The Puzzle, December 1, 2008
Living with Him, Now
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in
the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!
Psalm 84 (ESV)
Ever try to make yourself fall in love with somebody? It’s an exercise in futility! Emotions aren’t bossed around like that. However, certain actions greatly assist in prodding our feelings. This psalm is about being in love with God, delighting in His presence, in serving Him, worshiping Him. How do we get there?
First of all, we have to want to be close to God. This may represent a startling change of attitude. Instead of God-avoidance, we’ll seek fellowship with Him. We will allow ourselves the freedom to delight in a relationship with God, to get lost in it without embarrassment—the precise things which often accompany love relationships between humans, complete with goofy smiles and unabashed commitment. (Think wedding-day kind of willingness to identify with the other. How much of that have you seen expressed toward God, lately?)
What are the things we do to get there? Sounds like fun!
I don’t see this being a list of “guarantees,” since love doesn’t work like a cake mix, where you just pour in the ingredients and voila, there you have it, but the promises and feelings mentioned in Psalm 84 are enticing—and they’re for us.
Here’s the simple list:
*Singing for joy to the living God. Singing God’s praise (uninhibited worship).
*Dwelling in your house. (Meeting with other believers whether we feel like it or not).
*Finding strength in God. Accepting and relying on His help.
*Praying.
*Confessing our commitment. It’s powerful to say it, just like at a wedding.
*Walking uprightly.
*Trusting in God.
If we do those things, we are going to find ourselves drawing nearer to God. We’ll realize a sweeter relationship with Him. One day every knee will bow before the LORD. We are those who bow, now. We are those who live in love with God. We delight in Him, rely on His strength, trust Him in good times and bad. We will live with Him forever; we are living with Him, now.
The Puzzle, December 2, 2008
The Spiritual Transformation of America
Twelve years ago, John Bishop sent a letter to every pastor in Clark County, offering the services of his evangelism team, composed of a few families. He got no takers. Eventually, he was invited to do a meeting, gave an invitation, and the only person who responded was his own grandfather. The original plan of having a traveling evangelism team was altered, and without even trying, Living Hope Church was born. In the past twelve years, the church has grown from less than a dozen people to over 5,000. They have baptized about that same number. One of the things which most intrigues me about this church is the absence of a “church growth” mentality—and the tight focus on just one thing: Reaching people for Christ. Living Hope basically has no plans, but a big goal—“We’ll do whatever it takes to win one more person for Jesus.”
I wish there were more churches like Living Hope, in America. I wish I had taken a narrower approach to ministry as a pastor, found a God-given focus and devoted most of my time to that, instead of spending so much time in program maintenance, and having so many plans without enough time or resources to get them off the ground.
Four years ago, following much prayer, I felt God calling me to leave the pastorate to venture out on an unknown path where the goal was “the spiritual transformation of America.” The idea I thought would help launch something important was much like John Bishop’s original plan: Contact church leaders and offer to help them with some kind of program of spiritual transformation, kind of a rotating “40 Days of Purpose.” Like John, I was disappointed to find I was willing to scratch an itch that wasn’t there. My pastor friends offered love, prayers and sympathy, but my plan just didn’t fit with any of theirs, and even God didn’t seem too keen on the idea. Since I had already resigned my eleven-year pastorate, it wasn’t like there was a way back, either, nor had I gotten it wrong about God wanting me to resign. The question was, “Now, what?”
After a month focused on prayer and fasting, the ministry of Servant Connection was born. Up until this past weekend, I didn’t know the parallel story about John Bishop’s “failed” attempt at transforming Clark County, which ultimately led to the formation of a church which is doing it—or at least leaving a mark. I found it quite encouraging! And the past four years have been strange, enjoyable and productive in ways I could not have anticipated before making the “leap.” It wasn’t how I planned it, but it was the right thing to do.
Part of the ministry of Servant Connection has been about focus—trying to simplify life to just one goal, instead of numerous ones. When I was led to resign from my position as senior pastor, it was not to leave ministry, but to focus it on one thing: The spiritual transformation of America. That vision still sounds hopelessly grandiose to me, four years later, but seeing what’s happened through Living Hope when the vision is the only thing on the agenda has been an inspiration.
For years and years, I have prayed, along with others, for the spiritual transformation of America. We have often not been very specific in our terms, assuming there’s not much difference between “transformation,” “revival,” and “awakening”—we just want something to happen!
The reason I’ve chosen to focus on “transformation,” as opposed to another term, has more to do with what I don’t want than what I do.
For instance, I’m all for revival—if what we mean by that is coming back to Jesus as our first love, being renewed and revived in our spirits so we’re on fire for God. If revival means a positive spiritual change in people’s lives, bring it on! However, if revival means we’re going back to how it was years ago, some of that stuff I don’t want to be revived! Better off to let it stay dead and in the past! Some of it was great for its time—and completely ineffective and irrelevant, now.
“Awakening” is another label on the wish list. “Let’s have another “Great Awakening, God!” Heaven knows this country needs to be spiritually awakened, but The Great Awakening only lasted a few years; we have at least two generations which are in need of awakening, and staying awake for the rest of their lives! “Awakening’s” don’t tend to last long enough. The culture nods off to sleep, again.
“Transformation” is different. Whether it means a first-time awakening or a re-awakening/revival of something forgotten or dormant, transformation means the person (and the culture) is changed. Think metamorphosis—from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. The butterfly won’t last forever, but he’ll never again be a caterpillar. Many revivals have left cultures acting like butterflies for a season, then reverting back to fuzzy worm status, afterward. If the transformation is temporary, it’s not really transformation. Transformation means we come through a process of change, and we are never the same, again. That’s what America needs! America needs people to turn toward Jesus, let Him absolutely change them, and never go back to the old life or the old way of thinking. It can happen, it can happen on a scale beyond our imagination, and it’s what God wants for our country. It probably won’t happen according to our original plan, or on any human timetable. It’s certainly not a program someone can pull off. But man, what a good target it makes! It beats firing into the air. Focus. Aim at what God wants. Don’t stop.
December 3, 2008
God Wants Me to Be Happy
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)
We’ve heard it so many times, haven’t we? “God wants me to be happy.” This phantom principle found “in the Good Book, somewhere” has been uttered so many millions of times as Gospel truth that if mere repetition made it true, we’d find it on practically every page of the Bible. Instead,... well, you’re welcome to look, but it’s not there, at least not as it’s usually interpreted.
A frequent application of the sentiment “God wants me to be happy” is Part A of a two-part rationalization resulting in sin, divorce, criminal activity, etc. It goes like this: “God wants me to be happy—and I’m not happy in this (marriage, church, job, house, car, financial situation), so therefore, God wants me to have a new (spouse, church, job, house, car, financial situation),” regardless of whether this breaks any of His other rules (which do happen to be in the Bible).
It’s a pretty vicious cycle, and it’s guaranteed to not end in happiness for anyone, with the possible exception of divorce attorneys. And once again, God often takes the rap for “disappointing” His poor little earthlings who are not feeling so chipper, which could never be His plan for us, could it? “God, I thought you wanted me to be happy!”
Instead of happiness, God seems to focus on “joy,” a related, yet distinct, concept. Joy does seem to be in God’s plan for us, as per verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:16–“Rejoice always,” but we must understand that rejoicing is a choice and an action of the will; happiness an emotion. A key difference is that we may force ourselves to rejoice, but trying to force ourselves to be happy? No.
The connection of happiness to circumstances leaves us always vulnerable to the next event; even when we have experienced circumstances which make us feel happy, the loss or diminishment of that circumstance threatens to steal our happiness away at any moment. Happiness is a fragile, usually short-lived deal. Joy is different. That’s because joy is a choice.
Listen to what the prophet Habakkuk states at the end of his book. One gets the feeling he’s not delving into gloomy hypotheses when he talks about empty cattle stalls and crop-less fields, but talking cold reality. In light of our recent economic free fall, we may be looking at less retirement income, or even the loss of many jobs, homes and businesses, but most of us are a long, long way from the situation Habakkuk describes. We’re eating out less; Habakkuk was talking about not having anything to eat, with no relief in sight.
What was his response? Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Get it? Rejoicing is an option in the worst of situations, because it’s an action. Happiness isn’t even in the picture. We can have joy whenever we choose; happiness is fickle and fleeting.
The idea that “God wants me to be happy” is a myth. He does want me to be joyful, though. Happiness is a fragile emotion. Joy is like four-wheel drive. Joy is a choice we get to make while the circumstances are lousy and getting worse. God loves us too much to want us to be happy (especially if we’re pursuing a course which leads to death!). God wants us to be joyful. Sometimes we’re happy, too, but that can be taken away. Joy can’t.
The same OT prophet who wrote about rejoicing in an empty barn made a statement which would be quoted three times in the New Testament: the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab 2:4). Suppose that still applies? You bet!
How does it fit in with our times?
We are going through an episode in our history where fear is a factor. The peaceful person stands out. One who praises God in an empty pantry can’t help but be noticed. I don’t know if this economic situation is God’s way of getting our attention and blowing away a few idols, but it seems to be working for some. And just like when we intervene to alter the behavior of our children and they ask, “How much longer are you going to make me go through this?” and we respond, “Until you change your behavior and your attitude,” perhaps that’s what God is allowing to happen for the good of America. “How long will this economic crisis last?” “Until you change your behavior and your attitude.”
I’ll bet if we chose joy, and lived by our faith, it would be shorter—or at least seem like it. God wants me to be joyful.
The Puzzle, December 4, 2008
Give (His) Peace a Chance
What a great little verse! Though it was a couple years ago that I marked it in my Bible, it seems even more appropriate today than it did, then. People of all ages are care-worn, these days. “When the cares of my heart are many–" that would describe so many people, today!
Fewer are the folks we can find who seem cheerful, in spite of gloomy circumstances and persistent pressures. This is the time when the light in Christians is supposed to shine, right? Here’s the moment to show that this “faith” we like to talk about is something real, not wishful thinking. One of the very best signs of its reality is the presence of genuine peace, in less than peaceful circumstances. This is the peace which comes from God, a peace Jesus said cannot be taken away from us. It’s ours to have, if we choose to focus on it rather than our problems.
When is America going to look to God? The economic crunch has people’s attention, but I haven’t seen any real heart change, yet. I hope that follows. I’m probably more concerned with the reaction of Christians than I am of the reactions of non-believers. Some Christians seem to be very burdened with things like the economy, the election results, etc.; I’m not seeing so many cheerful souls. I know we need to be careful; bereavement brings grief, no matter what, and the loss of a home, job or business is not exactly cause for glee, so I’m not suggesting some stoic denial of emotion that paints a fake happy face on every situation. I’m just looking for more evidence that God’s people are turning to face Him, and receiving in return His consolation and peace.
The people who take that approach really stand out! I talked to one, just today. He is one of the best examples of grace under pressure I know. Facing the first holiday season without his dear wife of over 50 years, the grief is fresh and real, but overcome by grace. Several years prior to her passing, his wife had experienced a stroke which left a beautiful, articulate woman unable to express herself beyond a few short phrases. This man kept his eyes on Jesus, and continued to treat his sweet lady like the queen of the world, although he had to do virtually everything for her. When he lovingly brought his quiet companion into the sanctuary on Sundays, it had a way of silencing every complaining spirit. A powerful, powerful message was conveyed without a single word. We were all immediately without excuses for any resentful, selfish behavior toward our own spouse.
When it came to “cares of the heart,” this man had plenty, and still does! What I saw in him, though, was someone willing to accept consolation from God. He kept going, kept trusting the Lord, and he is going to make it. He didn’t succumb to the pressure. He kept looking to God. The Church in America needs to do that. We all need to do that.
We are not immune to the cares of this world simply because we are Christians, notwithstanding the theology spouted into various television cameras. Jesus actually promised we would have trouble! (Jn 16:33) In that same verse, He told us to “take heart. I have overcome the world.”
So, our distinction is not the trouble-free existence we get to have here on earth; what sets us apart is the consolation we receive (and accept) from a loving Heavenly Father. Although His love is available for everyone, most limp through life without it. Those who don’t have a relationship with the Lord need to see this comfort in action, not in sentimental info-mercials, but in real-life situations. If we cling to our crisis and worry our way through things just like the world does, the testimony of God’s great comfort never becomes visible. It’s up to us to let go of our worry, and receive the consolation of God. That means we allow Him to cheer up our soul, in His time and in His way. The alternative might seem more sensible at times, since cheerfulness can easily be mistaken for irresponsibility or callousness, but peace is a chance we ought to take, anyway. The way we react when troubles pile up should be a demonstration to the world which makes them long to be held by a God like that!
Troubles are nothing new. Meanwhile, there isn’t anything like the consolation of God. Give (His) peace a chance.
The Puzzle, December 5, 2008
What the Heathen Ought to Hear
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!...”
Psalm 96:1-10 (ESV)
Why is it a big deal to declare God’s praises to others? Because so many haven’t heard. They don’t know He is good. Some live in nations where religious freedom is unknown. Many, even in freer countries, have only heard a distorted version of what God is like. A lot of people have seen very poor examples of Christians, and assumed they were all alike. What the heathen need to hear is that there is a true and living God, who is good. The very best way for them to hear that is for them to overhear it, coming through the mouths of candid Christians openly speaking of the greatness of God when they don’t even realize anyone else is listening. When it’s like that, the heathen know it’s not a canned, Christian stump speech geared toward gaining their spiritual scalp for a trophy case; when there’s no target in sight but still they talk about God’s grace and goodness, they must really believe this stuff. Better yet is the Christian overheard thanking God, when he thinks he’s alone. That’s a tough one for skeptics to explain.
Daily praise ought to be a normal part of our walk with God. Not just ritual (sing a “new” song), but imaginative praise. The declaration of God’s glory is a key part of our mission on earth. He wants us to declare His praises among the nations.
The Church needs to focus on Jesus. If there’s something He wants us to do, He’ll let us know that. It seems we’re so fixated on our plans and programs that there is precious little true worship going on. Even when we’re doing what we call “worship,” often it’s just musicians doing their thing. A certain atmosphere is substituted for a condition of the heart, and we call it good. The nations are not being led to believe God is great by our “worship.” It’s nice, and I think it’s usually sincere, but so often the focus is not truly on the greatness of God, but on the skills of the musicians or the capacities of the sound equipment! It’s really, really sad. The peoples of the world need to witness something more powerful than that. What would it be?
Sing to the Lord a new song. Ritual is fine, and so are old, familiar hymns and choruses, but we need to apply some creativity to our worship, in order to keep it worship. Otherwise, it’s just plodding along in our comfort zone even while we’re “zoned out,” since it no longer requires any thought to go through the rituals or sing the old songs. “New” demands our attention.
Declare His glory among the nations. How many people are cheerleading for God, these days? Particularly, how many people are cheering for Jesus? We need to “ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.” We need to “bring an offering and come into His courts” with praise, not griping. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to write down God’s exploits in our lives in a kind of catalog form, then share them with others? We could write up a little family psalm and memorize it.
There are lots of ways to get the word out. He is good, He is the Creator, judgment and salvation are His. That’s what the heathen need to hear, and every believer is a chosen messenger of God. This is not a message we can just outsource to a few missionaries and preachers to take care of it for us. It’s God’s will that all of His people would “tell of his salvation from day to day.” Not gifted in evangelism? Me, neither. But all of us can at least tell Him! Sometimes, that’s the most effective way, anyway.
The Puzzle, December 8, 2008
From Top to Bottom
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7 (ESV)
It was a long way down, I’m sure. This little statement has amazed me, as I’ve contemplated what it meant to these men and their families: “and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” Talk about a career-killing move! This decision had to have been very costly, in every way. When your whole life is based on your identity as a priest, to suddenly set that aside in order to quietly go to the bottom of society’s ladder indicated the deepest sort of commitment.
Following Jesus wasn’t quite so hard for those who had nothing to begin with. Their status couldn’t help but rise! After all, this was a new fellowship full of life and miracles, where even a slave could be somebody. For others, it was very different. It meant laying aside wealth, prestige, even employment and ultimately life itself, in order to join with people from every segment of society in service to a Savior crucified as a criminal. People who had spent their lives climbing and striving to stay at the top of the ladder were now relinquishing everything they’d worked for, just to follow Jesus. It was inspiring. Not just a few priests were making the trip down the ladder.
It’s interesting to note that the Early Church neither shunned these new converts, nor provided them with authority based on their superior scriptural knowledge and experience in leading religious organizations. They seem to have gotten in line along with everybody else. In this new Church, there was no ladder to climb, anyway! One of the tremendous strengths of the Early Church was that there was no true leader but Christ; there was only the Lord and those serving Him, without man-made positions needing to be filled. And, since basically no one was paid for “ministry,” each was allowed to utilize the gifts God had granted him without also needing to worry about responsibilities or authority for which he was ill-suited. We’re quite a few centuries removed from this set-up, but the way it was looks, to me, better all the time.
That was one of many reasons I felt led to resign from a 23-year career in pastoral ministry, four years ago this week. Anyone who cared about us wanted to know what it was that I was going to do, and how this could possibly be God’s will. After all, who ever heard of being called out of pastoral ministry? The leading was just as clear, though, as the original call to preach had been–unmistakable. It would have been nice to at least have had an income plan to share with loved ones, but it became clear that this was to be a faith venture, which meant “sight” was limited to the next step of obedience, and not much more. We jumped, but not blindly. It was at the leading of Jesus. I assured people He would provide for us—I just didn’t know how, yet.
It has been a different kind of experience, one that makes me very sympathetic to the situation of first-century priests who dared to choose Christ over their career. God has provided, as I believed He would. I can also tell you that it’s more demanding to freely minister to whomever God brings into your life and pray in provision for each monthly bill, than it is to be obligated to a specific group of folks who supply you with a paycheck every two weeks. I’m definitely not saying that pastoring for pay is wrong; what I am saying is that, if you’re called to do it this way, the freedom to use your gifts in ministry and follow only the leading of the Lord without also needing to satisfy the expectations of others is a gratifying experience! (Warning: They quit giving you paychecks after you resign. And don’t expect people to give you money just for serving Jesus—that’s what they’re supposed to be doing, too. Anything you get after you resign can well be considered a gift from God, because that’s what it is. Nobody owes you anything, just for using your spiritual gifts, but often, God will direct kind-hearted servants to help supply your needs. It does wonders for the level of gratitude one feels!)
Well, now it’s been four years. We haven’t starved or even come close; we haven’t lost the house, even in this economy. The disciples didn’t have medical insurance, either. As thousands of Americans, Christian and otherwise, fall off a financial ladder they’ve worked hard to climb, and have no choice but to rely on something different than that to which they’re accustomed, take it from someone who jumped off the ladder several years ago, at God’s urging. It’s not bad at all at the bottom of the ladder! Whether you jumped like I did, or you got pushed, the best plan I can come up with is this: Trust God, and serve Him. Don’t be lazy, but don’t be faithless, either. Ask Him to show you exactly what He wants you to do, then do it. Leave the results up to Him. And one nice thing about getting to the bottom of the ladder: No more worry about falling. (More, tomorrow).
The Puzzle, December 9, 2008
In Need of New Wineskins
Acts 6:7 (ESV)
We are in need of the kind of boldness demonstrated by those first-century priests. Are you willing to go wherever God is taking you, or have you placed a bunch of limits on your obedience to Him? What will these new days mean, to you?
These are days of change for the Church. I’m convinced I’m not the only pastor God will ask to resign from the pastorate, while continuing to engage in ministry. I can see God directing many more pastors to be bi-vocational. But I don’t think God plans to ignore the established, traditional church or leave it without leadership. Many will be assured their place is to continue what they’ve been doing, ministering to the best of their ability within existing structures.
Here’s a difficult one, particularly for those the established church structure fits like a glove: Some folks are going to be called out of their churches in order to enter ministry at a house-church level. It’s going to be hard to let those people go and believe this is God’s plan for them, especially if that’s not God’s plan for you. Meanwhile, many will be called to stay in the traditional church. Part of the mission for them will be guarding against resentment toward those called to go. All of us will face change, whether we go or stay, as new paradigms of the Church force us to adapt, even if we stayed put.
Is the Church in America ready to mobilize? I don’t think we need some committee to try to control or “strategize” the thing, any more than the apostles needed someone to plan Pentecost. What we most need to do is LET GO. We have had a death grip on the Church for so long that the Church in America has passed out! The Church has for years been a battle zone, with fights over music styles, tongues, traditions, theology, personal preferences of all kinds. We haven’t had much energy left over to fight the devil. This has been according to his plan, I believe. We’re a little like America, pre-WWII, not mobilized and wanting to stay neutral. Pearl Harbor changed all that in a day. When the U.S. mobilized, it was a different country than it had been, prior to WW II. We’ve never really gone back.
We’re due for a mobilization of the Church in America. If the awakening was cultivated with strong relational ties between people, it would last a long time, like the Wesleyan Revival did, in the eighteenth century.
It all comes back to this, though: We’re not the Early Church, we’re the Church in the 21st century. We need to pray through about what God wants us to do, now, and we need to be alright with one another if God doesn’t lead everyone down the same path. We’re on the same team, but we need to be ready for new wineskins.
Another thing about wineskins (as if this teetotaler knew anything about wine): It’s new wine that shouldn’t be put in old wineskins—old skins are fine for old wine (I think). My application of that is that there is no need to try to take people who are fine with the established, traditional church and try to force them into new (and foreign) wineskins and want them to like it (they probably won’t). However, I think it’s going to be disastrous if we expect new people to the faith to not need new wineskins which can grow and change with them. To my thinking, this is much the same as it would have been, had the Early Church tried to Christianize the world and Judaize them at the same time (which is exactly what some tried to do). “Sure, you can be a Christian, so long as you obey the Torah and all the traditions, get yourself circumcised and go see the priest.” Fortunately, God sent Paul and others to break that up before it became part of the expectation of the Church.
How different is it, though, than the obstacles facing some today who would like to follow Jesus? “Good. So you want to be a Christian! You need to learn our church traditions and doctrines, you need to get yourself some church clothes, make sure you come to our meetings, learn to sit still through sermons, learn to give money and time to the church, learn the language of how we say things (and don’t talk like you used to), you might need to change political parties, and you definitely need to drop some bad habits, at least in public. Then you can be a Nazarene (Baptist, Charismatic, whatever...) Christian!” “I didn’t know following Jesus was so hard.” “Oh, it’s not. Salvation is a free gift—don’t ever forget that! But you want to fit in, so people will know you’re a real Christian, so it’s important that you be like us.”
We need to be the people who have grace wherever God places us, whether in established church settings or in something that we don’t even know how to describe. New wineskin people, old wineskin people (yet true to the Lord), people who are comfortable in whatever kind of skin they’re in–God can and will use us all to His glory. One thing we need to keep in mind, though. Whatever our view on the proper way to follow Christ in this century, we need to discipline ourselves to not fight against each other. We’re on the same team.
The Puzzle, December 10-12, 2008
Professional Christians
Acts 6:7 (ESV)
There are two treasured icons in the institutional church which seem, to me, to actually be limiting our impact on the world around us, rather than helping us: Church buildings and professional clergy.
I’m all for shelter, particularly on a nasty winter night in the Northwest, with record cold in the forecast. What bugs me is the proportion of the church’s income which ends up in real estate of one form or another, particularly when the effect of a church building is generally to quarantine a congregation of believers for two or three hours a week from a world which needs what they’ve got. The inefficiency often practiced of building separate spaces for each activity (sanctuary, fellowship hall or gym, educational classrooms) and surrounding the whole thing with a parking lot used once a week doesn’t help. What kind of business could pull this off? The Early Church couldn’t have, either. Fortunately, they had not been trained that in order for a church to grow, it must meet a litmus test of so many acres of land and just the right sort of building. They went from 120 to 3,000 in a day. Instead of adding on to the Upper Room, they left it. The action took place not in a church building (none existed for the first 300 years of the Early Church), but in the streets, the homes of believers and the public places like the temple in Jerusalem.
And who spoke the Good News of eternal life and salvation through a resurrected Jesus? Everyone who believed. Not only the apostles and those who had walked alongside Jesus, but people who had only come to faith in Christ days before. Two of the best preachers of the Word started out as table waiters. They just wouldn’t stop talking about Jesus. That’s why I think we are making a tragic mistake when we buy into the long-held tradition that reserves preaching for those who have been through extensive theological training, who are now “qualified” to talk about how good God is!
Don’t get me wrong. I love preachers, I am one, and the majority of my friends are pastors. They already have a tough job, and I have no desire to see it get tougher, or for them to be unemployed. But I want to see my nation turn to God again, and leaving the bulk of the ministry in the hands of a few trained professionals is not working!
It’s too much like professional football. Not just anybody can get on the field! You have to be one of the chosen. The rest are spectators who pay big bucks to sit and watch. That’s also Christianity in the 21st century. Get yourself a good reverend who can really preach, then build a nice building and pack it out, and please, please tithe so we can keep this ministry going! Ministry? With not enough exceptions, it’s a bunch of Christian fans listening to somebody they paid to talk about Jesus. When it’s over, no lives have been changed, but it’s important that the pastor does a good job talking about Him.
Football is a spectator sport. It’s about watching players compete, using a football, so it’s really centered on the performers, not the ball. If the goal was to put a pigskin in the end zone, there are more efficient ways to do it, such as loading the thing in a Hummer and just dropping it off under the pole thingy’s at the end. The goal of football is not about the ball at all; it’s about the players competing against one another. That’s why there are plenty of rules, one of them being that you can’t have too many people on the field.
If the goal of football was for people to “get footballs into the end zone,” and everybody could do it, you’d see people throwing footballs into the end zone, carrying them, kids carting loads of footballs in wheelbarrows, toddlers rolling them toward the goal posts. As sport, it wouldn’t be too inspirational to watch—more like watching a fish processing plant run—but there would soon be an enormous pile of footballs in each end zone, if that were the goal.
Let’s up the ante, at least in terms of the outcome. What if each football in the end zone meant something really important, like someone’s life being saved? Can you see a toddler doing an end zone dance, then going back for another one?
What if, instead of it being a boring conveyor line of football carrying drones, there was opposition, and rules to be followed? What if people of all ages and levels of ability could still get in on it? What if each person found the game represented a challenge requiring teamwork, and perfectly matched to their abilities? What if the only spectators were players who were resting, who would rejoin the game, later? What if?
Back to the Church. Right now, it’s too much like a football game, with the pastor and about ten others out on the field, and the crowd in the stands cheering or jeering, depending on how things are going. If they don’t go well for too long, the pastor will probably be looking for another team.
What if the whole Church was on the field? Every Christian, playing the position best suited to him. Opposition? It doesn’t take much imagination to guess where it’s coming from (not other churches). And the end zone represents one more soul in the Kingdom. The opponent’s end zone represents a soul lost forever in hell. The stakes are eternal, and the Head of the team is not some seminary graduate; it’s Jesus.
This is not like football, with eleven on the field and everyone else stuck in the stands or on the bench. In this game-for-keeps, the only ones not on the field with a position to play are those injured or in need of temporary rest.
It’s not really a game; it’s a war, but it’s not grim like war—with Jesus as the Head, it feels more like a game. He’s that good, and so is the feeling whenever we’re victorious. In this setup, everyone plays and all victories are shared.
Which of the two scenarios is more biblical, the one where the sacred few carry the load, then get replaced with others if they’re not cutting it, or the one where there’s a place for everybody, and it doesn’t all rest on a few?
It’s time to apologize, again. I don’t want to sow dis-satisfaction into anyone’s life. I don’t want to pile on the Church, when it seems we’re already carrying too much. I don’t want my pastor friends to find themselves unemployed and all of us standing out in the rain. I also want to see my nation find God, again, and they’re not doing it under our present plan! What part of the Church’s money does not go toward buildings, salaries and upkeep-type expenditures? Often, that’s where all of it is going. It’s quite rare to find a church which might spend as much as 10% on anything like outreach. It’s also rare to find a pastor with much time for evangelism. How could he, with the load of maintenance responsibilities he already carries? Those in modern ministry sometimes look with longing at the early apostles, who delegated administration and went back to “prayer and the ministry of the Word.” Must be nice! We forget the part about the lack of an apostolic benefit package. They didn’t starve, but then, neither did the Hellenistic widows in the Church.
Now that I’ve stirred the waters more than I wanted to...
I don’t know the answer. I really don’t. A lot of good has been done and is being done in the Church. A lot of it is happening in church buildings. Much of it is being accomplished by very committed, highly trained, multi-talented pastors. For those who believe God wants them to continue to function in this milieu of ministry, please do! Much has been accomplished. For others—you know who you are—are you willing to get in the game and be a disciple, not a spectator? Are you willing to carry the ball for Jesus, even if you’ve never been trained? How about if there’s no building, no title and no salary? How about if others get paid to do the exact same things you’re doing for nothing?
I have no easy answers to energize the institutional church or change it back to the clear focus and effectiveness of what we see in Acts. We’re a long way down the road, and institutions stink when it comes to reforming themselves. I’m hoping that what God does next in the U.S. will see new wineskins alongside old ones, with both doing well.
However it looks, I’m pretty sure God wants us all to get in the game. Institutional church? Fine. He’s used this setup for hundreds of years. It’s the tool under which most of us found Christ. New wineskin? Organic church? Fine, too. The Spirit will lead us to the place we need to be, if we’ll let Him. Refuse to be a spectator Christian, anymore. All of us are called to be disciples. And Jesus wants all of His followers out on the field.
So, what should we do?
Don’t do anything—unless you know you’re being directed by the Holy Spirit. What I mean is, if you are in the system of the established, institutional church, don’t go bailing out on it or using what I have said as an excuse to stop giving or going to the church. If you’re a pastor, don’t quit, unless you are absolutely sure that the same God who led you into ministry in the first place is now asking you to minister in a way new to you, which may be without salary. If God leads you this way, don’t be surprised if it takes a while to be sure—I prayed about it constantly for a year before I was sure this was the direction I was supposed to go. And it’s like jumping off a cliff—you’d better be sure before you leap, because it’s too late on the way down.
However, if you know this is the Lord leading you to take faith and discipleship to a new level, and for you it means stepping way out of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to follow Jesus. As long as you know it’s Him, and not just frustration or discontent, you can launch out in obedience even if it feels like you’re walking off a cliff, and know He will catch you. Don’t discard anything He has not instructed you to discard, but don’t assume anything, either. We really need the Spirit’s leading, when it comes to navigating these times. There’s only one Book we can pull off the shelf which will give us the answers, and that’s where we need to look! (Hint: We may not always be thrilled with what it tells us to do).
God has some amazing plans for us. Some of us will be called upon to find new ways through the wilderness, then come back to draw a map. Some of us will know without a doubt that God’s plan for us is to stay put, but to ward off envy and bitterness when our friends are not so led. There is a place for all of us on the field. Christianity is not a spectator sport, and it’s not just for professionals, though those (like the priests) with extra training and experience are valuable assets to the cause. We can trust God, totally—life, career, everything. He’ll catch you. Make sure it’s His voice, then obey. He’ll show you which wineskin is yours.
The Puzzle, December 15, 2008
Talking about Jesus ‘til it Kills Us
And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8 (ESV)
I heard an astonishing figure quoted by a pastor, yesterday. He mentioned that only 2% of churches in America were experiencing growth as a result of people coming to faith in Christ. I already knew that something like 80% of churches in America were flat-lined or declining. That means that even of the 1/5 of churches which seem to be growing, the growth is through transfer rather than conversion. Bottom line? 98% of all American churches are either flat-lined, declining, or experiencing growth through people coming from other churches. And some of us are whining about the inefficiency of the auto companies!
What’s everybody doing, anyway? Pastors are some of the busiest people I know. Church calendars are crammed with activities. Some of the nicest buildings you’ll ever see have crosses on the top. Some of the best music you’ll ever hear is inside. And the quality of preaching? It makes me wish our politicians could speak half as well as the average pastor. Those guys can communicate!
What in the world is wrong, then? How could so much time, effort, money and skill go together to make for such a losing situation? We’re even on God’s side! Aren’t we supposed to be winning? We’re not even breaking even!
It’s time to look into the Bible, at an infant Church experiencing tremendous growth, plus the beginning of severe persecution. Consider Stephen. The story of his short life is contained in Acts 6-7. The influence ripples from his life haven’t stopped yet, and never will.
When the Church was looking for people to serve tables, the instructions were to look for reputable men, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Stephen made the list. His responsibility was to wait tables. It didn’t even pay anything, but he got to eat. He seems to have used all his free time talking to people about Jesus. Even when they brought in the championship Hebrew debate squad, he manhandled them with Spirit-anointed words. The guy had enormous grace and power, and even did wonders and signs!
His thrashing of the local intellectuals earned him some enemies, who dragged him before the Sanhedrin, along with some false witnesses. When it came time for Stephen to deliver his defense, he started with Abraham and recited the entire history of Israel, in detail and from memory. When Stephen got to the part where he accused them to their faces of murdering Jesus, the sermon was interrupted in order to stone the messenger, but none would ever forget the face of an angel, the words of forgiveness echoing Jesus’ and the blood of the first Christian martyr.
Saul, especially, couldn’t forget it. He had held the coats of the stone throwers. He became so motivated to stamp out this new faith that he began a one-man vendetta against the Church that even led him to different cities when he started to run low on local Christians to persecute. Jesus intercepted him on the way (Acts 9) and the rest is history.
Back to Stephen.
Where did this incredible guy come from? Obviously, not all young Hebrews were like Stephen, but the system of training experienced in the synagogues had prepared him with a keen knowledge of spiritual history. Add Jesus, and you have an unbeatable, Spirit-filled witness. He already knew his scriptures.
I met a few (very few) young people on fire for God, who knew their Bible stories, when I was in college and seminary, but the bulk of the population, even then, had scanty knowledge and less ardor, when it came to the scriptures. Now, biblical illiteracy is at grotesque levels in all of society. Meanwhile, who is cranking out motivated young people who are familiar with their stuff and routinely expect to devote at least two years of their lives to propagating their message? That’s right. The Mormons. I don’t agree with their theology, but their methods are quite successful and their church is growing, despite the absence of clergy in their system. Could it be that it’s more effective to just turn everybody loose and expect any member to talk about their faith (and know what it is), rather than consigning the whole operation to the hands of a few paid professionals?
Which would make a bigger dent in a community? 80 highly-skilled, trained professional ministers who would shepherd 80 churches, or 800 disciples who occupied every conceivable position in society, who talked about Jesus every chance they got, roughly organized by maybe twenty highly skilled, trained professional ministers?
With the 80 ministers, we’d have stability, professionalism, good recordkeeping and, according to present statistics, no growth. With the 800, society would have nowhere to run without bumping into another Christian who couldn’t seem to get through the day without talking about Jesus, even if it killed them, which, if it did, would really shake things up!
We want the results they had in Acts, but...
The Puzzle, December 16, 2008
He’ll Get Back to Us
Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. Acts 7:30 (ESV)
Don’t you love the way that God can put our life on pause for forty years as casually as a TV program goes to a commercial break? Moses had fried his career as a prince in Egypt by trying to rescue a fellow Israelite, killing an abusive Egyptian slave driver. Now he had become Moses the fugitive. He had sprinted for Midian, found himself a new life, complete with family and a position in the sheep management industry, when God decided to get back to him via burning bush. Moses might well have asked, “Where have you been the last forty years, God?!”
God might have replied, “Getting you trained in how to live in the desert.”
About how many Hebrew slaves would have had any idea of what lay beyond the Red Sea, after 400 years of captivity? Only one knew the way through, and the ways of, the wilderness. Only one knew how things worked at Pharaoh’s palace. Only one had Israelite blood and palace upbringing.
It’s funny how God makes things work. How would God have gotten baby Moses into the household of Pharaoh, had it not been for the decree to kill the boy babies by throwing them into the Nile, a command Moses’ mother embellished by first placing him in a basket? Resourceful big sister Miriam found a wet nurse who looked a lot like Mom, for the princess’ new baby. So, instead of death, Moses gets to grow up as a prince in a palace, with his real mom being paid to take care of him? Smile. Yep, that’s God.
The Lord is able to pull together all the weird loose ends and make something incredible out of it, every time; the tough thing for most of us, though, is the time He takes to do it. We’re racing our motor, trying to get on with life, frantically clawing at the cell walls of the wilderness pit in which we find ourselves, and God walks off and leaves us! Four decades of slow learning, seasoning and sometimes despair gets us one verse: “Now when forty years had passed,...”
“Where were you, God?! What have you been doing for the past forty years, huh?”
“Waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me!”
“Waiting for me to what?”
“Get done.”
“Get done with what?”
“Never mind. You’ll see. Now, as I was saying forty years ago, this is what I have for you to do, now that you’re ready...”
I am easily frustrated by time. I’m frustrated by having to wait, especially needlessly; I’m frustrated when I can’t accomplish all my goals because there’s not enough time; I’m frustrated when I discover my time has been wasted. There are just a lot of ways I get frustrated, when it comes to time!
And then there’s God. “A thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). Why would the One who made time be frustrated by time? He isn’t. And one of the many, many lessons He has for His children is that we also would learn to not be (as) frustrated by it. Forty years? It might as well be forty seconds, to God. For us, it represents half a lifetime! Yet, for pursuits of great value, the time invested seems well worthwhile.
Our daughter is looking at a career in medicine, which will require another twelve years of preparation, on top of the thirteen she’s already put in to graduate from high school. Twenty-five years of school before she’s ready to be a pediatrician? That’s right. That’s how long it takes to get ready. But who do you want delivering your baby, someone who has spent twenty-five years, plus, in getting ready through education and experience, or someone totally unprepared?
God has big plans for all of us. Fortunately, not all of them require an extra decade or two of hitting the books, but some do. And I think all of them require time. Time to learn, time to get over things, time to mature, time to complete lessons... God’s not the One who needs time; it’s us. Some of His lessons are the forty-year variety, just like medical careers demand a hefty chunk of time. It would not be good for anyone if we simply forged a medical license in order to skip the schooling. First the training, then the license—that’s the proper order. It would not be good for any of us if God simply waived the qualifications and qualities only learned in the wilderness, so we could move forward with our dreams, sooner. Moses had a heart for his people way back when he was a young man, but had God turned his staff into the rod of God then, Moses would have only used it for killing Egyptians. Moses needed some schooling—about forty years worth. When he was done, God got back to him. So, rather than being frustrated at the necessity of preparation, it’s time for us all to thank God for the gift of time, and get back to the sheep, the books or the bricks. We’re preparing. When we’re done, God’ll get back to us.
The Puzzle, December 17, 2008
Puzzle Pieces
I thought this would be a good day to gather up some of the pieces of “The Puzzle” to see what we have, so far. Since this is a snow day with no school (a direct answer to my son’s prayer), it presents a good opportunity to assemble some of the “big picture.” These are some of the pieces I’m finding, when it comes to the “puzzle” of what we are to do, and where we fit:
DAILY
Sure, it’s nice to be able to relegate church to weekends, leaving the rest of the week free to pursue our many other obligations. It’s also what keeps our spiritual lives from building up any steam; even if Sunday is great, we’re pretty well cooled off long before the week is over. Every revival of which I know has been a daily thing, with people focused on spiritual things every day of the week. That’s also the way it was in the Early Church.COMMITMENT TO CHRIST JESUS
The consumer mentality found in much of Christendom in America must be odious to God. Christianity is supposed to be about following Christ (which He repeatedly stressed meant picking up a cross, leaving behind the old life, etc.), instead of being jaded spectators at whichever church offered the best deal. There are some doors we are needing to go through before we’ll ever experience anything like spiritual transformation, either personally or corporately—doors like humility, repentance and commitment. “Church growth” is not the answer, unless it is the natural offshoot of people turning away from their old life in order to follow Christ, totally.COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER
Here is a key weakness in American Church culture: Lack of commitment to one another. Even a commitment to Jesus is looked at in some church settings as sort of optional. Lack of accountability to anyone leaves many churchgoing folks immature, floundering and friendless, even after years of attendance. Why would we consider this normal? They didn’t in Acts. They had watched Jesus’ lips move when He commissioned them to go and make disciples; they knew He wasn’t talking about just “converts” who would mumble a sinner’s prayer, then go back to their old lives. From experience, they knew that making disciples requires time and relationship. That’s what they were willing to invest in each other and in a lost world. (It worked). Will we do the same?I would have to say, at this point, these are the top three pieces I’ve found, in trying to figure out where we fit and what to do, in these times. I know it seems elementary—just a little twelve-word statement—but when I realize how far much of the Church is from living out that ideal, and how much of an impact it would have if we just gave it our best,.... Here it is, again:
Lord, help us.
The Puzzle, December 18-19, 2008
Fastforward
An oft-used technique in books and film is time travel. People are jerked backwards, forwards or back-and-forth, as they experience life in time periods not their own. The effect is usually interesting, and sometimes informative. Today, I’d like to apply it to the Early Church. What would those guys do if about thirty of them were suddenly whisked forward from 40 A.D. to our time and our city? To make things easier, I’m giving them the advantage (Since it’s my world, I get to make the rules) of retaining all their knowledge from the First Century, and somehow also being pretty thoroughly acquainted with things 2008, including the technology, the language, how to drive a car, etc., etc. (Think “Touched by an Angel”—they fit right in.)
So, they’re all right here in my city, thirty of them, a cross-section of the Church in Acts, both men and women, everything from slaves to apostles. What are they going to do?
The reason I brought them here is I wanted to see what they would do. I figure I can learn from them, even if the whole thing is definitely imaginary. And since a person’s track record is considered about the most reliable piece of information when it comes to things like whether you should hire someone, I think it would be a pretty good predictor of what they would do, even if they suddenly found themselves a couple thousand spaces ahead on the game board.
What would they do?
These are people on a mission, and they operate by prayer. Some of these folks would have seen Jesus ascend into heaven. You might say their faith is strong! They have not forgotten His final instructions to them, the thing about going and making disciples of all nations. They would assume they were here in America (the end of the earth, to them) in order to make disciples. They would be right. Their number one goal in life would be to make disciples for Jesus. Mostly, it would be one at a time, but their idea of a disciple would be on a very high plane, by American standards. The end result of their discipling efforts would be a person with Christlike character, also devoted to disciple-making.
These First Century transplants would focus on the harvest, to the exclusion of nearly everything else. They would waste very little time in pursuits without eternal consequences, and focus on rescuing souls from hell.
They would operate by prayer. Their decisions would be made mostly by consensus, and always through prayer. The assumption would be that Jesus, the Head of the Church, would have clear instructions for them, meant to be followed. The only time they would make plans and strategies would be when they were instructed to do so by the Holy Spirit.
They would stick together. I’m not talking about a monastic existence of people huddled together, wishing they could be back in their own world. By sticking together, I mean they would keep in relationship with one another on an almost-daily basis. Even though I picture them scattered throughout the community, and at times, the world, there would be a strong bond of mutual commitment, as well as a gentle understanding between them. I would see them using technology to keep abreast of one another on a daily basis, as well as frequent gatherings for worship and mutual edification. I picture the whole group getting together, probably once a week, and smaller groups gathering throughout the week, according to their schedules and needs. When meeting, each of these subgroups would not stop at surface relationships, but pursue all of life together. This is where a good deal of the discipling would go on, particularly in the very small groups of two or three friends who would spend much time together.
They would pay special attention to their children. They would instinctively realize the dangers of this society, when it comes to attitudes and values, and the undertow it represents. These folks would be willing to take whatever actions they thought necessary, to see that their children were not kidnaped by the culture. This would include homeschooling for some, putting tight restraints on technology and other influences, and allowing some children who were strong in their faith to function as missionaries in the midst of the secular system. Most of all, they would study the hearts of their individual children, learning what worked best with that particular child, building a strong parent/child relationship. I see the children of this group growing up noticeably different from others, and very strong.
I think this group would tiptoe around the established, institutional church. I think we’d see them worshiping at various churches, but almost always quiet and in the background. I could see a few being like liaisons to the institutional church, comfortable in both worlds. I think mostly the Early Church people would do their own thing, staying focused on their mission of evangelistic discipleship. If the opportunity was right to guide one of their converts toward the institutional church, they would, but their focus would be ultimately on whatever was the best for the convert, which, in most cases would be to draw them into their small group and disciple them there, or one-on-one.
The Early Church’ers wouldn’t pick a fight with the Establishment churches, but neither would they join with them, for a number of reasons. I think they would let those who function by that system continue to do whatever they believed God wanted them to do, without judgment. I just don’t see these people being led by the Holy Spirit to buy into a church culture so distracted by so many things, and so disinterested in evangelism. They would just tiptoe around it and do what God had given them to do, which was make disciples for Jesus.
They would utilize the tools at hand with supernatural creativity and effectiveness, yet continue to rely on prayer, not technology. I look with wonder at the pages of Acts, and what these “pre-everything” people accomplished; now, give them the internet! Let them have access to tools which enable them to communicate with the world in seconds, travel to anywhere on the globe in comfort, write down words on a web page which the entire world could see and understand, simultaneously and at no cost!... It goes on and on. Put these marvelous tools and all the others into the hands of thirty people who don’t care much about anything except evangelizing!... The Great Commission could be carried out in a matter of days! As they prayed fervently about how to get the message out, the Holy Spirit would grant them supernatural creativity and effectiveness.
I wish these guys would hurry up and get here! The Early Christians could make quite a difference, and all they’d have to do is more of what they’ve already done. But wait. Does it need to be them? They already did their thing, after all. And with very few exceptions, these were some of the most ordinary people you’d ever find. No, the difference was their faith in Jesus, and the resulting presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
What do they have that we don’t have?
“Some of them got to see Jesus.”
Yes, that’s right. But not all of them. We believe in the same Jesus. And when we put our trust in Him, we receive the exact same Holy Spirit they did. We have exactly the same Commission they had—to make Christlike disciples in the nations.
Man, what are we waiting for?!
The Puzzle, December 24, 2008
The Promise
And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38 (ESV)
Mary’s ready acceptance of the angel’s startling pronouncement that she, a virgin, would become mother of the Messiah, ranks among the greatest expressions of faith in the world’s history. Not only did she believe God; she embraced the promise. Put those two things together, and you have all the makings of a miracle.
God loves to make promises, and He always keeps them. When He approaches us with one of His promises, there are two things He wants from us: Our belief, and our obedience. If our response to His promise is skepticism, disbelief or disqualifying ourselves, our rejection of the promise is not always enough to negate or lose the blessing intended for us, but there is usually a negative consequence to our disbelief—ask Zechariah, who couldn’t speak until the angel’s prediction of a miracle baby had been fulfilled. They both got the promised sons, but Mary wrote a stunningly beautiful praise poem to God before Jesus was born, while Zechariah had a rougher time, waiting in silence for John (the Baptist) to be born (Luke 1). Believing makes a difference! Sometimes that’s all God requires of us.
Often, though, there is a second part: Obedience, linked to our belief in the promise. Joseph’s belief in the validity of the dream God gave him caused him to tear up the divorce papers and instead, take his pregnant fiancé home. The wise men followed the star. The shepherds went to Bethlehem and looked where the angel had told them to look. Joseph and the wise men fled properly and promptly, guided by divine dreams. Everything turned out splendidly at the first Christmas, because all the principle players believed God and obeyed His instructions. It’s a really simple plan, which really works! Believe Him. Obey Him. Simple. Very effective.
As I said, God does love to make promises, and He keeps them. It was December 19, a year after my wife and I had lost a set of triplets to premature birth, when God clearly spoke to my mind, promising me that we would have a son. It was an “out-of-the-blue” message, coming unexpectedly when I was dwelling on a different subject, that of a church board meeting which had not gone so well, the previous evening. As I was on my face before God in the church prayer room, voicing my complaints to God about the church situation, He gently took my attention off the church (“It’s not that big of a deal”), and gave me a simple, solid promise: “You’re going to have a son. This year.”
Although it was not an audible voice, the message to my mind was so strong, so clear, and so similar to previous leading’s from the Lord that I had no doubt. I wrote down the promise, word for word, in my prayer journal and went home to tell my wife. I believed. I had been praying that God would show us what to do, and now we had a plan, complete with the leading to pursue adoption if we weren’t pregnant by the end of spring. A few weeks after the promise, I bought a toy fire truck for the boy we were going to have. It sat on our dresser for a long time, awaiting the arrival of a child of promise. When he got here, it became one of his favorite toys.
Just yesterday, I re-told our son, now eleven, the story surrounding his birth, of not only the original promise, but the many other divine leading’s along the way to its fulfillment. There were so many answered prayers! They have continued to this day, for everyone involved. It has been one more amazing adventure of following and trusting God. It was December 19, two years after the promise, that I completed “Healer of Hearts,” the song I wrote for our son’s dedication. God loves to make promises, and He keeps them.
The God who formed this universe looked down upon a world which had gotten itself into trouble, took pity on us, and sent His only Son to save us. First, He promised. Then He made good on His promise. It’s what Christmas is all about.
What does God want of us? He wants us to trust Him enough to believe Him. He wants us to believe Him enough to obey. And He wants us to live with Him forever, with absolute faith in His goodness and faithfulness, wallowing in His love and in promises fulfilled. God is good. Don’t ever forget it. Gotta go play with my son.
The Puzzle, December 29, 2008
A Great Place to Start
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the LORD, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100 (ESV)
The heading of this psalm is “a psalm for giving thanks.” This is a pursuit not commonly seen in our present-day culture. Even Thanksgiving Day is frequently skipped over in favor of the more commercial Christmas celebration, or re-termed Turkey Day—after all, for what would we have cause to be thankful, and whom would we thank? Thus is the collective mindset of the U.S. in the final days of 2008.
Embedded among a nation of ingrates who seldom thank anyone for anything—and certainly not a God they neither know nor trust—are millions of Christians who are genuinely thankful for their many blessings. These folks know God is good. They know He is faithful. They live in His love. They revel in the coming of Jesus and anticipate His Second Coming. They are people of God. I’m in this group, and most probably, so are you if you’re reading this. However, it’s really easy for us to get lazy, when it comes to gratitude. That’s why things like a five-verse “psalm for giving thanks” are just the ticket. It reminds us that giving thanks is something we should do, and it’s a subtle reminder that we sometimes need a good place to start, that giving thanks is not just automatic.
There are some things we ought to purposely focus on, on a regular basis. Psalm 100 gives us a few of these key concepts:
God is good.
He is to be served.
He is to be praised.
We are His people, as in, we belong to Him.
God is faithful.
His love is steadfast.
We should be living in continual, open gratitude to Him.
There are only five verses in Psalm 100, but each line is tuned to help us live a life of thanksgiving. What would happen if a few million people in America purposefully adopted the mindset of Psalm 100? What if we took this little “psalm for giving thanks” and used it as a primer for setting up our attitude for the day? An attitude fashioned according to Psalm 100 would supercede economic travail and worries. It would overcome the undertow of a sarcastic society. Living out Psalm 100 would thrust us into a realm of God’s blessing where we would be impervious to the crippling crises which surround us all. It isn’t that we would be immune to troubles, were we simply to set our minds on praise; it is that we would overcome our troubles by focusing on a God who is faithful and good, and worthy of continuing praise.
A side result of large scale adoption of Psalm 100 as a guiding mindset would be that the world would marvel—and millions would believe and be saved. We could choose nearly any passage of scripture and just start to live it, day in and day out, and the world would be led toward Christ. Why don’t we just do it?
Here’s an attitude for life: Psalm 100. If we find one which seems to fit us more closely, that’s fine, too, but here’s a great place to start. We could be these people—the Psalm 100 people. We could lead the world in giving thanks. Who has more for which to thank God than America?
The mindset and lifestyle of Psalm 100 brings God’s blessings, even as it gives Him the honor due Him. It’s a great place to start. Giving thanks is always a good idea; sometimes, we just need a little help.
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