Sinners or the Righteous?

This morning I have been reading from Matthew's Ninth chapter, and there is so much to think about, just in that one chapter, its hard to know where to start.  That being said, I have read through it and the allow the Lord to highlight in my mind and/or heart the verses He wants me to focus upon.  This morning there is just the lightest of indicators, but I believe these are the verses that I should spend time on.

Matthew 9:9-17 NIV:

[9] "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

[12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

[14] Then John's disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

[15] Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

[16] “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. [17] Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

In just these eight verses, there is much to look at, however the two statements that caught my eye this morning were found in verses 13 and 17, and I think they are related.  It is clear from reading the Gospels that Jesus' ministry, while powerful and enjoyed by many people, caused much confusion, consternation and even arguments.  He wasn't doing what people, especially the leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) thought the messiah should be doing.  He was spending time with the "sinners" and poor and common people.  He wasn't acting like a "leader", and didn't seem to care that much about the other leaders and what they thought of Him.

As I was reading through these verses again, I was thinking about how unpopular they would be if they were spoken to our church congregations on a Sunday morning, if they were directed at those sitting in leadership and even in the congregation, not as "sinners" but as those who saw themselves as "righteous".

Now I am not making any wide generalizations here, just imagining if we were the objects of Jesus' comments.  I wonder if we would respond in humility and repentance, or if we would become incensed?  Its not like we aren't trying to do the right thing, trying hard to reach the lost and care for those who need help.

The question that keeps popping into my mind, is what about this young generation that seems to be leaving the church in greater numbers all the time.  I keep wondering about all the good people I know that have stopped going to church for a variety of reasons, and I wonder if continuing to do church as usual is a bit like verse 17?

Has the church become unable to change, unable to flex enough to hold this new generation?

Have we become so used to preaching to "righteous" believers that we have lost touch with the "sinners"?

Do we want to be around "sinners" for there sake or are we only comfortable with the "righteous"?

As we look at this recent time of craziness and forced change, are we just wanting to go back to the way things were before?

Are we struggling to find our identity outside of our activity or responsibility in the church?  In other words, now that we can't do what we always have done, are we unsure if our calling or value to the Body of Christ?

Those could be some deep questions to consider, and that is what the Lord seems to be high-lighting to me today.  Jesus' statements in these verses should cause us to stop and think about what we are doing, about who we are focused on, and about our call in the Body!  These verses should challenge us, for they represent some of the core features of Jesus' ministry on earth!  He came to seek and save the lost.  He came representing the Father, and yet He came as a servant leader, one who didn't pursue glory for Himself, nor pursue positions of power or authority.  He was different that most everyone expected, and His primary motivation was love.

In summary, I believe the Lord continues to provide us an opportunity to reassess our situation, our thinking, our heart attitudes, and the need for change and flexibility.  His heart for the lost hasn't changed, and Jesus, in perfect obedience to the Father, showed us what that heart looked like! The question is whether looking at us and at the Church, if people would see the same heart of the Father?

Oh Lord help us to faithfully represent You to this world around us.  You love each and every man, woman and child, and desire Your ministry to continue through the church, Your Body on earth. Help us to be more like You!

Amen!

"It Is the Lord Who Sends The Thunderstorms"

This morning I thought I would spend some time in Zechariah.  Again, not my normal reading choice.  I opened up chapter ten and saw the following verse - Zechariah 10:1 NIV:

"Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;
 it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone."

For those living in KC, this past day was pretty much non-stop rain, so this might not be our hearts cry right now.  :-)

Also, reflecting on the natural weather, at day in the 70s with 24 hours of rain in July is definitely not what one would expect, living in Kansas City!  The Lord, while He put into place the seasons and changes, can certainly supersede such seasonal norms and provide relief from heat and dryness in the middle of what is normally a hot and dry period, in response to the prayers of His people. 

I was thinking how asking God for springtime rains, doesn't make much sense, as in our normal year, we experience plenty of ran in the spring.  Our logical mind would say that there is no need to ask for that which is expected, and will by nature be provided, and almost seems a bit unnecessary. 

I would say that turning our mind and heart to our creator is never a bad thing.  Understanding that His creation has order and follows a predictable seasonal pattern is the foundation of our scientific exploration and thought.  It was in recognizing that there was order, that things seemed to follow consistent patterns, that gave man his earliest awareness of God's involvement. 

However, this morning, my heart and mind aren't moved by the natural seasons, but rather by the spiritual indications.  These verses from Zechariah would be the second time in the last few days that I have been reflecting on the rains, and I believe that rain is symbolic of God's favor, presence and Word being poured out on His sons and daughters. 

I am reminded of a set of verses from Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV:

[10] "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Lord, I pray for an outpouring of Your Word, of Your Presence and of Your Favor over Kansas City, and over all Your people!  We pray that Your Presence would saturate us and overflow onto all around us.  We pray for Your heavenly power to be unleashed and that all the peoples would see and respond to You.  We pray that the fruit of Your word would be seen, and that it would accomplish Your purposes.  We pray that the land and the people would be revived by the rain of Your presence!

Amen and Amen!

God's Mountain, Higher Than Every Other

This morning I felt like I should read from the Prophet Micah, definitely not my normal routine, chapter four to be specific.  It is interesting that Micah was a prophet prior to the Babylonian exile, and while I am not going to quote the verses related to that in chapter four (See Micah 4:10), the Lord was clearly giving them direction as a nation, and telling them what would soon happen.  He wrote his letter in 800 BC, and the first Babylonian exile occurred in 597BC, so roughly 200 years after Micah wrote these words.  I am just so aware this morning of God's bigger picture, and His deeper plans, they are so much more than we can comprehend, even when He tells them to us ahead of time. 

In that light, I am confident none of what is happening today in our country caught God by surprise.  He has plans and purposes that we cannot fathom.  He speaks through His prophets, but often the prophets don't know His timing either.  I am sure that Micah thought their was an immediacy to his words, yet the fulfillment was much later.  In that light, I wanted to reflect on some of Micah's prophecy that has clearly not come to pass yet, and relates to the final days.  It is quite different than the present situation, and should provide us some perspective to pray towards.

Here are the verses - Micah 4:1-4 NIV:

[1] "In the last days

the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.

[2] Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

[3] He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

[4] Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken."

It would be interesting to see how many times the phrase "In the last days" is used in scripture.  That would be a very interesting study.  We are clearly closer to those days than Micah who spoke of them 2800+ years ago. 

Clearly this overall prophecy has yet to come about fully, for we do not see a world without war or strife.  We do not see the Mountain of the Lord's temple established as the highest.  By this I  believe He is talking about the reign and rule of the Kingdom of God, established as the highest mountain. There is an understanding today of the Seven Mountains of Influence and they are Religion, family, education, government, media, arts, & business.  When I read these words from Micah, that is what I think of, and in this case it would be indicative of God's Kingdom, His rule, being higher than all and influencing all the other mountains.

We have seen verse 2 somewhat fulfilled, as the word of the Lord has gone out from Jerusalem to the whole world, and some people from most every nation turn to the Lord.  I pray for the day when we will see most most if not all nations turning to God, looking to understand His ways, His reign and rule.  Oh for the day of Lord's rule and reign! 

In reading verses 3 & 4, I am wondering if this is a picture of the millennial reign of Christ, or if we will see this reality in our present world, prior to Jesus' return.  Regardless, it is something to pray for, something to look towards. 

It is good for me to be reminded that God has plans and purposes that we only slightly understand.  He is fully in charge, fully engaged and we are moving in the direction He has planned.   Our present difficulties, stress and uncertainty will be resolved one day.  We can ask for His wisdom in understanding our times, like the sons of Issachar who understood the times and knew what to do (1 Chron 12:32). 

Lord, we know You and trust that You have plans we don't understand, but we know and trust You.   Help us to understand these times, and help us to know what we should do!  We want to be a part of all You are about on this earth.

Amen.

Waiting for Rain (Revival)

This morning I felt led to read from the fifth chapter of James.  I had to reread the chapter a couple of times to see what was resonating with my spirit.  My reading is often like that - I read and wait and ask the Lord to highlight or begin to speak about a particular subject.  It is like I am sitting at the feet of Him as if He is a teacher, waiting for Him to speak about the verses and bring enlightenment.

This morning He highlighted the following verses - James 5:7-11 NIV:

[7] "Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. [8] You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. [9] Don't grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

[10] Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. [11] As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

My thoughts upon reading these verses were a bit all over the place.  I know several farmers, and have family that are farmers, and the first thing I thought was that no farmer I know just waits patiently for the rains, they are working every day, constantly working to make things ready for either planting or harvesting, depending on the season.  If they have planted then they are out working the field to minimize the weeds, working on the harvesting equipment, preparing storage facilities or agreements to sell the harvest, etc.  If they have harvested, they begin preparation for the next season of planting, in a never ending cycle of preparation and daily work.

My second thought was that many farmers, even in Jesus' day figured out that they could irrigate the land and water the crops, even if there wasn't any rain.  I have seen the giant irrigation systems of the Midwest USA, read about the irrigation systems of the Kibbutz's in Israel that allow rich harvests from the dry lands there.  In ancient days, they devised systems to flood fields, and these same type of systems are used today in many places.

So what's my point?  Its not that man can accomplish the same thing through hard work and irrigation, but rather that James is speaking about something that we cannot work up, or bring about, he is speaking of the return of the Lord!  Secondly, as I was reading this I felt like the autumn and spring rains represented waves of revival, poured out on the earth through the Holy Spirit.  This is where I felt my spirit start to jump!  We have been praying for many years for the Lord to pour forth revival, and have recently been pressing in more and more praying that a wave of revival would pour over our land!  Regardless of how much we pray, the revivals of the Lord are sovereign acts of God.  Our job is preparation.

As I engaged with this idea, I realized that all the thinking about the farmers work, was related to the church's ability to prepare for and benefit from the rain of revival.  The farmer spends much of his time thinking about and working to bring the soil to its proper preparation to receive the seed and then to absorb the rains when they come.  In hilly country the farmers terrace their farms so the rain that comes doesn't run off, but instead is absorbed into the soil.  They break up fallow ground, they plow and disk and prepare the soil.  They plant and then work the soil to best support the growing plants.  All of this is support work, for its the rains of the Lord that bring life!

In today's farming, it is amazing how large of a farm a single farmer can work and prepare, sometimes thousands of acres.  In the same way, some of the recent revivals were prepared for by relatively small groups of people. The New Hebrides Revival (started in 1949 in the New Hebrides Islands off Scotland)  seemed to have been prepared for by a couple of old sisters who had been praying for a sovereign move of God.  The Azusa Street Revival (started in 1906 in Los Angeles) was largely prepared for by a small group of believers.

The preparations these two small groups made were done through prayer.  They prayed and prayed, seeking the Lord of the Harvest to send forth rain upon their lands.  There were churches in both locations and those churches were doing the best they could to plant and water, but they produced nothing like the rain of revival!  With local irrigation the only that beenfits is the local farm, but with the rains the whole regiuon benefits. The thing about the rain of revival is that it produces abundant fruit, even on soil that was seemingly never touched or prepared, other than general prayer over a the region.  What I mean is that there were massive outpourings of salvation, of people who had never heard the Word or darkened the door of a church, coming to Jesus.  There are great stories of the presence of God overwhelming people as they walked by, completely unaware of what was happening in the nearest church.   Revival is not the result of well oiled ministry programs, excited singing, or powerful preaching, it is birthed only out of the sovereign move of the Holy Spirit.

Our job, in preparing for revival rains, is to pray, first and foremost.  Secondly, we need to have hearts and minds prepared to recognize the move of the Holy Spirit.  Thirdly, we need to be ready to jump in with both feet, for when the rains of revival fall, the harvest is immediate!  Next, we need to wait patiently, but expectingly!  The farmer doesn't just sit and wait, they are actively preparing for the expected rains.  Patiently waiting does not mean doing nothing.

Finally, we need to cultivate our love for one another.  I think its so interesting that James adds that encouragement against grumbling against one another.  The Greek word is "stenazo", and it means to groan or sigh, and the root is "stenos" which means the narrows or straits in a river.  In other words, it is the result of the sides pressing in, or circumstances pressing in, or just pressure.  When there isn't any rain, and things get dry, people start to complain.  When pressure mounts, we start looking around and comparing our situation to others and complaining about how much better someone else has it... (At least that is how I operate).  One wonders if James is commenting on the fact that there was a competitive spirit in the churches he saw, where they were constantly comparing themselves to one another, bad-mouthing others for things they didn't agree with??

I recently watched a sermon where a preacher was explaining why he was directing his church to stop using worship songs from different well known churches, because they taught things that he didn't agree with, and he didn't want to support anything that might have the slightest deviation from what he held to be the truth.  Rather than looking at and celebrating the good that was coming out of them, he could only look at the one little difference and warn his people to have nothing to do with them.  One wonders if there wasn't a bit of jealousy over the success of these other ministries.  I don't know anything about his ministry, so I am not saying anything about his motivation, only that he spent much of the sermon grumbling against his brother and sisters.

We are not going to agree with everything that is being taught by every other church, but we are in the same Body of Christ, as there is only ONE.  We need to get over ourselves, our pride, and our opinions and learn to love one another!  When revival hits, it affects the whole region, regardless of denomination and/or affiliation!

In summary, let us press into the Lord, preparing for the autumn and spring rains, the rain of revival.  Let us not stop patiently waiting by actively engaging in prayer and preparation of our hearts for the coming of the Lord!  Let us lay down our opinions and bitter disagreements and let us chose to love one another and be for one another!

Amen, come quickly Holy Spirit, we need Your rain!

Jesus, Raised For Our Justification

This morning I was reading in Romans and a couple of lines grabbed my attention.  Paul often times writes very concise sentences that contain massive truths, these verses are an example.  Here are the verses - Romans 4:23-25 NIV:

[23] "The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, [24] but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness---for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. [25] He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Paul is laying the foundation of the Gospel of Grace in this chapter, and he bases much on the story of Abraham, to whom righteousness was credited because of his belief.  This happened prior to the Law, so it sets the stage for any man of faith to be credited righteous by God. 

His last statement is what caught my attention this morning, the fact that the Resurrection was for us justification (being called righteous) by God.  In other words, Jesus' death paid our sin debt, but it was the Resurrection that won for us righteousness through faith.  I don't comprehend that truth nearly enough, Lord, please open my mind and heart for greater revelation and wisdom.

Here is what David Guzick says concerning these verses:


4. (23-25) Abraham's justification and our own.

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

a. It was not written for his sake alone: It wasn't only for Abraham's benefit that God declared him righteous through faith; he is an example that we are invited to follow - it is also for us. Paul's confidence is glorious: It shall be imputed to us who believe; this wasn't just for Abraham, but for us also.

b. Who believe in Him who raised up Jesus: When we talk about faith and saving faith in Jesus, it is important to emphasize that we mean believing that His work on the cross (delivered up because of our offenses) and triumph over sin and death (raised because of our justification) is what saves us. There are many false-faiths that can never save, and only faith in what Jesus accomplished on the cross and through empty tomb can save us.

·                                Faith in the historical events of the life of Jesus will not save

·                                Faith in the beauty of Jesus' life will not save

·                                Faith in the accuracy or goodness of Jesus' teaching will not save

·                                Faith in the deity of Jesus, and in His Lordship will not save

c. Jesus died because of our offenses, but was raised up because of our justification. The resurrection has an essential place in our redemption because it demonstrates God the Father's perfect satisfaction with the Son's work on the cross, proving that it was in fact a perfect sacrifice made by One who remained perfect, even though bearing the sin of the world.

i. Delivered up because of our offenses: The ancient Greek word translated delivered (paradidomi) was used of casting people into prison or delivering them to justice. "Here it speaks of the judicial act of God the Father delivering God the Son to the justice that required the payment of the penalty for human sin." (Wuest)

ii. "Jesus' resurrection always includes his sacrificial death but it brings our the all-sufficiency of his death. If death had held him, he would have failed; since he was raised from death, his sacrifice sufficed, God set his seal upon it by raising him up." (Lenski)

iii. "Christ did meritoriously work our justification and salvation by his death and passion, but the efficacy and perfection thereof with respect to us depend on his resurrection . . . This one verse is an abridgement of the whole gospel." (Poole)

d. In this chapter, Paul has clearly demonstrated that in no way does the Old Testament contradict the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. Instead it is in fulfillment of the Old Testament, and Abraham, justified through faith, is our pattern.

The Energy of Partnership in the Body of Christ

This morning I am spending some time reflecting on a few verses from Paul's letter to Philemon.  I don't often read this short letter, but today felt led to spend some time reading and reflecting on it.   The verses that stuck out to me were the following - Philemon 1:6-7 NIV:

[6] "I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. [7] Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people."

This is an interesting statement that Paul makes, praying that their partnership in the faith may be effective in deepening Philemon's understanding of that which they share, of every good thing, for the sake of Christ Jesus. 

There is something about being in partnership, in joining ourselves to a body of believers that is supposed to help us deepen our understanding of that which we share.  I guess this makes total sense, in that the only real way we experience the wonder, love and fullness that is supposed to be evident in the Body of Christ, is to actually join ourselves to it, entering into a sort of partnership.

The NASB translation reads slightly different - Philemon 1:6-7 NASB:

[6] "and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake. [7] For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother."

While the NASB is closer to the original Greek, I like what the translators of the NIV brought out, namely the sense of being joined together in their common faith.  Paul goes on in the letter to appeal to Philemon because of their relationship, and I think the NIV translation captures that more effectively. 

Going back to my reflection, the partnership aspect is included in the definition of the Greek word Koinonia, which is defined as follows:

1) fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse
    a) the share which one has in anything, participation
    b) intercourse, fellowship, intimacy
          1) the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)
    c) a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship

There is definitely belonging that is understood in this word.  Its not a random gathering, but one in which people have a part, and do so willingly. 

Thus, we find Paul, reminding Philemon of his partnership, and pointing to the fruit of that partnership, namely a deepened understanding. Paul says that the partnership, the Koinonia is effective in deepening the understanding or knowledge.  That word is the Greek word "energes" which is defined as effective or powerful.  I like the word powerful, for clearly the Greek word "energes" is where we get our word energy from, and energy is encapsulated power!   In other words our willingly joining ourselves to the Body of Christ, to the fellowship of a group of believers, is supposed to energize our knowledge and understanding of our faith, of our purpose and calling! 

No wonder we are encouraged to not forsake the gathering of believers (Heb 10:25).  Without this joining, without our active participation, our depth of understanding, our common purpose will not be fully experienced or enjoyed.

What a great encouragement!  Lord, I pray that all in the Body of Christ, might experience this deepening of understanding, this shared experience for the sake of Christ Jesus, in whose name we gather.

Amen!

Freely Received, Freely Give

This morning, and truthfully for the last few days, I have been feeling pretty disconnected from the Lord, thinking about my future and a bit concerned that things are not working the way I had hoped they would with my new job.  I find that often times like these, bring with them a season of finding it difficult to connect to the Lord.  It is like the dry season financially leads to a dry season spiritually.  As I think about this, I realize I am not that different than the Israelites being led through the desert.  As soon as things got a little tense they started turning away from God.  I am trying desperately to not turn away from God, instead doubling down, but still feeling that dryness. 

Lord, You know everything, You led me down this path, and You know our need.  I am asking that You help me to stand firm, to trust, to have faith, to continue to press into You in spite of my concerns and worries.  I have done everything I can, that I have felt You asked me to do, to surrender my life to You. 

As I wrote that last sentence, I felt like there were two things that came to mind.  1) I haven't been reaching out to pray for people who need it...effectively holding back any blessing that He wants to pour on them (mostly out of unbelief and fear of man). 2) I have something I felt like the Lord asked me to do, and I haven't moved it forward yet.

Of the two, the first really just resonated with me.  How can I withhold something the Lord wants to give away.  It's similar to what Bruce Wilkinson describes in his Book, "You Were Born For This:", where he describes setting aside money in your wallet that is God's money, to be spent only on those or what He tells you to do, most often people.  For those who haven't read this book, it is a great practical primer on how to be more involved in dispersing the blessings of God.  Anyway, I liked this idea of having God's dedicated money in my wallet, because this involves already having made the decision to dedicate it to God, and now its just a matter of timing and learning to listen to how He wants to spend His money. 

In the same way, I saw this as applying to the prayer for people, to taking a moment to pray for that need which was just described.  Rather than just saying I will be praying for them, instead taking a moment right then to pray and release God's blessing over them.  These verses come to mind from Matthew 10:7-8 NIV:  "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."

I think there is a bit of a log-jam on my side, and I am holding back things the Lord wants to release through me, and I am doing so out of fear of man.  Its not like I need to start with complete stranger, I have enough friends in need, that I talk to regularly, that could use a touch from the Lord, and a touch from a caring brother.  Compassion was often times a precursor to the miracles that Jesus performed!  Six times, it specifically says that Jesus had compassion for the people in Matthew and Mark's Gospel, and each time, ended up performing miracles and healings, either himself or through His Apostles.

Looking at the first mention of this is Matthew's Gospel we find the following story - Matthew 9:35-38 NIV:

[35] Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. [36] When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. [37] Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. [38] Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus then goes on in the very first bit of Chapter 10 (These times are not separate, they are just separated into chapters for readability) to send out the 12 Apostles, to proclaim the Good News as quoted above.  His compassion for His people is endless, and at present we are the ones He is sending.  We have been given the same authority, for we minister out of the power of the Holy Spirit, just as He did, just as the Apostles did. 

Lord, help me to decide today to be ready to actually pray for someone today.  Help me to have the Holy Spirit enflamed courage to stop and take time to pray right then.  Help me to leave the effectiveness of the Prayer up to you, for I can do nothing on my own, other than join my compassion to Yours.  Lord, I surrender my fear of man to You, and I choose to give freely, for I have freely, through Your grace, received so much!


Amen, help me Lord Jesus.

Will We Follow Him?

This morning I was reading from John 10 and 11 and saw something I hadn't seen before, and thought it worth noting.  In Chapter 11, which is all about the death and raising of Lazarus, which is both a very painful and glorious bit to read, there is a verse that caught my eye as follows - John 11:16 NIV:
"Then Thomas (also known as Didymus ) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Thomas's statement caught me off-guard, as I had forgot that prior to this that Jesus had been threatened and had moved His base of operations to the wilderness because of the threats.  I went back and read the last bit of John 10 to refresh my knowledge of the time before the raising of Lazarus..  It turns out that the threats were more than just a bunch of grumbling guys, saying they need to kill Jesus, they actually had stones ready to stone him!  Here is the end of John's  tenth chapter, starting with the statement that really got the crowd going.

John 10:30-42 NIV:

[30] "I and the Father are one.”

[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, [32] but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

[33] “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

[34] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are “gods” ' ? [35] If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be set aside--- [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? [37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

[39] "Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. [40] Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, [41] and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” [42] And in that place many believed in Jesus."

Going back to Thomas's statement, I believe that he was talking about dying along with Lazarus, knowing full well the violence that Jesus had avoided the last time He had been in Jerusalem.  Again these weren't empty threats, they actually had tried to stone Jesus, but he had evaded or escaped their grasp.  In other words they were actually trying to kill him, but they weren't able to grab him and hold him or bind him.  This was very real and Thomas, who apparently was a bit of a pragmatist, recognized the danger.  That being said, he didn't shy away from the danger, but instead followed Jesus' lead.

I found this whole bit interesting, for John clearly chose to include this one verse in the midst of the story of Lazarus, for it was important to him, and more importantly, it was important to the Holy Spirit.

In retrospect, looking at the story of the raising of Lazarus, its all glorious and wonderful, and was clearly one the events that absolutely convinced many of His followers that Jesus truly was the Messiah.  However, I believe the Holy Spirit wanted it noted that environment in which that great miracle occurred was anything but quiet and peaceful!  It was into the midst of that turmoil, into the area where He had been threatened that Jesus, by the direction of the Father, went to minister to Mary, Martha and Lazarus. While His love for them was evident, and clearly a motivating factor, He was aware of the threats, the increasing conflict and the soon to be fulfilled prophesies of His death.  Equally interesting was the fact that the Apostles were also aware of the danger, and yet entrusted themselves to the leadership of Jesus, choosing to follow Him, even to their own deaths.

The question this raised in my mind today was whether I would be willing to follow Jesus into a situation that I knew was dangerous?  Am I willing to follow Him to my own demise?  That is a pretty dark question, and yet it is one that million of our Christian brothers and sisters answer every day, for Christianity is definitely under attack and illegal in many countries, and yet those countries are where the church is growing faster than anywhere else!

We have not really had to contend with this question in most of our western church for many years, and for many of us, the idea of persecution for our faith is a vague idea, and one we don't want to see or experience.  However, we are not promised easy lives, and a welcoming attitude by the spirit of the world, rather it is the exact opposite.

Peter wrote the following - 1 Peter 4:12-14 NIV:

[12] "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. [13] But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. [14] If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."

Paul wrote this in his letter to the Romans 8:35-39 NIV:

[35] "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

[37] "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

They wouldn't have written these things, if this wasn't their present reality, nor the future life of their fellow Christian's.  They were looking around them, seeing those things that were coming against them, and speaking of them as something they would be able to conquer, through the power of Christ Jesus in them.

Finally Jesus said the following - John 15:18-21 NIV:

[18] “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. [19] If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. [20] Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. [21] They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me."

Wow, such light and easy promises from Jesus, Peter and Paul!  The point is that as times become more difficult, and dark, as societal opinion and voice moves farther from Christianity, those of us who choose to follow Jesus will be given opportunities to choose to continue to follow Him or not.  We are already seeing the beginnings of persecution break out in America against Christians, and the forces of this world, identified by Paul, certainly are not going to stop in their effort to silence Christians.  The question for myself this morning is whether or not I will continue to follow Him, even if the going gets tough, and my beliefs unpopular or even hated or reviled?

I am encouraged by the story of the raising of Lazarus, that it is into those very times of darkness and threats that the Glory of God will be seen in its Greatest Expression!  I am encouraged that the light shines brightest in the darkness (Is. 60:1-3).  I am encouraged because Jesus has all power and all authority and He has called us to walk in the same ministry, doing the same and even greater works (John 14:12)!  One should note that Jesus made that statement (John 14:12) after He had raised Lazarus from the dead!  Wow!

So this morning, my prayer is that the Lord would help me and encourage me!  My prayer is that He would help and encourage the church world-wide.  My prayer is that we might put our trust in Him, following Him into darkening days, knowing the danger, but expecting Him to be Glorified!  May the Name of Jesus be lifted High!

Amen!

A Heart Health Assessment

This morning I woke up thinking about Paul's statement in Philippians 3, where he is talking about how he considers everything else so much garbage compared to Christ Jesus, and how he essentially left all that behind.

Here are the verses - Philippians 3:7-16 NIV:

[7] "But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

[15] "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

The reason this has been bouncing around in my mind and heart lately, is that the Lord asked the question as to whether or not I would be willing to leave everything for the sake of Him?  The question actually is meant to be considered on many levels.  Where I have been focused lately is around things that I have come to enjoy, things that I prefer, things that I consider part of who I am.  The question is whether there is anything I don't want to release or lose, given the invitation from the Lord to do so?  If there is, then I have a case of idolatry in my heart, for I am worshipping that thing, that idea or way of being more than I am worshipping Christ Jesus. 

I don't have a strong sense that the Lord is going to ask me to lose all things, but that He is asking me to conduct a heart health assessment.  What is in my heart?  What do I treasure?  Have those treasures become a sort of idol? 

Good questions, and deep questions.

I know my desire, deep down, is to be able to say what Paul said, but I think the reality is that I can't, at this point.  I am living out verse 15 at present, where I think the Lord is making clear to me things that need to change.  Notice, its always an invitation to greater intimacy, to deeper relationship, to greater participation in the things of God.  My deep heart says yes!  My flesh, not so much!

Lord, I pray that You will help me to see those things that are limiting my hearts response to you.  Help me to put things in their proper place, that You might the only exalted and worshipped person in my life!  I pray that one day I will be able to say that which Paul said in these few encouraging verses, that I might live up to what I have already attained in Christ Jesus.

Amen!

Constant Change and God's Plans

This morning I had a dream where it seemed like every few minutes the floor plan or city plan in which I was trying to make my way changed.  I was reflecting on that dream and it seemed to me that this is a good picture of the constantly changing world we find ourselves in.  Especially this year, it seems like so much of what we knew, so much of how things worked has been changed. 

I was praying for the Lord's help and reflecting on some of the verses that I was reading yesterday, and realized that they should give me hope, for there have been many times that everything changed and yet the Lord actually used the change to move forward.  The following verses represent a massive change in the life of the church, and the lives of the members of the early church.

Acts 11:19-26 NIV:
[19] "Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. [20] Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. [21] The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

[22] News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. [23] When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. [24] He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

[25] Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, [26] and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

If we think for a moment about the impact of these few verses, it is actually quite spectacular the amount of change that occurred in the life of the church.  They went from being a Jerusalem based and focused church to being spread wide throughout the region.  They went from being Jewish focused to being open to Gentiles, specifically the Greeks. The people who left Jerusalem under the persecution, likely left everything behind, homes, jobs, etc. and had to start new in these new locations.  Granted there were some that went back to where they were originally from, but starting over is never easy.

In spite of all of that change, it is clearly evident that the Hand of the Lord was guiding them, and they were seeing new opportunities for evangelism, for sharing their love of God, for spreading the Gospel.  Again, as I mentioned yesterday, these people were generally not the leaders in the church, and we see God does not limit Himself to only working through established leadership to bring change.  Oftentimes, it seems to me, that the leadership is having to see what the Lord is doing in the midst of the body, and then blessing and encouraging God's work as it is evolving and being revealed. 

We see a good example of that here in verses 22 and 23.  The church leaders hear about the move of God in Antioch, and they sent Barnabas to bless and aid the already established work of God.  Again, going back to my earlier thoughts, those who started the work in Antioch were people whose whole lives were upended by the persecution.

In summary, in these ever and rapidly changing times, there is one who knows what will happen, and when it will happen, and He has a plan.  He is our God and He will direct us and guide us, as His sons and daughters, in such a way that the Body of Christ on earth will be increased and His will accomplished.  We don't need to fear change, we just need to ask Him to direct us in the midst of the change!  Every one of us needs to keep our eyes and ears open for opportunities to advance the Gospel, to expand the Kingdom, for God has no favorites and doesn't rely on earthly leadership to introduce change, new ideas and new movements.  We are all His favorites, and we are all equally His sons and daughters, and He loves and values each of us, so why wouldn't he use every one of us?

Going back to my dream this morning, in the midst of the constant change, I never lost my head, never panicked, never gave into fear.  We need to take the same approach now, allowing God's word to speak peace to our lives, and confidence to our steps.  He is fully capable of bringing great Glory to His name and blessing to us in the midst of this all.  He is good, loving, merciful, compassionate, faithful and for us!  Let us encourage one another, come alongside one another, and press forward into the glorious future He has planned for us!  There may well be struggle and difficulty, there will certainly be change, but He is in charge, and we know He is capable and good.

Amen!

May the Lord bless you with peace, give you direction and guidance, and help you make sense of all the change we are seeing!

Sam

New Directions In The Holy Spirit

This morning I was reading from the Book of Acts.  It is so good to study the way the Holy Spirit leads and directs the church.  This morning my reflection is upon the the reactions of the Peter and the Apostles when learning that the Holy Spirit was directing them into new ways.  Here are the verses - Acts 11:15-22 NIV:

[15]  (Peter said,) “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. [16] Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' [17] So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?”

[18] When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

[19] Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. [20] Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. [21] The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

[22] News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch."

There is much that is unsaid, but certainly understood in this account.  Peter is in Jerusalem, following his experience, and has to explain this event to those that were criticizing him.  Get that, they were criticizing Peter!  To their credit, they realized that God was moving and was opening the door to the Gentiles, without their knowledge or direction.  Isn't that just like God to do things that unsettle us, that go against everything we think we know and understand?!

I wonder in my own life, how many times I have missed what the Lord was doing, or wanted to do through me, because it just didn't make sense or fit with what I had known to that time?

Continuing on (verse 19), we see the Holy Spirit on the move again, this time as a result of the persecution that followed Stephen's martyrdom, the Gospel being proclaimed to Greeks in Antioch.  Again, this is without the knowledge or the direction of the church leadership in Jerusalem, as they only hear about it afterwards. 

God, apparently doesn't need our, or our leaders, direction or approval to move.  It says the Hand of God was with them, and this often is indicative of miracles and signs and wonders for salvation. We would also recognize this as Holy Spirit present, but Luke in writing this uses a term from the Old Testament.  Regardless, it was obvious, even from Jerusalem, that God was moving in the Gentile world, and they were surprised, but were convinced by the evident fruit.

My question this morning is what new thing is the Lord doing today?  What people groups, what outreaches is He about, through the general members of the Body of Christ?  While God did use Peter in Caesarea, He was using non-leaders in Antioch.  His power was just as evident in Antioch as Caesarea, as He does what He wants, where He wants, through willing followers, whether they have been recognized as leaders or not. 

Secondly, I am encouraged that the Lord attends to His works and gives evidence of His help through His Hand, through Holy Spirit present with signs, wonders, salvations and other miracles.  In Peter's case, the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles and they started speaking in tongues, praising God, even before they had a chance to proclaim their faith or be baptized.  Wow!  That must have been fun!

I am convinced that the Lord is far from finished with His ministry on earth, and He is doing new things daily!  We need to be attentive to His direction, not get bent out of shape if He is asking us to do something that we haven't heard or seen done before, or sometimes even something we are not "supposed" to do according to the religious rules.  God is after salvation for all mankind and He is waiting to pour out His Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17).

Amen!  Come Lord Jesus!  Come Holy Spirit!

Salt, Fire and The Holy Spirit

This morning I have been reflecting on Mark 9, and thinking about Jesus' closing comments about salt.  I did a study 8 years ago on the Salt Covenant, and it was one of those things I had never heard of previously, and based on the number of times that topic has been read from my blog, it seems that there is not much on the subject.  It was an interesting study, and although related, today the theme is just salt.

Anyway, I was thinking about the last two verses of that chapter - Mark 9:49-50 NIV:

[49] "Everyone will be salted with fire.

[50] “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

For an interesting perspective about salt losing its flavor, see my blog at the following link:

http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2012/03/you-are-salt-of-earth.html

So the question is what is Jesus referring to in these two verses?  The verses immediately preceding these have to do with sin, with eternal judgment, and the fires of Gehenna.  Jesus clearly isn't talking about them here, for He is talking about salt as something good, and says we will be salted with fire. In my study of salt, as a sign and part of the salt covenant, I understood salt to stand for endurance, purity and permanence, all good things.

As I was thinking through these verses this morning it occurred to me that Jesus was possibly referencing the coming fire of the Holy Spirit.  John spoke of Jesus as baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire - see Matthew 3:11.  I was thinking that the Holy Spirit coming and empowering the disciples was what really caused them to stand out, and to make a difference.  The Holy Spirit's visitation and residence in someone's life is considered the proof of God's permanent acceptance of the person, a seal of redemption, if you may.  Paul wrote the following in his letter to the Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV:  "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession---to the praise of his glory."

We see Paul encouraging Timothy in the following verses from his second letter to him - 2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV:  "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. [7] For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

There are several other verses that I could quote, but suffice it to say that there is a correlation between fire and the Holy Spirit and His gifts.  There is also a correlation between salt and fire as described here by Jesus, and thus we might make the logical conclusion that there is a correlation between salt and the Holy Spirit  and His gifts, for clearly He is a seal signifying our permanent and eternal redemption by the Lord.  David prayed the following in Psalm 51:10 NIV:
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Our call as Christians is to live our lives in such a way that those who see us, see God in us.  Peter encouraged the church as follows - 1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV:
"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. [12] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

However, our call is also much more than just living good lives, filled with good deeds, we are called to preach the Kingdom, and to demonstrate the Kingdom realities, and God's presence.  Jesus' sent out the disciples with the following instructions - Luke 9:1b-2 NIV:... "he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."   For all of us, these instruction are impossible to do without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Paul wrote of his own ministry - 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV: "I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. [4] My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, [5] so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."  Paul, who was probably the most capable speaker and writer of all the Apostles, didn't depend on his human abilities to share the Gospel, instead he relied on the Spirit's power.

Looping back to the original verses, as I look at being salted with fire, and salt losing its saltiness, I wonder if Jesus wasn't speaking about a Holy Spirit-less church?  I heard one preacher say that the problem with many churches today is that they could have a wonderful church service whether the Holy Spirit was present or not.  Is it possible that we have lost our saltiness, the very thing that is supposed to make us stand out, that which distinguishes us?

Jesus continues speaking and says the following, "Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other."  Is is possible that He is calling us to encourage one another in the pursuit of, and growth in the gifts of the Holy Spirit?  The gifts of the Holy Spirit, in addition to fueling evangelism, are meant to help the Body of Christ grow, mature, and function correctly.  Without the Holy Spirit guiding and leading the Body of Christ, we will fail.  Additionally, peace is one of of the Holy Spirit's fruit (Gal 5:22) and the fruit of the Holy spirit in our lives is meant to bear witness in our lives and lives of those around us to our relationship with the Lord.  Paul further writes, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).

In summary, it seems to me that the Lord, although speaking somewhat cryptically, is indeed encouraging us to press into all that He has for us, especially into the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit.  He desires that we fulfill the ministry He started, which is the preaching of the Gospel to all the world, and demonstrating this Gospel through our lives and through the power of the Holy Spirit (fruit and gifts).  If we lose our reliance on the Holy Spirit, we being to look just like every other well intentioned group of people, and while that is good, we are meant for more!

I finish with this prophecy and promise of Jesus, speaking about his followers, found in John 14:12 NIV:  "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

Oh Lord, I pray that we might be restored to our rightful place, to our right-mindedness concerning the absolute need of all the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives!  We pray that we might be salted with Fire!  That we might encourage one another deeper in You, in Holy Spirit, that our preaching might not be with wise an persuasive words, but rather a demonstration of the Spirit's power!!

Amen and Amen!


May you be salted with Fire today, empowered by Holy Spirit!  May your life be a light, a fire of passion for the one who saved you, redeemed you and put His seal upon you!


Sam

Let Peace Begin With Me!

This morning I was glancing through Facebook, and was just so sad to see all the outrage, all the dueling facts and thoughts, and found myself praying, "Where is the peace Lord?"  The almost instant reply was, "You are the peace!"  That certainly got my attention.  Lord, help me to unpack what You mean!

The first thought I had was that I am responsible for the words that come out of my mouth, the words that I write, and the opinions that I share, and I can either foment division or spread peace.

I guess I should define what I think He meant by peace.  I don't believe He meant passivity or quietness, but rather the fruit of the Spirit - peace.  I was immediately reminded of the verses from Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:22-26 NIV:

[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."

Oh to see the world expressing the fruit of the Spirit in their lives and with their mouths and online posts!

Secondly, as a representative of Jesus, as someone who has Him living inside me, I am responsible for my actions in His name.  Bill Johnson, one of my favorite authors and preachers, says that He can't afford to have any thought in his head that doesn't come from God or agree with God's thoughts (or something along that line).  He is often speaking about our own inner thoughts and how they impact our identity, for we believe our inner voice more than just about any other voice.  However, I think  this should also mean the thoughts that come out of our mouths.

So again, what fruit am I bearing?  What fruit am I showing the world?

Am I living by the Holy Spirit, staying in step with the Holy Spirit, as Paul encourages us in verse 25 above?

Paul, in writing those verses was providing a counterpoint to an earlier statement, and I thought that was enlightening in context to what I was reading this morning on Facebook.  Here are the verses immediately preceding that which I quoted above - Galatians 5:19-21 NIV:

[19] "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

I think that comparing the two lists, it is easy to see which is more prevalent in today's social media news reel.  If we tweak the word rage to the more common phrase "outrage" we find an almost exact list of the headlines and posts... hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of outrage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, etc.

Again, stepping back and looking at these lists, I can choose which fruit I want to bear, which fruit I want to showcase with my life and my words.

So, this morning, I am encouraged to be a bearer of peace, to live my life in such a way that my words and actions promote peace!  In fact, I want to bear all the fruit of the Spirit in my life, love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  I want my words and actions to establish peace in my heart and mind.  I want to be a beach-head of God's presence here on earth, expressing His character and representing Him in all I do.

Lord, to quote a famous song, "let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!"

Amen!


May the peace of the Lord, and all the other fruit of the Spirit be poured into your life today!  May His presence in your heart and mind establish a beach-head of peace that pushes back the clamoring voices.


Sam

Hearing AND Understanding

This morning I felt led to read from Mark's Gospel,  the seventh chapter.  I read the whole chapter, and the verses that made me stop and think and reflect were the last verses of the chapter, having to do with Jesus healing the deaf and mute man.  Here is the story, as recounted by Mark 7:31-37 NIV:

[31] "Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. [32] There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him. 

[33] After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. [34] He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). [35] At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. 

[36] Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. [37] People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

What caught my mind, was the actual healing that took place, and is greatly understated by Mark, that of the man's healing in his mind.  Speaking words clearly has much so much more to do with just being able to hear, it requires a knowledge of language, which for those who hear is gained through listening.  I studied deaf education for a bit, back when I was getting my education degree, and specifically the acquisition of language for the profoundly deaf.  It was such an interesting topic and one that intrigues me to this day.  

Without getting into the depth of this topic, let me summarize and say that apparently when Jesus prayed for the man, not only were his ears and mouth healed, but his brain was rewired, as knowledge of spoken language was suddenly acquired as well, for he could speak plainly.  This is a HUGE deal!  The Greek word used to describe his speaking is Orthos, from which we get the word othrodontists, it means straight and correct.  In other words the man spoke correctly, which would be impossible without an understanding of language.  

Thus when Jesus prayed for his healing, He didn't just pray for his ears, He prayed for his mind as well, that He might know language, hear language and speak language that everyone else could understand, a complete acquisition and understanding of the complex rules of language instantly.  This would normally take years of intensive work for the profoundly deaf person, and he received it instantly!  

That is Awesome, and that is why the people were so amazed in verse 37!

So what does this have to do with me, and my life?  Well, this morning I was praying that I might hear and understand the word of the Lord better, both for myself, but also for our church body.  Yesterday one of our pastors preached on the importance of going to a quite place (wilderness) to converses with God, to hear from God, to be empowered by God.  That is impossible to do, if we don't have the ability to hear, and understand!  God does speak to us, and does so constantly, but many of us, myself included miss most of what He is saying, for we are not able to hear His voice in the midst of the busyness of life. Thus, our pastor encouraged us to get away to a place where we could hear!

Secondly, as important as hearing is, thinking correctly is just as important!  One of the reasons I read scripture is to see where my thinking doesn't line up with the word of th Lord, so that I can change the way I think.   I believe this should be a common prayer, "Lord help me to think clearly, and correctly!!"  

Just the other day in my daily prayer, I was reading through one of Paul's letters, and I saw something where I was out of line with the Word of the Lord, and I had to repent (Change the way I was thinking, and have been thinking for a long time).  It wasn't a chastisement, but rather a gentle correction.  Some of us need bigger corrections of course for the way we think, or have areas that specifically need adjustment.  We can ask the Lord to help us both hear and understand (think correctly), and He will do that which we ask!   That is really good news! 

Lord, I pray that you would heal my ears AND my mind, help me to hear You clearly, and help me to understand exactly what You are saying to me!  Amen!

I pray that the Lord might bless you this day with a clear word, with an understanding of His word to You!  I pray that His word would bring You peace and Joy, as You hear Him clearly!

Sam

Christ's Love Compels

I was reading through Paul's second letter to the Church in Corinth, and came across some interesting verses that seemed applicable to our present times.  Here are the verses - 2 Corinthians 5:13-17 NIV:

[13] "If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. [14] For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. [15] And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 

[16] "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

I gotta say verse 13 is what grabbed my attention, as "out of our mind" seems to describe many of the people around the world today.  I know that is certainly a judgmental statement, as it really relates to how I think compared to others.  I find I am not necessarily a good judge of my own perspective or my own reality, and thus must turn to the Lord for the Truth, for He is the Truth (John 14:6).

Once captured by the opening line, I was then thinking about how Paul writes that "Christ's love compels us", and I was thinking that is such a different motivation than what we often see when we look to the Church.  Again, that is a judgment of sorts, for I cannot tell what the motivation is in the hearts of the many leaders but I can assess what seems to be the motivation based on their ministry focus, their pastoral messages, and their programs.  

The key to this statement by Paul, is the personal experience of the love of Christ, both personally, and as a motivating force.  The wind that is blowing them along is Christ's love for the lost.  They know His love personally, and they know His heart, and they feel His love for the lost, and because they love Him in return His passion becomes their passion!  This isn't about programs, or doing the right thing as a human being, this is about a passionate love that becomes the driving force of their life!  As I think about this, I realize that much of the time, I am a far cry from this sort of expression and life motivation.  Lord, help me!  Help me to know the passions of Your heart, that I might join myself to this passion, that it might become mine!  Help me open my heart to the same things that cause Your heart to burn.   Help me to be open to the lost, to the lonely, to the widow and orphan, to the oppressed, to the poor, to the hungry, to the wounded and sick, to your sons and daughters of every nation, tribe, and color.

Secondly, verse 16, seems helpful in this day of increasing division and strife, of judging people by the color of their skin, of their beliefs, of their benign actions.  We can't seem to help ourselves from judging people from a worldly point of view!  We are so quick to affix labels, to group people by certain characteristics, and think that we know everything about them by one label!  I know good, even great people of every color, belief system, gender, socio-economic level, and job.  I also know that there are likely bad, even evil, people in every segment of our population.  I also know many people who are nothing like their parents, or their grandparents, and judging someone due to the history of their people is just as wrong.  All of this would be classified as regarding people from a worldly point of view.

As Christians, we are called to a higher perspective, stepping from a worldly perspective to God's perspective.  God looks at each of us as unique, and as someone He loves, someone that He created, someone that He died for.  This is exactly what Paul is talking about here, this is Christ's compelling love.  He holds nothing back from anyone.  He loves each of us individually and infinitely.  His passion burns for each of us, from the least to the greatest!  His love for us was His compelling motivation (John 3:16).  His love was so great it caused Him to act.  In the same way, we are called to embrace His love, and allow this love to compel us to act.  

When the Lord looks at us,  He either sees someone who is lost, whose life He paid for with His blood, or He sees a new creation, someone whose whole life has been joined with His, as a result of His great sacrifice.  In either case, His love is unabated and unchanged.  He sees no label, nor does He limit Himself to a certain tribe or nation.  He is all in for all of us!  

My prayer for myself, and for all of us today is that we might lay down our labels and embrace Christ's passionate love for each and everyone we meet!  Whether lost or found, His love burns with a passion we can only slightly comprehend!  Let us choose to embrace this river of passion that flows from His throne to all mankind!  Let it burn within us and compel us to act!  

Peace and Love in and through Christ!

Sam

He Wept & He Weeps

This morning I felt like I should go back to the story of the death of Lazarus, found in John, chapter 11.  I have spent a fair amount of time reflecting on this chapter over the last few years, so I am always interested in going back and having the Lord provide fresh revelation from a familiar story.  Today, I felt like one one verse from this whole story needed to be shared and reflected upon - John 11:35 NIV:

[35] "Jesus wept."

I can think of no better description of the Lord's reaction to all that is happening right now.  

He wept because He loved!  He loved Lazarus, and He loved Mary and Martha.  

He wept because He understood their pain, their loss, and their grief.

He wept because He understood that they had put their trust in Him.

He wept because they couldn't yet see the good that would come form Lazarus's death.

He wept because they though He had abandoned them.

He wept because He shared their pain and felt it himself.

As I look at the pain and suffering that is present today in our nation, in our cities, and around the world, I believe Jesus weeps.  He weeps for all those that have died, including George Floyd.  He weeps for those that have been killed in the riots.  He weeps for those police officers that have been killed.  He weeps for the racial injustice.  He weeps for the financial impact of the riots, for those that have lost everything.  He weeps for those who are living in fear.  He weeps for those that no longer value human lives.  He weeps for the ways we are treating one another, in anger and judgment, spewing accusations, fomenting lies, even threatening one another.

He weeps for those that have been afflicted with Covid-19. He weeps for those families who have lost loved ones.  He weeps for those health-care workers who are giving their all to treat those with this disease.  He weeps for those millions who have lost jobs, businesses and their livelihood.  He weeps for those who are living in fear, who no longer trust their fellow neighbors, and family.  He weeps for all those who are confused and no longer know how they will make it, how they will live.

He weeps for all people, in every nation, tribe and tongue, for His eyes are over the whole world.  He weeps that there is racial injustice everywhere.  He weeps for the downtrodden, the marginalized, the poor, those in slavery, those who are indentured, those who are in prison, those who live in abject poverty, those who are sick with no hope of medical care, those who are dying, and those who live under religious, social, or governmental oppression.

He weeps for the division found in the Body of Christ today!  He weeps for the way brothers and sisters use His name to justify all sorts of terrible injustices.  He weeps for the way His Name is represented by those who preach hatred, division, judgment and violence!  He weeps that so many don't know Him, don't know His love personally.  He weeps that many churches no longer worship Him, but rather worship some image of Him.

He weeps.

It is right for us to look to Him, to represent Him as one who feels deeply, as one who sees the infinite value in every human, in their life, in their purpose, in their ability to bring about beauty to this world.  To Him every  life matters. He is not some cold and distant God, He is  God who came to earth, become fully human, and who understands our human feelings, pain and suffering!  He knows, and He Loves!

Let us embrace those around us who are hurting, whatever the source!  Let us represent the Lord, the one who feels deeply, who mourns with those who mourn.  Let us also represent Him as the Resurrection and the Life, for He is the only one who saves, whose words lead to eternal life!  He is the only one in whose name the dead are raised, the wounded are healed, and the lame are made whole.  

Let us not shy away from this time of passion and pain, but let us bring the life and peace of Jesus to our hurting world!  

As Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  (John 11:25-26 NIV)

Amen and Amen!

May the peace of Christ Jesus, His deep love, Him overwhelming compassion be yours today!  May He meet you where you are, and speak His words of Life!  May He bring comfort and empathy, mercy and grace for you today.

Sam

Filling My Mind...

I am in a state of brain-blank this morning... so I thought I would fill it up with something good, and turned to Psalms.  As I turned there, I felt like I should read Psalm 19:7-14 NIV:

[7] "The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 

[8] The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 

[9] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. 

[10] They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 

[11] By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward." 

[12] "But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults. 

[13] Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression." 

[14] "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

I love how this is really a bit of David's self talk.  He is reminding himself of the truth he has learned and experienced.  It is like he is giving himself a pep-talk, and in large part that is what I need to do today!  

I need to remind myself... 

of God's goodness, 

of the blessing of relationship with Him, 

of His constant love and affirmation, 

of His speaking into my identity, 

of His unrelenting love, 

of His endless forgiveness and mercy,

of His gentleness,

of His authority and power,

of His Glory and Majesty,

of His wonderful creation,

of His love for His Body here on earth,

of His Kingdom,

of His miraculous signs and wonders,

of His desire for me,

of His love for me,

of His peace which passes my understanding,

of His thoughts, which are higher than mine,

of His ways, which are different than mine, 

of His perspective, which is perfect,

of His provision,

of His constant leading and guiding hand,

of His wisdom,

of His command to love one another, as He loves me,

of His invitation to daily take up my cross and follow Him,

of His equal love for everyone else,

of His sacrifice for me,

of His call to me,

of His preparing a place for me,

of His humility,

of His seat in authority in heaven,

of His finished work,

of His kindness,

of His ability to speak His perfect word into my life,

of His plans for me, which are full of hope,

of His overwhelming love!

May meditations and words be pleasing to You, Lord!

Amen.

We Are One

This morning just as I was waking up, I heard the Lord say a simple phrase, "I am one!"  I knew immediately what He was talking about, that in this world there is only One Body of Christ!  There may be different names and different beliefs about certain things, but we are all part of His Body, His One Body.

I was reminded of Paul's writings concerning this and thought it would be good to reflect on these verses again, during this time of strife, protest, division, anger, sorrow, pain and disagreements.  Here is Paul's famous analogy from 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV:

[12] "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. [13] For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body---whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free---and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. [14] Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 

[15] Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [16] And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. [17] If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? [18] But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. [19] If they were all one part, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 

[21] The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you!” [22] On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, [23] and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, [24] while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, [25] so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 

[27] Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

The verse that hit me hardest this morning is verse 26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it."  As I look around at our world, at all the noise and pain, at all the  opinions and judgments flying, I see a suffering Body of Christ!  The Lord is intimately aware of our situation and He is calling me, at least, to pray and act like we are one.  In the eyes of the Lord we are all His Body, whether colored or white, whether denominational or non-denominational, whether conservative or liberal, whether Catholic or Protestant, whether Eastern Rite or Western Rite, we are all part of His One Body, and if one part is suffering, we are all affected.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the wounded and hurting state of our Body.  For many of us, we are allowing our opinions to actually cause more strife and pain, by striking at other parts of the Body!  Oh Lord, let us learn to love one another, to embrace our belonging to Your Body.  Let us act as one Body, coming alongside those who are hurting, and helping them to heal!  Whether they are suffering from racial injustice, the rages of Covid-19, or impacted economically from the recent world-wide quarantine, let us come alongside one another in love, mercy and grace.  As I wrote that list bit I was reminded of some additional verses concerning living as members of Christ's Body from Paul's letter to the Romans 12:3-21 NIV:

[3] "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 

[9] Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

[14] Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. [15] Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. [16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 

[17] Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. [18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. [19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. [20] On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

[21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Yes Lord, help us overcome this present evil with good!  Let us rise up as Your Body, here on earth, and let us love, and devote ourselves to one another!  Let us mourn with those who mourn!  Let us embrace one another, and care for one another.  Let us recognize our need for one another, and our connectedness with one another.

Finally, let us reach out to our hurting world, and let us embrace them with the Love of Jesus Christ!  Let us show them His love and compassion!  Let us become the church militant, a church that wages war against this present evil with love, goodness and prayer!   

May the Lord protect you with His peace, bless You with His favor, and empower you to love through the Holy Spirit!

Sam

Loving "the Other Side"

This morning I was reminded of a dream I had a bit over 2 years ago - and I thought it was worth re-sharing.  

June 12, 2018:

Last night I had one of the most interesting dreams I have ever had.  In the dream there was wide unrest and strong protests going on in the city, and both sides were engaged in rolling street confrontations.  For some reason I found myself in the headquarters of what would be "the other side" to me.  They didn't know me and I was just hanging out with them for several hours. We were joking back and forth, and I wasn't saying anything about the cause, just listening and engaging in the joking and normal life that people engage in.  I was invited into photos, was sitting on the couch with them drinking coffee, basically just enjoying their company, and they were enjoying mine.  We were becoming friends and I was even being invited into their inner circle, as they shared plans and ideas and messages they were receiving from the people out in the city.

As the day wore on they were trying to figure out who I was and what group I belonged to, sure that I was one of "them".  They were talking about upcoming events and past events and thinking they had seen me at some of the past ones.  Finally they thought they had me figured out and told me their thoughts and I had to laugh because their assumption about who I was and what I believed in was 100% wrong.  When I told them how I would classify myself they suddenly stepped back from me  and were almost repulsed at my revelation.  I had to laugh, because I was still sitting on the couch drinking coffee like I had been 30 seconds before, but suddenly I saw fear and hatred in their eyes, and confusion on their faces.  

I spoke into the moment, and said how interesting it was watching their faces and demeanor change when I applied a few labels to myself.  I was no different then 30 seconds earlier, I was not pretending to be one of them, I was just relating to them as human beings , each unique, each beautiful, each valuable.  They hadn't labeled me, and thus were willing to accept me.  I said it was a great example of the reality of our days - we are so quick to affix labels and hate people because of those labels, never getting to know them for who they are.  I reminded them of the funny things we had shared throughout the day, joked with them about meeting at future protests, and told them all that I would still consider them my friends, even as I had all day long, knowing full well they were from "the other side!"  They were good people, with different ideas than mine, but still good people nonetheless!  I was honored to be their friends and told them so.  The dream ended with us back to semi-normal joking back and forth, as they realized I just loved them for who they were, and wasn't a threat.

I share this dream as an encouragement to us all to look past the labels and look at the people!  We are all brothers and sisters, moms and dads, sons and daughters!  Regardless of our political views, or our beliefs about how to fix our world, we each are beautiful, valuable, unique and deserving of love, respect, kindness and care.  We deserve to be listened to, to speak our thoughts and opinions, but we should never allow that freedom to cause us to hate one another.  We are all needing of love, acceptance, friendship and communication.  We need people who will love us and accept us for who we are, regardless of their stands or beliefs.  

My prayer and hope is that this might at least be my reality, and hopefully yours as well.  The division and hatred needs to stop and it will begin with us learning to love those on the "other side", to see them as people of worth, value and uniqueness.  It will cease when we refuse to label one another and instead treat each other with kindness, care and respect.

That was such an interesting dream, and I woke up thinking that was probably what Jesus would have done, and probably did.  He was often surrounded by tax-collectors and sinners  "the other side" if you want to call them that.  He was so unlike them, and yet by spending time with them was communicating to the world their value in His eyes, and in the eyes of the Father!  I felt deeply encouraged to open my eyes and look around and see people as Jesus sees them, each as unique, valuable and worth knowing!  

I am so thankful for the revelation of the Lord, for the way He speaks to our hearts, and brings revelation, even to us old men (See Acts 2:17). 

So today my prayer is that we will each be encouraged to be Jesus to all we meet, especially to those from "the other side" those we wouldn't normally associate with!  Let the light of Christ that is in us, His love, shine forth to all the world!

I pray for our nation, our cities, our brothers and sisters of every color, that we might love one another as Christ loved us and work to push past the labels, the judgments and see each other as people of great value.  I pray for peace, and justice, and an end to all the evil that works to sow distrust, division and death.

Amen and Amen!