Repeatedly I find myself saying, completely sarcastically, "Wow it's like God knew what He was doing!" As my studies in 1 Timothy continue I've once again found occasion for such a statement, this time with a little less sarcasm.
1 Timothy 2.13-14, "For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."
This is the end of a section on the role of women in public worship. William Hendriksen offered many insights on the section, 1 Timothy 2.8-15, but this is what stood out to me the most. He says that the role of women in public worship is "based not on temporary or contemporary conditions or circumstances but on two facts that have meaning for all time, namely, the fact of creation and the fact of the entrance into sin."
If we look back in Genesis, we see that man was made first, then Eve. If we look at the text of Genesis 2 we see that Eve was made for Adam, to be his helper. Simply in the way God created man and woman, it is natural for the man to lead and for the woman to follow. Hendriksen says, "The tendency to follow was embedded in Eve's very soul as she came forth from the hand of her creator. Hence, it would not be right to reverse this order in connection with public worship. Why should a woman be encouraged to do things that are contrary to her nature?"
He also mentions the entrance into sin. Hendriksen states, "Eve's fall occurred when she ignored her divinely ordained position. Instead of following she chose to lead." Now I will add something that Hendriksen doesn't state, the fall into sin occurred because Adam also ignored his divinely ordained position, instead of leading, he chose to follow. Adam should have lead her in the path of righteousness, instead of following her in the way of sin. Instead they fell into sin because they stepped off of the path of obedience.
God has given both men and women a divine role to fulfill. We see the result of ignoring that, why do we continue to let history repeat itself? Men, why do we continue to follow instead of taking up our God given role as leaders? Why do we have women who insist on leading, who refuse to follow? Why do we ignore the roles God assigned to us? You could even go as far as to say, why do we continue to sin by ignoring the God given order? If we ignore the way God designed it to be, that is disobedience, disobedience is sin.
Part of the problem is that men won't be men, men won't take up the role of leadership, so women have to. Part of it is that we don't live in a society where men can be men. But at the same time, part of it is that men refuse to take responsibility. Until we as men step up and act like men, nothing will change.
I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 16.13, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, ACT LIKE MEN, be strong."
Peace be with you
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
The results of faithfulness
We're working through the Fruit of the Spirit, and yesterday I preached on faithfulness. I looked at three examples, Joseph, from Genesis, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and then King David from 2 Samuel 11-12. You can read more about what Faithfulness is in the August 2010 blog. Today I want to talk about the result of faithfulness.
In the lives of Joseph and the four men from Daniel, we see a few results. In the life of Joseph we see that God has blessed him as a slave. He works hard, and everything he does prospers because God is with him. He is put in charge of all of his master's house. When tempted to sleep with his master's wife he refuses. Once she grabs his coat trying to force herself upon him, he leaves it in her hands and runs. This turns into evidence against him, and he is falsely accused and thrown into prison for his faithfulness.
But faithfulness isn't something we're supposed to have only when things are going well. Even in prison he remains faithful to God, and again, God blesses him, and Joseph is put in charge of the prison. After years there, God delivers him, and because he has remained faithful, he is promoted to number two in Egypt, making him one of the most powerful men in the world. From this position he is able to save his family from starvation when they come to Egypt for food during a seven year famine.
These are results that are seen, but there are larger results of faithfulness that there is no way Joseph could have known about. Joseph was one of twelve sons of Jacob, or Israel, as he was renamed by God in Genesis 32.28. From him come the twelve tribes of Israel. One of his sons is named Judah, and it is from his line that Jesus the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5.5) is born.
Joseph's faithfulness did not simply result in the salvation of his family from starvation, but it led to the salvation of the world in Jesus Christ. Faithfulness has results that we can never see, and it reaches farther than we will ever know until we all get to Heaven.
In the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, we see another result of faithfulness. Initially when they are brought to Babylon, they refuse to violate Jewish law by eating the food that the king has provided. They request vegetables and water. God blesses them for this. The Bible says, "As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams" (Daniel 1.17). My thought is that Daniel is given the ability to understand dreams and visions because he is the one who spoke up. God blesses him additionally because he took the initiative. God blesses all of them because the remained faithful.
They all grow up and face other trials of faithfulness. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are thrown into the fiery furnace because they refuse to bow to an idol. Daniel is thrown into the lions den because he refuses to cease praying to God. They stand firm in the face of death. I love the response of Shadrach, Mesahach, and Abed-nego in Daniel 3.17-18, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
He can save us, but even if He doesn't we will stand firm for Him. Daniel, as recorded in the Bible, says nothing in his own defense, but I think it's safe to assume that he goes into the lion's den with the same attitude. The result of the faithfulness of these four men is that God is glorified and exalted among men.
Daniel 3.28-29, "Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.'”
Daniel 6.25-27, "Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: 'May your peace abound! I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.'”
God is exalted in faithfulness. This makes me think of Psalm 46.10, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” In our faithfulness God is exalted.
We never know how far our faithfulness will reach. We know that the God we serve is able to deliver us from all things. Do we believe that? I've been taking a leadership class, and I had to listen to a message by Francis Chan talking about how God worked in the people of the Bible. That same God is the God that we serve, and His best days are not behind Him. God is still in the business of rescuing people from fiery furnaces, and closing the mouths of lions. But for Him to do that in our lives, we need to have the faith that these men possessed. We need to believe like they believed, and we need to pray like they prayed.
The results of faithfulness are limited only by how faithful we are. Do you believe God is able to deliver you from whatever your furnace or lion's den is? But the follow up question, even if he doesn't will you still remain faithful? Had God not delivered them, their faithfulness would have brought them before His thrown and they would have heard the words "Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant, come share in your master's joy."
We must know that God can, we must believe that God will, but we must remain faithful even if He doesn't.
Peace be with you
In the lives of Joseph and the four men from Daniel, we see a few results. In the life of Joseph we see that God has blessed him as a slave. He works hard, and everything he does prospers because God is with him. He is put in charge of all of his master's house. When tempted to sleep with his master's wife he refuses. Once she grabs his coat trying to force herself upon him, he leaves it in her hands and runs. This turns into evidence against him, and he is falsely accused and thrown into prison for his faithfulness.
But faithfulness isn't something we're supposed to have only when things are going well. Even in prison he remains faithful to God, and again, God blesses him, and Joseph is put in charge of the prison. After years there, God delivers him, and because he has remained faithful, he is promoted to number two in Egypt, making him one of the most powerful men in the world. From this position he is able to save his family from starvation when they come to Egypt for food during a seven year famine.
These are results that are seen, but there are larger results of faithfulness that there is no way Joseph could have known about. Joseph was one of twelve sons of Jacob, or Israel, as he was renamed by God in Genesis 32.28. From him come the twelve tribes of Israel. One of his sons is named Judah, and it is from his line that Jesus the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5.5) is born.
Joseph's faithfulness did not simply result in the salvation of his family from starvation, but it led to the salvation of the world in Jesus Christ. Faithfulness has results that we can never see, and it reaches farther than we will ever know until we all get to Heaven.
In the lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, we see another result of faithfulness. Initially when they are brought to Babylon, they refuse to violate Jewish law by eating the food that the king has provided. They request vegetables and water. God blesses them for this. The Bible says, "As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams" (Daniel 1.17). My thought is that Daniel is given the ability to understand dreams and visions because he is the one who spoke up. God blesses him additionally because he took the initiative. God blesses all of them because the remained faithful.
They all grow up and face other trials of faithfulness. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are thrown into the fiery furnace because they refuse to bow to an idol. Daniel is thrown into the lions den because he refuses to cease praying to God. They stand firm in the face of death. I love the response of Shadrach, Mesahach, and Abed-nego in Daniel 3.17-18, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
He can save us, but even if He doesn't we will stand firm for Him. Daniel, as recorded in the Bible, says nothing in his own defense, but I think it's safe to assume that he goes into the lion's den with the same attitude. The result of the faithfulness of these four men is that God is glorified and exalted among men.
Daniel 3.28-29, "Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.'”
Daniel 6.25-27, "Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: 'May your peace abound! I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; for He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.'”
God is exalted in faithfulness. This makes me think of Psalm 46.10, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” In our faithfulness God is exalted.
We never know how far our faithfulness will reach. We know that the God we serve is able to deliver us from all things. Do we believe that? I've been taking a leadership class, and I had to listen to a message by Francis Chan talking about how God worked in the people of the Bible. That same God is the God that we serve, and His best days are not behind Him. God is still in the business of rescuing people from fiery furnaces, and closing the mouths of lions. But for Him to do that in our lives, we need to have the faith that these men possessed. We need to believe like they believed, and we need to pray like they prayed.
The results of faithfulness are limited only by how faithful we are. Do you believe God is able to deliver you from whatever your furnace or lion's den is? But the follow up question, even if he doesn't will you still remain faithful? Had God not delivered them, their faithfulness would have brought them before His thrown and they would have heard the words "Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant, come share in your master's joy."
We must know that God can, we must believe that God will, but we must remain faithful even if He doesn't.
Peace be with you
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Just like Jesus
I'm getting ready for Sunday, preaching on faithfulness. I'm looking at a few Old Testament stories to illustrate this part of the Fruit of the Spirit. One that I'm using is Daniel and the lion's den.
As I was reading Daniel 6 I noticed something that I hadn't seen before. Daniel 6.10-17 (NASB)
10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
Do you notice what's missing? Look at Matthew 26.62-63, Mark 14.60-61, and Luke 23.8-10,
" 62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent."
"60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer."
"8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. 9 And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently."
Do you see it now? Daniel, like Jesus, makes no defense against the accusations. Both men had no fault that could be found in them. Both of them were only guilty for how faithful they were to God. They let the lives they lived speak for them.
I wonder, could we do the same thing? Could our lives speak for us? If people tried to accuse us would the only thing they would be able to accuse us of be living for God too much? What would happen if we lived lives like this? Lives just like Jesus?
Peace be with you
As I was reading Daniel 6 I noticed something that I hadn't seen before. Daniel 6.10-17 (NASB)
10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
Do you notice what's missing? Look at Matthew 26.62-63, Mark 14.60-61, and Luke 23.8-10,
" 62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent."
"60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer."
"8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. 9 And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently."
Do you see it now? Daniel, like Jesus, makes no defense against the accusations. Both men had no fault that could be found in them. Both of them were only guilty for how faithful they were to God. They let the lives they lived speak for them.
I wonder, could we do the same thing? Could our lives speak for us? If people tried to accuse us would the only thing they would be able to accuse us of be living for God too much? What would happen if we lived lives like this? Lives just like Jesus?
Peace be with you
One God, One Mediator
Today I am in 1 Timothy 2.1-7, working through the last leg of commentaries before finishing with a final reading overview. In all it will be 66 days in 1 Timothy. For this section I'm reading a commentary by William Hendriksen. The verse that has really stood out to me is 1 Timothy 2.5, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
Verses 1-4 talk about prayer for all men, including those in authority, regardless of their actions, or policies. These prayers are good in the sight of God because He desires for all men to be saved. And then we get to verse 5. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
God desires all men to be saved, not just the Jews, not just Americans, not just protestants, but all men. Why? Because there is One God. There is not a God for America, and another God for Israel, and another God for Afghanistan, and another God for China, there is one God for all the nations. There is not one God for those in power and another God for those without power. There is not one God for the rich and another God for the poor. There is One God for all people.
Not only is there one God, but there is only "one mediator between God an men, the man Christ Jesus." The word man here is not intended to take away from the deity of Christ, rather it shows that Jesus is for all men. According to Hendriksen, had Jesus come only for the Jews it would read, "the Jew Christ Jesus." The fact that is says, "the man" shows that Christ came for men in general. Christ came for all of humanity, and now Christ sits at the right hand of God interceding for us.
There is one God, Christ, the object of our faith and worship, mediates between us and God. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,". God is for all people, and He desires that all men will be saved. Christ Jesus came to bring salvation to all the world. One God, one mediator, for all men.
Peace be with you
Verses 1-4 talk about prayer for all men, including those in authority, regardless of their actions, or policies. These prayers are good in the sight of God because He desires for all men to be saved. And then we get to verse 5. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
God desires all men to be saved, not just the Jews, not just Americans, not just protestants, but all men. Why? Because there is One God. There is not a God for America, and another God for Israel, and another God for Afghanistan, and another God for China, there is one God for all the nations. There is not one God for those in power and another God for those without power. There is not one God for the rich and another God for the poor. There is One God for all people.
Not only is there one God, but there is only "one mediator between God an men, the man Christ Jesus." The word man here is not intended to take away from the deity of Christ, rather it shows that Jesus is for all men. According to Hendriksen, had Jesus come only for the Jews it would read, "the Jew Christ Jesus." The fact that is says, "the man" shows that Christ came for men in general. Christ came for all of humanity, and now Christ sits at the right hand of God interceding for us.
There is one God, Christ, the object of our faith and worship, mediates between us and God. "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,". God is for all people, and He desires that all men will be saved. Christ Jesus came to bring salvation to all the world. One God, one mediator, for all men.
Peace be with you
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Prayer
I've been thinking a lot recently trying to figure out stuff for church. Trying to figure out how to get the congregation involved, how to reach the community, how to disciple people. All the stuff that goes with being a senior pastor. Last night I was laying on the couch, and I was reminded of something one of my professors told me at the begining of my last semester of college.
Going into the Spring of 2009 I had what many students claim to have. Senioritis. For those of you freshman, sophomores, and juniors, who think you have it, even to you high school seniors, wait until you get to the last semester of college, then you'll find out what senioritis really is. I had it. I was totally unmotivated. I remember turning in a test early in the semester and my professor asked how I thought it went, I remember telling him, "I honestly don't care." He laughed, knowing how I was feeling.
It wasn't just with school though that I was apathetic, it was life in general. I had been "in training" for almost four years, and I was ready to get to the battle. I remember that my biggest concern though was that I wasn't even motivated to read the Bible. I was a pastoral ministries major, and I didn't want to read the Bible for my own personal growth. It almost felt like homework.
I met with a few of my professors just to talk to them about it and get their wisdom. Doc Sanders said something I'll never forget. "There are going to be times like that, you're going to go through them, and it's ok. Just keep praying. As long as you're praying you'll be fine." He wasn't saying that it was ok to ignore the Bible for life, he was saying that prayer is the most important thing. And honestly, I believe he's right.
In prayer we communicate with God. We talk with Him. We praise Him, open our hearts to Him, present our hurts and requests, and ultimatley seek His will for our lives. He gives us guidance and encouragement. Sometimes in prayer, we just need to sit in silence and listen, saying nothing at all, simply sitting in the presence of God. You know a relationship is good when you can simply be content sitting in the presence of the other person, and it's true of our relationship with God, simply His presence is enough at times.
In my own life recently I've noticed that prayer has been lacking. My Bible study time is doing well, I'm studying 1 Timothy and working from Genesis-Revelation looking at the heart and character of God. Honestly, I've been like, "I'm studying the Bible, that's enough." But it isn't. I don't feel like I'm getting everything out of it that I could be, why? Because it isn't supported by constant prayer. Reading the Bible isn't enough, it has to go with prayer.
Without prayer nothing happens. Without prayer we miss out on so much. I have a post-it on my computer at work. It has Acts 6.4 on it, "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." Prayer is listed first, why? Because it's the more important of the two.
Jesus prayed constantly, and He was God. That means I need to pray just as often as He did, more so if I can. The thing I've realized recently is that I can't buy into the lie that reading the Bible is enough. The enemy will do anything to keep us from praying, even if it is filling our prayer time with Bible reading! In prayer our relationship with God grows deeper and more intamite. Bible reading does this too, but not the same way as prayer.
Read the Bible, I'm not saying to stop. Pour your heart and energy into it's pages, find strength and encouragement from it's stories and promises. But don't neglect prayer. Don't "let your praying knees get lazy" as a country song says. 1 Thessalonians 5.17, "pray without ceasing"
Peace be with you
Going into the Spring of 2009 I had what many students claim to have. Senioritis. For those of you freshman, sophomores, and juniors, who think you have it, even to you high school seniors, wait until you get to the last semester of college, then you'll find out what senioritis really is. I had it. I was totally unmotivated. I remember turning in a test early in the semester and my professor asked how I thought it went, I remember telling him, "I honestly don't care." He laughed, knowing how I was feeling.
It wasn't just with school though that I was apathetic, it was life in general. I had been "in training" for almost four years, and I was ready to get to the battle. I remember that my biggest concern though was that I wasn't even motivated to read the Bible. I was a pastoral ministries major, and I didn't want to read the Bible for my own personal growth. It almost felt like homework.
I met with a few of my professors just to talk to them about it and get their wisdom. Doc Sanders said something I'll never forget. "There are going to be times like that, you're going to go through them, and it's ok. Just keep praying. As long as you're praying you'll be fine." He wasn't saying that it was ok to ignore the Bible for life, he was saying that prayer is the most important thing. And honestly, I believe he's right.
In prayer we communicate with God. We talk with Him. We praise Him, open our hearts to Him, present our hurts and requests, and ultimatley seek His will for our lives. He gives us guidance and encouragement. Sometimes in prayer, we just need to sit in silence and listen, saying nothing at all, simply sitting in the presence of God. You know a relationship is good when you can simply be content sitting in the presence of the other person, and it's true of our relationship with God, simply His presence is enough at times.
In my own life recently I've noticed that prayer has been lacking. My Bible study time is doing well, I'm studying 1 Timothy and working from Genesis-Revelation looking at the heart and character of God. Honestly, I've been like, "I'm studying the Bible, that's enough." But it isn't. I don't feel like I'm getting everything out of it that I could be, why? Because it isn't supported by constant prayer. Reading the Bible isn't enough, it has to go with prayer.
Without prayer nothing happens. Without prayer we miss out on so much. I have a post-it on my computer at work. It has Acts 6.4 on it, "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." Prayer is listed first, why? Because it's the more important of the two.
Jesus prayed constantly, and He was God. That means I need to pray just as often as He did, more so if I can. The thing I've realized recently is that I can't buy into the lie that reading the Bible is enough. The enemy will do anything to keep us from praying, even if it is filling our prayer time with Bible reading! In prayer our relationship with God grows deeper and more intamite. Bible reading does this too, but not the same way as prayer.
Read the Bible, I'm not saying to stop. Pour your heart and energy into it's pages, find strength and encouragement from it's stories and promises. But don't neglect prayer. Don't "let your praying knees get lazy" as a country song says. 1 Thessalonians 5.17, "pray without ceasing"
Peace be with you
Monday, June 20, 2011
Praise vs. Worship
Music is a big issue in a lot of churches. The older generation loves the hymns and will die to keep them. The younger generation is bored by the slow music and archaic words and doesn't come because of them. Churches split over music, the family of God is divided over something as ridiculous as music.
Two weeks ago at the East Ohio District Camp meeting Rev. Steven Manley said something that stood out to me in terms of this idea of praise vs. worship. He said, "Praise is talking about God. Worship is talking to God. You can knock the contemporary music all you want, but they have this worship idea down." I've thought about that a lot over the last two weeks.
Each Sunday at the church I'm currently serving has hymns. And the more I look at these words, I see a lot of praise. So many of the hymns are full of what God has done, they are full of messages about His character and who He is. They focus on talking about Him, His holiness, and His deeds. But not many really talk to God. The hymns are full of praise.
Honestly I feel that the biggest thing missing, not just here, but in many churches across America, is worship. How much do we talk to God? Do we really know God? Anyone can offer praise, it's easy to talk about someone. In America we do it all the time with professional athletes, actors, and musicians. We talk about the thing they did on the athletic field, in a movie, or the song they've written. We praise them. And honestly, in some churches that's how we treat God, like a professional athlete who has done amazing things, but we don't really worship Him.
Praise is essential, I'm not trying to say we praise God too much, because that isn't possible. We have to praise God, the Bible tells us to. Psalm 9.1-2, "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Verse 11, "Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His deeds." Verse 14, "That I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion." It is good to praise the Lord.
But we must also worship Him. Worship requires a relationship. You can't talk to someone without a relationship. Honestly, I believe God would rather have our worship than our praise. God would rather have a relationship with all of us than the praise of everyone on Earth. When we worship we talk to God, we talk with God. I've shared before what one of my college professors taught us about worship, "Worship is a trusting obedient response to the word of God." To be able to respond to the word of God, I must first hear what God is saying. God says that if we ask we shall receive (Matthew 7.7-10), God says that He will be found by us if we seek Him (Jeremiah 29.13). To hear from God we simply need to ask. We simply need to worship.
What is keeping you from worship? Maybe we are simply confused as to what it is, and we've thought praise is worship. Maybe we aren't being led in worship. My professor said that pastors are the lead worshiper, it is up to us to show our flocks how and what worship is. Maybe it's that we don't have a real relationship with Jesus, or we do, but something has gotten in the way, something is distracting us.
Worship is essential, we were made to worship, we were made for a relationship with God. Let us learn to talk with God again, may we as pastors take our role as lead worshiper seriously and lead our people to the thrown of God. My our lives exhibit true worship. May we never cease to praise God, but may the worship of God never lose it's prominence in our lives.
Back to music, we need both styles. We need the ones that remind us of who God is, we must remember what God has done, and we must continue to pass it on. We need the ones that help us talk to God, the ones that help us open our hearts before Him and communicate with Him heart to heart. Gradually the hymns are being updated, the music is being re-written for a new generation, but the message is remaining the same.
We must praise God because He is worthy, but we must worship God because it is what He created us to do. Praise God, tell of His greatness, proclaim what He has done. Worship God, talk with Him, listen to Him. Respond in trust and obedience.
Peace be with you
Two weeks ago at the East Ohio District Camp meeting Rev. Steven Manley said something that stood out to me in terms of this idea of praise vs. worship. He said, "Praise is talking about God. Worship is talking to God. You can knock the contemporary music all you want, but they have this worship idea down." I've thought about that a lot over the last two weeks.
Each Sunday at the church I'm currently serving has hymns. And the more I look at these words, I see a lot of praise. So many of the hymns are full of what God has done, they are full of messages about His character and who He is. They focus on talking about Him, His holiness, and His deeds. But not many really talk to God. The hymns are full of praise.
Honestly I feel that the biggest thing missing, not just here, but in many churches across America, is worship. How much do we talk to God? Do we really know God? Anyone can offer praise, it's easy to talk about someone. In America we do it all the time with professional athletes, actors, and musicians. We talk about the thing they did on the athletic field, in a movie, or the song they've written. We praise them. And honestly, in some churches that's how we treat God, like a professional athlete who has done amazing things, but we don't really worship Him.
Praise is essential, I'm not trying to say we praise God too much, because that isn't possible. We have to praise God, the Bible tells us to. Psalm 9.1-2, "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Verse 11, "Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His deeds." Verse 14, "That I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion." It is good to praise the Lord.
But we must also worship Him. Worship requires a relationship. You can't talk to someone without a relationship. Honestly, I believe God would rather have our worship than our praise. God would rather have a relationship with all of us than the praise of everyone on Earth. When we worship we talk to God, we talk with God. I've shared before what one of my college professors taught us about worship, "Worship is a trusting obedient response to the word of God." To be able to respond to the word of God, I must first hear what God is saying. God says that if we ask we shall receive (Matthew 7.7-10), God says that He will be found by us if we seek Him (Jeremiah 29.13). To hear from God we simply need to ask. We simply need to worship.
What is keeping you from worship? Maybe we are simply confused as to what it is, and we've thought praise is worship. Maybe we aren't being led in worship. My professor said that pastors are the lead worshiper, it is up to us to show our flocks how and what worship is. Maybe it's that we don't have a real relationship with Jesus, or we do, but something has gotten in the way, something is distracting us.
Worship is essential, we were made to worship, we were made for a relationship with God. Let us learn to talk with God again, may we as pastors take our role as lead worshiper seriously and lead our people to the thrown of God. My our lives exhibit true worship. May we never cease to praise God, but may the worship of God never lose it's prominence in our lives.
Back to music, we need both styles. We need the ones that remind us of who God is, we must remember what God has done, and we must continue to pass it on. We need the ones that help us talk to God, the ones that help us open our hearts before Him and communicate with Him heart to heart. Gradually the hymns are being updated, the music is being re-written for a new generation, but the message is remaining the same.
We must praise God because He is worthy, but we must worship God because it is what He created us to do. Praise God, tell of His greatness, proclaim what He has done. Worship God, talk with Him, listen to Him. Respond in trust and obedience.
Peace be with you
Thursday, June 16, 2011
A Few Good Men
Last week I was at camp meeting. The first night the song evangelist sang a song I had never heard before.
A Few Good Men
What this dying world could use is a willing Man of God
Who dares to go against the grain and works without applause;
A man who'll raise the shield of Faith, protecting what is pure;
Whose love is tough and gentle; a man whose word is sure.
God doesn't need an Orator who knows what just to say;
He doesn't need authorities to reason Him away;
He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win;
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed;
He calls the one who has the strength to stand up for the Truth.
Enlistment lines are open and He wants you to come in-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He just needs a Few Good Men.
As Father's Day approaches, and I'm preparing for Sunday this song has been playing over and over on my computer. I've been working through the Fruit of the Spirit again, taking it a little deeper since I have more time to work with each time. It's truly been a God thing after seeing how the characteristics have fallen. Love was on Mother's Day, Peace ended up being Memorial Day weekend, this week, Father's Day, is Goodness.
Jesus said in Mark 10.18, that no one is good but God alone. The Greek word for good is "agathos", the root of the word for goodness "agathosune", which means morally excellent. It is absolute perfection, with no flaws or impurities. This is clearly only true of God. But Paul tells us in Galatians 5.22, that goodness is part of the Fruit of the Spirit, so goodness, or we could say, "Godliness" is to be evident in our lives. You can read more about goodness in the blog from August 2010.
God created men to be men. His design is that men will be leaders, examples of Godliness, and defenders of truth. That was what He created us to be. Why have we let women take over this? Look at the church, who does most of the work? Who are the majority of attenders? Women. Look at our society, how many single moms are there? How many children don't have a daddy to go home to. (I use the word daddy because everyone has a father, without one you wouldn't be alive. But not everyone has a daddy, not everyone has that man in their lives who loved and protected them.) Where have all the men gone?
Honestly, I don't think society values men. Look at TV sitcoms, usually the husband is a weak, immature little boy, and the wife is the one who has to order him around. The woman has to be the leader because the man refuses to be. We live in a society, as Brad Paisley said in his song "I'm still a Guy", where "It's hip now to be feminized." We're in a society where boys aren't allowed to be boys, and if boys can't be boys, men can't be men, because boys can't become men. Part of it is that they don't have men to show them how to be men. It's been left to single moms to raise these boys into manhood, which is impossible.
I'm not trying to take anything away from the single mothers. Thank you for the sacrifices you make for your children, for the long hours and multiple jobs you work to support your children and give them the best life possible. One day I hope to be in a church that is able to provide a ministry to help you, I just wish it could be right now.
God simply needs a few good men who will step up and say, "We will be the men that God designed us to be. We will stand for truth, we will protect purity, we will fight for freedom. We will initiate boys into manhood." We need men who will take up the leadership in their families and in the church. Men who make God a priority and will be examples of Godliness. Until that happens, I honestly don't believe the American society will change at all.
There are two books I recommend to all boys and men, Wild at Heart, and The Way of the Wild Heart, both by John Eldredge. These are the two best books I have ever read. Wild at Heart talks about the heart of a man. It talks about who God created us to be as men. The Way of the Wild Heart is a book about how a boy becomes a man, and how a man knows he is one. Both of them talk heavily about what God intended for a man to be using Scriptural support for all of it.
This Father's Day, may it be a day that men decide to be men. May Father's Day in a sense begin a new year for men. May we seize the responsibility that God has created us for. May we be the few good men that God needs.
Peace be with you
A Few Good Men
What this dying world could use is a willing Man of God
Who dares to go against the grain and works without applause;
A man who'll raise the shield of Faith, protecting what is pure;
Whose love is tough and gentle; a man whose word is sure.
God doesn't need an Orator who knows what just to say;
He doesn't need authorities to reason Him away;
He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win;
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He calls the broken derelict whose life has been renewed;
He calls the one who has the strength to stand up for the Truth.
Enlistment lines are open and He wants you to come in-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He just needs a Few Good Men.
He just needs a Few Good Men.
As Father's Day approaches, and I'm preparing for Sunday this song has been playing over and over on my computer. I've been working through the Fruit of the Spirit again, taking it a little deeper since I have more time to work with each time. It's truly been a God thing after seeing how the characteristics have fallen. Love was on Mother's Day, Peace ended up being Memorial Day weekend, this week, Father's Day, is Goodness.
Jesus said in Mark 10.18, that no one is good but God alone. The Greek word for good is "agathos", the root of the word for goodness "agathosune", which means morally excellent. It is absolute perfection, with no flaws or impurities. This is clearly only true of God. But Paul tells us in Galatians 5.22, that goodness is part of the Fruit of the Spirit, so goodness, or we could say, "Godliness" is to be evident in our lives. You can read more about goodness in the blog from August 2010.
God created men to be men. His design is that men will be leaders, examples of Godliness, and defenders of truth. That was what He created us to be. Why have we let women take over this? Look at the church, who does most of the work? Who are the majority of attenders? Women. Look at our society, how many single moms are there? How many children don't have a daddy to go home to. (I use the word daddy because everyone has a father, without one you wouldn't be alive. But not everyone has a daddy, not everyone has that man in their lives who loved and protected them.) Where have all the men gone?
Honestly, I don't think society values men. Look at TV sitcoms, usually the husband is a weak, immature little boy, and the wife is the one who has to order him around. The woman has to be the leader because the man refuses to be. We live in a society, as Brad Paisley said in his song "I'm still a Guy", where "It's hip now to be feminized." We're in a society where boys aren't allowed to be boys, and if boys can't be boys, men can't be men, because boys can't become men. Part of it is that they don't have men to show them how to be men. It's been left to single moms to raise these boys into manhood, which is impossible.
I'm not trying to take anything away from the single mothers. Thank you for the sacrifices you make for your children, for the long hours and multiple jobs you work to support your children and give them the best life possible. One day I hope to be in a church that is able to provide a ministry to help you, I just wish it could be right now.
God simply needs a few good men who will step up and say, "We will be the men that God designed us to be. We will stand for truth, we will protect purity, we will fight for freedom. We will initiate boys into manhood." We need men who will take up the leadership in their families and in the church. Men who make God a priority and will be examples of Godliness. Until that happens, I honestly don't believe the American society will change at all.
There are two books I recommend to all boys and men, Wild at Heart, and The Way of the Wild Heart, both by John Eldredge. These are the two best books I have ever read. Wild at Heart talks about the heart of a man. It talks about who God created us to be as men. The Way of the Wild Heart is a book about how a boy becomes a man, and how a man knows he is one. Both of them talk heavily about what God intended for a man to be using Scriptural support for all of it.
This Father's Day, may it be a day that men decide to be men. May Father's Day in a sense begin a new year for men. May we seize the responsibility that God has created us for. May we be the few good men that God needs.
Peace be with you
Monday, June 13, 2011
Last days
I missed a few days of my 1 Timothy study, so today I'm trying to get caught up. I'm on day 32 right now, which is reading 1 Timothy 4, and using Holman's New Testament commentary as a resource.
1 Timothy 4.1 says, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons," based on the title, you can probably guess that I want to focus on the words, "later times".
According to my source, this phrase does not refer to some coming event, but the whole time from Christ's ascension to His second coming. It covers every moment for the last 1,982 years. (I get this number from the traditional thought that Jesus was born around 4 BC, and then adding 33, His age at the time of His death, resurrection, and ascension, putting those events in 29 AD, and then subtracting 29 from 2011, the current year)
A few weeks ago there was a prediction that the world would end, May 21, 2011 was supposed to be the end of the world. The man, Harold Camping, has now said that May 21 was a spiritual coming which has ushered in the last five months of time and now says that October 21, 2011 will be the final day. If any are concerned, I simply point you to Scripture, "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Mark 13.32).
I'll be honest, I felt strange May 22. I didn't believe the world was going to end because of the verse from Mark 13, but it suddenly hit me, "Jesus could have come back." It put it in a fresh light, almost as if the reality of the situation was finally sinking in. Jesus is coming back some day.
As I said, we have been in the last days for almost 2,000 years. How close we are to the second coming I don't know. I'll illustrate with the line below.
Ascension--*--------------------*--------------------*--Return
The * represent where we could be on this line. We could be anywhere. It could happen in a few hours, or a few millennium. All we can know for sure is that today we are one day closer. So how should we live? For this I turn to the words of Billy Graham. "Live every day like Christ will return today, but live everyday like we have to plan for the next thousand years." I think that's the way God would have it. Be ready, Jesus could come back any moment. So be ready, make sure your life is righteous before God. Confess your sin, and be redeemed by God. Let Him take over as the Lord of your life.
But at the same time live your life to the fullest. Don't put your life on hold. St. Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Live your life, don't wait in fear for His returning, this isn't how we were created to live. Build relationships with people, do things as a family, discover who you are, have adventures, find your passions and exercise them, live life. As you live, become more like Christ, and through relationships help others become like Christ. Prepare the next generation to take over the leadership of the world. Let's work to make it a place where people can live together in peace.
Jesus could return today, and He might not be returning for a thousand years. Live both ways. Become like Christ, help others become like Christ, live fully alive.
Peace be with you
1 Timothy 4.1 says, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons," based on the title, you can probably guess that I want to focus on the words, "later times".
According to my source, this phrase does not refer to some coming event, but the whole time from Christ's ascension to His second coming. It covers every moment for the last 1,982 years. (I get this number from the traditional thought that Jesus was born around 4 BC, and then adding 33, His age at the time of His death, resurrection, and ascension, putting those events in 29 AD, and then subtracting 29 from 2011, the current year)
A few weeks ago there was a prediction that the world would end, May 21, 2011 was supposed to be the end of the world. The man, Harold Camping, has now said that May 21 was a spiritual coming which has ushered in the last five months of time and now says that October 21, 2011 will be the final day. If any are concerned, I simply point you to Scripture, "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Mark 13.32).
I'll be honest, I felt strange May 22. I didn't believe the world was going to end because of the verse from Mark 13, but it suddenly hit me, "Jesus could have come back." It put it in a fresh light, almost as if the reality of the situation was finally sinking in. Jesus is coming back some day.
As I said, we have been in the last days for almost 2,000 years. How close we are to the second coming I don't know. I'll illustrate with the line below.
Ascension--*--------------------*--------------------*--Return
The * represent where we could be on this line. We could be anywhere. It could happen in a few hours, or a few millennium. All we can know for sure is that today we are one day closer. So how should we live? For this I turn to the words of Billy Graham. "Live every day like Christ will return today, but live everyday like we have to plan for the next thousand years." I think that's the way God would have it. Be ready, Jesus could come back any moment. So be ready, make sure your life is righteous before God. Confess your sin, and be redeemed by God. Let Him take over as the Lord of your life.
But at the same time live your life to the fullest. Don't put your life on hold. St. Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." Live your life, don't wait in fear for His returning, this isn't how we were created to live. Build relationships with people, do things as a family, discover who you are, have adventures, find your passions and exercise them, live life. As you live, become more like Christ, and through relationships help others become like Christ. Prepare the next generation to take over the leadership of the world. Let's work to make it a place where people can live together in peace.
Jesus could return today, and He might not be returning for a thousand years. Live both ways. Become like Christ, help others become like Christ, live fully alive.
Peace be with you
$13.55
Thursday I was headed out to campmeeting, but first I had to stop at Borders. I needed a journal. As I mentioned last week, I'm on a journey to discover the heart of God. Every journey needs some way to keep records and record memories. I looked at a few and found a large black one, I bought two.
I had a 20% coupon, and they were already at a discounted price, so the total for the two ended up being $13.55 after tax. Currently they are sitting on my coffee tabel, the first page will be marked today. But over the weekend I began to think, "I paid $13.55 for two journals. When I get finished, they will be priceless."
It isn't because I'm the one writing in them that gives it an immersurable value, I mean honestly, who am I to have people read my opinions. I'm amazed and truly humbled at the readership this blog has gotten. My words on the pages do nothing for the value, but the subject matter does.
The pages will be filled with the heart, nature, and character of God. This is my attempt to learn, as much as any human can, who He is. As He reveals Himself to me through the pages of Scripture, I will fill the pages of these journals.
This is not a journey that will end once these journals are filled, it is one that has been going on in the lives of people since the begining of time. In my own life for the past 24 years, and will continue for the rest of my days, and in the lives of future followers until the end of time.
We can not, in this current state, fully comprehend God. But the Bible says to us in Proverbs 25.2, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." But the biggest thing, God desires for us to search for Him, and to understand who He is.
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29.13) The key here though is not simply to seek God, the key is how we seek Him. It must be with all our heart. God paid the highest price so that we would be able to get to know Him, so that we could have a realtionship with Him. We must be willing to pay an equally high price to know Him.
The life of a Christ follower is not one that can be done half-heartedly, it can't be a life that simply goes through the motions. One of my high school teachers once told us in class, "If your faith isn't costing you something you need to really look and see if it's real."
To know God, we must search for Him. He tells us that if we search for Him with all our hearts that we will find Him. God desires for us to find Him. He desires for us to know Him. It's amazing, the God who spoke the universe into existance desires for us to know Him, and He made it possible for us to know Him. Why would we ever pass up the opprotunity?
Today, the pages will become priceless as they begin to be filled with who God is. Father, reveal yourself to me, and to all who seek to know you.
Peace be with you
I had a 20% coupon, and they were already at a discounted price, so the total for the two ended up being $13.55 after tax. Currently they are sitting on my coffee tabel, the first page will be marked today. But over the weekend I began to think, "I paid $13.55 for two journals. When I get finished, they will be priceless."
It isn't because I'm the one writing in them that gives it an immersurable value, I mean honestly, who am I to have people read my opinions. I'm amazed and truly humbled at the readership this blog has gotten. My words on the pages do nothing for the value, but the subject matter does.
The pages will be filled with the heart, nature, and character of God. This is my attempt to learn, as much as any human can, who He is. As He reveals Himself to me through the pages of Scripture, I will fill the pages of these journals.
This is not a journey that will end once these journals are filled, it is one that has been going on in the lives of people since the begining of time. In my own life for the past 24 years, and will continue for the rest of my days, and in the lives of future followers until the end of time.
We can not, in this current state, fully comprehend God. But the Bible says to us in Proverbs 25.2, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." But the biggest thing, God desires for us to search for Him, and to understand who He is.
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29.13) The key here though is not simply to seek God, the key is how we seek Him. It must be with all our heart. God paid the highest price so that we would be able to get to know Him, so that we could have a realtionship with Him. We must be willing to pay an equally high price to know Him.
The life of a Christ follower is not one that can be done half-heartedly, it can't be a life that simply goes through the motions. One of my high school teachers once told us in class, "If your faith isn't costing you something you need to really look and see if it's real."
To know God, we must search for Him. He tells us that if we search for Him with all our hearts that we will find Him. God desires for us to find Him. He desires for us to know Him. It's amazing, the God who spoke the universe into existance desires for us to know Him, and He made it possible for us to know Him. Why would we ever pass up the opprotunity?
Today, the pages will become priceless as they begin to be filled with who God is. Father, reveal yourself to me, and to all who seek to know you.
Peace be with you
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Journey Has Begun
This week on the East Ohio District we have District Assembly and camp meeting. Monday was the ordination service, and I got to be part of the ministers choir since I'm now a minister. It was an incredible feeling singing with these men, you really feel connected to a team.
Last night was the first night of camp meeting. Rev. Steven Manley is our evangelist for the week. His preaching style isn't one that captivates my attention, but his message spoke to me. He used Acts 2.25, "For David says of Him, 'I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN."
He used many other portions of scripture to explain the verse, and what it comes down to is this. The word "presence" is not in the original text. It is directly translated, "I saw the Lord before me". Rev. Manley went on to explain how it literally means, God is in my face, my eye, God is all I can see. God is the lens through which we see everything else.
It isn't about business, administration, ministry, but God. It isn't me living my life for Jesus, but Jesus living His life through me. It isn't me serving Jesus, but Jesus serving through me. It isn't about me at all, it's about Him. Everything I do is done to seek Him, the PERSON of God.
I wrote a sermon about his idea close to a year ago, the idea is in the blog called "Hand or Face?" Everything I do needs to be about growing closer to God. Everything needs to be done so that I can know God better, more personally, more intimately. God is all I see in this relationship. That is where we're supposed to be. The thing is, I was there.
My junior year of college I began to move that direction. The distractions, the priorities that took God's place in my eye, I got rid of. He became my soul focus, as Paul said in Philippians 3,
"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Those were my verses, that was how I lived. For the next three years that was me. God was in my eye, God was all I saw. Then something happened.
This Friday is June 10, and it marks the one year anniversary of the change. This is really the first time I've talked about this, I've only shared it with Janette and two or three other pastors. I was in a Sunday School board meeting, I'm not going to go into details, but the pastor had told me he had my back, and during that meeting left me with my head sticking out to get cut off. In that moment I felt something leave me. The will to fight, the fire and passion for ministry. I had no desire to be there any more, but I had made a one year commitment and I had to stick it out for the teens and young adults I was serving.
That meeting changed me, and over the past year I've been trying to get back to where I was, I've been trying to get God in my eye again. I've been taking a leadership class, and in one of the podcasts I listened to Rev. Mark Driscoll said, "God cannot use you greatly, until you have been wounded deeply." I knew my time in Michigan had been a wound, but what I hadn't realized is that the wound had simply had a band aid placed over it, it hadn't been stitched up, and so it hadn't healed.
I'm in the process of pulling the band aid off, not just of that wound, but of all of them. I'm looking back at my life, at every wound I've ever been given, and writing them out. I'm writing about the lessons I learned from them, and the people who were beside me through the process helping me.
After the service I went to talk to Rev. Manley for a few minutes. I briefly shared what had happened just to hear his advice. He told me to look at that time as a blessing. I agree, I know I had to go to Michigan, God had things to teach me there. But my real question for Rev. Manley was how do I get back there? How do I get God back in my eye? That is honestly my only desire.
I've found when I seek advice I'm looking for something profound, answers that only older men with decades of ministry behind them can give me. Do you know what he said? He quoted part of my Hand or Face sermon to me! "Seek Him, seek the person of God. Seek Him through prayer and the word."
That's all there is to it, simply seek His face, seek the Person of God. I'm on a journey, a journey of healing, and a journey back to the very heart of God. I'm stitching up my wounds, looking at each one, taking the lesson from them, and then stitching them so they scar. Scars remind you of pain but they no longer hurt. Scars have a story, they have a lesson that was learned. And scars are a sign of healing. So let the healing begin, let the pain serve to make my heart compassionate for other ministers and people going through situations I've been through. Let the stories serve as encouragement and may the lessons help others avoid the painful experiences. May I proudly show off my scars and testify to what God has done in my life, may that testimony be an encouragement to others.
To get back to the heart of God, I'm going back to the beginning. Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. Searching the Scriptures for who God is, looking for His character, for His person. Getting back to prayer, real prayer. Heart felt surrender and desperation, a little boy curled up in his Daddy's lap.
I don't know how long this journey will take, all I know is that at the end God will have made me the man he created me to be. At the end of the journey, God will be all I see.
I invite you to join me. Look at your wounds and stitch them up. Dive into the Scriptures with me, and let's learn the character of God together. Whose up for the adventure of a life time?
As Paul said in Philippians 3.13-14, "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Let's go!
Peace be with you
Last night was the first night of camp meeting. Rev. Steven Manley is our evangelist for the week. His preaching style isn't one that captivates my attention, but his message spoke to me. He used Acts 2.25, "For David says of Him, 'I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN."
He used many other portions of scripture to explain the verse, and what it comes down to is this. The word "presence" is not in the original text. It is directly translated, "I saw the Lord before me". Rev. Manley went on to explain how it literally means, God is in my face, my eye, God is all I can see. God is the lens through which we see everything else.
It isn't about business, administration, ministry, but God. It isn't me living my life for Jesus, but Jesus living His life through me. It isn't me serving Jesus, but Jesus serving through me. It isn't about me at all, it's about Him. Everything I do is done to seek Him, the PERSON of God.
I wrote a sermon about his idea close to a year ago, the idea is in the blog called "Hand or Face?" Everything I do needs to be about growing closer to God. Everything needs to be done so that I can know God better, more personally, more intimately. God is all I see in this relationship. That is where we're supposed to be. The thing is, I was there.
My junior year of college I began to move that direction. The distractions, the priorities that took God's place in my eye, I got rid of. He became my soul focus, as Paul said in Philippians 3,
"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Those were my verses, that was how I lived. For the next three years that was me. God was in my eye, God was all I saw. Then something happened.
This Friday is June 10, and it marks the one year anniversary of the change. This is really the first time I've talked about this, I've only shared it with Janette and two or three other pastors. I was in a Sunday School board meeting, I'm not going to go into details, but the pastor had told me he had my back, and during that meeting left me with my head sticking out to get cut off. In that moment I felt something leave me. The will to fight, the fire and passion for ministry. I had no desire to be there any more, but I had made a one year commitment and I had to stick it out for the teens and young adults I was serving.
That meeting changed me, and over the past year I've been trying to get back to where I was, I've been trying to get God in my eye again. I've been taking a leadership class, and in one of the podcasts I listened to Rev. Mark Driscoll said, "God cannot use you greatly, until you have been wounded deeply." I knew my time in Michigan had been a wound, but what I hadn't realized is that the wound had simply had a band aid placed over it, it hadn't been stitched up, and so it hadn't healed.
I'm in the process of pulling the band aid off, not just of that wound, but of all of them. I'm looking back at my life, at every wound I've ever been given, and writing them out. I'm writing about the lessons I learned from them, and the people who were beside me through the process helping me.
After the service I went to talk to Rev. Manley for a few minutes. I briefly shared what had happened just to hear his advice. He told me to look at that time as a blessing. I agree, I know I had to go to Michigan, God had things to teach me there. But my real question for Rev. Manley was how do I get back there? How do I get God back in my eye? That is honestly my only desire.
I've found when I seek advice I'm looking for something profound, answers that only older men with decades of ministry behind them can give me. Do you know what he said? He quoted part of my Hand or Face sermon to me! "Seek Him, seek the person of God. Seek Him through prayer and the word."
That's all there is to it, simply seek His face, seek the Person of God. I'm on a journey, a journey of healing, and a journey back to the very heart of God. I'm stitching up my wounds, looking at each one, taking the lesson from them, and then stitching them so they scar. Scars remind you of pain but they no longer hurt. Scars have a story, they have a lesson that was learned. And scars are a sign of healing. So let the healing begin, let the pain serve to make my heart compassionate for other ministers and people going through situations I've been through. Let the stories serve as encouragement and may the lessons help others avoid the painful experiences. May I proudly show off my scars and testify to what God has done in my life, may that testimony be an encouragement to others.
To get back to the heart of God, I'm going back to the beginning. Genesis 1 to Revelation 22. Searching the Scriptures for who God is, looking for His character, for His person. Getting back to prayer, real prayer. Heart felt surrender and desperation, a little boy curled up in his Daddy's lap.
I don't know how long this journey will take, all I know is that at the end God will have made me the man he created me to be. At the end of the journey, God will be all I see.
I invite you to join me. Look at your wounds and stitch them up. Dive into the Scriptures with me, and let's learn the character of God together. Whose up for the adventure of a life time?
As Paul said in Philippians 3.13-14, "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Let's go!
Peace be with you
Friday, June 3, 2011
Contentment
Yesterday was day 24 in 1 Timothy. I've revised it a little so really it was day 30, I forgot to include my initial overview reading. The section I studied was 1 Timothy 6.6-8, "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content." Again, I must share what I found in William Barclay's insights.
What is contentment according to the Bible? The Greek word is autarkeia (ow-tar-kia). This word is free of all outward things. It is free of possessions. It is the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the things we own, the junk we acquire, but from the attitude we live with.
Possessions don't have the power to make us happy. There is nothing I own that cheers me up when I've had a rough day. But do you know what does? Time with Janette. Time with one of my brothers. Time with people I love. The key to happiness is in relationships.
Happiness comes from friendship and love. These things come from people, not stuff. It comes from things that last. Our focus needs to be on things that are permanent.
Barclay says that there are only two things we can take before God, ourselves, and the relationship we have with Him. That relationship with God that Jesus Christ made possible through His death and resurrection, is the greatest of all the personal relationships we could have. Again, thank you Mr. Barclay for your insights.
Contentment lies in knowing that I am loved by God. It comes from knowing that nothing can separate me from His love, Romans 8.38-39. It comes from realizing that the God who spoke creation into existence knows my name, and not only knows my name, but He desires a personal relationship with me (Galatians 4.9, John 3.16-17). That is a big deal.
Why would I not be content in that? Why do I let temporary things get in the way? Why do I focus on things that don't matter at all?
May all of us find true contentment and happiness in the permanent things of life. May our time be invested into relationships that will last a lifetime. May our lives be spent in relationship with the One who designed relationships and made the ultimate relationship possible.
Peace be with you
What is contentment according to the Bible? The Greek word is autarkeia (ow-tar-kia). This word is free of all outward things. It is free of possessions. It is the secret of happiness within itself. Contentment never comes from the things we own, the junk we acquire, but from the attitude we live with.
Possessions don't have the power to make us happy. There is nothing I own that cheers me up when I've had a rough day. But do you know what does? Time with Janette. Time with one of my brothers. Time with people I love. The key to happiness is in relationships.
Happiness comes from friendship and love. These things come from people, not stuff. It comes from things that last. Our focus needs to be on things that are permanent.
Barclay says that there are only two things we can take before God, ourselves, and the relationship we have with Him. That relationship with God that Jesus Christ made possible through His death and resurrection, is the greatest of all the personal relationships we could have. Again, thank you Mr. Barclay for your insights.
Contentment lies in knowing that I am loved by God. It comes from knowing that nothing can separate me from His love, Romans 8.38-39. It comes from realizing that the God who spoke creation into existence knows my name, and not only knows my name, but He desires a personal relationship with me (Galatians 4.9, John 3.16-17). That is a big deal.
Why would I not be content in that? Why do I let temporary things get in the way? Why do I focus on things that don't matter at all?
May all of us find true contentment and happiness in the permanent things of life. May our time be invested into relationships that will last a lifetime. May our lives be spent in relationship with the One who designed relationships and made the ultimate relationship possible.
Peace be with you
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