The Puzzle, February 1, 2010
The Path We Choose
Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
but the name of the wicked will rot.
The wise of heart will receive commandments,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,
but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
Proverbs 10:6-11
One of the recurring themes in Proverbs is the vast difference between the righteous and the wicked. The lines in our society are often blurred, but once in a while, there comes an individual so distinctively righteous (like Jesus) that even the worldly admire him, or so markedly wicked that even the worldly join in on the condemnation. For instance, I knew a good man whose given name was Adolph. He went by “Al.” Wonder why! Someone ruined what had, for generations, been a perfectly good name. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the name of the wicked will rot.
The contrast between the way of wickedness and the way of righteousness is stark. One way leads to unlimited blessings, peace and an untouchable spiritual security. If we choose the other path, the ultimate consequences are clear: We will be found out; we will come to ruin; people won’t even want our name.
Since one path heads toward the blessings of heaven, the other toward the pit, maybe we should investigate how to know the difference in paths before it’s too late.
The wise of heart will receive commandments. The wicked ignore the commandments and talk themselves to ruin. Righteous people are never that way by accident. Righteousness is not a result of doing, or intending to do, good works, but the result of humbly presenting ourselves before God, who proceeds to forgive us, clean us up and put us in a right relationship to Him as we submit. Meanwhile, sneaky, manipulative people cause trouble for all, especially themselves, but when righteous people speak, it’s like a fountain of life.
We get to choose our path. What will it be, integrity or manipulation? The stakes are high, the steps are daily, the consequences are eternal.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 2, 2010
A Godly Cover-up
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Proverbs 10:12
America needs to make a choice between love and hatred. Hatred will pretty much destroy us, one way or another. Love would save us. Love would counteract the various ills of our society and bring peace to people who have formerly despised one another. It’s not that we’re going to have a society where no one is ever offended; it’s that love covers all offenses. The offenses don’t matter that much, because love matters more. Hmm.
Somehow, Christians have ended up in the “hate” crowd, at least in terms of our public reputation. We are consistently portrayed as narrow-minded, arrogant and mean, and there are just enough Christians who fit that description to help it stick. Meanwhile, most of the bullies I see in the public realm are from the “tolerant” camp. Go figure.
So, we have a choice. We can either be part of the “hate” crowd, like some would say we already are, or we can choose to love—and in the process, cover over all the offenses caused by hatred. What is it Paul said? “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
How do we do that? We need to remember that it’s God’s kindness that leads people to repentance (Romans 2:4). On the subject of abortion, we care about unborn babies—that’s good. We care about the mothers, too. But do we really care about the people who rail against us and try to make life miserable for us if we don’t agree with them? That one’s harder, but wouldn’t love win out? Love covers all offenses. Where is a pro-choice person going to find sacrificial love? From pro-choice picketers? Unlikely! Where will a cult follower encounter real love? Within the cult? Not likely.
Maybe our job is not to relinquish the high ground on moral positions where the Bible is clear, but to maintain a spirit of love toward all, without allowing ourselves to slide into anything which comes across as hatred toward others. Offenses are everywhere, but love is the answer. Love is the cure for offenses. It’s also the cure for the PR problem the Church in America currently faces. A little bit of hatred goes a long ways! It stirs up more and more strife. It feeds on itself. Left alone, hatred will tear apart our nation. What we need is love. Not “tolerance,” as in indifference to sin, but a genuine, sacrificial love which ministers to those trapped in hatred. God’s kindness draws people; hatred drives them away. Love covers all offenses. It’s a godly kind of cover-up.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 3, 2010
A Tale of Two Systems
Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee. John 7:1-9
Jesus functioned according to God’s system, not man’s. His brothers insisted that going up to Jerusalem was the only thing which made sense, but Jesus was taking His orders from above, and nowhere else. Different systems.
Read through John 7 carefully, and you see two distinct, opposing systems in play. Jesus operates according to God’s system. That means it’s God’s plan. It’s God’s timing. The truth He proclaims is not something He made up, but God’s truth, direct from the Father. Under whose authority is Jesus operating? God’s. And when it’s all said and done, Jesus seeks the confirmation of only the Father.
Now, to the world’s system. The plan? Man’s plan, according to man’s knowledge and wisdom. The timing? Based on man’s knowledge and wishes. Knowledge? The only recognized knowledge is what comes from man. Ditto for authority. Approval? Only man’s approval counts.
Two entirely different systems operate in our world, and we get to choose. Under which operating system will we function, God’s or man’s? It’s one or the other, but it will not be both. Am I going to be on God’s timetable or mine? His agenda or mine? When I speak, will it be with His words or mine? Will I judge by what I see or will I seek deeper understanding through God?
If the Church would be willing to operate on God’s system, instead of desperately trying to both serve God and man, we would be Spirit-led. We would be immeasurably more effective than we are, now. It’s a thought.
We could be people led by the Spirit. We could operate according to His timetable. We could set aside our own ambitions, in order to pursue His. We could refuse to assume the world is right, even if “Everybody says...” We could ignore the leanings of the world, and lean into God. We could be led, not by worldly wisdom, but by God’s true wisdom. Jesus chose to live in absolute obedience to the Father, with world-changing results. Oh, and He later went to the Feast, but only in God’s time and under God’s orders. Different system. But His system works.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 4, 2010
Plans in the Trash
Thirteen 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 thirteen 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.
Five 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 a year ago, 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 five 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. Following Jesus is always the right thing to do, though our cleverly-devised strategies usually end up in the wastebasket. Our availability and obedience are more useful to Him than our plans.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 5, 2010
When Revival’s Not Enough
When I was led to resign from my position as a 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, five 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.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 8, 2010
A Tongue Out of Control
The wise lay up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
Proverbs 10:14
Tongue control is a difficult feat. It always has been. Why else would there be so many proverbs regarding the proper use of the tongue, and so many warnings about its misuse? If you want to know what direction someone’s life is heading, all you have to do is listen to them for a few minutes—their tongue is an accurate indicator. The righteous, disciplined, controlled tongue leads to life and lots of blessings; the foolish tongue is headed for disaster, usually with plenty of pain to show for it, already.
We must keep our tongues under control. If we don’t exercise discipline over our speech, we will suffer the consequences of an unrestrained, wicked tongue, and have only ourselves to blame.
Freedom of speech is like driving on a winding, mountain road. Along with the feeling of freedom and exhilaration, there’s also danger. We don’t release the steering wheel and let the car go wherever it wants—it’s really, really important to keep it between those lines on the road! While we need the freedom to steer the car, we need the control to stay in our lane and on the road.
An unrestrained tongue is like an unrestrained car on a mountain road. Disaster is certain! What kind of disaster? Let’s see. Here are just a few of the ill consequences of wicked speech and behavior listed in Proverbs 10: A rod for the back; transgression and sin; leading others astray; being labeled a fool; death by stupidity; having what you dread come upon you; being swept away by the storms of life; having a short life; dead dreams and unfulfilled expectations. Wow! Sounds like a great deal! All of this from just one out-of-control life, led by the tongue? Yup.
Then there’s God’s way, which is, of course, righteousness. Wisdom, especially in speech, brings: Life; riches without sorrow; God’s blessings; joy; a prolonged life; desires granted; getting to be a blessing to others; the pleasure of wisdom; an established, secure life, which will never be removed; the knowledge of God’s approval and acceptance. Oh, and yes, more wisdom—all you want.
Once again, the choice is before us. We can allow our tongue to roam free, and suffer the inevitable disastrous consequences, or pick the righteous route, control our tongue, and live to see another day, then another and another, all under the blessing of God. Hmm. I wonder which path I should choose!
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 9, 2010
Improv at the Judgment
Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool,
but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.
Proverbs 10:23
The mere mention of the word “sin” is supposed to produce laughs in America, these days, if you queried media executives and the like. Too often, it does. Instead of being upheld as noble, moral standards are mocked in movies and television shows. “‘Doing wrong’? What’s that? What do you mean by ‘wrong’? You must be kidding.” Solomon wrote, “Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool.” You mean making fun of sin is not the invention of late-night television comedians? I guess not. Fools have been at it for a very long time.
The problem is that fools don’t take sin seriously. The idea of consequences for “doing wrong” actually can strike them as funny. It’s just one more of Satan’s tricks to assure the unwitting that his path is the safe and pleasurable one, while God’s is restrictive, unpleasant and sometimes ridiculous. The more the devil can get people to laugh off sin, hell or his existence, the easier it is to herd them toward the Abyss, chuckling all the way. Never mind the faint cries from beyond the grave coming from the residents of places like Sodom and Gomorrah. They laughed off sin, too. No matter. We’ll be fine.
Wise men know differently. They understand not just the reality of God, but the importance of obedience to Him, and the consequences of doing otherwise. Sin is no joke to the wise man—what he fears most is damaging his relationship with God through disobedience. The healthy fear of God is the foundation of his wisdom. It serves him well. As a result, the greatest pleasure in the wise man’s life is in his relationship with God. Forgiveness through Jesus Christ makes him free of sin and its consequences; contemplating the cost his Savior paid to free him from sin makes doing those things again no joke. Wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding. That wisdom is found in God. Satan’s advertisement of sin being so pleasant and satisfying is known to be false by the individual who has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
Sadly, there are still millions who find sin a joke, and some who make millions by portraying those who follow God’s commands as fools. Scripture reveals the true fool. It’s not the one who takes pleasure in learning from and loving God; it is the man who refuses to take seriously the Creator or His commands. There won’t be improv at the Judgment.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 10, 2010
Tripped Up by Knowledge
When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, ”Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” John 7:40-52
The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were tripped up by knowledge. It was what they thought they knew—the Christ will be descended from David; will come from Judea; will be born in Bethlehem; no one will know where He comes from— which kept them from acknowledging Jesus as the Christ. Meanwhile, those not so theologically educated were attracted to Jesus because they could see God in Him. They didn’t have presuppositions to hold them back.
The teachers of the Law knew their prophecies about the Messiah; they were right in waiting for one who would fit the scriptures. Where they were wrong was in assuming that Jesus didn’t fit the prophecies, just because they didn’t know about it. They were unaware of His ancestry or the fact that He was, indeed, born in Bethlehem, precisely because He was of the line of David. They thought they knew all about Him. His Nazareth address made Him in their eyes, a Galilean—a definite strike against Him; they had missed the part in scripture which had even prophesied that, too! The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were hindered from believing in Jesus because He didn’t fit their preconceived notions. Those with fewer opinions to defend breezed right on through to belief.
It’s good to have knowledge, but sometimes knowledge can get in the way of faith. Faith is trust in a greater knowledge than our own. If we only believe what we can understand or know for sure, we can’t have much faith; we’ll be limited to knowledge, instead. Not good. Knowledge is fine, so long as we don’t let our “knowledge” keep us from believing what is only by faith in the One who knows all.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 11, 2010
Feed or Lead?
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17
Jesus had shown up on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, post-resurrection, with a miracle and breakfast. Taking aside the obvious leader of the disciples, who had denied Him three times, Jesus gives Peter three chances to confess Him. For Peter, it’s awkward and embarrassing, but it constitutes his re-commissioning as a disciple. Jesus ends His speech with an echo of His original discipleship call: “Follow me.” There is, once again, no question in anyone’s mind whether or not Peter is a disciple of Jesus. Peter has been reinstated.
What stands out to me today in this beloved passage is Jesus’ instructions to His disciple. Three times comes the question, “Do you love me?” Three times, the response from Simon. Three times, the command: “Feed my sheep.”
Why wasn’t the Lord’s command“lead my sheep”? After all, don’t sheep need to be led? And who among the disciples is the obvious leader? Given the chance, why wouldn’t the Lord instruct His leaders to lead?! After all, Jesus has, in Peter, a real take-charge kind of guy who loves to lead, even when he’s clueless. Why saddle your leaders with “feed my sheep,” when they’re expecting you to tell them to lead the sheep?
Today’s landscape is littered with bewildered, wandering sheep. Way too many congregations fit this picture: A pastor who came to lead; a congregation which, in his mind, refuses to follow his leadership. There’s a lot of bruising and bleeding going on, and nobody’s happy. “They hired me to be their leader!” No, they didn’t. They thought you were going to love them and care for them. If they wanted to be led, they’d have joined the army.
Maybe, just maybe, when the Lord recruits us for leadership, our pastoral assignment is not as much to lead, as it is to feed. Sheep follow the person who loves them and feeds them. If our main responsibility was leadership, I think Jesus would have said that. Instead, His three-time response to Peter’s affirmation of love was, “Feed my sheep.” Something to chew on.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 12, 2010
Always Broke
And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Mark 14:3-9
People in love are almost always broke. Why? Some of it is the manipulation of our society—how is it that roses mysteriously double in price on Valentine’s weekend, each year? They get away with stuff like that because people in love tend to ignore the price and keep their attention focused fully on one another, to the detriment of most rational thinking and particularly their bank account. Married folks come to realize that it’s not very loving to spend the family senselessly into oblivion with lavish gifts for one another, so reason usually returns to financial decisions even though they’re still in love; those in love but not yet married usually don’t fare so well. It seems they’re always broke. Measured, practical actions don’t seem to fit with true love. When it comes to giving, true love has a hard time stopping at “practical.” Lavish, extravagant is the rule.
The disciples, who had themselves received so much from Jesus, stood around embarrassed as a woman came to Him with the most precious thing she owned, a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages, then proceeded to break it open and empty the contents on the head of Jesus in worship and love. It would have been a big deal to have squeezed out a few drops of the stuff, but she gave it all—and was criticized for it. “Why this waste?” All of a sudden, practicality and “the poor” are dragged into the discussion. Funny. They weren’t talking about the poor a minute ago, before she made them all look bad. Now she’s broke, her perfume is gone, and she is labeled a selfish idiot because she wasn’t practical and sensible in expressing her love for Jesus. The Lord springs to her defense, and immortalizes her and her gift, then dies for us all, days later, the smell of perfume still clinging to His body. Completely, absolutely “broke.” That’s true love.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 15, 2010
What Follows Pride
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
This proverb has always been popular, because it applies to other people. After all, who among us reading through the scripture would label ourselves “proud,” and thus destined for disgrace? We, of course, know people who are proud; this proverb applies to them. Meanwhile, those of us blessed with humility are told by scripture that we are wise. No wonder people like this verse. We all come out on the right end of it, plus it promises a comeuppance for the obnoxious folks in our lives. Such a deal!
Unless maybe we mis-labeled ourselves. Could it possibly be that we are prouder than we think? Here’s a quick self-test which might help indicate whether we lean to the proud side or the humble: How easy is it for someone else to teach us anything? Are we the sort of individual who can only learn alone or from a very short list of people we respect? Or are we so easy to teach we can learn from practically anybody?
What does that have to do with anything? This: You can’t teach a proud person much of anything; a humble one is like a sponge for true wisdom. If we find we can only learn from very few people, we are probably packing a good-sized amount of pride. According to Proverbs, some kind of disgrace won’t be far behind. We might want to lighten the load before it’s too late.
This Bible principle applies not only to individuals but to entire nations, which is a scary fact. Take a quick glance across history, look for proud empires and rulers, and find the ones which continue without disgrace. Good luck. You might find one or two, but it won’t be easy. What does that say to us living in the world’s current superpower? No pride here, right?! A little humility would buy us time, I’m thinking. Disgrace will show up, eventually, but it wouldn’t take that many humble, God-loving people stationed in America to postpone disgrace for a few more decades. I’d like that. I’m sure God would, too. It’s up to us.
How does it work, again? Proud? We’re headed for disgrace. Humble? Getting wiser by the minute.
Pride and wisdom don’t go together. Humility and wisdom do. Proud people and nations have difficulty in learning because they think they already know; the humble are willing and successful learners. They are also willing to hang around and clean up the inevitable mess the proud leave behind them when disgrace comes.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 16, 2010
A Really Dumb Plan
Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14
Want to hear a really dumb plan? Let’s just all do what we think is good for us. That way no one has to submit to anyone else’s leadership or rules. We’ll all be free. No one will be safe. But this is precisely the world view espoused by some in our nation, these days. The Founding Fathers warned that democracy would not work without a just and moral people, which means we aren’t our own authority; God is. In the early days of the Republic, the Bible was the underlying foundation for nearly all laws and many of the principles of society. The Word of God is currently in disfavor among many in our country. Their agenda is to move on without the restrictions of the Bible or Christianity, or any moral code, for that matter. Puffed up with their own knowledge, guidance from any corner is disdained, be it from a God in whom they don’t believe or an electorate to whom they won’t listen. The most vain will only listen to those who admire and echo their thoughts. All other opinions are cast aside and demonized. It’s a recipe for disaster. Listen again to how it works: Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Guidance from where? From whom? The best guidance we’ll ever receive is from a God who loves us, and from the sacred scriptures He has given us. There is guidance which will never steer us wrong.
Along with divine guidance, we’ve also been offered the wisdom of men. If we gather around us numerous counselors who are truly wise, who are given opportunity to freely express their opinions without fear of reprisal, who are focusing on solutions to problems rather than coaxing along someone’s agenda or getting themselves re-elected, the chances of making serious errors go down to about zero. Get a bunch of wise people together, let them think through the situation, and someone will catch the mistakes and come up with a good plan, if that’s really the goal.
Or, we could just all do whatever we think best. We could throw off the restraints of biblical morals and Bible guidance and find our own truth. We could ignore the wisdom of the sages and the ages and proceed with what we know is best. We could wreck an entire nation in a brief span of time. It’s what happens to peoples who don’t need guidance. They fall. They take their kids with them. Let’s not.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 17, 2010
A Stone’s Throw from Judgment
They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:1-11
It was a setup, designed to tag Jesus as either a heartless executioner or someone who spoke of the Law but didn’t really uphold it. The whole thing was just a trap, set for Jesus. He caught the whole gang in it.
He catches us, too. How many people have we dragged before Him, asking Him to zap them for their sins? Like the woman, Jesus proceeds to forgive them and let them go. It’s not condemnation which transforms people. It’s forgiveness.
The woman caught in adultery was not changed because she was caught by men. Neither was society, except to maybe make it a little more frightening to engage in adultery. The woman was changed forever when she was facing death as a result of her own sin, and the Savior stepped in between her and judgment. He forgave her sin, then told her to take a new direction in life. It wasn’t condemnation or enforcing the rules which changed her life; it was an encounter with a Savior who, instead of condemning sinners, forgives them and gives them a brand new start in life. He sets them free from judgment, sin and condemnation.
We’re to lift others up, so they can reach Jesus’ hand, instead of shoving them away from Him. We need to lose the entire condemnation routine, even while we rush back toward the Word of God as our only standard for faith and practice.
We need to avoid the role of the Pharisee. Pharisees don’t convert anyone to Christ. They only once in a while convert someone to Phariseeism. Jesus has clearly marked out our role: Love these people in my name. Leave the stones alone.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 18, 2010
What Should We be Doing?
What should Christians be doing, these days? I’ve been considering this question for years. Here’s a list I made in 2005. I see no need to change it.
What should Christians be doing, these days?
PRAYING (AND SOMETIMES FASTING)
WE NEED A PERSONAL REVIVAL: REPENTANCE, SOUL-SEARCHING, CHANGE, FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS ALL OVER AGAIN
WE SHOULD BE TOTALLY, RADICALLY COMMITTED TO JESUS CHRIST
Whatever He shows us to do, regardless of the cost or the difficulty, we should be doing. We only have a little time left, in my estimation. “Going to church” on Sunday is not being “totally committed to Jesus Christ.”
WE NEED TO FIND OURSELVES A SMALL GROUP WHERE THERE IS MUTUAL COMMITMENT—TO JESUS CHRIST AND TO ONE ANOTHER.
This needs to go beyond the social or the educational aspect of small group participation. We need to be part of a “body.” In a real body, you know if a part is missing or sick!
WE NEED TO BE MISSIONARIES—EVERY ONE OF US
If God has made you a pastor, be a missionary to your church and to the community. If God has made you a lay person, be a missionary to your place of business or your neighborhood or your relatives. Everybody needs to be a missionary to their family. This includes training your children/grandchildren in how to follow Christ, rather than leaving it up to the church.
FOCUS!
Focus on something, almost anything! Pray through about what it is that you believe God would have you to do, as a missionary of the Gospel, and focus your energies on doing the best you can do on that pursuit. As Wayne Gretzky has said,
“You miss 100% of the shots you never take.”
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 19, 2010
Days of Delight
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
Do you know how to improve a relationship? Delight in that person. Those of us who are married can remember when our partner was perfect. Flaws were unnoticed and irrelevant. To be with the object of our love was pure enjoyment. We adored them, and it was mutual. Somewhere along the line, reality crowded in,
as glaring imperfections forced delight to give way to acceptance. Instead of euphoria, the marriage motors along on committed love, grace and forgiveness.
As it should be, but wouldn’t it be nice to have the kind of delight back we once knew? (And to anyone married more than a couple years whose euphoric delight is still completely intact, congratulations! You’re an example to us all).
I have a suggestion for all of us who would like to get more of the delight back in our most important relationships: Change from a noun to a verb.
What do I mean? Usually, we use “delight” as a noun—it’s a “thing” we experience. “That was a delight.” Something good happened to us that triggered really positive emotions, so we call it a “delight.”
Have we ever thought of delight as a choice, something we do? In this scripture, it’s used as a verb: “Delight yourself in the Lord,...” So the Bible is saying we have a choice in the matter? Guess so. Delighting is something we can choose to do, not just a passive experience.
What would happen in our marriage relationship if we recalled something that attracted us to them in the first place and chose to once again delight in that,
ignoring all quirks and faults, like we used to? What would happen? “But they’re not the same...” Like we are! The embers of delight are still there. Blow on them a little, and see what happens. Will it make our marriage worse?
And if choosing to delight in our partner would help our marriage, would choosing to delight in God make things better, spiritually? It’s pretty plain: Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
How do we delight in the Lord? Once again, delight is a verb, this time, not a noun. But the verb leads to the noun—if we delight in the Lord, we get the delight of our heart’s desires being fulfilled. Think of something wonderful about God— there’s an endless list! Now we delight in Him. We think about how great He is, what He has done, what He has promised, what He has given us and just how amazing it is to know His presence, and the delight we choose becomes the delight we experience. Choosing to delight leads to delight, and starts a delightful cycle.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 22, 2010
Swine Accessories
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22
My friends used to show their pigs at the fair. They would wash them spotlessly clean, then herd them around in front of the judge in hopes of snagging a purple ribbon. I never once saw a pig sporting jewelry. I have a feeling that even if my friends had added a big string of pearls, diamond earrings and a solid gold nose ring, their pigs would have still looked like pigs. Rich pigs.
A gold ring in a pig’s snout would be a waste. So is “a beautiful woman without discretion,” according to the Bible. It would be a pity to stick several thousand dollars worth of jewelry into a pig’s snout in the hopes of making it something other than a pig. It wouldn’t change a thing. Likewise, the woman who convinces herself she is not good enough for a man of character, who settles for less. A prostitute might start out beautiful, but her beauty and character quickly decline. Promiscuity decimates character. Beauty soon follows. It’s a waste.
Our society seems bent on promoting promiscuity, though. Consider the lifestyles exalted these days, and those disdained. What is the reaction of much of the culture when an attractive, virtuous, godly woman lives out her faith and hangs onto her purity? “What a waste.” Meanwhile, the most decadent, godless females grace the covers of magazines as poster children for glamour. Immoral behavior is assumed as a prerequisite for fame. Check back in 20 years in the trash bin of society and see how it went with them. Usually, not very well. They are so quickly replaced with new material to be exploited in the name of fashion, love and “cool.”
Would that we would all quit playing this game! Sin is not cool at all; it ends in death, every time. Jesus, the Righteous One, purchased our salvation with His own blood, so we could escape judgment.
Purity is not to be pitied, but honored, respected and treasured. Immorality ends badly every time. We needn’t market it in size zero dresses stuck on people with zero character. True beauty has as its foundation true character. A gold ring doesn’t change the heart, but Jesus does.
I can think of nothing more attractive than a beautiful woman with Jesus in her heart, who has committed herself to Him and saved herself for one man. Give that lady a gold ring! Put it on her hand. It won’t be a waste. Thank God for a beautiful, committed woman. And a gold ring in the right place.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 23, 2010
Channels of Blessing
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.
The people curse him who holds back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it.
Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor,
but evil comes to him who searches for it.
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind,
and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.
Proverbs 11:24-29
And, on Planet Earth, the winners are(!): The one who gives freely; whoever brings blessing; the one who waters; the one who sells grain (instead of hoarding it); whoever diligently seeks good; the righteous; the wise of heart.
Here’s the loser list: The one who withholds what he should give; the one who holds back grain (refusing to sell it); the one who searches for evil; whoever trusts in his riches; whoever troubles his own household; the fool.
The difference between lists is the willingness to be a channel of blessing, as opposed to selfishly hoarding resources. Before we whomp conservatives and praise re-distributors of wealth, think of how it works.
If I give $100 to a needy person, that’s generosity. If I take $100 away from a rich person to give it to a needy person, I’m not being generous—I’m stealing. I’m taking what belongs to someone else, then giving away what is not mine to give. And if the government takes it from me and gives it to a needy person, that’s not generosity, either. It’s a government program. Good luck getting the recipient to be grateful, or the “giver” to feel fulfilled.
Generosity is personal. It’s freely giving what is mine to give. If we go that route, we will be channels of blessing. It results in a never-ending backlash of blessings. People who choose to pour out blessings never run out of blessings, themselves. That’s how it works. The self-centered hoarder runs dry, but the channel of blessing never does. The more we focus on being a channel of blessing, the more and bigger the blessings God will route through our lives. Let’s go with the blessing list, instead of the loser list! God’s way is, like always, the best way.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 24, 2010
Who is the Light?
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Jesus is the Light of the world. We’re not.
But wait a second. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says we are!
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Mt. 5:14-16)
So who is the Light? “I am the light of the world.” “You are the light of the world.” Which one is it? Jesus? His disciples? Both?
He is the Source of light; we are the reflection. If we follow Him, we need not worry about darkness—we’ll have the light of life. Because we are following the Light of the world, Jesus, we reflect His light, which makes us the light of the world, too. He’s the Source, we’re the reflection. Make sense?
What doesn’t make sense is the arrogance we sometimes display when we walk in the darkness, yet insist it’s light (“Enlightenment,” we call it). This is how it works, according to 1 John 1:6-7: If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
It’s all pretty simple. Jesus is the Light of the world. When we choose to come into the Light rather than walk in darkness, His blood purifies us from all sin. We leave behind the darkness, to walk in His light. The world sees a light coming from our lives. It’s simply a reflection of Jesus’ light, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. The sun is the source, the moon the reflection; God’s Son is the Source, we are the reflection.
What is not good is when we pretend that we are the source of light, due to our knowledge or whatever; worse yet is when we label darkness “light” and try to convince people that if they follow us, they are walking in the light. It gets pretty confusing when we forget the source of the light and begin to think it’s us.
We are the light of the world because we have chosen to follow Jesus, the true Light of the world. We are a reflection of His love. If we follow Him, we will walk in the light—guaranteed. That’s good news to a dark world needing guidance. A good reflection of God’s light will lead them straight to the Source. They, too, can become the light of the world. It’s what Jesus wants.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 25, 2010
Revival Chemistry
Over the past few years, I’ve looked for patterns in the Bible which would give us some kind of “formula” for revival, something we could implement which would bring about spiritual transformation in our country. The longer I look, the more I’m thinking that it’s not about “strategy” at all, but about mere obedience. If we obey God’s instructions, it will lead to personal revival. If many people obey God’s instructions, it will lead to large-scale revival. This is not a mechanical procedure, though. Forced submission to God’s commands will not result in revival. A change in government will not necessarily produce a change of heart in the citizens, nor will forging better laws.
We churchgoers have been often browbeaten about “the harvest” in strong-armed sermons designed to launch believers out of their pews and into the community in a frenzy of evangelism. I’ve never yet seen people witness convincingly just because they were supposed to. Yet if they really, truly love something, they won’t shut up. Here’s how I think revival chemistry works:
-Passion produces motivation, which leads to commitment.
-Commitment produces growth in maturity.
-Maturity leads to compassion and faith.
-Compassion produces evangelism; faith produces laborers and a harvest.
Please go back through that formula, slowly. Is it right?
Part of our problem is that we’re usually trying to start out further down this list—“You should be a laborer!”; “We need to evangelize”; or even “You should be committed, and growing spiritually”—when there really isn’t much passion driving any of it. People who are in love will do anything for the object of that love, and hang the cost. There isn’t enough time in a day to spend together with their love, there’s never enough money to give to them, and they’re not afraid of putting on a ring and saying “I’ll be here with you, forever.” If people get to that place with Jesus, the rest of it is a natural progression, isn’t it? But when we try to shoehorn them into “ministries” and missions when they’re not in love, they head for the trees, instead. I’m thinking that it’s fine to prepare for the other things, and get a system set up to help the lovers of Christ to grow into true disciples, but it has to start with falling in love with Jesus, or none of it ever gets off the ground.
The point is this: It all starts with passion. If there is a passion for Christ, all the rest follows. If people are lukewarm about their faith, no amount of browbeating or coercion will result in successful evangelism; even if they try, it’s all too obvious that their hearts are not in it. It starts, or ends, with passion.
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 26, 2010
Who Knows?
If you want to know the answer, find somebody with a worn-out Bible, and they can tell you. They know. And if you encounter someone with a Bible which looks as if it has been used to literally beat Satan, it probably has, on more than one occasion. People with worn-out Bibles have more wisdom and strength than they even know. They can’t help it. If you need an answer, find someone with a well-worn Bible, and they will be able to help you.
Bible authority comes not from a degree in theology or Biblical studies, but from believing the Bible and putting it into practice. That’s how they get worn out—wise people consult the Bible on a daily basis. The most frequent answers are easy to find. Look for dog-eared pages, stained with tears and fingerprints. If you need answers, look in the Bible or find someone with a worn-out Bible.
Another great source of godly wisdom is the individual who has been hearing from God. I’m not talking about thundering voices from clouds, but the inaudible yet convincing voice of God. Sometimes it comes as a thought we know did not originate with us which just shows up in our mind. Sometimes God speaks to us through a loved one completely oblivious that God is using them to communicate to us. Often the voice of God jumps off the pages of the Bible in such a personal way that He might as well have put our name at the top and signed His at the bottom.
Something happens when God speaks to people, whether through a burning bush or a silent Bible verse. Suddenly, they have authority. Consider Moses. Who elected Moses as leader of the Israelites? Nobody! God appointed him. The reason he was in charge of the Israelites is because he was the only one to whom God had spoken. It made Moses the authority on “all things God.”
Again and again it happens in scripture: God speaks to somebody, and all of a sudden they’re in charge! Paul the prisoner is the one to whom God sends an angel during a storm at sea; the next thing you know, he’s giving commands to the soldiers and sailors—and they obey! Nobody else had heard from God, and he had.
When there’s a death in a family, to whom does everyone turn? Whomever the rest of the family thinks is closest to God, even if they’re the youngest.
Spiritual authority sometimes corresponds with some sort of earthly voting process, and sometimes doesn’t. It’s not something which can be picked up along with a theological degree. The point is, true spiritual authority resides in a person who has heard from God. If that person also happens to be a pastor or spiritual leader, that’s very convenient. But if the ecclesiastical leader isn’t very close to God and hasn’t heard from Him, and the peasant girl has, the spiritual leader is Joan of Arc, not the guy with the religious title. (More, tomorrow).
Dave Ness
The Puzzle, February 27, 2010
Spiritual Authority
True spiritual authority cannot be gained any other way than by being close enough to God to hear from Him. Learning to craft “messages” in the “art” of preaching is not the same thing. Neither is theological training. Neither is being so well liked that people want to elect you as pastor or pope or something. The one with the authority is the one who has heard from God.
That was the first thing people noticed about Jesus: His ministry was different from their usual religious leaders. “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29)
When the scribes spoke of God, they were reciting stuff they’d learned from other scribes. They spoke hesitantly. Their authority came from one another. When Jesus talked about God and His Father’s Kingdom, he didn’t need references. He was talking about home. It wasn’t hard to pick out the difference between secondhand speculation and firsthand, intimate knowledge. Authority comes when we know God and we are merely passing along what He has told us.
How much authority is in the Church, today? I’m referring to real authority, not projected authority. Many would like folks to believe what they say is the absolute truth, because they have impressive credentials and the pride to match, but how many times, recently, have you heard a sermon or read a book and known beyond a shadow of a doubt that the person was not coming up with this on their own, but was simply relating exactly what God had revealed to them? Much of the time, the authority has been missing, hasn’t it? It won’t come back because we herded some people through a few more seminary courses; it comes when people have been in the presence of God. This is not a job which can be delegated out to staff, either. Either we have been spending time with Jesus or we haven’t. It’s the only way I know to attain any degree of true spiritual authority.
Meanwhile, if spiritual authority is not of particular interest to us, we can expect the world to continue to associate the Church with powerless, self-centered “ministry,” sleazy, cheesy, artificial “love” and “fellowship,” and many other less-than-stellar representations of the faith. People outside the Church may not know the intricacies of denominational polity, but most anyone can tell the difference between someone who has heard from God, and someone faking it. What I’m saying is that if we want spiritual authority in the Church, we’d better get it by spending time with God, hearing from Him and faithfully delivering His message. The other thing is not working. It’s not fooling anybody but ourselves. No shortcuts. The person with spiritual authority is the one who’s heard from God.
Dave Ness
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