"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
As I was sitting in a great worship service on Sunday Morning, several things began to dawn on me. I'm sure you know the feeling you have when you hear something that you've heard many times but it is as if you are hearing it for the first time. We were worshipping and singing a wonderful warfare chorus that contains the following lines:
There's a breaking in my favor,
there's a shifting in my direction,
there's a breaking in my favor as I praise!
HALLELUJAH!
This is a powerful warfare song and praise does have the power to break walls and change things. That is truth and I do not want to diminish that fact. Praise from an open heart is one of the most powerful tools we have against our enemy (Satan).
However, as I am worshipping God, I am reminded that so much of our focus is on getting God to provide breakthroughs FOR US. Having a breakthrough is a testimony and shows the great power of our God. When things change that the natural world cannot explain and which go against the natural order of things, there can be no doubt that our God is great.
The truth of this song is that God breaks in our favor AS WE LIVE SUBMITTED TO HIS LORDSHIP. If we are submitted to his Lordship, Satan will try to thwart our life at every turn because it is hurting his plan and purpose for the world. We need the warfare forces of heaven to intervene for us.
But as I am singing this, I realize while I am observing others and thinking about my own life, we often want God to give us the "break through" while we are living life OUR way. When we don't get what WE want, we are prone to think that God is not listening to us.
Praise works when we live a radical life! Radical by the world's standards but a STANDARD life by God's instruction. He said that greater works shall WE do because He goes to the Father. The forces of darkness led by Satan will do everything they can to prohibit the spread of the Kingdom of God and they will attempt to thwart our life at every turn if we live radically for God. We are not promised a breakthrough in a quest to build our own PERSONAL KINGDOM! If our goals are not Kingdom Goals, we are not promised to have a breakthrough. The life of a radically committed follower of Christ is not limited to this current realm or world. The view from a radically committed life is one that stretches into eternity! Live or Die, my life is Christ. That is the attitude of a true believer who watches spiritual walls fall down like blocks stacked too high!
The old saints knew what they were singing when they sang, "this world is not my home." (they were saying that my home is wherever Christ leads me whether in this realm or the one to come).
When I look back at my own life, the breakthroughs have always come when I didn't care about me. Those rare times when I have just desired to follow him no matter how radical it seemed. This takes me back to a time when I was meeting with a friend in a small room, praying that God's will would be done in my life. I meant it. I made radical decisions as I sought to listen to God. Even though I could have made mistakes in the "hearing from God", it did not deter me from attempting and God gave me breakthroughs. He opened doors. He made things happen. He met my needs and the needs of my family. Can I do it again? That is the thought that kept running through my mind as I worshipped God yesterday. Do I believe strongly enough to be radical in my decisions as God leads? Do I still trust him even though I know "more" than I once did? Has my knowledge decreased my faith? Do I believe what God says despite what I see? Has my ability to see more of this natural world resulted in a decreased ability to discern that which is unseen? Waiting for the "reasonableness" of the hour is never the way of God. Being a true disciple now looks more radical than it has in the past. This is because we are more worldly than we've ever been.
The focus of a life submitted to Christ is supposed to be one of SACRIFICE. It means giving up my will for His. It means that my life is not supposed to be lived for me to have breakthroughs as I want them but rather to allow my life to be lived so that others may know Christ, however long my life is. Sometimes the breakthrough is a using up of our life so that others may know him. Sometimes people die (leave this present world) so that others may see God. This is a radical view of discipleship but the model set forth by Jesus. Let us not bring Jesus down to our standard but let us raise our standard to live as He lived. He died to give us that capacity. The sole purpose of a life who has Christ is to magnify him in this present world for as long as God sees fit. Period. It is taking the long view. We have lost this perspective in much of western society because living for Christ often does not "cost" us anything. Many who profess to be Christians today are living from a "what's in it for me" mentality. This has nothing to do with true discipleship. A true disciple is only concerned with serving others. What about you and me?
Jesus was never intended to be our "whole life insurance policy" with the benefits being drawn out for OUR benefit while we live. Rather, we are drawn to Christ in order to magnify Him so that others are drawn to him. Our life is truly not our own if we believe what the Bible says.
Remember Jesus' call to some of his early disciples (Luke 9:59). He said, "Come, follow me." At some point, some of them said, "First, let us go bury our father and then we'll come." In other words, "Let us make arrangements first." That's only reasonable right? No. Jesus replied, "Let the dead bury their dead." He was not being insensitive to their familial needs. He was simply saying, "I am calling, follow me NOW." Surrender NOW. Serve NOW. Sacrifice NOW. Change your focus and life goals NOW. True Christianity is not based on logic and what is reasonable. It is based solely on submission and obedience. Power comes when the first make themselves the last and put the last first. When the most anointed and powerful become the humblest servants. If we want to see the power of God manifest in this present realm, this is the type of obedience needed. When David slew the giant Goliath, he did it because he did not look at the reasonableness of obedience. He didn't say, "Man, that is a big dude. There is no way I'm going out there." He said, "How dare someone taunt God like that, I will face him in obedience to my Father God. The outcome is HIS. My business is to obey."
The Word of God often cuts deeply. Will we shield ourselves from the blade of radical obedience?
Monday, December 19, 2016
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - The Architect of Evil
"But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." (2 Corinthians 11:12-15)
I remember as a child living in Alabama that there were these beautiful red berries that grew in the woods that looked so delicious. However, at an early age, my mother and dad taught me that eating these berries would make me very sick. They looked delicious. In fact they looked even more delicious than the strawberries that we grew in our small strawberry patch. There is a lesson in these berries. Things that can hurt us are not always "ugly" and they don't always "appear" to be bad.
There are two types of people in this world (there are actually more but basically we can divide people into two groups. There are those that believe that there is an organizing entity who works in this world toward some end. They believe that things are not random but rather intricately designed by a creator who has a divine purpose. There is also the type of person in the world who believes that everything is random. This person believes that things happen per chance and that arbitrary circumstances create the world as we know it. These people believe that evolutionary changes in one way or another will continue until some happen stance destroys this world as we know it. This will result in some other form at some distant time in the future. This is some form of the "Big Bang" logic of the universe.
The purpose of this blog is not to discuss the differences of each of these viewpoints. I want to spend time today exploring the first type of belief where an organizing entity works toward some end or purpose. For those of us who call ourselves Christians, we believe that the organizing entity is God and that He is moving His creation toward a specific purpose. Mainly, to create a people who will have eternal fellowship with Him.
Just as God has a purpose for humanity, so does Satan (the fallen one mentioned in scripture many times). His overriding purpose is to destroy humanity and keep us all eternally separated from God. The Bible says that he roams the earth (his domain), seeking whom he may devour. It would seem that an enemy so cruel would be readily recognizable. However, this is not the case. Make no mistake, just as God's plan for each of our lives is very detailed, so is Satan's. Satan is the master architect of this present world. This is his domain, his stage. This is where he plays his final cards, this is his curtain call. As such, he makes the most of the resources that he has at his disposal.
A tactic of war since the beginning of time has been to blend in with the enemy. This is a very effective tactic as it is impossible to kill an enemy whom you cannot see or distinguish from your allies. This is the reason that spies and traitors, throughout history have met with such stiff punishments when caught. They are very destructive to a nation or people. There is no defense against something that you don't see coming. Name the greatest defensive weapons you can think of and I'll guarantee you that they are ineffective against an unseen foe. Terrorism is such a destructive force not because of its firepower and brute force but rather because of it's potential to remain unseen until a strike is eminent.
I became a Pastor in 1991. At that time, I was a "wet behind the ears" 23 year-old who wanted to conquer the world for God. I didn't have the "big city experience" of some large church in a urban setting but did take my task seriously as a small town pastor of a church of loving people. The world in which I began to pastor was a world that basically got its news from three sources: the TV, the newspaper, and the radio. Anything else was "hearsay" that someone heard from someone else. It wasn't a perfect world, some of the same abuses occurred then as today but good information was easier to gain and people often got their world view and moral underpinning from people that they "knew". The trusted people in the community were the Pastors, the teachers, and the civil authorities, as well as elderly people who had truly "lived" before. Many today would call this an "isolated" existence. They would be mistaken. Many of the same lessons learned by people today were learned by people who lived this type of life. Additionally, the same concerns, the same problems (though the manifestation might have been different) existed then as today. The opportunity to grow as a person existed then as it does today.
I remember studying history in college. There was a period of history called, "The Age of Enlightenment." Sounds good doesn't it. Basically, this was a time period during the 18th century in which people expanded their minds to think in new ways. The Arts and Sciences expanded greatly during this time to include things that were forbidden before. Reason became the guiding force instead of faith. This in turn fostered in an age of discovery in which many inventions and technologies developed. These periods of "evolution" are marked by many good things. New vaccines are developed, new appreciation for various forms of art developed, and many technological advances were gained that allowed for a better quality of life. In a parallel sense, destructive forces also gained a foothold. These included the advent and expansion of forms of destructive arts, music, and man's elevation to the place of God as the determining entity for future success. Various diseases, which did not exist previously also began to manifest. Humanism (man's quest to determine his own destiny) began to take a foothold in the educated world. It seems in the recent past, we, as a nation have had somewhat of another "Age of Enlightenment" as man depends more and more on his own humanistic devices to make the world a better place. With the advent of new and better gadgets, we have also seen a moral decay and lack of accountability to a determining authority and objective truth greater than ourselves. In short, as we became more enlightened as a society, we have moved further away from the truth of God.
Exposure to anything over a long period of time creates a desensitization to whatever is exposed. Even nature bears this out. When an antibiotic is used to treat a disease caused by a bacteria, over time, the bacteria develops a mechanism to "live comfortably with" the anti-biotic. The bacteria has become "immune" to the invader. As humans are exposed to various things in the world, we too develop a tolerance for them and learn to "live comfortably with" whatever those things are. If these things contain seeds of destruction, if we are not careful about our exposure, we began to live comfortably with them. Over time we become desensitized to these things and live comfortably with them. These things can be good or bad. How do we determine which is good and bad if we can "live comfortably" with both? This is where God's Word comes into play. I used to think that Pastor's made such a big deal about the Bible being the inerrant Word of God. Why is this so important to believe? Because without a belief in the "guidebook" (Bible), humanity is open to any and every type of deception. We cannot interpret the guidebook by our experience but rather must interpret our experience by the guidebook. Deception does not come at us and "announce himself" as being deception. By its very nature, deception is the act of appearing to be something that it is NOT. An example may be prudent here. If you see pictures of me now, you will clearly recognize that I am overweight. If I used Photoshop to "paste" a well-toned muscular body on to my head and my skill was great enough to make it blend in and I posted a picture of this TOMORROW, you would still recognize it as a "fake" because of the drastic change in my appearance in a very short period of time. If, however, I posted pictures daily of me working out with weights, used Photoshop OVER TIME to doctor my pictures with various stages of muscle, it would not be hard to make you believe that I have a "six pack" abdomen and am in excellent physical condition, although in reality I may still be overweight. The point is I am deceiving you "by degrees" or incrementally. I heard it said many years ago that if you place a frog in water and begin to boil the water, that the frog will stay in the water until it begins to boil and hence meet its demise. However, if you toss a frog in boiling water, it will immediately jump out due to the sudden recognition of the brevity of its situation (never tried it and it would be cruel to). This illustrates my point. Deception always happens in stages when it is deception on a large scale. As acceptance of the deception becomes the norm, it also becomes the "enlightened" or "reasonable" perspective.
The days when I pastored a church were markedly different than things are today. Not just in the various types of technology we have, but also in the perception of the people that the gospel message has been proclaimed to. Let's go back even further. After the civil war in the United States, there was a marked focus on holiness among God's people. The process of sanctification and being "set apart" was stressed from pulpits across the land. The result was an outpouring of God's power due to a people who did not isolate themselves but DEVOTED (set aside themselves) in service to God. The focus has now shifted from service to God to God serving us. I've heard it said, "Tithe and God will give you blessings." Implied in this statement is the assumption that we are giving so that God serves us! How subtle the change but how dynamic the result! It was stressed that one's life was to be devoted to God! In today's world (I'm speaking to myself also!), to a large extent you cannot tell the difference between God's people and those who do not acknowledge God.
When I talk to my youngest children, the tolerance of things that are not Godly is very scary to me. It's as if the young people of today (even the so-called "millenniums") have been exposed to so much of the world, they espouse that to be Godly is to be accepting of everything and everyone. It is important to note that a lack of acceptance does not always correlate to "judging" another. Just because I don't accept something does not mean that I am judging a person for practicing it. Deception says that it is. Deception says that to take a stand on certain issues that God says are clearly wrong are being intolerant and therefore ungodly. How far from the truth this is! Where did this subtle change take place? How did it occur?
Could it be that we have far more exposure to the things of the world than we do the things of God? This may seem obvious to many but just how drastic is this shift? Look no further than network television. Things that plots are written about today would not have even been approached 40 years ago. Our current president even gave an award recently to one of the "ground-breaking" actors who spearheaded the shift in one of these areas. Dysfunction is touted as heroic on television and in movies. Deception is often masked as diversity in our slip down this slope. The only thing that is not tolerated is the truth, particularly when truth is absolute because it comes from our creator, God. When what we tolerate in our own lives and as a society is clearly contrary to what God says in His Word, we are in DECEPTION and at the mercy of the Architect of Evil, Satan.
I Love Video Games. But I must admit that video games have also taken that gradual shift down the road to deception. They desensitize us to violence (as does TV) and they also use up valuable time that could be spent in better "learning" activities. As I write this, keep in mind that I am not only speaking to others, I am speaking to myself. I play video games. But I must admit that this medium has also been used to take us further down the path to desensitivity. The themes and fantasy world are ripe with elements of the occult and dark arts in many video games. Are we naïve enough to think that these do not have some influence on those who play them?
Social Media (which is the avenue that I am using to get this blog entry out) has also been used as a medium of deception. The benefits have been touted. It does give us contact with those who live far away and allows us to "stay connected" in some way with others with whom we have some prior connection. However, it can also be an avenue to spread subtle forms of deception.
Remember Satan often runs his network of deception along the same lines that God uses to communicate His blessings (the way some pay-by-month phone companies use the networks of Verizon and AT&T). An example of this is the subject of sex. God created sex to be a wonderful form of connection to a person that you are bound to in a relationship of commitment that we call marriage. Satan also uses those same lines of sex for all manner of perversion and immorality.
As a society, we often tout ourselves as making progress. I have even heard over the past several weeks that we are now REGRESSING from the "progress" we have made over the last 20 years. I sure hope so. The reason I hope so is because I don't think it is progress. Rather, I think it is regression into deception. We may consider ourselves an enlightened people because of our gadgets, technology, and attitudes. However, "Enlightenment" does not always equate with progress. Just ask the first century Romans who suffered the demise of a great civilization after the hand of God was removed from their empire over their deception and condition of sin. Remember, there is a great Architect in this world (Satan) and the world's sense of "progress." Let us follow the Architect (God) whose Kingdom is not of this world. We are supposed to live in this world but not follow the same blueprint of this world. We already have a blueprint (God's Word). It hasn't changed for many centuries.
I remember as a child living in Alabama that there were these beautiful red berries that grew in the woods that looked so delicious. However, at an early age, my mother and dad taught me that eating these berries would make me very sick. They looked delicious. In fact they looked even more delicious than the strawberries that we grew in our small strawberry patch. There is a lesson in these berries. Things that can hurt us are not always "ugly" and they don't always "appear" to be bad.
There are two types of people in this world (there are actually more but basically we can divide people into two groups. There are those that believe that there is an organizing entity who works in this world toward some end. They believe that things are not random but rather intricately designed by a creator who has a divine purpose. There is also the type of person in the world who believes that everything is random. This person believes that things happen per chance and that arbitrary circumstances create the world as we know it. These people believe that evolutionary changes in one way or another will continue until some happen stance destroys this world as we know it. This will result in some other form at some distant time in the future. This is some form of the "Big Bang" logic of the universe.
The purpose of this blog is not to discuss the differences of each of these viewpoints. I want to spend time today exploring the first type of belief where an organizing entity works toward some end or purpose. For those of us who call ourselves Christians, we believe that the organizing entity is God and that He is moving His creation toward a specific purpose. Mainly, to create a people who will have eternal fellowship with Him.
Just as God has a purpose for humanity, so does Satan (the fallen one mentioned in scripture many times). His overriding purpose is to destroy humanity and keep us all eternally separated from God. The Bible says that he roams the earth (his domain), seeking whom he may devour. It would seem that an enemy so cruel would be readily recognizable. However, this is not the case. Make no mistake, just as God's plan for each of our lives is very detailed, so is Satan's. Satan is the master architect of this present world. This is his domain, his stage. This is where he plays his final cards, this is his curtain call. As such, he makes the most of the resources that he has at his disposal.
A tactic of war since the beginning of time has been to blend in with the enemy. This is a very effective tactic as it is impossible to kill an enemy whom you cannot see or distinguish from your allies. This is the reason that spies and traitors, throughout history have met with such stiff punishments when caught. They are very destructive to a nation or people. There is no defense against something that you don't see coming. Name the greatest defensive weapons you can think of and I'll guarantee you that they are ineffective against an unseen foe. Terrorism is such a destructive force not because of its firepower and brute force but rather because of it's potential to remain unseen until a strike is eminent.
I became a Pastor in 1991. At that time, I was a "wet behind the ears" 23 year-old who wanted to conquer the world for God. I didn't have the "big city experience" of some large church in a urban setting but did take my task seriously as a small town pastor of a church of loving people. The world in which I began to pastor was a world that basically got its news from three sources: the TV, the newspaper, and the radio. Anything else was "hearsay" that someone heard from someone else. It wasn't a perfect world, some of the same abuses occurred then as today but good information was easier to gain and people often got their world view and moral underpinning from people that they "knew". The trusted people in the community were the Pastors, the teachers, and the civil authorities, as well as elderly people who had truly "lived" before. Many today would call this an "isolated" existence. They would be mistaken. Many of the same lessons learned by people today were learned by people who lived this type of life. Additionally, the same concerns, the same problems (though the manifestation might have been different) existed then as today. The opportunity to grow as a person existed then as it does today.
I remember studying history in college. There was a period of history called, "The Age of Enlightenment." Sounds good doesn't it. Basically, this was a time period during the 18th century in which people expanded their minds to think in new ways. The Arts and Sciences expanded greatly during this time to include things that were forbidden before. Reason became the guiding force instead of faith. This in turn fostered in an age of discovery in which many inventions and technologies developed. These periods of "evolution" are marked by many good things. New vaccines are developed, new appreciation for various forms of art developed, and many technological advances were gained that allowed for a better quality of life. In a parallel sense, destructive forces also gained a foothold. These included the advent and expansion of forms of destructive arts, music, and man's elevation to the place of God as the determining entity for future success. Various diseases, which did not exist previously also began to manifest. Humanism (man's quest to determine his own destiny) began to take a foothold in the educated world. It seems in the recent past, we, as a nation have had somewhat of another "Age of Enlightenment" as man depends more and more on his own humanistic devices to make the world a better place. With the advent of new and better gadgets, we have also seen a moral decay and lack of accountability to a determining authority and objective truth greater than ourselves. In short, as we became more enlightened as a society, we have moved further away from the truth of God.
Exposure to anything over a long period of time creates a desensitization to whatever is exposed. Even nature bears this out. When an antibiotic is used to treat a disease caused by a bacteria, over time, the bacteria develops a mechanism to "live comfortably with" the anti-biotic. The bacteria has become "immune" to the invader. As humans are exposed to various things in the world, we too develop a tolerance for them and learn to "live comfortably with" whatever those things are. If these things contain seeds of destruction, if we are not careful about our exposure, we began to live comfortably with them. Over time we become desensitized to these things and live comfortably with them. These things can be good or bad. How do we determine which is good and bad if we can "live comfortably" with both? This is where God's Word comes into play. I used to think that Pastor's made such a big deal about the Bible being the inerrant Word of God. Why is this so important to believe? Because without a belief in the "guidebook" (Bible), humanity is open to any and every type of deception. We cannot interpret the guidebook by our experience but rather must interpret our experience by the guidebook. Deception does not come at us and "announce himself" as being deception. By its very nature, deception is the act of appearing to be something that it is NOT. An example may be prudent here. If you see pictures of me now, you will clearly recognize that I am overweight. If I used Photoshop to "paste" a well-toned muscular body on to my head and my skill was great enough to make it blend in and I posted a picture of this TOMORROW, you would still recognize it as a "fake" because of the drastic change in my appearance in a very short period of time. If, however, I posted pictures daily of me working out with weights, used Photoshop OVER TIME to doctor my pictures with various stages of muscle, it would not be hard to make you believe that I have a "six pack" abdomen and am in excellent physical condition, although in reality I may still be overweight. The point is I am deceiving you "by degrees" or incrementally. I heard it said many years ago that if you place a frog in water and begin to boil the water, that the frog will stay in the water until it begins to boil and hence meet its demise. However, if you toss a frog in boiling water, it will immediately jump out due to the sudden recognition of the brevity of its situation (never tried it and it would be cruel to). This illustrates my point. Deception always happens in stages when it is deception on a large scale. As acceptance of the deception becomes the norm, it also becomes the "enlightened" or "reasonable" perspective.
The days when I pastored a church were markedly different than things are today. Not just in the various types of technology we have, but also in the perception of the people that the gospel message has been proclaimed to. Let's go back even further. After the civil war in the United States, there was a marked focus on holiness among God's people. The process of sanctification and being "set apart" was stressed from pulpits across the land. The result was an outpouring of God's power due to a people who did not isolate themselves but DEVOTED (set aside themselves) in service to God. The focus has now shifted from service to God to God serving us. I've heard it said, "Tithe and God will give you blessings." Implied in this statement is the assumption that we are giving so that God serves us! How subtle the change but how dynamic the result! It was stressed that one's life was to be devoted to God! In today's world (I'm speaking to myself also!), to a large extent you cannot tell the difference between God's people and those who do not acknowledge God.
When I talk to my youngest children, the tolerance of things that are not Godly is very scary to me. It's as if the young people of today (even the so-called "millenniums") have been exposed to so much of the world, they espouse that to be Godly is to be accepting of everything and everyone. It is important to note that a lack of acceptance does not always correlate to "judging" another. Just because I don't accept something does not mean that I am judging a person for practicing it. Deception says that it is. Deception says that to take a stand on certain issues that God says are clearly wrong are being intolerant and therefore ungodly. How far from the truth this is! Where did this subtle change take place? How did it occur?
Could it be that we have far more exposure to the things of the world than we do the things of God? This may seem obvious to many but just how drastic is this shift? Look no further than network television. Things that plots are written about today would not have even been approached 40 years ago. Our current president even gave an award recently to one of the "ground-breaking" actors who spearheaded the shift in one of these areas. Dysfunction is touted as heroic on television and in movies. Deception is often masked as diversity in our slip down this slope. The only thing that is not tolerated is the truth, particularly when truth is absolute because it comes from our creator, God. When what we tolerate in our own lives and as a society is clearly contrary to what God says in His Word, we are in DECEPTION and at the mercy of the Architect of Evil, Satan.
I Love Video Games. But I must admit that video games have also taken that gradual shift down the road to deception. They desensitize us to violence (as does TV) and they also use up valuable time that could be spent in better "learning" activities. As I write this, keep in mind that I am not only speaking to others, I am speaking to myself. I play video games. But I must admit that this medium has also been used to take us further down the path to desensitivity. The themes and fantasy world are ripe with elements of the occult and dark arts in many video games. Are we naïve enough to think that these do not have some influence on those who play them?
Social Media (which is the avenue that I am using to get this blog entry out) has also been used as a medium of deception. The benefits have been touted. It does give us contact with those who live far away and allows us to "stay connected" in some way with others with whom we have some prior connection. However, it can also be an avenue to spread subtle forms of deception.
Remember Satan often runs his network of deception along the same lines that God uses to communicate His blessings (the way some pay-by-month phone companies use the networks of Verizon and AT&T). An example of this is the subject of sex. God created sex to be a wonderful form of connection to a person that you are bound to in a relationship of commitment that we call marriage. Satan also uses those same lines of sex for all manner of perversion and immorality.
As a society, we often tout ourselves as making progress. I have even heard over the past several weeks that we are now REGRESSING from the "progress" we have made over the last 20 years. I sure hope so. The reason I hope so is because I don't think it is progress. Rather, I think it is regression into deception. We may consider ourselves an enlightened people because of our gadgets, technology, and attitudes. However, "Enlightenment" does not always equate with progress. Just ask the first century Romans who suffered the demise of a great civilization after the hand of God was removed from their empire over their deception and condition of sin. Remember, there is a great Architect in this world (Satan) and the world's sense of "progress." Let us follow the Architect (God) whose Kingdom is not of this world. We are supposed to live in this world but not follow the same blueprint of this world. We already have a blueprint (God's Word). It hasn't changed for many centuries.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Looking at the Forest and Not the Trees
I usually try to stay out of political discussions because, quite frankly, people get upset and a discussion of these things often breeds controversy. I feel that there are some important issues to consider as we vote for the next President of the United States as well as the other elected officials that will be leading us into the future. I have titled this entry, "Looking at the Forest and Not the Trees" because looking at the trees would make most people not even want to vote! Take a longer look at the forest. How is it shaping up? I am challenging myself and each of you to look at the forest through the lens of the Word of God.
I've heard many Christians say of this election "I am just gonna sit this one out." If anyone feels this way, they should reconsider this position. Don't forget, the freedom to elect our leaders is a blessing from God. Many people died to give us that right. If followers of Christ do not vote, we leave the electing of our public officials to those who are not seeking God. Much of the gradual decline of Christian Standards in our society is the direct result of lathargic Christian enclaves that have isolated themselves from the world, thinking that by isolating from the world, we could escape its degradation.
Two important points to consider. The first is that we, as followers of Christ, should align ourselves with what God says is truth. We should always do this to the best of our ability. This includes the process of choosing our leaders. If a prospective leader takes a stand on an issue that is contrary to the Word of God, we should in no circumstances vote for that person. God's Word for the Christian is determined by the Bible. It is God's Word. It doesn't contain God's Word, it is God's Word. Truth as the world sees it may change with the prevailing majority but God's truth has never changed. It is still the same. God's truth is not based on accepted norms, it is based on God's Word spoken through the Bible. Regardless of our opinions, we should see all leaders as human and subject to sin. There is something more important than our opinion of a prospective leader. There is their stance on various issues. Their true platform.
Let me mention one example to illustrate what I am saying. The Sanctity of Life is one of the issues that God is very clear on in His Word. God has always valued life. Any life. Every life. Not just the full-term pregnancy life. Life from its inception. Life begins in the mind of God. He said to the Psalmist, "I knew all of your parts when as yet there was none of them." He said to Jeremiah the prophet, "I knew you in the womb." The value of human life and the Sin of destroying it was truth when Roe vs. Wade was made a precedent by the Supreme Court in the early 1970s. Government sanctioned abortion is still a sin today. When a candidate for office takes a stand against life, this is a clear indicator that they are not who we should be voting for.
There are other issues that God is very clear about in His Word that particular candidates are taking the opposite stance on. When a person aligns their agenda on the opposing side of God's Truth, they should not be voted for by followers of Christ. This is regardless of their experience and regardless of their personality or gender. Remember, WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR A PERSON, WE ARE VOTING FOR AN AGENDA. Many leaders both worldly and Godly are mentioned in the Bible. It is a rather interesting study to look at various Kings, Emperors, and Leaders throughout the Bible and their stands on things related to God and His Truth. Some of the most worldly leaders still allowed the Truth of God to be proclaimed and protected it as the standard by which other faith beliefs were measured (i.e. see Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel).
Many people vote for who they think can help the economy, who they think will give them the best chance of getting a raise, or even who their labor party or favorite group says to vote for. Many vote along ethnic or racial lines. Many vote along party lines. Christians should always be guided by a higher standard. That standard is the Word of God and Truth as defined by God. We should align with candidates whose agenda falls most in line with God's Truth. When looked at from this perspective, the choice becomes much clearer than trying to follow the "he said, she said" and personal attacks from various candidates. Look at their stance on various issues. Measure the Platforms and Agenda's of various candidate by God's truth
This election is important for many reasons but the foremost reason seems to be the potential of appointing five (5) justices to the United States Supreme Court. These justices are appointed by the acting President. This is indeed one of the most powerful tools in the hand of any acting President due to the fact that United States Supreme Court Justices are appointed for LIFE. They shape policy for sometimes generations. As the Supreme Court goes, so often goes our country. Very few Presidents have had the opportunity to appoint as many Supreme Court Justices as the next President will have.
I've read that no matter who wins this election, God is still on His Throne and Jesus is Lord. Praise God that this is true! However, we should do everything we can to align with the truth of God if we have any hope that God will continue to bless our great nation. The responsibility lies with each of us.
By all means we should: Study. Look. Pray. Vote. We have to be very careful to "walk circumspectly (looking around), redeeming the time, for the days are evil (Ephesian 5:15-16)
I've heard many Christians say of this election "I am just gonna sit this one out." If anyone feels this way, they should reconsider this position. Don't forget, the freedom to elect our leaders is a blessing from God. Many people died to give us that right. If followers of Christ do not vote, we leave the electing of our public officials to those who are not seeking God. Much of the gradual decline of Christian Standards in our society is the direct result of lathargic Christian enclaves that have isolated themselves from the world, thinking that by isolating from the world, we could escape its degradation.
Two important points to consider. The first is that we, as followers of Christ, should align ourselves with what God says is truth. We should always do this to the best of our ability. This includes the process of choosing our leaders. If a prospective leader takes a stand on an issue that is contrary to the Word of God, we should in no circumstances vote for that person. God's Word for the Christian is determined by the Bible. It is God's Word. It doesn't contain God's Word, it is God's Word. Truth as the world sees it may change with the prevailing majority but God's truth has never changed. It is still the same. God's truth is not based on accepted norms, it is based on God's Word spoken through the Bible. Regardless of our opinions, we should see all leaders as human and subject to sin. There is something more important than our opinion of a prospective leader. There is their stance on various issues. Their true platform.
Let me mention one example to illustrate what I am saying. The Sanctity of Life is one of the issues that God is very clear on in His Word. God has always valued life. Any life. Every life. Not just the full-term pregnancy life. Life from its inception. Life begins in the mind of God. He said to the Psalmist, "I knew all of your parts when as yet there was none of them." He said to Jeremiah the prophet, "I knew you in the womb." The value of human life and the Sin of destroying it was truth when Roe vs. Wade was made a precedent by the Supreme Court in the early 1970s. Government sanctioned abortion is still a sin today. When a candidate for office takes a stand against life, this is a clear indicator that they are not who we should be voting for.
There are other issues that God is very clear about in His Word that particular candidates are taking the opposite stance on. When a person aligns their agenda on the opposing side of God's Truth, they should not be voted for by followers of Christ. This is regardless of their experience and regardless of their personality or gender. Remember, WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR A PERSON, WE ARE VOTING FOR AN AGENDA. Many leaders both worldly and Godly are mentioned in the Bible. It is a rather interesting study to look at various Kings, Emperors, and Leaders throughout the Bible and their stands on things related to God and His Truth. Some of the most worldly leaders still allowed the Truth of God to be proclaimed and protected it as the standard by which other faith beliefs were measured (i.e. see Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel).
Many people vote for who they think can help the economy, who they think will give them the best chance of getting a raise, or even who their labor party or favorite group says to vote for. Many vote along ethnic or racial lines. Many vote along party lines. Christians should always be guided by a higher standard. That standard is the Word of God and Truth as defined by God. We should align with candidates whose agenda falls most in line with God's Truth. When looked at from this perspective, the choice becomes much clearer than trying to follow the "he said, she said" and personal attacks from various candidates. Look at their stance on various issues. Measure the Platforms and Agenda's of various candidate by God's truth
This election is important for many reasons but the foremost reason seems to be the potential of appointing five (5) justices to the United States Supreme Court. These justices are appointed by the acting President. This is indeed one of the most powerful tools in the hand of any acting President due to the fact that United States Supreme Court Justices are appointed for LIFE. They shape policy for sometimes generations. As the Supreme Court goes, so often goes our country. Very few Presidents have had the opportunity to appoint as many Supreme Court Justices as the next President will have.
I've read that no matter who wins this election, God is still on His Throne and Jesus is Lord. Praise God that this is true! However, we should do everything we can to align with the truth of God if we have any hope that God will continue to bless our great nation. The responsibility lies with each of us.
By all means we should: Study. Look. Pray. Vote. We have to be very careful to "walk circumspectly (looking around), redeeming the time, for the days are evil (Ephesian 5:15-16)
Monday, October 31, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Disappointing Others
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. (Galatians 6:1 New Living Translation)
Before any of you jump in and rescue me, I want to say that I am aware that Jesus forgives me of my sins. He is not surprised by them. I accept his forgiveness and have worked over the years on forgiving myself for my short-comings and my failures in my Christian Life. Particularly, the overt and blatant ones of which I am reminded daily by seeing the consequences of those sins in the lives of others as well as myself. But on the basis of these things I would like to mention something that has been on my mind today.
I had some sobering thoughts this morning while I was driving between hospitals to see patients. I was in that no-man's land between disappointment and regret. I was thinking about disappointing someone in my past who was like a spiritual son to me. I remember it well from approximately 15 years ago. I remember that I had made a decision to divorce my first wife and this individual phoned me in tears and pleaded with me to think about what I was doing. Not out of judgement, but out of genuine concern and pain. There is a difference. This individual confronted me in the proper way mentioned in the scripture about seeing a brother in error and confronting him out of love. He was in pain because of my decision. It was not an "I would never do something like that" kind of confrontation. It was the same kind of pain that you often see in a mother's eyes when she sees her children making a decision that will cause them pain. When you can confront like that, it leaves a lasting seed for the good. At that time, I was on a path that would lead me further away from God and this person was hurting because of it. I believe the pain was for two reasons. They could see where my decisions were leading me and they were disappointed that someone they saw as strong in their faith could make a decision to turn from God. This is not disdain, it is disappointment. Many people are "disdained" by the sins of others. In my life, I have also experienced many other people who confronted to judge. That's the life of the Pharisee. Looking down on others. I remember a specific example of this when I used to attend Pastor's conferences. Sometimes there would be a pastor who "back-slid" and some of the other pastors who were on the podium would make certain remarks when introducing one of their contemporaries, "Pastor Jim (name inserted by me) has ALWAYS been true to his calling. He has never wavered (implying that there was one missing who had wavered)." You could feel the judgment in some of their remarks for the ones who were not ALWAYS true to their calling.
I remember the incident above where my friend confronted me because it makes me want to be a better man now. I remember the pain in my dear brother's voice as he talked with me. Good seed does not lay dormant forever. It will eventually sprout into a life giving plant. My dear brothers' seed from all those years ago has in the past several years began germinating within me. Although our relationship has been strained and we have not spoken or seen each other since that time, I still respect him greatly for loving me enough to hurt for me. At the time, I gave no credence to his concern. I was focused on my way, not God's way. But.....if you are not hurting for me, don't confront me.
I spent a great deal of time with this person. We rode bicycles together once a week from the town I lived in to a neighboring town, we played video games together, we talked at length together. He "knew" me. He cared about me. That is what made him hurt for me when I sinned. I am convinced that is one of the main problems with the church today. We don't know each other. We don't spend enough "real" time together getting to know the "real" person. We see the "Sunday" person but not the "Monday-Friday" person. We don't talk about the real struggles.
That is the primary reason (my opinion) that many churches based on "cell groups" (individual groups of hurting people meeting in homes at various times each week and worshipping together on Sunday Morning) are some of the fastest growing if not the only growing churches in America. There is accountability and love when you struggle together. Bonds form, pain is shared. Confrontation can only come out of love. Love only develops when you get to know real people in real pain. We need confrontation but we need it to come out of love.
If you don't love someone, don't confront them. A willingness to confront is no sign that you love someone. Don't use what God says as an excuse to tell someone they have done wrong and feel good about yourself because you have confronted them. That is not scriptural or helpful. Rather, it is very harmful. A lot of people enjoy pointing out the mistakes of others. That is not love, it is judgement. It pushes people further away from you and from God. It reminds them of how far they are from God but provides them with no means to come back to him. It's like being told that you should be in the mountains of East Tennessee but reminded that you are in the middle of the desert with no transportation. Silence and being left alone is better than that.
When Jesus confronted the "woman at the well" for her adultery, I believe he did it with sadness and love in his eyes at HER PAIN and the PAIN THAT HER CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT IN HER SIN WOULD CAUSE HER.
I need to feel the empty sinking feeling of my sin and its impact on others as well as myself. It doesn't mean I live defeated, it just means I am reminded of the pain that my sin has caused. Jacob had his limp. From time to time, I am reminded that I have mine.
Before any of you jump in and rescue me, I want to say that I am aware that Jesus forgives me of my sins. He is not surprised by them. I accept his forgiveness and have worked over the years on forgiving myself for my short-comings and my failures in my Christian Life. Particularly, the overt and blatant ones of which I am reminded daily by seeing the consequences of those sins in the lives of others as well as myself. But on the basis of these things I would like to mention something that has been on my mind today.
I had some sobering thoughts this morning while I was driving between hospitals to see patients. I was in that no-man's land between disappointment and regret. I was thinking about disappointing someone in my past who was like a spiritual son to me. I remember it well from approximately 15 years ago. I remember that I had made a decision to divorce my first wife and this individual phoned me in tears and pleaded with me to think about what I was doing. Not out of judgement, but out of genuine concern and pain. There is a difference. This individual confronted me in the proper way mentioned in the scripture about seeing a brother in error and confronting him out of love. He was in pain because of my decision. It was not an "I would never do something like that" kind of confrontation. It was the same kind of pain that you often see in a mother's eyes when she sees her children making a decision that will cause them pain. When you can confront like that, it leaves a lasting seed for the good. At that time, I was on a path that would lead me further away from God and this person was hurting because of it. I believe the pain was for two reasons. They could see where my decisions were leading me and they were disappointed that someone they saw as strong in their faith could make a decision to turn from God. This is not disdain, it is disappointment. Many people are "disdained" by the sins of others. In my life, I have also experienced many other people who confronted to judge. That's the life of the Pharisee. Looking down on others. I remember a specific example of this when I used to attend Pastor's conferences. Sometimes there would be a pastor who "back-slid" and some of the other pastors who were on the podium would make certain remarks when introducing one of their contemporaries, "Pastor Jim (name inserted by me) has ALWAYS been true to his calling. He has never wavered (implying that there was one missing who had wavered)." You could feel the judgment in some of their remarks for the ones who were not ALWAYS true to their calling.
I remember the incident above where my friend confronted me because it makes me want to be a better man now. I remember the pain in my dear brother's voice as he talked with me. Good seed does not lay dormant forever. It will eventually sprout into a life giving plant. My dear brothers' seed from all those years ago has in the past several years began germinating within me. Although our relationship has been strained and we have not spoken or seen each other since that time, I still respect him greatly for loving me enough to hurt for me. At the time, I gave no credence to his concern. I was focused on my way, not God's way. But.....if you are not hurting for me, don't confront me.
I spent a great deal of time with this person. We rode bicycles together once a week from the town I lived in to a neighboring town, we played video games together, we talked at length together. He "knew" me. He cared about me. That is what made him hurt for me when I sinned. I am convinced that is one of the main problems with the church today. We don't know each other. We don't spend enough "real" time together getting to know the "real" person. We see the "Sunday" person but not the "Monday-Friday" person. We don't talk about the real struggles.
That is the primary reason (my opinion) that many churches based on "cell groups" (individual groups of hurting people meeting in homes at various times each week and worshipping together on Sunday Morning) are some of the fastest growing if not the only growing churches in America. There is accountability and love when you struggle together. Bonds form, pain is shared. Confrontation can only come out of love. Love only develops when you get to know real people in real pain. We need confrontation but we need it to come out of love.
If you don't love someone, don't confront them. A willingness to confront is no sign that you love someone. Don't use what God says as an excuse to tell someone they have done wrong and feel good about yourself because you have confronted them. That is not scriptural or helpful. Rather, it is very harmful. A lot of people enjoy pointing out the mistakes of others. That is not love, it is judgement. It pushes people further away from you and from God. It reminds them of how far they are from God but provides them with no means to come back to him. It's like being told that you should be in the mountains of East Tennessee but reminded that you are in the middle of the desert with no transportation. Silence and being left alone is better than that.
When Jesus confronted the "woman at the well" for her adultery, I believe he did it with sadness and love in his eyes at HER PAIN and the PAIN THAT HER CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT IN HER SIN WOULD CAUSE HER.
I need to feel the empty sinking feeling of my sin and its impact on others as well as myself. It doesn't mean I live defeated, it just means I am reminded of the pain that my sin has caused. Jacob had his limp. From time to time, I am reminded that I have mine.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - God Gave Them Over
Judges 2:10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Today I want to address a subject that is not very popular in this day and age. It is the issue of judgment. Not our judgment. God's Judgment. I often write about the Grace of God. Grace is a marvelous thing. It holds us in the Palm of God's hand even when we turn from Him. There is another element though that cannot be ignored. Even though Jesus died for our sins, our sins still have consequences in our lives and the lives of others. I mentioned previously that it is not my business to be concerned with the specifics of anyone else's sin but to be concerned about my own and to live for Christ and love other people by being willing to share the whole truth in Love and let God deal with the sin.
There is a reason that God tells us that certain behaviors are sinful and the omission of certain behaviors are also sinful. All of us sin individually and corporately as a people. Sin is sin not because God made some arbitrary list of things that he does and does not want us to do. Sin is sin because ultimately it causes pain and separation from God. It also causes pain and separation from the God who lives within those of us who have trusted Jesus as our Savior. The consequences flow out from our lives and affect not only ourselves but those around us. Sometimes that pain and separation causes confusion, sometimes it causes sickness, sometimes it causes heartache and depression. If you name something that is bad, Sin in one form or another caused it. It is a true statement to say that there are many people who are suffering due to the sins of others. We suffer for our own sins. Ultimately, we were all separated from God by the Sin of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. Sin is a corporate condition that we are born into. We also commit and omit things that result in personal sin in our lives. When we do, we create pain and distance between our loving God and ourselves. As a nation, when we distance ourselves from our God, we are creating pain that has and will result in consequences.
Remember, the nation of Israel is a microcosm (if you will) of the conflict in every man. When the nation (corporately) turned to God, they experienced blessing, when they turned from God, they experienced the fruits of the curse that was instituted by Satan in the Garden of Eden.
In the New Testament, when Paul is talking about the Christian life after the coming of the Holy Spirit, he talks about it being a battle and even discusses the implements of battle in the book of Ephesians (see "whole Armor of God"). Once the nation of Israel came out of the land of Egypt by the "deliverance" of God from bondage and death (Egyptian captivity), Moses led them to the promised land (to salvation) BUT it was still their responsibility to CLAIM, INHABIT, AND POSSESS the land (territory that had already been conquered). Don't forget, if you know Christ, you already have ultimate victory over sin. The land has already been conquered. But....we still have to possess it and HOLD ON TO IT. That doesn't mean that if we do not possess the land, that ULTIMATE victory is lost. ULTIMATE Victory is not lost. Jesus Christ gained the ULTIMATE VICTORY FOREVER BUT....It is difficult to live in a land that someone else possesses.
Friends, we are currently living in a land that someone else possesses. We have NEVER run all of the foreign invaders out but in times past have possessed more of the land than we do now. We have allowed our families, our cities, and ultimately our country to be overrun by foreign invaders. I'm not talking about nationalities. I'm talking about spiritual invaders. They haven't invaded all at once but have trickled in so as to be unnoticed and their presence is becoming more and more apparent.
If you are reading this blog, before you start thinking I am a "conspiracy theorist", take a look around you. You can see it if you compare certain things. Listen to the speeches of politicians (even the bad ones) from three decades ago. The bad politicians even sound good by today's standards. Listen to the sermons of some of the old preachers on YouTube. Listen to some of the old news cast from several decades ago and compare. We like to look at ourselves as "advancing" as a people but look at our condition. Of course we know more now than any generation before us. I would remind you that the Israelites knew much more by having various peoples living among them but it did not help their spiritual condition. I do want to make it clear that this has nothing to do with race or nationality. What I am speaking about is spiritual. Access to information has only succeeded in confusing us more. Our moral compass is broken. Having no common "compass" has now become our compass and we are no better for it. In many ways, there seems to be more violence now and more division now than there ever has been in our country. Knocking down the walls of racism has only seemed to build new stronger "strongholds" in their places. There are new walls, constructed by the invaders in places that there were no walls before. Becoming more tolerant of everything and everyone has made us less tolerant of each other. We have lost territory that once we held (spiritually). When God "sells us into the hands of our enemies" we look to each other in desperation to solve the problems. When we can't, we look to our government (which by the way is made up of the people) to solve the problems, when that doesn't work, we blame each other. When that doesn't work and collapse begins, when those things begin to collapse that we have always known, then and only then are we distressed enough to turn to God, if then. When things are like this, there is ONLY ONE OPTION:
"IF.....my people, which are called by MY NAME (the name of JESUS), will humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (repent of sins both corporate and individual), then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin (corporately and individually) and heal (restore to victory and their possession) their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Today I want to address a subject that is not very popular in this day and age. It is the issue of judgment. Not our judgment. God's Judgment. I often write about the Grace of God. Grace is a marvelous thing. It holds us in the Palm of God's hand even when we turn from Him. There is another element though that cannot be ignored. Even though Jesus died for our sins, our sins still have consequences in our lives and the lives of others. I mentioned previously that it is not my business to be concerned with the specifics of anyone else's sin but to be concerned about my own and to live for Christ and love other people by being willing to share the whole truth in Love and let God deal with the sin.
There is a reason that God tells us that certain behaviors are sinful and the omission of certain behaviors are also sinful. All of us sin individually and corporately as a people. Sin is sin not because God made some arbitrary list of things that he does and does not want us to do. Sin is sin because ultimately it causes pain and separation from God. It also causes pain and separation from the God who lives within those of us who have trusted Jesus as our Savior. The consequences flow out from our lives and affect not only ourselves but those around us. Sometimes that pain and separation causes confusion, sometimes it causes sickness, sometimes it causes heartache and depression. If you name something that is bad, Sin in one form or another caused it. It is a true statement to say that there are many people who are suffering due to the sins of others. We suffer for our own sins. Ultimately, we were all separated from God by the Sin of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. Sin is a corporate condition that we are born into. We also commit and omit things that result in personal sin in our lives. When we do, we create pain and distance between our loving God and ourselves. As a nation, when we distance ourselves from our God, we are creating pain that has and will result in consequences.
Remember, the nation of Israel is a microcosm (if you will) of the conflict in every man. When the nation (corporately) turned to God, they experienced blessing, when they turned from God, they experienced the fruits of the curse that was instituted by Satan in the Garden of Eden.
In the New Testament, when Paul is talking about the Christian life after the coming of the Holy Spirit, he talks about it being a battle and even discusses the implements of battle in the book of Ephesians (see "whole Armor of God"). Once the nation of Israel came out of the land of Egypt by the "deliverance" of God from bondage and death (Egyptian captivity), Moses led them to the promised land (to salvation) BUT it was still their responsibility to CLAIM, INHABIT, AND POSSESS the land (territory that had already been conquered). Don't forget, if you know Christ, you already have ultimate victory over sin. The land has already been conquered. But....we still have to possess it and HOLD ON TO IT. That doesn't mean that if we do not possess the land, that ULTIMATE victory is lost. ULTIMATE Victory is not lost. Jesus Christ gained the ULTIMATE VICTORY FOREVER BUT....It is difficult to live in a land that someone else possesses.
Friends, we are currently living in a land that someone else possesses. We have NEVER run all of the foreign invaders out but in times past have possessed more of the land than we do now. We have allowed our families, our cities, and ultimately our country to be overrun by foreign invaders. I'm not talking about nationalities. I'm talking about spiritual invaders. They haven't invaded all at once but have trickled in so as to be unnoticed and their presence is becoming more and more apparent.
If you are reading this blog, before you start thinking I am a "conspiracy theorist", take a look around you. You can see it if you compare certain things. Listen to the speeches of politicians (even the bad ones) from three decades ago. The bad politicians even sound good by today's standards. Listen to the sermons of some of the old preachers on YouTube. Listen to some of the old news cast from several decades ago and compare. We like to look at ourselves as "advancing" as a people but look at our condition. Of course we know more now than any generation before us. I would remind you that the Israelites knew much more by having various peoples living among them but it did not help their spiritual condition. I do want to make it clear that this has nothing to do with race or nationality. What I am speaking about is spiritual. Access to information has only succeeded in confusing us more. Our moral compass is broken. Having no common "compass" has now become our compass and we are no better for it. In many ways, there seems to be more violence now and more division now than there ever has been in our country. Knocking down the walls of racism has only seemed to build new stronger "strongholds" in their places. There are new walls, constructed by the invaders in places that there were no walls before. Becoming more tolerant of everything and everyone has made us less tolerant of each other. We have lost territory that once we held (spiritually). When God "sells us into the hands of our enemies" we look to each other in desperation to solve the problems. When we can't, we look to our government (which by the way is made up of the people) to solve the problems, when that doesn't work, we blame each other. When that doesn't work and collapse begins, when those things begin to collapse that we have always known, then and only then are we distressed enough to turn to God, if then. When things are like this, there is ONLY ONE OPTION:
"IF.....my people, which are called by MY NAME (the name of JESUS), will humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (repent of sins both corporate and individual), then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin (corporately and individually) and heal (restore to victory and their possession) their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Monday, October 17, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Restoration (Part 3 from much earlier post)
As I began to move back toward my primary purpose in life, my love for Michelle grew more and more each day. It was an adjustment as I became acclimated to a life of peace. When you live in chaos, it eventually becomes the "normal" for you. There is comfort in the normal. You know what to expect even if it is just the awareness to expect the unexpected. To live at peace after living in turmoil for an extended period of time takes some getting used to. Adjustments must be made.
It is ironic that Michelle and I are still getting used to living in peace. There is still sometimes the expectation of turmoil. This was due to our previous relationships being out of the will of God. He allowed us to make choices that brought with them consequences. The consequences kept our lives during that period in much turmoil. Now,with each passing day, as peace becomes the "normal", a collective sigh seems to emanate from our home. We've been together for almost 4 years now, which some of you would consider the "infancy" of a long-term relationship. Fostering a relationship that we both want to be in is our goal. I want to come home everyday to her, I want to spend vacations with her, I want to share happy moments and moments of difficulty with her. I know many people who stay in relationships long-term because they are just hanging on to make it last. Many couples are not happy but are just hanging on because they think there is some merit in just "staying together." This is no more God's will than divorcing is God's will. If people are going to stay together, they should be working on making their relationship better. The marriage relationship is supposed to be a union of two people that mirrors the relationship that Christ has with the Church. Some couples are only together because they are afraid of anything different. I've learned in my life that I do not want that type of relationship and I am convinced that God does not want that type of relationship for us. We are not the bride of Christ because we've been together so long that he doesn't want to risk being without us because he is afraid. He wants a bride who looks forward to spending time with him, wants to go places with Him, wants intimacy with Him. SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE WITH HIM.
It is amazing how God takes the mistakes that we choose to make and turns them to our good (he still gives us a choice). Michelle (my wife) is a blessing that I could not receive until I was ready to receive her. Had we met at a time many years ago, our differences would have posed difficulties that would have prevented us from being together. I do not mean to say that we do not have our difficulties, we do. What I am saying is that she is the grace blessing I was given after I rebelled against God (grace is unmerited and undeserved). Did I deserve her? No. But God is a God who chooses to operate in our lives with mercy and grace.
I still struggle from day to day on the plan and purpose of God in my life. I wish I could say that I do what God wants me to do each day. I do not. I wish I could say I approach each day as God wants me to. I do not. One thing I have learned from the mistakes of my past is that often when we really want to do "good" things, we have to be careful not to make them "the will of God." Often good things can "mask" themselves as God's direction for our lives because they are "good" in our eyes. Many times in my life I have spent time doing "good" things that were not the will of God. I would be amiss if I didn't mention here that I often have done "bad" things as well (some knowingly and some by omission). The point I am making here though is that often we see something "good" and assume it is from God only to find out that the good was not his will. He was looking at our "Best" while we were focused on the "good."
It is at this point that I would like to mention something that Michelle and I have discussed many times. My first marriage was a part of the true Will of God for my life. I was married to a good woman and we weathered many storms together. She stood by me in some dark times (when I was struggling with God's will for my life) and she was a great "Pastor's Wife". From hind sight, I thrust that life upon her without her input or consent. We were married in 1987, had our daughter Emily, two cats, and she had a job with friends. Over a short period of time, I told her that God had called me into the ministry and we were moving to Florida for me to attend Bible College. There was really no discussion about it, I just determined that it was God's Will and expected everyone around me to "fall in line." I know from hindsight that she resented me for that and she had a right to. We moved to Graceville, FL. on January 1, 1991. I began attending Bible College and as Youth Pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in January 1991. Circumstances, mentioned earlier in another blog, propelled me to be the pastor of that church within 6 months. That's a lot for anyone to deal with. My wife went from being uprooted from a stable job, support system, and friends to being a pastors wife in a town far enough away that she had to develop a whole new support system and adjust to the rigors of being a pastor's wife. All the while, I am so busy with "the will of God" that I forgot that my family was a real part of the true "Will of God". Let me say here that the people in that church, many of whom will be reading this blog, were the greatest of people. I could not have asked for a more understanding, loving, and sincere group of people to pastor. But like any group of people, life brought with it many struggles, including deaths, crisis, and important events that vied for my attention as Pastor. My greatest mission field should have been at home. It was not. While I was busy doing good things, God's Blessing of a wonderful family was slipping through my hands. With emotional distance developing at home, with fatigue setting in from what I call "spiritual burnout", I found myself empty inside. I started "pushing" instead of "leading" the church. I started resenting my wife whom I blamed at the time for her emotional distance. I became discontent and left "the ministry" and started working as a counselor for a local mental health system. I had obtained a Master's Degree during my time as a pastor in the counseling field and began working as a substance abuse counselor. It is at this point that I began spending less and less time in "Godly Counsel" and started getting advice from many sources. Much of this advice was not bad by the worlds standards but it was not Godly Counsel. I advanced very quickly in that mental health system and became a part of their leadership team. It was during this time that God provided me with "Grace" options by putting me under one of the wisest men I have ever worked for. He was the Executive Director of the Company for which I worked and he tried to give me Godly advice. I wish I had heeded his advice. I did not. I divorced my wife, who wanted to work on our marriage, and began a path that would lead in a direction that would generate much pain in my life and the lives of others. (to be continued)
It is ironic that Michelle and I are still getting used to living in peace. There is still sometimes the expectation of turmoil. This was due to our previous relationships being out of the will of God. He allowed us to make choices that brought with them consequences. The consequences kept our lives during that period in much turmoil. Now,with each passing day, as peace becomes the "normal", a collective sigh seems to emanate from our home. We've been together for almost 4 years now, which some of you would consider the "infancy" of a long-term relationship. Fostering a relationship that we both want to be in is our goal. I want to come home everyday to her, I want to spend vacations with her, I want to share happy moments and moments of difficulty with her. I know many people who stay in relationships long-term because they are just hanging on to make it last. Many couples are not happy but are just hanging on because they think there is some merit in just "staying together." This is no more God's will than divorcing is God's will. If people are going to stay together, they should be working on making their relationship better. The marriage relationship is supposed to be a union of two people that mirrors the relationship that Christ has with the Church. Some couples are only together because they are afraid of anything different. I've learned in my life that I do not want that type of relationship and I am convinced that God does not want that type of relationship for us. We are not the bride of Christ because we've been together so long that he doesn't want to risk being without us because he is afraid. He wants a bride who looks forward to spending time with him, wants to go places with Him, wants intimacy with Him. SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BE WITH HIM.
It is amazing how God takes the mistakes that we choose to make and turns them to our good (he still gives us a choice). Michelle (my wife) is a blessing that I could not receive until I was ready to receive her. Had we met at a time many years ago, our differences would have posed difficulties that would have prevented us from being together. I do not mean to say that we do not have our difficulties, we do. What I am saying is that she is the grace blessing I was given after I rebelled against God (grace is unmerited and undeserved). Did I deserve her? No. But God is a God who chooses to operate in our lives with mercy and grace.
I still struggle from day to day on the plan and purpose of God in my life. I wish I could say that I do what God wants me to do each day. I do not. I wish I could say I approach each day as God wants me to. I do not. One thing I have learned from the mistakes of my past is that often when we really want to do "good" things, we have to be careful not to make them "the will of God." Often good things can "mask" themselves as God's direction for our lives because they are "good" in our eyes. Many times in my life I have spent time doing "good" things that were not the will of God. I would be amiss if I didn't mention here that I often have done "bad" things as well (some knowingly and some by omission). The point I am making here though is that often we see something "good" and assume it is from God only to find out that the good was not his will. He was looking at our "Best" while we were focused on the "good."
It is at this point that I would like to mention something that Michelle and I have discussed many times. My first marriage was a part of the true Will of God for my life. I was married to a good woman and we weathered many storms together. She stood by me in some dark times (when I was struggling with God's will for my life) and she was a great "Pastor's Wife". From hind sight, I thrust that life upon her without her input or consent. We were married in 1987, had our daughter Emily, two cats, and she had a job with friends. Over a short period of time, I told her that God had called me into the ministry and we were moving to Florida for me to attend Bible College. There was really no discussion about it, I just determined that it was God's Will and expected everyone around me to "fall in line." I know from hindsight that she resented me for that and she had a right to. We moved to Graceville, FL. on January 1, 1991. I began attending Bible College and as Youth Pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in January 1991. Circumstances, mentioned earlier in another blog, propelled me to be the pastor of that church within 6 months. That's a lot for anyone to deal with. My wife went from being uprooted from a stable job, support system, and friends to being a pastors wife in a town far enough away that she had to develop a whole new support system and adjust to the rigors of being a pastor's wife. All the while, I am so busy with "the will of God" that I forgot that my family was a real part of the true "Will of God". Let me say here that the people in that church, many of whom will be reading this blog, were the greatest of people. I could not have asked for a more understanding, loving, and sincere group of people to pastor. But like any group of people, life brought with it many struggles, including deaths, crisis, and important events that vied for my attention as Pastor. My greatest mission field should have been at home. It was not. While I was busy doing good things, God's Blessing of a wonderful family was slipping through my hands. With emotional distance developing at home, with fatigue setting in from what I call "spiritual burnout", I found myself empty inside. I started "pushing" instead of "leading" the church. I started resenting my wife whom I blamed at the time for her emotional distance. I became discontent and left "the ministry" and started working as a counselor for a local mental health system. I had obtained a Master's Degree during my time as a pastor in the counseling field and began working as a substance abuse counselor. It is at this point that I began spending less and less time in "Godly Counsel" and started getting advice from many sources. Much of this advice was not bad by the worlds standards but it was not Godly Counsel. I advanced very quickly in that mental health system and became a part of their leadership team. It was during this time that God provided me with "Grace" options by putting me under one of the wisest men I have ever worked for. He was the Executive Director of the Company for which I worked and he tried to give me Godly advice. I wish I had heeded his advice. I did not. I divorced my wife, who wanted to work on our marriage, and began a path that would lead in a direction that would generate much pain in my life and the lives of others. (to be continued)
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - The Dynamic Will of God
"For all things work together for good for those who love God and who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
I still struggle from day to day on the plan and purpose of God in my life. I wish I could say that I do what God wants me to do each day. I do not. I wish I could say I approach each day as God wants me to. I do not. One thing I have learned from the mistakes of my past is that often when we really want to do "good" things, we have to be careful not to make them "the will of God." Often good things can "mask" themselves as God's direction for our lives because they are "good" in our eyes. Many times in my life I have spent time doing "good" things that were not the will of God. I would be amiss if I didn't mention here that I often have done "bad" things as well (some knowingly and some by omission). The point I am making here though is that often we see something "good" and assume it is from God only to find out that the good was not his will. He was looking at our "Best" while we were focused on the "good."
The reason I titled this entry "The Dynamic Will of God" is because I have come to see the Will of God as dynamic. It is ever changing. Not because he changes his mind but rather often allows His Will to appear to change based on our decisions. Another name for this might be "The Grace Will of God". Let me explain. I believe that God is omnipresent---He is in the past, present, and future. Time is an entity that God is not bound by. He supersedes time. He lives above it. He became subject to time at only one point in history and that was during the lifetime of Jesus Christ. He was God in human form subject to human frailties and natural laws. Therefore he was subject to time. He lived 33 years on this earth, died at a particular time, and was buried. After his resurrection, Jesus was not subject to natural laws anymore. He walked through walls, rose from the earth, etc. We look at our lives as being linear. We are born, we live, we die. God's perspective is not linear. He can see all things at once (past, present, and future). So from his perspective, he "knows" all the choices that we will make even before the first is ever made. This is why he was able to say to the prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testament, "I knew you in the womb." and in another place said, "I fashioned all your parts when as yet there were none of them." He does not know all the choices you make because he can "see" the future. He knows because he already IS IN your future just like the present. His grace (which is motivated by love), knows how to put all of the pieces in place because he has already experienced the end product. He knows by experiencing the outcome already, exactly which pieces of YOUR puzzle you are going to move. He supersedes you in your future!
This is comforting to me because so much of my life has been lived from the perspective that I will now describe. I made a short (and horrible) speech at my high school graduation ceremony in 1985. In that speech, I made the statement that we were at a great fork in the road of life and we could choose to go one way or the other. But if we chose the "wrong" way, it would get us further and further from God's Will for our lives. The "linear" view of life makes it very difficult if you take the wrong "fork" at any of the many roads you may come to in life. You get further and further from God's Will. By inference, this view proposes that we should always seek to get back to the original fork that we took a wrong turn on and proceed, never getting back the "time" we wasted on our detour. In my opinion, that is the why many people live their lives in the regret of roads not traveled and good decisions not made. We are sometimes even offended at the alternative view experienced by those who embrace the Grace of God. God is just as aware of the decisions we will make as he is of the decisions we have made. Grace is a God Characteristic that is subject to God's Laws and not natural laws. It is not confined to the present but is also operational in our futures! God allows us to make choices and at each juncture allows us to step into His Will that encompasses all the choices (good and bad) we have made in the past! Jesus Christ made this possible. This grace is not based on our merit but rather on His (Jesus) merit. This is why Paul said, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
Many of you reading this know that at one point in my life I pastored a church. An unfortunate circumstance occurred and I went back to that church several years ago. Let me interject here that pastoring that church was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met some of the best people in the world by pastoring that church. I made many lasting friendships. But suffice it to say that I have had many life experiences since my time as pastor there. Some good, some not so good. As I was about to leave the grounds of the church after seeing many of these dear people after many years, one particular person, who I am sure had the best of intentions, had this to say when I told him that I lived in Miami (where I lived at the time), "Miami....why would anyone want to live in Miami? Was that God's Will or yours?" That is the problem with a linear view of God's will. It sees things in black and white (right or wrong). That is a standard no one can live up to. The problem with this is it presupposes that everyone makes the right decision ALL the time. No one does. There were several immutable facts at that point. I did live in Miami, I had children in Miami, I had a career in Miami. Should I uproot my life and everything that has occurred to match what I perceived to be God's will for my life 20 years ago? No, God doesn't expect that. He desires for me to make the right choice in THE PRESENT but when I didn't, he had already seen me in the future and puts things in place for me to be able to make the "right" choice where I am when I reached that point.
I am about to make this practical and it may be offensive to some but it is not intended to be. What I am saying is that God was preparing Michelle to be my wife 20 years ago. That does not mean that I made all right decisions or that it was not God's will at that time to heal my marriage. It was. It does not mean that God would not have blessed had I made different decisions. He would have blessed. It does, however, mean that God knows what choices I would make. God was far ahead of me with his grace. Did he bless every bad decision I made during that intervening time? No. I and others suffered as a result. But, he was still preparing grace gifts for me and providing opportunities for me to step into HIS will and working it all for my good. That's the Grace Will of God! What I am saying is that the Grace of God reached that far into the future! That should comfort us, not offend us! Remember, God is omnipresent. He has already experienced every decision I or you will ever make. Jesus paid for them ALL, both good and bad! His grace extends beyond what you experience NOW! His Will is Dynamic! May that truly motivate us to serve him out of love rather than selfish self-promotion!
I still struggle from day to day on the plan and purpose of God in my life. I wish I could say that I do what God wants me to do each day. I do not. I wish I could say I approach each day as God wants me to. I do not. One thing I have learned from the mistakes of my past is that often when we really want to do "good" things, we have to be careful not to make them "the will of God." Often good things can "mask" themselves as God's direction for our lives because they are "good" in our eyes. Many times in my life I have spent time doing "good" things that were not the will of God. I would be amiss if I didn't mention here that I often have done "bad" things as well (some knowingly and some by omission). The point I am making here though is that often we see something "good" and assume it is from God only to find out that the good was not his will. He was looking at our "Best" while we were focused on the "good."
The reason I titled this entry "The Dynamic Will of God" is because I have come to see the Will of God as dynamic. It is ever changing. Not because he changes his mind but rather often allows His Will to appear to change based on our decisions. Another name for this might be "The Grace Will of God". Let me explain. I believe that God is omnipresent---He is in the past, present, and future. Time is an entity that God is not bound by. He supersedes time. He lives above it. He became subject to time at only one point in history and that was during the lifetime of Jesus Christ. He was God in human form subject to human frailties and natural laws. Therefore he was subject to time. He lived 33 years on this earth, died at a particular time, and was buried. After his resurrection, Jesus was not subject to natural laws anymore. He walked through walls, rose from the earth, etc. We look at our lives as being linear. We are born, we live, we die. God's perspective is not linear. He can see all things at once (past, present, and future). So from his perspective, he "knows" all the choices that we will make even before the first is ever made. This is why he was able to say to the prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testament, "I knew you in the womb." and in another place said, "I fashioned all your parts when as yet there were none of them." He does not know all the choices you make because he can "see" the future. He knows because he already IS IN your future just like the present. His grace (which is motivated by love), knows how to put all of the pieces in place because he has already experienced the end product. He knows by experiencing the outcome already, exactly which pieces of YOUR puzzle you are going to move. He supersedes you in your future!
This is comforting to me because so much of my life has been lived from the perspective that I will now describe. I made a short (and horrible) speech at my high school graduation ceremony in 1985. In that speech, I made the statement that we were at a great fork in the road of life and we could choose to go one way or the other. But if we chose the "wrong" way, it would get us further and further from God's Will for our lives. The "linear" view of life makes it very difficult if you take the wrong "fork" at any of the many roads you may come to in life. You get further and further from God's Will. By inference, this view proposes that we should always seek to get back to the original fork that we took a wrong turn on and proceed, never getting back the "time" we wasted on our detour. In my opinion, that is the why many people live their lives in the regret of roads not traveled and good decisions not made. We are sometimes even offended at the alternative view experienced by those who embrace the Grace of God. God is just as aware of the decisions we will make as he is of the decisions we have made. Grace is a God Characteristic that is subject to God's Laws and not natural laws. It is not confined to the present but is also operational in our futures! God allows us to make choices and at each juncture allows us to step into His Will that encompasses all the choices (good and bad) we have made in the past! Jesus Christ made this possible. This grace is not based on our merit but rather on His (Jesus) merit. This is why Paul said, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."
Many of you reading this know that at one point in my life I pastored a church. An unfortunate circumstance occurred and I went back to that church several years ago. Let me interject here that pastoring that church was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met some of the best people in the world by pastoring that church. I made many lasting friendships. But suffice it to say that I have had many life experiences since my time as pastor there. Some good, some not so good. As I was about to leave the grounds of the church after seeing many of these dear people after many years, one particular person, who I am sure had the best of intentions, had this to say when I told him that I lived in Miami (where I lived at the time), "Miami....why would anyone want to live in Miami? Was that God's Will or yours?" That is the problem with a linear view of God's will. It sees things in black and white (right or wrong). That is a standard no one can live up to. The problem with this is it presupposes that everyone makes the right decision ALL the time. No one does. There were several immutable facts at that point. I did live in Miami, I had children in Miami, I had a career in Miami. Should I uproot my life and everything that has occurred to match what I perceived to be God's will for my life 20 years ago? No, God doesn't expect that. He desires for me to make the right choice in THE PRESENT but when I didn't, he had already seen me in the future and puts things in place for me to be able to make the "right" choice where I am when I reached that point.
I am about to make this practical and it may be offensive to some but it is not intended to be. What I am saying is that God was preparing Michelle to be my wife 20 years ago. That does not mean that I made all right decisions or that it was not God's will at that time to heal my marriage. It was. It does not mean that God would not have blessed had I made different decisions. He would have blessed. It does, however, mean that God knows what choices I would make. God was far ahead of me with his grace. Did he bless every bad decision I made during that intervening time? No. I and others suffered as a result. But, he was still preparing grace gifts for me and providing opportunities for me to step into HIS will and working it all for my good. That's the Grace Will of God! What I am saying is that the Grace of God reached that far into the future! That should comfort us, not offend us! Remember, God is omnipresent. He has already experienced every decision I or you will ever make. Jesus paid for them ALL, both good and bad! His grace extends beyond what you experience NOW! His Will is Dynamic! May that truly motivate us to serve him out of love rather than selfish self-promotion!
Thursday, August 18, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Compassion without Strings
In the Bible there is the parable of the traveler who was attacked and left to die at the side of the road. Various people came by and for various reasons passed him by. One for the sake of time, one for the sake of religion, one for the sake of indifference. Along came a Samaritan and he not only nursed the man but provided shelter to him while he recovered. This parable was told to a group of Jewish people who considered the Samaritans as "less thans" and unclean people. They were not the "chosen ones." They were considered to be "worldly people" of that day. It is significant that the behavior of this Samaritan was one of compassion in assistance offered to his fellow sojourner.
Those who call themselves Christians often wonder why the world is not reached for Christ. I onced taught a course entitled Continuing Witness Training (CWT) at a church I once served as Pastor. An interesting aspect of this course was for those who attended the training to identify how many "unchurched" people they had as friends. It was alarming how many of those in attendance had so few friends that were "unchurched". I was also one who had almost no "unchurched" friends and acquaintances with whom I spent time. Most of my intimate relationships were with people who were already exposed to the things of the church. This is a significant point. If we are not spending enough time with Non-Christian people to know what their needs really are, how do we expect to reach them with the influence of Christ in us? I am sure that many of you reading this that would respond to someone in crisis the way the Samaritan did with the wounded stranger but would you go the extra mile by spending time with them in order to "nurse them back to health."? Influence happens largely due to investment of time and energy. If we spent more time with people who need Christ, we would naturally have less time to spend with those with whom we go to church or spend time with "doing church things." Of course, there was a time when the Samaritan had to go on his way but then he paid the Inn Keeper to continue to "watch over" the stranger until he was able to go on his own.
Those who call themselves Christians often wonder why the world is not reached for Christ. I onced taught a course entitled Continuing Witness Training (CWT) at a church I once served as Pastor. An interesting aspect of this course was for those who attended the training to identify how many "unchurched" people they had as friends. It was alarming how many of those in attendance had so few friends that were "unchurched". I was also one who had almost no "unchurched" friends and acquaintances with whom I spent time. Most of my intimate relationships were with people who were already exposed to the things of the church. This is a significant point. If we are not spending enough time with Non-Christian people to know what their needs really are, how do we expect to reach them with the influence of Christ in us? I am sure that many of you reading this that would respond to someone in crisis the way the Samaritan did with the wounded stranger but would you go the extra mile by spending time with them in order to "nurse them back to health."? Influence happens largely due to investment of time and energy. If we spent more time with people who need Christ, we would naturally have less time to spend with those with whom we go to church or spend time with "doing church things." Of course, there was a time when the Samaritan had to go on his way but then he paid the Inn Keeper to continue to "watch over" the stranger until he was able to go on his own.
Notice that the Samaritan was unconcerned about "why" the stranger had been attacked. He did not consider whether or not there was a good reason for the attack. He offered compassion and investment with no strings attached.
The Christian life is supposed to be a life of sacrifice. This includes time, energy, and investment. Jesus modeled a life lived for others. If we are his followers are we not supposed to do the same? Jesus made his disciples Andrew and Simon (Peter) "fishers of men". They had been commercial fisherman but he changed their focus.
Jesus said, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." (Luke 17:33) Losing our lives simply means living for others and surrendering to Christ in obedience to follow him. It really gives new meaning to the hymn that many of us sang in church, "I Surrender All."
The world says, "Live for self. Focus on what you need. After all, no one else will."
Jesus says, "Focus on others and God will provide for you. Joy and happiness will come to you as you live for the benefit of others."
Two totally different ways of living. I am appalled at how much of my life has been spent focusing on me. When I look back at my life, focusing on me has always caused me the greatest dissatisfaction and discontent. The times that I have focused on others have been the most joyous "life worth living" times of my life.
How will we live our lives from this point forward?
The Christian life is supposed to be a life of sacrifice. This includes time, energy, and investment. Jesus modeled a life lived for others. If we are his followers are we not supposed to do the same? Jesus made his disciples Andrew and Simon (Peter) "fishers of men". They had been commercial fisherman but he changed their focus.
Jesus said, "Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it." (Luke 17:33) Losing our lives simply means living for others and surrendering to Christ in obedience to follow him. It really gives new meaning to the hymn that many of us sang in church, "I Surrender All."
The world says, "Live for self. Focus on what you need. After all, no one else will."
Jesus says, "Focus on others and God will provide for you. Joy and happiness will come to you as you live for the benefit of others."
Two totally different ways of living. I am appalled at how much of my life has been spent focusing on me. When I look back at my life, focusing on me has always caused me the greatest dissatisfaction and discontent. The times that I have focused on others have been the most joyous "life worth living" times of my life.
How will we live our lives from this point forward?
Monday, July 25, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - The Joy of the Lord
"Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. "(Nehemiah 8:9-12)
The Israelites had been in captivity for 70 years in the land of Babylon and now they were allowed to return home to the land of promise to begin rebuilding the temple and also to re-establish their customs and laws (ways of relating to God). As their law was read by the scribe (Ezra), the people began to weep and grieve remembering what "should have been had they never left the Kingdom of God----their promised land. Nehemiah, their leader (governor) told them not to weep...for the Joy of the Lord is your strength. It is significant that they were beginning to rebuild their kingdom after being in exile (in a foreign land) for a significant period of time. They were re-entering the "Kingdom of God". They were rebuilding the place where God would dwell (the Temple).
I remember a song I learned as a kid that was based on the scripture above:
"The Jo-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength.....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Joy of the Lord is my strength."
I saw something yesterday that I've seen many times but saw again for the "first" time. A young man about 16-18 y/o was baptized during the Sunday Morning Worship Service at church. Several others were baptized as well. What struck me about the young man was his expression when the Pastor was asking him questions about his faith: Had he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior? Did he understand what he was doing by being baptized? etc.... As he was replying to these questions, a look of seriousness, a look of anticipation, a look of urgency, and then....a look of pure joy came upon his face. As the Pastor lowered him into the Baptismal Pool and he came up out from under the water, his hand lifted high in exultation. So many emotions, so many lessons to learn in that moment. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean for this to be a discussion of whether or not Baptism (the act of being submerged in water-sprinkling-etc...) "saves" a person. I've had more than my fair share of those discussions throughout my life. It is not acts or methods that are important but really something else entirely.
An example might be in order here. I cannot sit for the Bar Exam in most if not all the United States. The reason for this is because I have not "completed" a course of study that leads to an acceptable law degree that is a pre-requisite for taking the bar exam. Even if I make a perfect score on the Bar exam, without the pre-requisites, I still cannot be a lawyer. Let us not forget that faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father both present and future is a crucial pre-requisite of knowing him and therefore having a relationship with God that puts us in his kingdom both now and in the future. It is that transaction of faith (whenever it takes place) that sets a person apart and that results in the look of pure joy that I saw on that young man's face.
While many of us may have been asking the question about what baptism really means, this young man was exercising his simple faith and belief that Jesus is the way to God. The look on his face attested to the fact that there was no doubt about where his focus was. He was being obedient to his Lord. Misinformation, had it been given, was not an issue. A relationship was born that resulted in trust and obedience.
I remember when I was a Pastor back in the early 1990s. There was a minister who was "bringing down the fire" and causing revivals to break out wherever he spoke. He was a regular speaker at some of the Bible Conferences that I attended. The power of God would bring conviction when he told his testimony about living under a bridge as a youth and as he shared the mighty miracles and works that God performed in his life. Later, it was revealed that his entire testimony was a fabrication. A natural question that resulted from this situation was to ask if the "results" of his testimony were also "false" because his testimony was a fabrication? NO. Those who responded to his testimony were not responding to Him, they were asked to respond to God who fabricates NOTHING. His Word is TRUTH. If any of us come to him in faith, he receives us no matter what ANY confusion on man's part may be.
There is one thing that I want each of you to consider that I believe to be the truth. Most, if not all of us, are probably wrong about many "significant" things that we believe about God. Most of us are probably wrong about many significant things that we believe about the Bible. But....that makes God no less faithful in his response to our simple faith that HE (Jesus) is the Way, the Truth, and the Life....and that no one comes to God but by Him.
I saw on that young man's face the simple realization of pure JOY that comes from knowing that Jesus paid it ALL and that by faith in Him, his standing with God was now complete. I, for one, will never hear that song, "The Joy of the Lord is My Strength" without remembering the times in my life when it has "come home to me" this simple truth. It really is a finished work. Jesus is Victor and therefore, So Am I. The Joy that comes from that revelation is truly our strength!
The Israelites had been in captivity for 70 years in the land of Babylon and now they were allowed to return home to the land of promise to begin rebuilding the temple and also to re-establish their customs and laws (ways of relating to God). As their law was read by the scribe (Ezra), the people began to weep and grieve remembering what "should have been had they never left the Kingdom of God----their promised land. Nehemiah, their leader (governor) told them not to weep...for the Joy of the Lord is your strength. It is significant that they were beginning to rebuild their kingdom after being in exile (in a foreign land) for a significant period of time. They were re-entering the "Kingdom of God". They were rebuilding the place where God would dwell (the Temple).
I remember a song I learned as a kid that was based on the scripture above:
"The Jo-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength.....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Joy of the Lord is my strength."
I saw something yesterday that I've seen many times but saw again for the "first" time. A young man about 16-18 y/o was baptized during the Sunday Morning Worship Service at church. Several others were baptized as well. What struck me about the young man was his expression when the Pastor was asking him questions about his faith: Had he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior? Did he understand what he was doing by being baptized? etc.... As he was replying to these questions, a look of seriousness, a look of anticipation, a look of urgency, and then....a look of pure joy came upon his face. As the Pastor lowered him into the Baptismal Pool and he came up out from under the water, his hand lifted high in exultation. So many emotions, so many lessons to learn in that moment. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean for this to be a discussion of whether or not Baptism (the act of being submerged in water-sprinkling-etc...) "saves" a person. I've had more than my fair share of those discussions throughout my life. It is not acts or methods that are important but really something else entirely.
An example might be in order here. I cannot sit for the Bar Exam in most if not all the United States. The reason for this is because I have not "completed" a course of study that leads to an acceptable law degree that is a pre-requisite for taking the bar exam. Even if I make a perfect score on the Bar exam, without the pre-requisites, I still cannot be a lawyer. Let us not forget that faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father both present and future is a crucial pre-requisite of knowing him and therefore having a relationship with God that puts us in his kingdom both now and in the future. It is that transaction of faith (whenever it takes place) that sets a person apart and that results in the look of pure joy that I saw on that young man's face.
While many of us may have been asking the question about what baptism really means, this young man was exercising his simple faith and belief that Jesus is the way to God. The look on his face attested to the fact that there was no doubt about where his focus was. He was being obedient to his Lord. Misinformation, had it been given, was not an issue. A relationship was born that resulted in trust and obedience.
I remember when I was a Pastor back in the early 1990s. There was a minister who was "bringing down the fire" and causing revivals to break out wherever he spoke. He was a regular speaker at some of the Bible Conferences that I attended. The power of God would bring conviction when he told his testimony about living under a bridge as a youth and as he shared the mighty miracles and works that God performed in his life. Later, it was revealed that his entire testimony was a fabrication. A natural question that resulted from this situation was to ask if the "results" of his testimony were also "false" because his testimony was a fabrication? NO. Those who responded to his testimony were not responding to Him, they were asked to respond to God who fabricates NOTHING. His Word is TRUTH. If any of us come to him in faith, he receives us no matter what ANY confusion on man's part may be.
There is one thing that I want each of you to consider that I believe to be the truth. Most, if not all of us, are probably wrong about many "significant" things that we believe about God. Most of us are probably wrong about many significant things that we believe about the Bible. But....that makes God no less faithful in his response to our simple faith that HE (Jesus) is the Way, the Truth, and the Life....and that no one comes to God but by Him.
I saw on that young man's face the simple realization of pure JOY that comes from knowing that Jesus paid it ALL and that by faith in Him, his standing with God was now complete. I, for one, will never hear that song, "The Joy of the Lord is My Strength" without remembering the times in my life when it has "come home to me" this simple truth. It really is a finished work. Jesus is Victor and therefore, So Am I. The Joy that comes from that revelation is truly our strength!
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - "The Spitting Image of Jesus"
(Jesus said) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. (John 9-5-7)
There is a lot of misunderstanding of the Church (Christ in he world) today. Many of the religious and the intellectuals of the world today are offended at the things taking place in many churches. Christians (believers in Christ) are fighting among themselves as they have done since the time that Christ ascended into heaven following his resurrection. Various Christians are afraid of the practices of various other Christians and often call them heretics.
I've noticed something however. When people are desperate and need a touch from God, they aren't really bothered by the "form" or method God uses to touch them. They don't care if you are Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Church or Christ, or Church of You Name It....they just want to be touched by Jesus. We spend so much time arguing and disagreeing about methodologies that we often never reach the substance of having the Holy Spirit of God touch us. Jesus said that he didn't come to heal the "well" but rather the "sick". He didn't come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Two points here: 1)Not every one who is sick wants to get well. 2)And not everyone who is sick knows that they are sick.
Jesus even asked two beggars at one point in the Bible IF they would like to be made well. That seems like a given. Of course they would want to get well, wouldn't they? Think about it, if they got well, they would have to learn a whole new way of life. They could not rely on begging anymore but would have to learn a trade. Sympathy would not readily be available to them anymore. Their lives would change. Sometimes living what we would consider a "miserable" life is the life some choose because they are afraid of change. The known is safer than the unknown. Change means taking a risk to learn to live differently.
The second point is just as important. Not everyone who is sick knows that they are sick. Enter the Pharisees. I spent a great deal of my life thinking like a Pharisee. They were the "sickest" (their spiritual needs were great), but they did not even know they were sick (had needs). Even in the scriptures that I based this blog on above, you'll find that they were so busy evaluating the method of "healing" (the guy could really see!!!) that they missed the blessing and the miracle! Their methods and rules were more important than the grace of God.
I titled this blog entry, the "spitting" image of Jesus because he did something remarkable. Can you imagine if someone comes up for prayer in the morning at church and the Pastor comes down to pray with the individual, spits on the floor and takes that spit and rubs it on their eyes. Some people in the service would probably have a stroke!!! How dare he do something so gross!!! I've noticed something. People who really have a need do not care about methods, they simply want a touch from the Lord!!! I've also noticed something else in the Bible. Jesus often "healed" people in different ways. Some he spoke a word and they were healed. Some he told them to present themselves before the elders (church leaders), others he told to do different things. Some he didn't do anything at all but just told them to go their own way because they got what they asked for. Don't miss what God has for you because you are looking for him to speak or touch you in a particular way. Maybe some of us need our sensibilities shaken so that God can give us substance. Don't worry about the method just focus on the person of Jesus and ask for God's touch. The next time you are tempted to make fun or express your opinion about the way someone is approaching God, remember that Jesus spit on the ground and put it in a man's eyes. Let us think about that the next time we are tempted to criticize or evaluate how God works and what he will and will not do. The next time God wants us to do something radical, let us remember that we are to be the "spitting" image of Christ. That means being obedient to God no matter what.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Beating the Sinners and the Saints
There was a time in my life that I was accused of "beating the saints" As I have looked back over the years, I would have to say that there is truth in that statement. It is necessary to point out that truth that is proclaimed without Love is often abuse. The Lord says, "Vengence is mine." He did not say, "vengence is yours." To tell someone the truth without love is often abusive. You might say, "I know...I know....we should love everyone and part of loving others is telling them the truth." This is not entirely true. To love people is to tell them the truth IN LOVE. Sometimes telling someone the "truth" without loves pushes them further from "the truth." If you tell me something that is extremely difficult for me to hear, I am going to resist unless I know that it is difficult for you to tell me because it hurts you and you feel my pain. A TRUTH shared by a person who is hurting because they love enough that it HURTS them to cause the person pain who needs to hear the truth generates conviction and change. True love is always sacrificial. When Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he was telling us to put others in the place that we would normally reserve for ourselves. He was telling us to put ourselves in the perspective of the other person as much as is possible. Imagine hearing what you are about to tell them. Would it hurt you to be in their place. Feel their pain. If you can't, don't tell them. Let someone who can feel their pain tell them.. The lie we have come to believe is that truth is always good and we are to proclaim it NO MATTER WHAT. This lie has led to many running the opposite direction --further away from God. The greatest commandment from God is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that revival will come to many of our lives when we pray that we will sincerely love others MORE than ourselves.
Following after truth (accepting the truth and being changed by it) does not come naturally to us. If it is not pleasant to embrace truth, some other factor must come into play in order for people to embrace truth. Otherwise, we push people away before truth has an impact on them. What motivates people to change? Simply love. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about the necessity/greatness of love. You can have all other "good" things but without love, we are NOTHING. Truth doesn't change people, love does. We often "beat" people with truth. We beat our children with truth, we beat our friends with truth, we often beat people we don't even know with "the truth." And then we wonder why they don't respond. Jonah was a prime example of declaring truth without love. We focus on his "whale" and forget what comes after. He finally went to Ninevah and declared that they were sinners (he idenified their sins) and announced the judgement of God is coming. After he did this, he was feeling really good about himself and was dependent on God to assure his "reputation" remained intact by bringing the judgement that God has instructed Jonah to proclaim. When the king and people repented, God averted his wrath and God did not bring judgement on Ninevah. Jonah was upset about this and the book of Jonah concludes with him pouting in the desert. Does he sound like a "God's Representative (present day Christian) that you'd want to spend time with? NO....you'd want him to stay out in the desert away from you.
Truth is often our weapon of choice. It's blade is sharper than any other weapon. There is no defense against it. When it is weilded without love, it cuts us asunder and leaves us to bleed to death without any healing balm. As a result, it becomes natural for people to stay off the "battlefield." That is why churches are often near empty. People are afraid to come in and "get cut up."
The loss of ground that has happened in our country and world over the past 50 years (although it has been there in one or the other much longer) is the fact that truth has not prevailed. The reason that truth has lost a footing in this world is because truth requires the soil of love for it to take root.
A group of people I work with asked me last week what I thought about homosexuality. I told them what I think does not matter. I can almost feel the spiritual hairs standing up on the back of some of those who are reading this. You are ready to say "Amen" and for the gavel to fall when I tell them what God says. What I told them may surprise you. I told them that asking me what I think about homosexuality is really a veiled way of asking me to judge those who are practicing a homosexual lifestyle. I know what God says to me about my own life, and he told me to "get the board out of my own eye before I even can look at someone else." I discovered something.....there is always, no matter how many boards I remove......there is always another board in my eye. I never reach a position where I can pick up and "throw the stone." Some of you may think I am avoiding the topic. So be it. I am not avoiding the topic, many of my friends practice homosexuality. I love them dearly. Many of them are Christians who know Christ. I am merely suggesting that I have my own life to tend to in regard to my relationship with God. Some reading this may say, "We must renounce sin." I would agree. I need to continue to renounce all MY sins. When you have renounced all of your sins and gained complete victory over them and reach a place where love is your motivation for telling others the truth, THEN you'll be able to renounce the sins of others. Just make sure you understand their pain before you do. Make sure you LOVE them before you do. If not, you've just added another "plank to your own eye" that must be removed again. The point I am making is for all of us who know Christ to live for God and point others to establishing a relationship with HIM and leave the conviction of various sins, whatever they may be....to the conviction that comes from God. Everyone has their own hierarchy of sin. I've noticed that people's hierarchy usually does not include the sins that THEY are committing.
I've heard many people over time criticize Joel Osteen. I remember I used to listen to his father every Sunday night after I got home from preaching at the church I served. I remember when Joel was out "living in the world" and his father would ask the congregation to pray for him. I remember when he started preaching at the Lakewood Church. I've listened to many of his messages since then. He is often criticized for "not preaching against sin." The love of God which woos a person into a relationshp with Christ also provides the ground for truth to grow. Let us be careful about criticizing those who "prepare the ground." Without preparation, truth cannot take root. Truth, when it does take root, brings personal conviction of sin. When conviction is personal, the remembered pain of making a change in life often helps others do the same.
If I am ever a pastor again, I will certainly do it differently. I've beat up many people over the years with the truth. It was often my weapon and not a bridge to God in Christ. Truth is dangerous in the wrong hands. If it is not tempered with the Love of God, it destroys more people than anything else.
I'll close this blog with this truth:
Remember, IF there is any difference between you and anyone else, that difference is Jesus. There is no one reading this who has not committed some act of sin today. There are things each of us should have done that we did not do and there are also things that we have thought or done that we should not have done TODAY. The only difference in any of us is Jesus. If you know Him, there is never a reason to renounce anything or anyone else. Our focus should be to live for Him and encourage others to do the same.
"If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself." -Jesus (John 12:32)
Following after truth (accepting the truth and being changed by it) does not come naturally to us. If it is not pleasant to embrace truth, some other factor must come into play in order for people to embrace truth. Otherwise, we push people away before truth has an impact on them. What motivates people to change? Simply love. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about the necessity/greatness of love. You can have all other "good" things but without love, we are NOTHING. Truth doesn't change people, love does. We often "beat" people with truth. We beat our children with truth, we beat our friends with truth, we often beat people we don't even know with "the truth." And then we wonder why they don't respond. Jonah was a prime example of declaring truth without love. We focus on his "whale" and forget what comes after. He finally went to Ninevah and declared that they were sinners (he idenified their sins) and announced the judgement of God is coming. After he did this, he was feeling really good about himself and was dependent on God to assure his "reputation" remained intact by bringing the judgement that God has instructed Jonah to proclaim. When the king and people repented, God averted his wrath and God did not bring judgement on Ninevah. Jonah was upset about this and the book of Jonah concludes with him pouting in the desert. Does he sound like a "God's Representative (present day Christian) that you'd want to spend time with? NO....you'd want him to stay out in the desert away from you.
Truth is often our weapon of choice. It's blade is sharper than any other weapon. There is no defense against it. When it is weilded without love, it cuts us asunder and leaves us to bleed to death without any healing balm. As a result, it becomes natural for people to stay off the "battlefield." That is why churches are often near empty. People are afraid to come in and "get cut up."
The loss of ground that has happened in our country and world over the past 50 years (although it has been there in one or the other much longer) is the fact that truth has not prevailed. The reason that truth has lost a footing in this world is because truth requires the soil of love for it to take root.
A group of people I work with asked me last week what I thought about homosexuality. I told them what I think does not matter. I can almost feel the spiritual hairs standing up on the back of some of those who are reading this. You are ready to say "Amen" and for the gavel to fall when I tell them what God says. What I told them may surprise you. I told them that asking me what I think about homosexuality is really a veiled way of asking me to judge those who are practicing a homosexual lifestyle. I know what God says to me about my own life, and he told me to "get the board out of my own eye before I even can look at someone else." I discovered something.....there is always, no matter how many boards I remove......there is always another board in my eye. I never reach a position where I can pick up and "throw the stone." Some of you may think I am avoiding the topic. So be it. I am not avoiding the topic, many of my friends practice homosexuality. I love them dearly. Many of them are Christians who know Christ. I am merely suggesting that I have my own life to tend to in regard to my relationship with God. Some reading this may say, "We must renounce sin." I would agree. I need to continue to renounce all MY sins. When you have renounced all of your sins and gained complete victory over them and reach a place where love is your motivation for telling others the truth, THEN you'll be able to renounce the sins of others. Just make sure you understand their pain before you do. Make sure you LOVE them before you do. If not, you've just added another "plank to your own eye" that must be removed again. The point I am making is for all of us who know Christ to live for God and point others to establishing a relationship with HIM and leave the conviction of various sins, whatever they may be....to the conviction that comes from God. Everyone has their own hierarchy of sin. I've noticed that people's hierarchy usually does not include the sins that THEY are committing.
I've heard many people over time criticize Joel Osteen. I remember I used to listen to his father every Sunday night after I got home from preaching at the church I served. I remember when Joel was out "living in the world" and his father would ask the congregation to pray for him. I remember when he started preaching at the Lakewood Church. I've listened to many of his messages since then. He is often criticized for "not preaching against sin." The love of God which woos a person into a relationshp with Christ also provides the ground for truth to grow. Let us be careful about criticizing those who "prepare the ground." Without preparation, truth cannot take root. Truth, when it does take root, brings personal conviction of sin. When conviction is personal, the remembered pain of making a change in life often helps others do the same.
If I am ever a pastor again, I will certainly do it differently. I've beat up many people over the years with the truth. It was often my weapon and not a bridge to God in Christ. Truth is dangerous in the wrong hands. If it is not tempered with the Love of God, it destroys more people than anything else.
I'll close this blog with this truth:
Remember, IF there is any difference between you and anyone else, that difference is Jesus. There is no one reading this who has not committed some act of sin today. There are things each of us should have done that we did not do and there are also things that we have thought or done that we should not have done TODAY. The only difference in any of us is Jesus. If you know Him, there is never a reason to renounce anything or anyone else. Our focus should be to live for Him and encourage others to do the same.
"If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself." -Jesus (John 12:32)
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Jesus paid it ALL
This has not been a good week for me. I have been somewhat down this week. I guess it is a combination of being reminded that life is short along with the realization that I have wasted so much of my life not investing in the things that remain. I also found out that my friend from Bible College, with whom I was very close and shared a lot of good times, passed away in April of this year. He was 59 y/o. He had given his life to Christ after spending much of his teenage years and 20s on cocaine and was in and out of prison. I met him after he gave his life to Christ. He had completed Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute and transferred to Florida Baptist Theological College (now Baptist College of Florida) in 1991. He, Jimmy Adamson, and I were very good friends during our time there. He went on outings with us on many weekends and also preached on numerous occassions at the church I pastored in Slocomb Alabama. He was a very intelligent guy with a sweet spirit and after Bible college returned to his home state (North Carolina) and began pastoring churches there. As time passed, he came into contact again with some of the "friends" from his old life and once again started using cocaine. He relapsed and subsequently lost most of his possessions and moved back to Florida. We lost touch during this time as I did not know where he was. At various times through the years, I have tried to find him using the internet. Particularly since the late 1990s with the advent of social media and many resources coming online, my search continued. It was with a heavy heart that I discovered the other night that he had passed away in April 2016. I don't know what the intervening years were like for him. I don't know what his struggles may or may not have been. I am thankful for the time that God allowed me to spend with this man in prayer and reflection in the early years of my Bible education.
I am reminded of the importance of salvation in Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I spent enough time with my friend to be assured of his relationship with our Lord. I know many of you may be thinking that he "backslid" and he may have lost his salvation. I would reply that when we trust Jesus as our Savior, having repented of our sins, HE is our sacrifice and our Savior before God, not US. If we could do ANYTHING to remove ourselves from the grace of God then even one unconfessed sin could doom us after salvation! If that were the case, then we would all be in serious trouble. There would be very few, (if any) that would spend eternity with God. Thankfully, our standing with God (as my deceased friend) was and is not determined by "how good we do" (before or after salvation). Our salvation is determined by our recognition of the need of a Saviour who is outside and distinct from ourselves. Jesus is the way from beginning to end. If we could have warranted God's favor and acceptance (either before or after salvation), Jesus would not have had to be our sacrifice. We could have done it ourselves. Thanks be to God that even though it was and STILL IS impossible for us, Jesus Christ is always acceptable to God the Father. Our faith and trust in Him (Jesus), makes my standing possible with God from beginning to end.
Because my friend made the decision to repent of his sins, to confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, he was saved for eternity. I am thankful that my friend gets to spend eternity with HIM. It is one thing to KNOW Christ and another to be OBEDIENT to his leading. It is siginicant to me that we are referred to as the children of God. Relationship is not determined by behavior, it is determined by lineage. (Just because your children disobey you doesn't mean that they cease to be your children).
Success in Life and Preparation for what comes after is not contingent on what we DO, it is contingent on who we KNOW. Who we KNOW then determines what we DO. There are many people living today who are in turmoil because they KNOW Jesus but are not living for HIM. Knowing Him (Jesus) determines your destiny (eternity). Obedience determines your impact on others while you are here in this world). There is always turmoil in an earthly life that is not having an impact on others for the Kingdom of God, simply from the fact that a person is not living according to their designed purpose.
Christians may disagree on many points but one point is not debatable and crucial for us all. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God and is sufficient to carry us all through this life in preparation for the one to come. Sharing Christ and Him crucified is the most vital thing that we can do in this life.
What the Bible Says is Still True:
"I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Noone comes to the Father (God) except by me." (John 14:6)
Thanks be to God for his gift of ETERNAL Life!
I am reminded of the importance of salvation in Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I spent enough time with my friend to be assured of his relationship with our Lord. I know many of you may be thinking that he "backslid" and he may have lost his salvation. I would reply that when we trust Jesus as our Savior, having repented of our sins, HE is our sacrifice and our Savior before God, not US. If we could do ANYTHING to remove ourselves from the grace of God then even one unconfessed sin could doom us after salvation! If that were the case, then we would all be in serious trouble. There would be very few, (if any) that would spend eternity with God. Thankfully, our standing with God (as my deceased friend) was and is not determined by "how good we do" (before or after salvation). Our salvation is determined by our recognition of the need of a Saviour who is outside and distinct from ourselves. Jesus is the way from beginning to end. If we could have warranted God's favor and acceptance (either before or after salvation), Jesus would not have had to be our sacrifice. We could have done it ourselves. Thanks be to God that even though it was and STILL IS impossible for us, Jesus Christ is always acceptable to God the Father. Our faith and trust in Him (Jesus), makes my standing possible with God from beginning to end.
Because my friend made the decision to repent of his sins, to confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, he was saved for eternity. I am thankful that my friend gets to spend eternity with HIM. It is one thing to KNOW Christ and another to be OBEDIENT to his leading. It is siginicant to me that we are referred to as the children of God. Relationship is not determined by behavior, it is determined by lineage. (Just because your children disobey you doesn't mean that they cease to be your children).
Success in Life and Preparation for what comes after is not contingent on what we DO, it is contingent on who we KNOW. Who we KNOW then determines what we DO. There are many people living today who are in turmoil because they KNOW Jesus but are not living for HIM. Knowing Him (Jesus) determines your destiny (eternity). Obedience determines your impact on others while you are here in this world). There is always turmoil in an earthly life that is not having an impact on others for the Kingdom of God, simply from the fact that a person is not living according to their designed purpose.
Christians may disagree on many points but one point is not debatable and crucial for us all. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God and is sufficient to carry us all through this life in preparation for the one to come. Sharing Christ and Him crucified is the most vital thing that we can do in this life.
What the Bible Says is Still True:
"I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Noone comes to the Father (God) except by me." (John 14:6)
Thanks be to God for his gift of ETERNAL Life!
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Life is Short
I am sitting here writing this feeling somewhat numb. Just got the news a few minutes ago that a friend of mine from high school was killed in an automobile accident. He was a few years older (3) than myself and I really looked up to him in school. He was the quarterback of our local small town high school football team. I was also coming along as a young quarterback at that time and I looked up to him as a result. I remember having knee reconstruction surgery when I was 13 y/o and he and another team member, also a friend, made me a stool to prop my knee on while I watched the games (since I was only days removed from surgery). He was a nice guy. We grew up playing "pickup games" of football in each other's yards and also on the school football field. He graduated and moved on to bigger and better things, eventually becoming a helicopter pilot transporting those critically injured from hospital to hospital or from crash site to hospital to get the medical care they needed. I even read from another friend on facebook that he had recently went on a mission trip to another country with his wife. He had several children. He had several brothers and sisters, one of which was one of my best friends in high school. I remember his robust laugh and his sense of humor. Subsequently, I have read many accounts on facebook of his impact on many lives that his life touched through the years. His earthly life is over. In a hundred years, no one will remember that he was a quarterback, a helicopter pilot, of any of the things that the world places "significance" on. Rather, something else will remain.
I am sure that many of you reading this will have similar stories of friends who left "unexpectedly" or too early from your perspective. We get so busy going through our everyday lives that we often do not take the time to think about how fragile life really is. We can be here one instance and gone the next. It is at times like these that we are reminded not to put off telling those that we love and care about the things we need to tell them. It is also a time of reflection on what is really important in life. Not the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the gadgets we accumulate, but rather the relationships we foster and the hereafter that we prepare for. What's important in this life comes down to basically two things: 1)Our impact and influence on others. 2)Making preparation for what comes after.
Having an impact on others is the primary purpose of what we call our earthly life. It is not dependent on the things we possess, the jobs we work, or the knowledge that we accumlate. Rather, it is contingent on time spent investing in the lives of others. This includes family, acquaintances,and strangers. Little things in this regard often have lasting consequences. For instance, a kind word spoken to a stranger may be the difference in that person giving up and taking their life or being inspired to carry on and in turn influencing others for the good.
Another important thing is preparing for what comes after. This is always a faith endeavor. It requires that we believe in something that we cannot physically see. For Christians, this means putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Acceptance of the free gift of salvation with the realization that nothing we do merits God's favor but an acceptance of what Jesus did for each of us on the cross, asking God to forgive us of our sins, and turning to Him as the One true God. I know, it doesn't sound reasonable. How can it be that simple? Faith my friend. Believing what God says in the Bible as true.
A successful life, no matter how short or long we may think it is, comes down to these two simple truths: 1)investment in others 2)Faith in Jesus as the way of salvation.
I'm thankful that my friend seemed to realize this and he made these investments. After all, these are the only things that truly remain.
I am sure that many of you reading this will have similar stories of friends who left "unexpectedly" or too early from your perspective. We get so busy going through our everyday lives that we often do not take the time to think about how fragile life really is. We can be here one instance and gone the next. It is at times like these that we are reminded not to put off telling those that we love and care about the things we need to tell them. It is also a time of reflection on what is really important in life. Not the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the gadgets we accumulate, but rather the relationships we foster and the hereafter that we prepare for. What's important in this life comes down to basically two things: 1)Our impact and influence on others. 2)Making preparation for what comes after.
Having an impact on others is the primary purpose of what we call our earthly life. It is not dependent on the things we possess, the jobs we work, or the knowledge that we accumlate. Rather, it is contingent on time spent investing in the lives of others. This includes family, acquaintances,and strangers. Little things in this regard often have lasting consequences. For instance, a kind word spoken to a stranger may be the difference in that person giving up and taking their life or being inspired to carry on and in turn influencing others for the good.
Another important thing is preparing for what comes after. This is always a faith endeavor. It requires that we believe in something that we cannot physically see. For Christians, this means putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Acceptance of the free gift of salvation with the realization that nothing we do merits God's favor but an acceptance of what Jesus did for each of us on the cross, asking God to forgive us of our sins, and turning to Him as the One true God. I know, it doesn't sound reasonable. How can it be that simple? Faith my friend. Believing what God says in the Bible as true.
A successful life, no matter how short or long we may think it is, comes down to these two simple truths: 1)investment in others 2)Faith in Jesus as the way of salvation.
I'm thankful that my friend seemed to realize this and he made these investments. After all, these are the only things that truly remain.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Anticipation of Heaven
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)
"He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you....." (1 Peter 1:3-4)
"Joy is the serious business of Heaven." (quote by C.S. Lewis)
Heaven. It is the "out there" or the "what happens next." It is defined differently by different people. It is a mystery. It is a vale that we haven't looked behind. It is the basis for many motion pictures recently.
I recently watched the movie on the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She gave up everything to serve the poorest of the poor in one of the poorest countries of the world. She suffered greatly. What makes a person give up everything and adopt a life of suffering? There must be a realization (revelation) that some have received that has eluded many of the rest of us. Mother Teresa had a sure hope in something.
As Facebook has become more and more popular, I often see comments by people (I have made them myself) talking about loved ones being together in Heaven. Some mention that they will join them there. As we are reminded of the certainty of death (from the death of a loved one or through our own lives), heaven and the "hereafter' become more of a focus to us.
How do we grasp so much "there" that it becomes more important than our "here?" That is the question that naturally follows if we say that we believe that there is something greater out there.
"He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you....." (1 Peter 1:3-4)
"Joy is the serious business of Heaven." (quote by C.S. Lewis)
Heaven. It is the "out there" or the "what happens next." It is defined differently by different people. It is a mystery. It is a vale that we haven't looked behind. It is the basis for many motion pictures recently.
Is it real enough to live your life in anticipation of? So much of our faith is built on the premise that what comes after must be better. How else do we reconcile suffering. What happens when we pray for someone to get well and it doesn't happen? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do children die? Why do some people grow up seemingly having everything they need and others with not enough from the first day they arrive? What is the meaning of it all. Why did Solomon write Ecclesiastes with a theme of life as a "vapor" and the overriding truth that there is nothing new under the sun?
I think we would all agree that life is marked by loses. Of people and things. Of health and wealth. Even memories fade with the passing of time. I know I sound pessimistic but we live in a fallen world. Everything is in a state of decay in one way or another. What remains? How long does it remain?
The Apostle Paul's life was marked by a focus on the greater reward. Jesus told us to store our treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. Scripture is marked by words telling us that this present life, in joy and in suffering, does not compare with the greater glory of heaven. Paul even told struggling Christians that we are not like those who have "no hope." What is our hope? How do we place our trust in things unseen? Are we preparing our children for this life or the one to come? When Jesus said, "What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?" He was not just talking about wealth, he was speaking of wisdom, of a knowledge of how to "make it" here. He said it is futile to learn to navigate this world successfully and lose our own soul.
I recently watched the movie on the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She gave up everything to serve the poorest of the poor in one of the poorest countries of the world. She suffered greatly. What makes a person give up everything and adopt a life of suffering? There must be a realization (revelation) that some have received that has eluded many of the rest of us. Mother Teresa had a sure hope in something.
As Facebook has become more and more popular, I often see comments by people (I have made them myself) talking about loved ones being together in Heaven. Some mention that they will join them there. As we are reminded of the certainty of death (from the death of a loved one or through our own lives), heaven and the "hereafter' become more of a focus to us.
How do we grasp so much "there" that it becomes more important than our "here?" That is the question that naturally follows if we say that we believe that there is something greater out there.
Every ancient culture has been marked by basically two approaches to life: either prolong life here in this present realm and make the most of it or invest in what comes after. The premise of this view is that what comes after must be better than this present order of things. Today we still have the group that says, "Let's live it up for tomorrow we die." We also still have those who say to deny everything because this world is not my home."
When I am traveling and about to visit a new place, I get as much information as I can about the place. I read it's history, study it's points of interest, invest time in getting to know the place for which I am headed. Should "what comes after" this world be any different? Shouldn't we learn as much about heaven as possible?
What do we know about heaven? Revelation 21 tells us that the city of New Jerusalem in Heaven is over 1400 miles long, over 1400 miles wide, and over 1400 miles high! That heavenly city is larger than the country of India! The fact that the city is that high means that gravity is obviously not an issue. There are no negatives there. No pain, no tears, no depression, no poverty, no neglect, no abuse, no jealousy, etc. The streets are made of pure gold that is of such quality that it shines like pure glass. The pillars for the gates of that city are each made of a SOLID pearl (imagine a pearl that big). There is no sun or moon because the Father and the Son are the light there! John, in his revelation, says that the things he saw were of such a grand scale, words did not exist to describe them. There is praise to Jesus constantly with no inhibitions! There is no shyness or discomfort. There is a complete understanding of why the residents of heave are there (because of Jesus).
Are there waterfalls there? Are there canyons such as the Grand Canyon? Imagine the most peaceful place on earth to you? What are it's characteristics? Heaven will contain all the elements that were created by God as they were originally intended prior to the entrance of sin and sickness into this present world.
I had someone to ask me one time, "Will there be baseball in heaven?" I don't know the answer to that, but I believe that the emotions and feelings that are generated when your team wins the championship will be constantly available to you. The only difference is that there are no losers in heaven. Everyone is a winner.
This place called heaven is a mystery. It is so grand that we cannot even understand it with the limitations of spoken and written words. Should we learn as much about it as possible? Yes. We need to be reminded that it is more real than our "real" here.
How do we get there? Simple. Jesus. Only Jesus. Accepting what he did on the cross for us. I am not good enough to enter on my own. I will trust Him (Jesus). I accept what Jesus did for me. Will you?
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.John 14:2 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.Revelation 22:1-5 - And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.Hebrews 11:16 - But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.Revelation 21:22-27 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 21:21-25 - And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.Luke 12:33 - Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.Hebrews 13:14 - For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Revelation 21:1-5 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
When I am traveling and about to visit a new place, I get as much information as I can about the place. I read it's history, study it's points of interest, invest time in getting to know the place for which I am headed. Should "what comes after" this world be any different? Shouldn't we learn as much about heaven as possible?
What do we know about heaven? Revelation 21 tells us that the city of New Jerusalem in Heaven is over 1400 miles long, over 1400 miles wide, and over 1400 miles high! That heavenly city is larger than the country of India! The fact that the city is that high means that gravity is obviously not an issue. There are no negatives there. No pain, no tears, no depression, no poverty, no neglect, no abuse, no jealousy, etc. The streets are made of pure gold that is of such quality that it shines like pure glass. The pillars for the gates of that city are each made of a SOLID pearl (imagine a pearl that big). There is no sun or moon because the Father and the Son are the light there! John, in his revelation, says that the things he saw were of such a grand scale, words did not exist to describe them. There is praise to Jesus constantly with no inhibitions! There is no shyness or discomfort. There is a complete understanding of why the residents of heave are there (because of Jesus).
Are there waterfalls there? Are there canyons such as the Grand Canyon? Imagine the most peaceful place on earth to you? What are it's characteristics? Heaven will contain all the elements that were created by God as they were originally intended prior to the entrance of sin and sickness into this present world.
I had someone to ask me one time, "Will there be baseball in heaven?" I don't know the answer to that, but I believe that the emotions and feelings that are generated when your team wins the championship will be constantly available to you. The only difference is that there are no losers in heaven. Everyone is a winner.
This place called heaven is a mystery. It is so grand that we cannot even understand it with the limitations of spoken and written words. Should we learn as much about it as possible? Yes. We need to be reminded that it is more real than our "real" here.
How do we get there? Simple. Jesus. Only Jesus. Accepting what he did on the cross for us. I am not good enough to enter on my own. I will trust Him (Jesus). I accept what Jesus did for me. Will you?
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.John 14:2 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.Revelation 22:1-5 - And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.Hebrews 11:16 - But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.Revelation 21:22-27 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 21:21-25 - And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.Luke 12:33 - Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.Hebrews 13:14 - For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Revelation 21:1-5 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
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