Thursday, November 24, 2022
Monday, September 12, 2022
Musings of a Prodigal Son - The Power of the Word
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. "(John 1:1-4)
The Word. There is great power in Words. Especially when those words are spoken by God. We are told that before there was anything else, there was the Word. Words brought everything into existence. Words have creative power. They create matter. Science says that matter is neither created nor destroyed but just changes from one form to another. That's not what God says. He created everything out of nothing but his Words. Words are an expression of his Life...they create Life. Jesus is the Word of God. He was WITH God (in communion with Him and in perfect harmony). He only did what the Father DID and was obedient to EVERYTHING the Father said. He WAS God. "In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily....." When we speak the Word of God, we are speaking Jesus. The reason that the enemy of souls cannot stand against us is not because of our goodness or faithfulness, but rather it is because we speak Jesus. Jesus defeated the enemy. When we speak Him, the enemy is defeated. When we speak us, nothing happens. This is why in the Bible, when a healing is about to take place through the lives of the first disciples, they began with "In the name of Jesus Christ......" (speaking Jesus). God tells us that words have power. He even says that our tongue has to power to create life or death. We often neglect the responsibility we have with the spoken Word. We often handle it frivolously.
We are told that the Word is "sharper than a two edged sword, dividing assunder soul and spirit." The Word literally reveals what is fleshly "soulful" and what is of "the Spirit". It is like a key to understanding an encrypted code. It is the filter through which we see the true nature of ourselves. The quest of this life on earth is to put to death our flesh daily (refuse to feed it, refuse to nurture it, refuse to give it control) and also to walk in the Spirit (the Holy Spirit is fully God and is the person of the trinity that is here with us NOW). The Spirit is the person who speaks the Word of God. He is the one who speaks Jesus. That is why the authority of God does not depend on your righteousness but rather on the righteousness of Jesus. Discernment as to where to release that power does however often come from our obedience. An example is an envoy who is in close contact with his leader. If he communicats regularly, he becomes aware of where he needs to be and when. He is the representative (the ambassador) of his leader. His leader prepares the way. The envoy is simply His representative here in this world, doing His work, speaking His Words.
It is significant to me that we will often go great distances to see a famous person who provides a service that we desire. We trust that some quality is dispensed by that person through their wisdom, contact, and everything they represent. What we fail to realize is that each time a Christian comes into the room, he is carrying ALL of Jesus with him/her self. All the power of God in Jesus to create everything is present in the room. Imagine how much could be accomplished if we only believed that in faith. Jesus even said, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say (SPEAK) to this mountain, "Move and it will be moved." Jesus said, "Greater works than these shall you do because I go to my Father....." (where He was in the beginning before creation, before there existed anything). He said that going to the Father would make it possible for Him to send the "Comforter", the Holy Spirit, who is also fully God and since He is a Spirit, he can reside in every person who carries Jesus in their heart through salvation! No wonder Paul said, "Thanks be to God for His Unspeakable gift."
Speak. But be careful of the Words you say for you are an ambassador. You carry with you the authoirty of the one who lives within you. Your Words can create life or death. Which do you choose?
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Musings of a Prodigal Son: Heaven is My Home
"In My Fathers House are many Mansions (Abodes)....." (John 14:2)
Heaven.....that place that we've never seen but where we all want to go. The place where there are no tears, no sorrow, no pain.....the place where pure Love dwells, for God is Love. Also the place where the Saviour of the world, Jesus, dwells at the right hand of the Father. That place where all the saints dwell who have gone on from their earthly abode.
"In my Fathers house are many mansions (abodes), if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:2-3)
The greek word for mansions, which is translated in some versions of the Bible as rooms, means "abode." An abode is not confined to just a structure, it is where you reside. In a very real way, my abode may include my yard, my community, or my town. It can be vast. I believe that heaven is like that. It is vast. I remember the Robin Williams movie that was released in the 1990s, "What Dreams May Come..." It was an analogy about heaven. I know it was just a motion picture but some of the fields and vivid imagery in that movie I believe can be factual in regard to the vastness of heaven and its brilliance. Many people have an image of Heaven as if it is just this giant temple-like throne room where all the saints are packed in with Jesus and God in the front on the throne but it is so much more vast than that. It contains a Throne Room in which sits the King of King and Lord of Lords, Jesus at the right hand of his Father, however, heaven is so much more. It has been "prepared" for those who know Christ and have placed their faith and trust in Him through salvation.
As I look at the vastness of the cosmos, not even confined to our own universe, of pictures that were taken recently of other galaxies by the Webb telescope, I am reminded that "eyes have not seen nor ears heard....the things that God has prepared for those that love him."(1 Corinthians 2:9). From the vastness and beauty of a mountain range in Appalachia, the Swiss Alps, or the Himalayas, these would not begin to picture the vastness of the dwelling place that God has for each of his children. Imagine everything that is truly good, not corrupt, being in one place at one time. So much goodness and pure joy packed into overflowing for every moment of everyday. Even time which is a construct for this dimension that we currently live in, will be no more. We are even told that in the dimension in which God resides "a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as is a day." (2 Peter 3:8) With the dissolution of time will be gone all of the processes associated with it such as aging, the body breaking down, etc. There will be no more of that. There will be no constraints. None are needed.
"There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away...(Isaiah 65:17)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." (Revelations 21:21)
There will be a new heaven and a new earth God, whose has rested in Heaven will come down to the new heaven and earth and Jesus himself will be seated with Father God. He will rule forever over our "Abode". If you are a city person, imagine being able to explore the most beautiful cities without any danger or caution. If you are a country person, imagine being able to explore the most beautiful mountain peaks and mountain trails without any dangers lurking in the shadows.
Will we know each other there? I believe that we will but in know each other but in a much deeper way. I believe that we will see and experience each other in our purest form with all the personality and uniqueness that made us each different in this present world but without any of the encumbrances. There will be no faulty coping skills, frailty from sickness, shame, or guilt. We will be completely comfortable with who we are with no distrust because there is no deception in anyone because of the King who sits on the throne. Imagine living fully in the identify that God created us for. The Bible says that "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
I believe there will be beauty like we have never been able to comprehend. Even the streets are made of gold (Rev 21:21), which I believe represents the most valuable and brilliant precious metal that John would have been able to conceive in order to pen what he saw of radiant shine of those streets. Rivers that flow from the throne of God that are 100% pure and clear, teaming with everything good.
I love the old story of the rich man who, on his death bed, negotiated with God to allow him to bring his earthly treasures with him when he came to heaven. God's reaction was that this was a most unusual request, but since this man had been exceptionally faithful, permission was granted fro bring along just one suitcase. The time arrived, the man presented himself at the pearly gates, suitcase in hand-BOTH hands, actually, since he had stuffed it with as many bars of gold bullion as would fit. St. Peter said, "Sorry, you know the rules--you can't take it with you." But the man protested, "God said I could...one suitcase." St. Peter checked, found out that this one would ben an exception, prepared to let the man enter, then said, "OK, but I will have to examine the contents before you pass." He tool the suitcase, opened it, saw the gold bars and asked quizzically, "You brought PAVEMENT?" [Note: This story is from the Sermon "Heaven" by Dr. David Leininger, March 30, 1997]
There is also no jealousy in Heaven. There is only one to be proud of. The matchless and powerful Saviour, Jesus, is the reason for everyone being there. After all, there is no other name in Heaven given whereby man may be saved. There is no envy, strife, lying, cheating, poverty, sickness, pain, heartache, loneliness, longing, hunger, and thirst. There will be no evil deceiver to twist the truth and cause destruction. All of creation will be at peace with the God who made it for fellowship and love.
Heaven is so far from this world but so close once we have crossed over to the next. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Even this great Webb telescope has to travel many years at great speeds to be able to take pictures of just a small segment of what God created. Its amazing that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we'll be able to travel greater distances to instantly be with the Saviour who is the author and finisher of our faith.
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Musings of a Prodigal Son: Seizing the Moment
Most of us are a combination of the life we lived, and the one we intended to live. We often fall short of our purpose. We make mistakes we cannot correct. Each mistake results in a diminished capacity for true impact in this world in ways that matter the most.
Samson is a prime example of someone whose life was "wasted." He was given gifts that surpassed those around him. He started out with excitment and exhuberance and to some extent obedience as the scripture indicates that he intended to keep his nazerite vows (to abstain from having his hair cut and touching unclean things). However, to not touch unclean things was the area of his life where he first embraced disobedience. He was careless. As is often the case, degree by degree, he progressed down a path he was never intended to experience. It was the path of disobedience. As he traveled along this path, his impact on his true purpose began to diminish. Instead of Champion defeating the enemies of God, he began to side with the enemy and join them in their sin. He focused on those things important to the company he was keeping. By the time he got to Delilah, his fate was already sealed as his vision had been clouded by sin. As a result the power of God became dormant in his life. His physical blindness was merely a reminder that he was blind in other ways that mattered far more. As he labored everyday to the amusement of those around him he must have thought many times about the life he had squandered. Samson must have longed to buy back the time he had wasted. I am glad that God's economy is different than the worlds. In this world, time lost is simply that, lost. In God's economy, the redemption of Jesus made it possible to "buy back" time. Can we live over? No, something far better. Time is a commodity that we cannot get back. However, we can "redeem" it. The Bible says that we should "redeem the time for the days are evil." That word redeem means to "buy back."
We can have more impact in this moment than we would have cumulatively in the past had we never made the mistakes we made. The story of Samson goes on to say that he positoned himself and used his redeemed strength to bring the Building down on all the important leaders of the enemies of God's people, the Phillistines. The Bible is clear to point out that Samson destroyed far more enemies of God in his last act than he did in his life (the one before disobedience occured).
All we have is NOW. We are not promised tomorrow and yesterday has already gone. The crisis the world is facing as a result of this horrible virus has brought to our attention that life is a very fragile thing. Life is short. It is appointed unto man once to die. No one escapes that reality. It may delay for many but it will come. God has promised his children that he will make sure the enemy gives back seven times what he stole from us due to our disobedience when we partnered with the enemy in our sin. All we must do is turn to God and be obedient. Jesus' redemptive work on the Cross in providing for our salvation looms large in the face of the temporal nature of life. On the basis of the Cross, let us seize our moment. Or like a fleeting breath, it will have come and gone.
Friday, November 6, 2020
Musings of a Prodigal Son: Creating Divisions and Helping Them Heal
I am waxing nostalgic today. I have been doing that a lot lately. I am reminded of Erickson’s Stages of Development and the one that has to do with either integrity vs. despair. I am in the middle of a life examination and a sorting of events. I am categorizing those memories of things I wish I had done differently as well as those things that I really want to hold on to. Life is very complicated. Sometimes it would be great if we could live it in reverse. Then there may not be as many things that we would have done differently. Or maybe we would have done them anyway.
I’ve hurt a lot of people in my life. Some of it was intentional. Most of it was unintentional but those hurts always came from a place of selfishness. Putting myself before others. Many of the messages that have come from my life that have helped others, have usually come from a place of my experience. Often in the Bible, God gave men a message to proclaim. Others, he gave a message for them to “live.” Often times, these messages were the results of mistakes they made and pain they experienced. Take Jonah for instance, his disobedience and attitude toward repentance are his message. Hosea, the Old Testament Minor Prophet, was tasked with the lessons learned from a relationship with an unfaithful spouse, Gomer, who was the illustration for God’s Love for Sinful Man. In my life, many of the lessons have come as I have lived and often made the wrong choice. As I am reflecting, often there is an urgency to get the message out that is often the summary of a mistake I’ve made or someone I have hurt.
Today is no different. I remember when I left the Church in Alabama where I once served. I have mentioned in other blogs and in conversations with others that I began to push the people there toward the end of my time in the church instead of leading them. I always loved them but my agenda began to override my love for them. As the agenda moved to the forefront, my love retreated. I was blinded by my own “vision”. God reminds us in scripture that everything must be done in Love. Even Truth must be proclaimed in Love. If not, it can hurt more than it helps. God is Love. If Love is not first, God is not first. I have seen many of the things that I wanted for them come to fruition in the world in other places since that time. However, I was not able to lead them due to my agenda of wanting right things for wrong reasons. It is significant that some of the same cautions that they exhibited during that time, I have exhibited since then. I was put in their place. I was put in a place to be pushed instead of being led. It didn’t feel good. I know it didn’t feel good for them.
I’ve dreamed about the church there so much in the last six months. There have been different scenes that have played through my mind as if I was still there even though it was over 20 years ago. The dreams have been vivid. They are always marked by a sense of regret and sadness for things I wish I would have done and things I wish I had not done.
This morning early as I was sitting out by the fire before my work day began, I was thinking about one of the instances that happened there. As I was getting ready to leave the church as tension was beginning to mount because of really hard preaching I was doing. I’ll call it “scrotched earth” preaching. I was relentless. I would like to say that every bit of that preaching was done out of love but much of it was done out of frustration in my own life. Some even commented that I was “whipping them to the ground” everytime they came to church. I wish I would have listened to them. There was truth in what they were saying. The things I was preaching were true but the spirit in which they were delivered was not Love. It was frustration. They tried to get me to step back and change my approach. In my stubbornness I refused. I continued until I became so frustrated that I resigned. From hind sight, I know that I was setting it up to be that way. I wasn’t conscious of it at the time but that is the truth of it. No one could refute it because what I was saying was truth. But it was not delivered in Love. The reason it was allowed, I believe, is because I spent so many years prior speaking to them out of Love. Often ignorance, but always love. I left there was some seeds of bitterness planted. I so wish I could say that I had no part in sowing them. I did.
I remember an instance on my last Sunday there when a young Godly Lady, who I loved very much, came into my office in tears begging me to provide words of healing to the congregation on my last Sunday there. Of note here is a very important point. When people are pushed by a Pastor and not led by Him/Her, it always creates a division. That division begins to widen as the hurt deepens. Love would remedy that. However, when the division occurs, love tends to be pushed further back as both “sides” begin to polarize. In the case I am mentioning, several key church members had refused to continue to minister in that church if I (the Pastor) was leaving. This young lady was pleading with me to ask them to come back. I refused. I let “the chips fall where they may.” It was a mistake. I should have been a healing force instead of a division encourager. Of note here is a few key things for all of us to remember. 1)People are always more important than Agendas. This is true even if the agenda is good. 2)Hurt is always a sign that something is wrong. When people show genuine hurt over decisions we make, we should take a look at those decisions. 3) Divisions create walls between people that sometimes never come down. 4)We are not free from responsibility for divisions just because we do nothing. When divisons occur in the Body of Christ and we could have done something to help to prevent it or to heal it and we refuse to do it, we are responsible and guilty of causing division. The example I think about it Pilate washing his hands before the crowd and saying he was clean in regard to Jesus’ Blood. After all, his logic was that he didn’t bring these charges against Jesus, the Pharisees did. He had the power to stop it, but he did not. That is the key.
Please forgive me if I have caused division in your life or in your church.