including sunglasses. So, what do I do most of the time? I deal with seeing everything with a fuzzy form. I accept only seeing things partially clear, even though “fuzzy seeing” is frustrating and actually harder work as I try to squint to make objects more visible. My lack of obedience to wearing my glasses actually has become a stumbling block to seeing life with clarity. The Jews were a lot like me. They seem to only see Jesus through "fuzzy eyes" (signs); it seems easier to seek a sign vs. the Son. But the problem with signs is they only give us the partial of Jesus, not the whole. And it’s actually harder and less satisfying to live a life seeking and performing signs than it is to live a life following Jesus.
Jesus was authenticated by the signs he performed; however, our faith is not authenticated by them, nor is salvation found in them. Even the people that took part of the feeding of 5000 in John 6 realized that through the miraculous provision of bread and fish, Jesus’ identity was revealed but their faith was not strengthened.
Listen to what they said, “When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ‘This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(John 6:14). They realized that Jesus was different; the signs validated this about Him. What they did not want to accept is that Jesus was more than a Prophet, He was and is the Son of God.
We see that their faith was not strengthened by this miracle, because not long after feeding the 5000 with bread and fish, they went looking for Jesus. The question is, were they seeking the Son or personal gratification? When they found Jesus, He knew they only wanted more bread; they wanted more experiences that made them feel good. He rebuked them with:
“…Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." (John 6:26-27).
Notice two points in what Jesus said to the multitude:
1. Don’t work for the food which perishes. Signs feed personal gratification and they come and go. Signs only authenticate Who we believe in; they do not give sustenance to our faith.
2. Jesus told them the food that endures is Jesus. It is Jesus that God has set His seal, not the signs and wonders He performed. It is Jesus who satisfies and none other. They were not seeking Jesus because of the signs, they were seeking Him because of the experience.
I love what God told Peter, James and John at the transfiguration. They see Elijah, Moses and Jesus. Peter, yet another caught up in the experience, wanted to build tabernacles for all three of them. But God stopped him in his tracks and boomed from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7). God wants us to listen to His Son, Jesus. It is Jesus that we seek not the signs He performs. It is relationship with Him that we develop not the ability to work miracles.
Jesus goes on to explain to the Jews in John 6 what the true work of God is:
“Therefore they (the Jews) said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:28-29).
These people still don’t get it. They choose to see partially with their eyes. They still want to do signs; they seek their own glory not the glory of God. Jesus answers their question. He tells them that the work of God that He desires is to believe in Him!
Patiently, Jesus continues to speak truth into their hearts:
“So they said to Him, 'What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.' Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." (John 6:30-33).
I can’t even believe that they asked the question, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work to you perform?” My question to them is, “What have you already seen?” These Jews prove that seeking signs only leads to seeking more signs. The Jews were stumbling over their own lack of faith in Jesus. Isn’t this like us to focus on the need, the remedy, and man’s ability vs. Jesus? Doing this, we lack faith; we become an evil and adulterous generation that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for in Matthew 12:39. Why did he call them an evil and adulterous generation? Because they craved signs and were not seeking Him.
Jesus, with great care and clarity, continues to explain Who He is to the people:
“Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread.' Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:34-40).
I don’t know how clearer Jesus could be for these Jews. Jesus points to the true bread of life – Himself.
Jesus tells them that if they behold Him (carry Him in their very souls) and believe in Him, they will never hunger or thirst; they will have security; finally they will have eternal life.
What a great promise! What a great destiny! But what do the Jews do? They fumble on one statement that Jesus makes, “The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread that came down out of heaven.’ (John 6:41).
I think these Jews needed glasses! They needed to stop fumbling over the bread, their physical hunger, and their pride. They needed to stop seeking more signs that gratified the physical; they needed to believe the truth that stood right before their very eyes. They knew the prophecies of Jesus; they knew He fulfilled each one. They still did not believe. What blinds people like this? Pride and self-gratification.
These Jews wanted to be the self-righteous ones; they did not want to bow to Jesus; they wanted to be god of the people. They wanted to do signs, so they could be glorified and meet their want for honor and self-esteem. The sin of pride filled their heart causing them to see Jesus with “fuzzy eyes.” Pride hungers for more signs, but humility hungers for Jesus!
Over and over Jesus condemns the religious leaders for seeking a sign. Jesus goes on to say to them that the only sign they will be given is “…the sign of Jonah the prophet, for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39-40). Jesus pointed the religious leaders to the gospel, the atonement that Jesus would perform for their salvation. This atonement was and is the greatest sign of Jesus. It is only through our humble lens looking to the gospel that we will see Jesus clearly. His death and resurrection is the only sign that will save us; we must stop looking to the miracles and start looking to the Son.
Jesus was authenticated by the signs he performed; however, our faith is not authenticated by them, nor is salvation found in them. Even the people that took part of the feeding of 5000 in John 6 realized that through the miraculous provision of bread and fish, Jesus’ identity was revealed but their faith was not strengthened.
Listen to what they said, “When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ‘This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(John 6:14). They realized that Jesus was different; the signs validated this about Him. What they did not want to accept is that Jesus was more than a Prophet, He was and is the Son of God.
We see that their faith was not strengthened by this miracle, because not long after feeding the 5000 with bread and fish, they went looking for Jesus. The question is, were they seeking the Son or personal gratification? When they found Jesus, He knew they only wanted more bread; they wanted more experiences that made them feel good. He rebuked them with:
“…Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." (John 6:26-27).
Notice two points in what Jesus said to the multitude:
1. Don’t work for the food which perishes. Signs feed personal gratification and they come and go. Signs only authenticate Who we believe in; they do not give sustenance to our faith.
2. Jesus told them the food that endures is Jesus. It is Jesus that God has set His seal, not the signs and wonders He performed. It is Jesus who satisfies and none other. They were not seeking Jesus because of the signs, they were seeking Him because of the experience.
I love what God told Peter, James and John at the transfiguration. They see Elijah, Moses and Jesus. Peter, yet another caught up in the experience, wanted to build tabernacles for all three of them. But God stopped him in his tracks and boomed from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7). God wants us to listen to His Son, Jesus. It is Jesus that we seek not the signs He performs. It is relationship with Him that we develop not the ability to work miracles.
Jesus goes on to explain to the Jews in John 6 what the true work of God is:
“Therefore they (the Jews) said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:28-29).
These people still don’t get it. They choose to see partially with their eyes. They still want to do signs; they seek their own glory not the glory of God. Jesus answers their question. He tells them that the work of God that He desires is to believe in Him!
Patiently, Jesus continues to speak truth into their hearts:
“So they said to Him, 'What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.' Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." (John 6:30-33).
I can’t even believe that they asked the question, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work to you perform?” My question to them is, “What have you already seen?” These Jews prove that seeking signs only leads to seeking more signs. The Jews were stumbling over their own lack of faith in Jesus. Isn’t this like us to focus on the need, the remedy, and man’s ability vs. Jesus? Doing this, we lack faith; we become an evil and adulterous generation that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for in Matthew 12:39. Why did he call them an evil and adulterous generation? Because they craved signs and were not seeking Him.
Jesus, with great care and clarity, continues to explain Who He is to the people:
“Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread.' Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:34-40).
I don’t know how clearer Jesus could be for these Jews. Jesus points to the true bread of life – Himself.
Jesus tells them that if they behold Him (carry Him in their very souls) and believe in Him, they will never hunger or thirst; they will have security; finally they will have eternal life.
What a great promise! What a great destiny! But what do the Jews do? They fumble on one statement that Jesus makes, “The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, ‘I am the bread that came down out of heaven.’ (John 6:41).
I think these Jews needed glasses! They needed to stop fumbling over the bread, their physical hunger, and their pride. They needed to stop seeking more signs that gratified the physical; they needed to believe the truth that stood right before their very eyes. They knew the prophecies of Jesus; they knew He fulfilled each one. They still did not believe. What blinds people like this? Pride and self-gratification.
These Jews wanted to be the self-righteous ones; they did not want to bow to Jesus; they wanted to be god of the people. They wanted to do signs, so they could be glorified and meet their want for honor and self-esteem. The sin of pride filled their heart causing them to see Jesus with “fuzzy eyes.” Pride hungers for more signs, but humility hungers for Jesus!
Over and over Jesus condemns the religious leaders for seeking a sign. Jesus goes on to say to them that the only sign they will be given is “…the sign of Jonah the prophet, for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39-40). Jesus pointed the religious leaders to the gospel, the atonement that Jesus would perform for their salvation. This atonement was and is the greatest sign of Jesus. It is only through our humble lens looking to the gospel that we will see Jesus clearly. His death and resurrection is the only sign that will save us; we must stop looking to the miracles and start looking to the Son.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Don't See the Ghost. See Jesus!
One of the reasons people miss out on an intimate faith in Jesus is, because they allow their fears to loom larger than His presence. We look back at the disciples and judge their faith (or lack of), but the fact is we are not much different than they are. We have experienced God at work in our lives; He has answered prayer to impossible situations; we have glimpsed His power around us, yet, we still lack faith when the next big trial slams us.
In Mark 4:35-41, the disciples experienced Jesus commanding and calming the storm on the sea; in Matthew 5:1-20, they encountered the most evil site: a demon possessed man abusing himself horrifically. This man was not only possessed with a demon, but a legion of demons: 6000 of them in one body! Can you imagine? Jesus in his matchless power cast these demons into swine and they all went into the sea to drown. In Mark 5:21-43, the disciples witnessed Jesus healing a hemorrhaging woman and bring back to life a dead twelve year old girl. The disciples themselves were given authority by Jesus over unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7). And lastly before the one event that revealed their hardened heart, the disciples set their eyes on the miracle of Jesus feeding over 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Mark 6:33-44). We ask ourselves, how could anyone ever lose faith, fear trouble, and not trust in Jesus after these?
After feeding the 5000, Jesus instructed His disciples to “…go ahead of Him to the other side of Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending away the multitude…” (Mark 6:45). Jesus sent His disciples on ahead across the sea to the other side, without Him. This seems very simple and effortless. I mean, some of them were fishermen, surely this would be easy. But what most people don’t understand is what was in the minds of these disciples every time they crossed the sea. What baggage of fear were they bringing in their hearts that made crossing the sea so terrifying? Reading an insightful article from That The World May Know website (http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2754) about the Sea of Galilee, I discovered what the baggage was that harbored the hearts of the disciples. It explained their deep fear and reason why they were so incredibly afraid every time a storm arose on the sea.
In summary, the sea did not have a positive light. The Jewish people were culturally desert nomads, not seafaring natives. The disciples grew up hearing seafaring stories: monstrous beasts rising up from the depths, the sea was the place Baal went to battle with Yam, the sea god, the sea was a place of judgment (the flood of Noah and Jonah thrown into the deep). The sea represented a place of evil, evil spirits, the terrible dragon, Leviathan (which represented the pagan nations), the home of wickedness, doom and chaos. This belief would have even been more confirmed after the disciples watched Jesus cast the legion of demons from the Gerasene demonic into the swine that drown, where? The Sea! Which sea? The one they were crossing, alone, without Jesus. The first time the disciples crossed the sea, Jesus was with them. This time, Jesus sends them on their own. I commend the disciples for going; this in itself took courage. Let’s find out what happens:
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, "Take courage ; it is I, do not be afraid." Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped ; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”(Mark 6:45-52).
One of the biggest lessons to be learned from this passage is “Jesus’ presence is always with us. And in His presence we are safe.” We see this first in this passage when Jesus is on the land, alone, praying. He can see His disciples, straining at the oars as the wind was beating against them. Jesus is always watching closely, no matter what the trial may be, He is watching and praying. I ponder, what was Jesus praying? The passage doesn’t say, but I believe He was praying for His men. He may have been praying that their faith would be tested, yet completed. I believe that Jesus was more concerned about these men releasing their baggage and embracing faith in His power, than their safety on the sea. Not that their safety wasn’t important, but their hearts were elevated higher.
At the right time, Jesus graces His presence on the sea, walking in victory over the deep. His intention was only to supply them with His presence, not interfere with their struggle, at least not at first. When His disciples couldn’t grasp fully the lesson to release their baggage, He came to them in the boat. But the interesting part in this scripture is that the disciples did see Jesus. Unfortunately, their fear loomed larger than the truth that stood before them; they saw a ghost and did not recognize that the One walking on the water was their Savior. Isn’t this like us, our fears will be so great, we don’t even see Jesus in our midst; our hearts, like the disciples, are hardened by our own fears. We end up missing the opportunity for intimate faith in Him. The disciples allowed all the stories and their fears learned growing up to become their focal point on the sea. Jesus wanted them to let it go; stop giving their full energy and time to this defeatable fright. He desired full faith in Him, the One they followed.
Jesus, seeing that His men had suffered enough, He got into the boat and said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." In essence, Jesus was saying, “My presence is here, do not be afraid. You can rest, because I AM.” Notice how the storm stopped in this passage vs. Mark 4:39. Jesus spoke to the storm in Mark 4:39, and the sea and wind obeyed Him. But in this passage, it was His very presence that stopped the storm. We underestimate the power of our Lord in our lives.
We have the very same power living in us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, His power resides in us by His Holy Spirit. His presence is with us at all times. We are graced with it, protected by it, empowered by it, and encouraged by it. We have the ability to turn away from the ghost that fears us and cling closely to Jesus in our midst.
We all have fears that look like a scary ghost in our lives. For me, the fear of being alone without my husband has been mine for years. My grandmother, married twice and engaged a third time; she lost all three to death. My mom divorced at a young age and never remarried. She was alone raising her children. These terrified me as a young child and spilled over into my adult life. It almost kept me from even getting married.
However, God allowed me to face this ghost head on in Hilton Head, Island. While on vacation this past year, my husband was rushed to the hospital near death due to acute pancreatitis. The first four days were touch and go. I watched him lay there, lifeless, unable to embrace me, comfort me and tell me all was going to be okay. I had to come to terms that this might be the end. The ghost was scary. It would have been easy to focus on the ghost and crumble, but instead I chose to embrace my Savior. I resolved that He was with me even if the end of this beautiful marriage was at hand. I pressed into my Savior. I chose intimacy with Him and He became my comfort. His presence overwhelmed me with love and power to go forward. Thankfully, as with the disciples, He saved me. He calmed the storm in my life and healed my husband. I am able to rest not only in the sovereignty of my Jesus, but also in the arms of my husband. I took a stand and chose to see Jesus, not the ghost!
What or who is your ghost? What keeps you so afraid that you can’t embrace the power of Jesus? Don’t forget that the Great I Am walked on the water, in victory over the deep; He can also walk in victory over whatever fear that ails you. Trust Him. He’s worth it!
In Mark 4:35-41, the disciples experienced Jesus commanding and calming the storm on the sea; in Matthew 5:1-20, they encountered the most evil site: a demon possessed man abusing himself horrifically. This man was not only possessed with a demon, but a legion of demons: 6000 of them in one body! Can you imagine? Jesus in his matchless power cast these demons into swine and they all went into the sea to drown. In Mark 5:21-43, the disciples witnessed Jesus healing a hemorrhaging woman and bring back to life a dead twelve year old girl. The disciples themselves were given authority by Jesus over unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7). And lastly before the one event that revealed their hardened heart, the disciples set their eyes on the miracle of Jesus feeding over 5000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Mark 6:33-44). We ask ourselves, how could anyone ever lose faith, fear trouble, and not trust in Jesus after these?
After feeding the 5000, Jesus instructed His disciples to “…go ahead of Him to the other side of Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending away the multitude…” (Mark 6:45). Jesus sent His disciples on ahead across the sea to the other side, without Him. This seems very simple and effortless. I mean, some of them were fishermen, surely this would be easy. But what most people don’t understand is what was in the minds of these disciples every time they crossed the sea. What baggage of fear were they bringing in their hearts that made crossing the sea so terrifying? Reading an insightful article from That The World May Know website (http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2754) about the Sea of Galilee, I discovered what the baggage was that harbored the hearts of the disciples. It explained their deep fear and reason why they were so incredibly afraid every time a storm arose on the sea.
In summary, the sea did not have a positive light. The Jewish people were culturally desert nomads, not seafaring natives. The disciples grew up hearing seafaring stories: monstrous beasts rising up from the depths, the sea was the place Baal went to battle with Yam, the sea god, the sea was a place of judgment (the flood of Noah and Jonah thrown into the deep). The sea represented a place of evil, evil spirits, the terrible dragon, Leviathan (which represented the pagan nations), the home of wickedness, doom and chaos. This belief would have even been more confirmed after the disciples watched Jesus cast the legion of demons from the Gerasene demonic into the swine that drown, where? The Sea! Which sea? The one they were crossing, alone, without Jesus. The first time the disciples crossed the sea, Jesus was with them. This time, Jesus sends them on their own. I commend the disciples for going; this in itself took courage. Let’s find out what happens:
“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, "Take courage ; it is I, do not be afraid." Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped ; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.”(Mark 6:45-52).
One of the biggest lessons to be learned from this passage is “Jesus’ presence is always with us. And in His presence we are safe.” We see this first in this passage when Jesus is on the land, alone, praying. He can see His disciples, straining at the oars as the wind was beating against them. Jesus is always watching closely, no matter what the trial may be, He is watching and praying. I ponder, what was Jesus praying? The passage doesn’t say, but I believe He was praying for His men. He may have been praying that their faith would be tested, yet completed. I believe that Jesus was more concerned about these men releasing their baggage and embracing faith in His power, than their safety on the sea. Not that their safety wasn’t important, but their hearts were elevated higher.
At the right time, Jesus graces His presence on the sea, walking in victory over the deep. His intention was only to supply them with His presence, not interfere with their struggle, at least not at first. When His disciples couldn’t grasp fully the lesson to release their baggage, He came to them in the boat. But the interesting part in this scripture is that the disciples did see Jesus. Unfortunately, their fear loomed larger than the truth that stood before them; they saw a ghost and did not recognize that the One walking on the water was their Savior. Isn’t this like us, our fears will be so great, we don’t even see Jesus in our midst; our hearts, like the disciples, are hardened by our own fears. We end up missing the opportunity for intimate faith in Him. The disciples allowed all the stories and their fears learned growing up to become their focal point on the sea. Jesus wanted them to let it go; stop giving their full energy and time to this defeatable fright. He desired full faith in Him, the One they followed.
Jesus, seeing that His men had suffered enough, He got into the boat and said to them, "Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid." In essence, Jesus was saying, “My presence is here, do not be afraid. You can rest, because I AM.” Notice how the storm stopped in this passage vs. Mark 4:39. Jesus spoke to the storm in Mark 4:39, and the sea and wind obeyed Him. But in this passage, it was His very presence that stopped the storm. We underestimate the power of our Lord in our lives.
We have the very same power living in us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, His power resides in us by His Holy Spirit. His presence is with us at all times. We are graced with it, protected by it, empowered by it, and encouraged by it. We have the ability to turn away from the ghost that fears us and cling closely to Jesus in our midst.
We all have fears that look like a scary ghost in our lives. For me, the fear of being alone without my husband has been mine for years. My grandmother, married twice and engaged a third time; she lost all three to death. My mom divorced at a young age and never remarried. She was alone raising her children. These terrified me as a young child and spilled over into my adult life. It almost kept me from even getting married.
However, God allowed me to face this ghost head on in Hilton Head, Island. While on vacation this past year, my husband was rushed to the hospital near death due to acute pancreatitis. The first four days were touch and go. I watched him lay there, lifeless, unable to embrace me, comfort me and tell me all was going to be okay. I had to come to terms that this might be the end. The ghost was scary. It would have been easy to focus on the ghost and crumble, but instead I chose to embrace my Savior. I resolved that He was with me even if the end of this beautiful marriage was at hand. I pressed into my Savior. I chose intimacy with Him and He became my comfort. His presence overwhelmed me with love and power to go forward. Thankfully, as with the disciples, He saved me. He calmed the storm in my life and healed my husband. I am able to rest not only in the sovereignty of my Jesus, but also in the arms of my husband. I took a stand and chose to see Jesus, not the ghost!
What or who is your ghost? What keeps you so afraid that you can’t embrace the power of Jesus? Don’t forget that the Great I Am walked on the water, in victory over the deep; He can also walk in victory over whatever fear that ails you. Trust Him. He’s worth it!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Twelve Years of Joy and Twelve Years of Pain: We All Need Jesus!
Mark 5:21-43 gives a great illustration of twelve years of joy and twelve years of pain, both culminating to one great need. We find a woman who has been suffering an illness for twelve years in which has led her into poverty and a status of dishonor. Then we find a twelve year old little girl, daughter of a wealthy honorable synagogue official, suddenly take ill and die.
A woman who has been living in pain for many years while simultaneously, a young girl is giving joy to her parents. Quite a contrast between the two. The bottom line in both of these lives is they needed Jesus. Regardless of social status, financial situation and health condition, we all need Jesus. And we need Him to be so much more to us than just a booster, healer, and financial manager. We need a Savior that completes our hopeless situation with everlasting life in the arms of our Heavenly Father. We need His healing for all eternity!
While what I have just stated is so true, there was one word that stood out to me in this entire passage: daughter. We find a man who loves his daughter and is seeking help from our Savior. A father’s love sends him on a desperate mission to find Jesus. This was risky for this father, because he was a synagogue official. He publicly came out of concealment and asked for help from the very person whom the religious leaders were opposed. That took courage and it took a deep love for his own. If we truly love our children, we as parents, will go out on a limb for them, risking all for their well being, their safety and their future. Jesus understood the risk this man was taking.
As this father walked along the road with Jesus, eagerly awaiting the miracle he was hoping for, Jesus was interrupted by a woman of lower class, a cast-away of society, and a person of insignificance. And what does Jesus do? He stops. What? He stops in the midst of His mission to help a high class official’s daughter in order to reach out to this woman.
I can feel the officials impatience, his urgency to get on with their journey to his daughter at home. I can hear his thoughts, “We don’t have time for this person. She’s a cast-away, leave her. My daughter is important. What are you doing, Jesus?” He may have not had any of those thoughts, but it would not surprise me if he had. There are many, today, who would have had those same impatient feelings.
This woman has already been healed of her illness, but Jesus wants to do more for her. One of the things I love about the character of Jesus, is he is not an impatient man; He takes the time for complete healing in the lives of people. He knows His identity: the most powerful God.
What does Jesus say? He calls this woman of low class and great illness, “Daughter…” He could have called her “Woman.” But no, He called her “daughter.” How did this emulate complete healing? Remember, this woman has lost all her money, her dignity, and her hope. She feels like a cast-away. But Jesus, being complete in His love, calls her "daughter."
Jesus first of all came to all of God’s people, poor and rich, of good standing and not so good, for the cast-away and the elite. And each one is His child. From the Hebrew meaning, this affectionate word means, “acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection.” He was saying so much more to her and to the official watching. When He called her daughter, He communicated the message that she is acceptable to God. In that moment, Jesus healed her identity. Worse than physical pain, is a damaged identity. Jesus healed her from the inside out: complete healing!
What I love about Jesus is that He teaches all in His presence, not just one. The woman was receiving but so was the official. In all of this man's impatience, he heard Jesus say, “daughter.” I believe that he learned at that moment: Jesus understood the feelings of a father. He understood his anxiousness, his fear and his desperation. We see this when Jesus turns to him and says, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” (Mark 5:36). Jesus, sensing his disbelief, gave him this encouragement.
I can hear a new thought come to this man's mind, "If Jesus can care for this woman with 'God’s peculiar care and protection,' maybe He can do the same for his little girl." Certainly, he knew that healing his daughter at this point in her illness would take a special, peculiar type of healing that could only come from God! It's important to note that the official’s daughter is also Jesus’ daughter, acceptable by God and able to rejoice in the same care the older woman was able to find peace. The man choosing to believe, continued on his journey with Jesus. In his choice to believe, he and his wife were reunited with their little girl. Likewise this man's identity was healed in a different way. He realized that no matter what status he or the other woman was from, they both needed Jesus! It is not stated, but most likely in this experience, this official became a follower of Jesus.
Each woman reading this blog can take away from this message the hope that Jesus loves you just like a daughter, “acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection.” Each woman on this earth has certain needs, differing backgrounds, special worries, joys and dreams; the hopeful thing in it all, is that none of them are beyond Jesus' peculiar care and protection. In His special way He reaches out to us and helps us feel loved and cherished. Our identity, no matter how poor or how rich, we are His. Did you hear that? Say that out loud, "I am HIS!"
You and I are His special daughter! When all else seems to reject you, demean you, frustrate you, fear you, stop! And say out loud, "I am HIS, acceptable to God, under the peculiar care and protection of my Savior, Jesus!" For you are His daughter! Rejoice in His special care and His mighty protection for you. You are acceptable to the Maker of heaven and earth, the One Who can save, the One who is able to do whatever He desires. And get this my dear friend, His desire is to care and protect you in the very way you need!
A woman who has been living in pain for many years while simultaneously, a young girl is giving joy to her parents. Quite a contrast between the two. The bottom line in both of these lives is they needed Jesus. Regardless of social status, financial situation and health condition, we all need Jesus. And we need Him to be so much more to us than just a booster, healer, and financial manager. We need a Savior that completes our hopeless situation with everlasting life in the arms of our Heavenly Father. We need His healing for all eternity!
While what I have just stated is so true, there was one word that stood out to me in this entire passage: daughter. We find a man who loves his daughter and is seeking help from our Savior. A father’s love sends him on a desperate mission to find Jesus. This was risky for this father, because he was a synagogue official. He publicly came out of concealment and asked for help from the very person whom the religious leaders were opposed. That took courage and it took a deep love for his own. If we truly love our children, we as parents, will go out on a limb for them, risking all for their well being, their safety and their future. Jesus understood the risk this man was taking.
As this father walked along the road with Jesus, eagerly awaiting the miracle he was hoping for, Jesus was interrupted by a woman of lower class, a cast-away of society, and a person of insignificance. And what does Jesus do? He stops. What? He stops in the midst of His mission to help a high class official’s daughter in order to reach out to this woman.
I can feel the officials impatience, his urgency to get on with their journey to his daughter at home. I can hear his thoughts, “We don’t have time for this person. She’s a cast-away, leave her. My daughter is important. What are you doing, Jesus?” He may have not had any of those thoughts, but it would not surprise me if he had. There are many, today, who would have had those same impatient feelings.
This woman has already been healed of her illness, but Jesus wants to do more for her. One of the things I love about the character of Jesus, is he is not an impatient man; He takes the time for complete healing in the lives of people. He knows His identity: the most powerful God.
What does Jesus say? He calls this woman of low class and great illness, “Daughter…” He could have called her “Woman.” But no, He called her “daughter.” How did this emulate complete healing? Remember, this woman has lost all her money, her dignity, and her hope. She feels like a cast-away. But Jesus, being complete in His love, calls her "daughter."
Jesus first of all came to all of God’s people, poor and rich, of good standing and not so good, for the cast-away and the elite. And each one is His child. From the Hebrew meaning, this affectionate word means, “acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection.” He was saying so much more to her and to the official watching. When He called her daughter, He communicated the message that she is acceptable to God. In that moment, Jesus healed her identity. Worse than physical pain, is a damaged identity. Jesus healed her from the inside out: complete healing!
What I love about Jesus is that He teaches all in His presence, not just one. The woman was receiving but so was the official. In all of this man's impatience, he heard Jesus say, “daughter.” I believe that he learned at that moment: Jesus understood the feelings of a father. He understood his anxiousness, his fear and his desperation. We see this when Jesus turns to him and says, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” (Mark 5:36). Jesus, sensing his disbelief, gave him this encouragement.
I can hear a new thought come to this man's mind, "If Jesus can care for this woman with 'God’s peculiar care and protection,' maybe He can do the same for his little girl." Certainly, he knew that healing his daughter at this point in her illness would take a special, peculiar type of healing that could only come from God! It's important to note that the official’s daughter is also Jesus’ daughter, acceptable by God and able to rejoice in the same care the older woman was able to find peace. The man choosing to believe, continued on his journey with Jesus. In his choice to believe, he and his wife were reunited with their little girl. Likewise this man's identity was healed in a different way. He realized that no matter what status he or the other woman was from, they both needed Jesus! It is not stated, but most likely in this experience, this official became a follower of Jesus.
Each woman reading this blog can take away from this message the hope that Jesus loves you just like a daughter, “acceptable to God, rejoicing in God's peculiar care and protection.” Each woman on this earth has certain needs, differing backgrounds, special worries, joys and dreams; the hopeful thing in it all, is that none of them are beyond Jesus' peculiar care and protection. In His special way He reaches out to us and helps us feel loved and cherished. Our identity, no matter how poor or how rich, we are His. Did you hear that? Say that out loud, "I am HIS!"
You and I are His special daughter! When all else seems to reject you, demean you, frustrate you, fear you, stop! And say out loud, "I am HIS, acceptable to God, under the peculiar care and protection of my Savior, Jesus!" For you are His daughter! Rejoice in His special care and His mighty protection for you. You are acceptable to the Maker of heaven and earth, the One Who can save, the One who is able to do whatever He desires. And get this my dear friend, His desire is to care and protect you in the very way you need!
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