A True Harvester

Mat 9:37  Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
Mat 9:38  therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

We have known Paul and Virginia Nurmi for 24 years. They are wonderful people and tremendous friends. But more than that, they are true harvesters for the Lord.

Paul labors tirelessly as a Director for Youth for Christ International. It is not unusual, as it is this week, for him to have been in San Diego for a several days, then fly to Raleigh Durham, then fly to France, all in the name of Christ helping others set up youth ministries and encouraging workers.

Virginia is currently involved in a group called ELI - Equipping Leaders Internationally.  This ministry's focus is on AIDS prevention in countries like Haiti. She is also involved in governmental policies regarding abstinence and of all things, in years past, Creation v Evolution in the schools. She too travels extensively.

I stand in amazement and truly honor their work and marvel at how they give of themselves week after week after week.  God must be very pleased with these dedicated servants.

We have supported their work financially for years. It matters not what our circumstances are, we always support them along with others. There even came a time when I sold my favorite - and I do mean favorite sports car, so that we could continue to support them instead of making the car payment.  That says nothing about me, but everything about how valuable we believe their work is.

We are headed out this morning to meet with Paul in Raleigh for a brief visit. It is something we have looked forward to for over a month. We are genuinely excited.

Supporting "private" workers for the Lord is important. Yes I know that our churches often support missions and missionaries. However, finding a work you believe in and supporting it and the people who labor as a part of it, is valuable and humbling. It is amazing what some people do and the sacrifices they make to carry the love of Christ to those who do not know him.  They are indeed true harvesters.

Cannibalism and Blood Rituals

John chapter 6 must certainly be the most incredible chapter in all of the New Testament. When Jesus starts speaking of eating his flesh and drinking his blood (v.54) he undoubtedly set the hearers back on their heels. How could anyone say such things and be sane? It was a certain case of pushing the edge of the envelope both for what Jesus said and what he meant.

Segments such as this make me wonder why we send new believers to the Gospel of John to get their feet wet in reading scripture. What we read here is nothing short of amazing. In fact, it causes many who were "disciples" of Christ to turn away. They just could not fathom his words or come to terms with their meaning (v.66).

What is equally amazing about these verses is they clearly outline what is involved in coming to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Pare away the talk of eating flesh and drinking blood and it becomes evident that saving faith in Christ involves at least three things.

1) A specific invitation of the Father. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (v.44a).

2) A hearing and understanding of scripture (v. 45). In the context it was the writings of the Old Testament, but today it also involves the good news proclaimed in the New Testament. As Paul said, How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching (a.k.a. telling them)?   (Romans 10:14)

3) A commitment or conscious decision to trust in Jesus Christ. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life and we have believed AND come to know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69).

There is no question that Jesus was not speaking of cannibalism and blood rituals when he was referring to "feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood."  There is more to it than that. In the same manner, hearing,  even knowing certain scripture or walking down an isle or praying a specific prayer does not make one a Christian. There, by necessity, is more.

Ready for the Impossible

JOHN 5:1-17

When was the last time you employed a phrase like, "That's amazing!", or "That is incredible!", or "That is impossible!?" Often when I verbalize such astonishment, when I think about the incident, it really was not that terrific. It simply seemed so at the time. That may say something about how easily impressed I am in the moment.

In the Gospel of John, there is an incident when Jesus encounters a man that has been infirm for 38 years. Not just a few months, or a couple of years, but 38 years this man has laid prone waiting for someone to help him. Waiting to make his way into the supposed healing waters of the pool at Bethesda. Then, out of nowhere, comes a man who asks a question that seems incredulous to the invalid - "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man does not say, "Yes", or "What the heck do you think?" or "Absolutely, why do you think I am here!"  He offers a reason for his continued state.  He is helpless and no one will help him.

Whether the man's response rang with tone of sarcasm or was sincere, Jesus said to the man, "Get up, take your bed, and walk." (v.8) And at once the man was healed and he took up his bed and walked. (v.9) Now that is impossible. Even asking the question of the man seemed impossible. For 38 years he had been prone, unable to walk. Now within a matter of seconds, he is up and walking.

The scripture does not tell us that the invalid had a saving faith encounter with the Christ that day. We cannot even infer that from verse 14. He was simply and miraculously healed. Taken from a state of helplessness to one of simply ability - the ability to do something he had not been able or willing to do for 38 years.

There is more to the story of course. Nevertheless, the intent of Jesus' initial encounter may simply be a story that says, when we are most helpless and dependent on someone or something other than ourselves, is when God can step in and do the impossible if we will let Him.

I think about by own life and how I seem to be incapacitated by my own circumstances. Hamstrung and helpless by situations that seem impossible. Often times it is my own fear that brings the debilitation, other times it is purely a lack of faith.  I find myself waiting for help from others or different circumstances, when in reality what I need is God's amazing power of possibility.

Father, I am indeed helpless. May that helplessness bring me to a greater dependence on You. 

Preach it Brother!

What is the mark of good preaching? How does one determine whether God's word is being dealt with honestly and openly in a manner worthy of Christ?

In one of the churches we visited in our exploration for a new church home, the pastor was quite distinct. He was truly what one might call an expository preacher. In another church, the pastor actually stated in his sermon that morning, that he was an expository preacher.  Others were a mix of exposition and topical. A few were good teachers others were not.

For me, God's word is preached when it pricks my heart. When the pastor, as an instrument of God, exposes God's word in such a way that it hits me between the eyes and say's, "He is talking to you MacD!" When that happened at our new church home, I knew I was where I belonged.

Is my Pastor a great Bible teacher, not yet? Is he a student of the Word, absolutely? Is his preaching "deep", as some would describe it, not really? Is it accurate - absolutely? Can his effectiveness be measured by the number of "Amens" on a Sunday morning? No. But none of that matters. What matters is that God is using him to speak to me about what it means to be a follower of Christ. That is what matters. That is a GOOD thing!

Evangelism

I am not sure whether it is my increase in age or ignorance, but I find the word evangelism somewhat challenging.  There was a time in my life when I did "evangelism" as a Youth Minister, Music Minister, and Senior Minister. Those memories are hard to look back on and find value. Not because people did not come to Christ, they did, rather I am never quite certain what happened with them after they came to Christ. Which to me is vitally important.

In this past week's Sunday School lesson, the focus was on evangelism. The biblical story that was used was the story in John of the woman at the well. It is probably the quintessential story about relational evangelism.  Often when the term evangelism is used it centers around a rather enthusiastic, but benign sharing of the gospel in order to make certain that people know where they are going when they die. In the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, the emphasis was on how she was gong to live now that she has encountered the Messiah.

Outside my study window, I was watching some black birds. A couple of them landed on the grass and begin eating. Before long, another landed, then another, then another. It became apparent that the others were coming because the original ones had found food. Or, one of the original ones was telling the others, "Hey there is food here, come and eat!" In my mind that is what evangelism is all about. People who have found the food of life sharing that discovery with others. "Hey, I have found food." After all, who cannot identify with food?

For Jesus and the woman at the well, the initial focus was on water and thirst. That initiated the conversation that eventually lead to her belief and going to tell her friends and others, "Come and see a man who told me all that I ever did." (John 4:29) And they came.

Relating to people where they "live" is what makes "good news" good news. Being equipped to relate is what maturing in Christ is all about. Knowing who feeds our soul and quenches our thirst for life, is what we share.

Follow Up on Obama

Many may think I'm a bit off kilter when it comes to Obama. But let's face it...he appears to be all fluff and no stuff.  To drive this point home, let me share an article by Marvin Olasky, Editor in Chief of World magazine. His latest column in the magazine speaks specifically to the phenomenon known as Obama babble.

You can read the column here. 

http://www.worldmag.com/marvinolasky

This Ain't No Rock of Ages

It's a special meeting of AA, they are celebrating the sobriety of all of their members for some twenty years. As a symbol of their victory they give each member a bottle of Black Velvet bourbon and tell them to keep it as a reminder of what they have accomplished.

Does there seem to be something wrong with that picture?

I have the same reaction of "You have got to be kidding!" when I read Joshua 24:27

And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God." (ESV)

Now memorials are not uncommon among the history of Israel. Jacob built a couple of them in Genesis 28:18ff and 31:45 as a "witness" to the agreement between himself and the Lord in one instance and himself and Laban in the other.  Stones also play a role in the overall history of God's people; a stone was placed under Moses arms during battle; a stone provided water for the people in the wilderness; it was a small stone that fell the mighty Goliath. So stones are not uncommon. Yet, I contend, that it is an unusual expression to say that a "stone has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you..." (Joshua 24:27)

In the midst of a people that have struggled their entire existence to refrain from serving other gods and idols built with hands, we are now seeing a stone that hears and becomes a witness to the ongoing faithfulness of the people of Israel.  I don't know about you but I have a pretty good idea of how that stone is going to be viewed.

I think this whole account goes to the mind-set of a people weighed down with a complicated devotion to Yahweh. Their culture is not an isolated culture, as much as they would like to think and the influence of "pagan" deities and the symbols of their "existence" often crushes the people of God.  This kind of mixed message does nothing to clarify the matter.

We are often beleaguered by symbols that can draw our attention away from our devotion to God. I remember an experience where a Pastor was speaking on objects that become idols to us and he took his Bible and slammed it to the ground as a testimony that it is ONLY a book, not a symbol of worship.  I thought the people were going to rise up and stone him on the spot.  But he was right. Too often people make the book the object of their faith, not the God of the Book.

We are a visual people. It is hard for us to deal in the abstract. God is not concrete. He is not something you prove or conclude based on geometric principles. Science is infantile when it comes to demonstrating the existence of the eternal God. Nevertheless, we often find ourselves groping for symbols that we can associate with our belief that somehow make it more certain, more tangible.  It can never be. I don't care how many porcelain angels you have placed around your home, it will not make angels any more real.

Let us never think we can place a bottle of bourbon in front of an alcoholic and expect him or her to never focus on it as an object of desire.  It will call out to that person.

Stones do not hear and stones can not bear testimony. It is GOD who hears and our faithfulness to Him that bears testimony of our covenant relationship to Him. HE is our rock of ages not the rock!

anti-Christ

"What a guy!" Chloe said at last. "I haven't heard a politician with anything to say since I was a little girl, and I didn't understand half of it then."

"He's something," Rayford agreed. "It's especially nice to see somebody who doesn't seem to have a personal agenda."

Chloe smiled. "So you're not going to start comparing him with the liar the pastor's tape warned us of, somebody from Europe who tries to take over the world?"

"Hardly," Rayford said. "There's nothing evil or self-seeking about this guy. Something tells me the deceiver the pastor talked about would be a little more obvious..."

"He looks like a breath of fresh air to me", Chloe said. "If he starts trying to weasel his way into power, I might be suspicious, but a pacifist, content to be president of a small country? His only influence is his wisdom, and his only power is his sincerity and humility."

These are quotes from "LEFT BEHIND" when Rayford and his wife Chloe are discussing Nicolae Carpathia, the man who ultimately IS the anti-Christ in the book. (pg. 275)

Sound familiar?

Obama may be the political equivalent of the what the Bible warns about - the anti-Christ.  He is suave, appears cool under pressure, and has a vast majority of the American people believing he can do the impossible - change politics.

What will happen is that without realizing it, we will wake up one day and find we have a socialist "state". A government not for the people and by the people, but a government that opens the flood gates to millions of illegal immigrants; provides "free" healthcare to all; institutes a government mandated work program and strips the individual of a voice.

Electing Obama as president of the United States is like hiring a ten year old to run a multi-million dollar company.  And, unfortunately once he is in there, the American people who put him there and a democratically controlled congress would NEVER admit they made a mistake.

Is Clinton any better? Probably not politically speaking, but at least she is smart enough to know a leopard can't change its spots. You can dress a pig and take it to market, but it is still a pig! You can clothe government in a language of change but politics will always be politics. To think it otherwise seems that a good number of Americans are more gullible than one might suspect.

If you have not before please do so now. Pray for the future of these United States of America.

It is Almost too Much to Understand

"Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel." (Joshua 10:21 ESV)

That has to be the understatement of all time. Joshua and the people of God are trampling city after city leaving them in utter destruction as "devoted to the LORD." Killing, burning, and stoning men, women, children and livestock.  It is not a pretty picture.

I suspect that many students of scripture read over those kind of stories with haste. After all, who wants to linger and relish in the notion that the God of the Universe has a people who are so weak that they cannot resist pursuing other gods? Therefore, their God must eliminate all who would have a contrary belief and collection of idols.

Of course, based on your interpretation of Revelation, God will do it all again. It is almost too  much to understand.

Why would a holy God be involved in these kind of actions?  Is it a mark of true belief on the part of anyone when in fact the "competition" is eliminated?  Of course, you cannot have what someone else has until it is taken away from them - in this case land. So eliminating the inhabitants is one way to acquire it.  Apparently there is no hope of converting them, so the only choice is to cut them out like a cancerous sore.

Modern day folk, including myself to some degree, find this a difficult history to understand. Just as we cringe at Hitler's massacre of the Jewish people, just as we shrink back when we learn of the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, just as we recoil with horror at mass atrocities in the Sudan, just as we cringe at the millions of abortions each year, it all seems too much to understand.

Modern day atheists want to know what kind of God is this that people could place their faith in him? This theocratic killing machine deserves no homage, no allegiance.  The so-called elite also say they want no part of this kind of god either.

So what say we - those who believe in the God of the Bible?  How do we neutralize those objections or come to terms with God's business of annihilation?  We cannot. It is beyond our scope of understanding how a Holy God would do anything that seems so unholy. Even the sacrifice of His only beloved Son for the sin and rebellion of mankind is beyond our grasp. It is precisely because God is God that He will act as He chooses.

It is almost too much to understand. Indeed it IS too much to understand.

Eye on the Prize

One of the pinnacles of my cycling life was doing the Race Across Indiana. The event is actually called the "Ride Across Indiana" but for myself and the person I was with, it was a race.

The distance was 167 miles and the objective was time. The clock never stopped. Whether we were taking a food break or a break for mother nature, the clock was always ticking.

When we arrived at the starting line, we had taken a back route that had put us at the front of the pack...a pack that consisted of close to a thousand riders. However, the guys at the front were the ones who had ridden the event before and had the lowest times. That is exactly where we wanted to be when the gun sounded.

Once we were off, it was a mass of bicycles, escorting police vehicles and yes, city traffic. They only stopped traffic when we crossed intersections. So cars coming the opposite direction, cars parked along the side and cars attempting to cross the intersection were all obstacles. It was a mess. I had never been more nervous or on edge in a race like I was for this one. 

It was not long until my partner and I got separated. I knew we would find each other again, eventually, so I did not worry about it.  Then we left the city and things started to thin out. The riders at the front had the pedal down and the race was on.  Once the thinning out took place, my riding partner and I were rejoined. 

The pace at this time was about 30 mph and there was only a group of about sixty of us. We had basically left the main pack and we were riding on our own. It was a torrid pace and I was hoping it would settle down since we had such a long distance. After all, I was 50 and most of the others in the pack could not have been much over 30 years old. Soon we settled in to a rhythm at around 25-28 mph. We had a nice rotation going and everything moved quickly.

My wife was stationed along the way as a feeding station for us. She had extra water bottles, energy bars, and bananas to replace the ones we were consuming. There were major feed stations for the main group, but we did not want to get caught in that kind of chaos. The only time we stopped as a group was for "lunch".  If you had to take a nature break along the route, you stopped preferably when others stopped, did your business and then rode like crazy to catch the pack.

Here's the point... my sense of direction and by object of focus was not the group, not the road beneath my feet, but the finish line. That is what was on my mind. Even when we found ourselves struggling to turn the pedals as the terrain changed at the end of the race and we were climbing the sloping hills of Indiana. The focus was on the end, not what was happening at that moment.  Even as the clock was ticking, we kept pushing toward the goal.

Eight hours and seventeen minutes later, we arrived at our destination - The other side of Indiana. Do the math, that meant we averaged 20.44 mph for a 167 mile ride. Not too bad for a man who just turned 50. My partner was 36. We finished in the top group of riders for that "race".

There are a lot of stories I could tell about those miles, but my objective is to say, it was the goal that propelled me. It was something beyond myself that pushed me to continue.

When Israel was crossing the Jordan into the promised land. Joshua told them to keep their eyes on the Ark of the Covenant. Keep your focus on that object "for you have not passed this way before." (Joshua 3:4)  Do not think about where you have been or where your feet are now, keep your focus on the presence of God. Even though you have not been this way before, keep your eyes on  God.

There have been times and still are, where I loose my focus. I begin looking down thinking about the pitiful steps I find myself making. However, it is not where I am that matters so much as where I am going. Keeping my eye on God will mean keeping the finishing line in view. It is a long race, not a short sprint. Keep the goal in mind -- for most of us have not passed this way before.

Let it be said with JOY!!!

I cannot begin to express how relieved I am that we have now found a church home! It has been almost a year since we moved to NC and our search is finally over.

The truth of the matter is, the first time I sat down in the church I had a strong sense that this is where we belonged. Of course, it is hard to explain those things and some might say, "We wanted it so bad that the feeling was forced." I suppose you could conclude that, but I do not. It was definite to me and to my wife that this is where we needed to be in order to grow in our relationship to Christ and to serve him.

Lee Park Baptist Church in Monroe, NC is fairly unique I think. As of right now all of the staff is NOT full time. The senior pastor is Chris Justice, he is an evening news anchor for WCNC news. The music director, "Pastor Jack", has his own evangelistic ministry and is free to go whenever he has an invitation to carry out his ministry. The adult ministries director, lives in a different town, and the youth minister is not only part time, but serving on an interim basis.

Now that is one part of the story, the other part of the story is this church has grown from about fifty two years ago, to over five hundred in worship "today." The reason.....they have a commitment to "preach the Word and love people." And may I say they are not pretentious about it or inhibited.

Where the joy comes is knowing we are where we need to be. That is one thing. The other thing is we sense a strong opportunity to grow. Already I have recognized a work going on inside me. One I welcome with joy. One other element that excites me, is Pastor Chris indeed preaches the Bible. Not a massaged version, not a watered down version, but the true Word of God. What a refreshing experience that is.

Well, I reckon we can relax in one area of our lives and ratchet it up in another. I am ready to get-r-done.

Thank you Father!

Follow Up On Discernment

Yesterday's writing had a concluding paragraph that read:

Discernment is possible only when you have truth as the backboard to bounce things up against. Not cultural truth, but biblical truth.

In finishing my reading of Acts today, I came across a study note that reinforces the thought mentioned above. For a bit of a background, let me say that I have been recently reading in a new Bible, it is The Reformation Bible with the English Standard Version. I like this Bible, not only because of the particular translation, which I find comparable to my NRSV, but also because of the study notes.  Since it is a "reformation" Bible, it keeps me on my toes when reading the notes, being sure they are not particularly bias. For the most part that is the case.

In the final chapters of Acts, Paul has several opportunities to defend his faith and share not only his testimony, but expose some of his theology. Having these opportunities before Jewish elite and Roman elite, I suspect he would be very careful about what he says to maximize each opportunity. After all, he has no idea if he will have a second chance.

Prior to being sent to Rome because of his appeal to Caesar, he has an opportunity to present his case before King Agrippa.  In this defense he makes this statement:

"...(I) declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance." (26:20)

This sounds similar to John the Baptist whose baptism was a Jewish baptism of repentance and his call for the Pharisees and Sadducees to first show fruits that they had repented before they were baptized. (Matthew 3:7ff)

The key to this is repentance. A turning from with a turning to something or someone. Now in my study Bible there is an extensive note regarding "repentance".  Here is a statement within that note.  It starts a paragraph, and as best as I understand it, what follows does not verify what this statement says or implies.

"Faith and repentance are themselves fruits of regeneration." (The Reformation Study Bible, pg 1603)

Now on the surface one might agree with that statement, especially if we were looking at John the Baptist's ministry. However, look at it closely. This is where discernment comes in and of course a descent understanding of scripture.

Faith and repentance are NOT fruits of regeneration, they are the first steps to regeneration. Continuing faith and yes, even an on-going repentance as sin is revealed in our lives are in some fashion "fruits" of our believing. However, initially we cannot have regeneration without first having faith and repenting of our sins.

Of course, there is a whole other background to all of this, that being Calvinism and reformation theology, compared to a non-Calvinist position. That is not the focus of my intent here. I am simply saying, statements like the one posited above, if we are not careful, can pass right by. Now you may say, "So what, let it pass." The so what is that it goes directly to our understanding of salvation. Here is how it was explained to me by a Presbyterian minister.

First our inner man, which is dead, is regenerated by the spirit of God so that we can then believe and repent.

I would propose that scripture teaches it is our step of faith and willingness to repent that results in salvation/regeneration. 

Oh my, the wheels on the bus go round and round and round! Depending on what camp you pitch your tent, either way, discernment is a handy tool.

Do You Have IT?

EBay had a commercial about "IT". Basically the ad talks about finding "IT" on EBay - "IT" being whatever IT is you might be looking for.  Now I have bought and sold items on Ebay, but I will freely admit, even if they will not, that you cannot find every IT you may be looking for. There are times I am looking for a new attitude, but I will not find IT on Ebay!  It is important to use a bit of discretion and discernment when going there to look for IT.

Discernment is a word you do not hear very often. It is not a term that our culture uses much anymore nor is it - unfortunately - a term you hear in the church much anymore. Frankly, I like discernment and seek it wherever possible.

In the New Testament, several different Greek words are used to translate the idea of discernment. Although they all carry basically the same idea; to analyze, make a determination, to judge, investigate, etc. The point is discernment involves some ability to analyze and make a determination about something.  It is a "gift" that not many people exercise. (1Cor. 12:10)

True, discernment is listed as on of the gifts in 1Corinthians. However, that does not mean that a non-gifting ability to discern is negated. We should all exercise judgement on what we hear, see, and may be taught.  This years political campaign should teach us that, if nothing else.

In a recent Bible study discussion, a person said that the Bible teaches the proper position for prayer is on our knees. Naturally, I immediately reacted in my mind, thinking, "Uhm, I wonder where that verse is because obviously I have been doing it wrong for a long time."  Nevertheless, the statement went unchallenged - even by me - at the time.

Of course, small statements like that may not be of critical importance in the grand scheme of things. However, I do believe they should be "challenged" if it sounds like it may not be "accurate".  And ,I suppose we all make inaccurate paraphrases of scripture or parts of theology from time to time. Nevertheless, it is important that we be discerning, both in speech and hearing.

In a recent blog post, I read the account of a woman pastor who was being called as the Senior pastor of a fairly significant SBC church in a town in Texas. The issue centered around whether or not this was acceptable under the teachings of Scripture. It was NOT whether it was acceptable under our current cultural understanding of equality for men and women.  My question was, is the church challenging "culture" or "scripture" in their action? In addition, were they attempting to draw attention to themselves or did they truly believe, no harm-no foul?

Does the teaching of the Bible change with our culture? Obviously yes, not many sacrifices are made any longer, and the Temple is no longer the only meeting place with God nor do we disallow women to speak in church (although that might be a good thing). :) So how do we discern what is right and what is simply acceptable according today's standard?  Read and study the Scripture.  Then, read and study the Scripture. Then, well - you get the idea.

Discernment is possible only when you have truth as the backboard to bounce things up against. Not cultural truth, but biblical truth. 

Do you have IT?

When was the last time?

The "elevator pitch". That is what some writers call one's ability to describe their book or article in ten seconds if given the opportunity.  The reason for that is many editors, or people who inquire about one's writing, don't have all day to listen, if you can't describe it succinctly than they do not want to hear it.

Let's apply that same principle to our testimony. What could you say, in ten seconds or less, that might summarize your testimony in such a way that someone might want to hear more?  Or do you feel if you can't give the whole dose you would rather give nothing at all?

If we are good listeners, it is my contention, that everyone we come in contact with gives us a chance to share that "elevator pitch." They will say something or have a demeanor that will allow us an opportunity to share. If you do not agree with that, simply think back to the last encounter you had with another person where you COULD have shared your testimony.  When you left their presence did you say or think, "If I had only said this." If so, you had an opportunity to share. Here is an example.

The other day I was talking with my neighbor's son. He is 16 and just received a new 4-wheeler for Christmas. He is on that thing every day! We were talking the other day about his ride. He was telling me about modifications he wanted to make in order to gain more power. When he finished explaining his intended modifications I said, "I remember a time when I needed more power. A reason and purpose for living. That is when I learned about Jesus Christ."  His response, determined the next step.

Now I must confess, that is not how the conversation went, it was one of those, "If I had only said..." moments. But it prepared me for our next conversation.

Paul, in Athens, Acts 17:22ff, does something similar. He addresses his audience with a point of identification -- I see all your idols but there is one in particular which has an inscription, "To the Unknown god". Let me tell you about that God. -- and off he goes.

In Paul's address to the philosophers of the Areopagus, he never once quotes an OT passage. He never once says, "This is what the Torah says." He simply meets them where they are and talks to them about his God.  Does it work, yes it does. (17:34) Was it something you and I would consider a huge evangelistic outpouring? No. But that was not the intent nor is it our mission to expect an evangelistic outpouring every time we share your faith in Christ.

If Paul had walked away "empty handed" many would say he should have quoted more scripture or been more direct about his faith in Jesus Christ (whom he never mentions by name). But that is not necessarily the point. The point is he had an open opportunity to share his faith and that is exactly what he did.

When was the last time you were presented with such an opportunity? When was the last time you had a chance to give your "elevator pitch" as a testimony to what Christ has done for you? Keep your eyes and ears open, it may come today

How Do We Know?

I suspect, if you hang around the church for any length of time and talk with Christians, you will undoubtedly here these words, "I felt lead by God (Jesus or Holy Spirit) to do (go or say) such and such." It is a rather common way of expressing how one may be following the "will of God" in certain circumstances.

There is not a desire on my part to disparage that kind of language. However, it would be good to know if there is any commonality in that among believers. I often struggle to know, hear, or understand what God may be saying to me through ANY means, let alone through His spirit.

In Acts 16:6-10 we see an instance where Paul and Silas are being directed by certain aspects of God's revelation. In verse 6 it says they are forbidden to go to a certain area of Asia by the "Holy Spirit".  In verse 7 it is translated as "the spirit of Jesus" that prevents them form going to certain areas. Then in verse 9 Paul has a "vision" that he takes as a motivator to got to Macedonia. All three instances seem to be responded to without question or discussion outside of the third, where they "conclude" that "God had called us (Paul, Silas & Luke) to preach the gospel to them." (v. 10 ESV)

Having these kind of experiences of influence appear to be commonplace among believers. There was a recent article in Christianity Today about this very thing. Something I wrote about on this blog and wrote a letter to the editor of CT in response. Nevertheless, my focus today is knowing when or how God may be "leading us."

I struggle with this a great deal because it is hard for me to keep my ego, my desires, my intentions subjugated sufficiently to actual "hear" or sense God's leading. Often, admittedly, my actions are a result of a desire I have cultivated in my heart and now want God to bless as part of His will.  Other times, I sense some direction from God then masticate on it long enough to make it a reality now when, in fact, God's intention may have been "in time."

There is no answer that I can offer that sufficiently explains this phenomenon of knowing God's direction or intention. However, I am learning new things about it each day. For example, I mentioned a few days ago our search for a new Corvette. Well, as of now, that is on hold because of what I understand about stewardship and responsibility for our resources. This decision came as a result of mulling what I knew scripture teaches about stewardship; what I knew might be the right thing to do at this time; and what might allow us to do better things with our limited resources than replace a "toy" in our lives. 

That conclusion did not require a vision or a specific word from God. It simply required sorting through what I knew to to be the right thing to do with the resources God has provided.  Believe me I was tempted and I have used all the rationalization one could imagine to make it work, but it was just not something that I could conclude would be pleasing to God or a good mark of stewardship.

Would I invoke the same process or come to the same conclusion if it involved missions or writing a particular article? I do not know the answer to that. Often I must wrestle with my own doubts and fears more than an understanding of what God wants in my life.

How do we know what God's leading or direction is for our lives? There is not magic bullet. However, part of my conclusion is that sensing God's leading might need to be filtered through His Word and our understanding of what might please Him as opposed to what might please us.

God bless.

Developing Disciples

If one is a follower of Christ it necessarily follows that knowing Christ and his teachings are critical components. In Acts 8:1 and 11:19 we see that some of the early believers scattered because of the persecution which ensued following Stephen's death. No one knows what they took with them regarding possessions, but it might be assumed, they took with them a limited knowledge of Christ and the "gospel".  After all, they were mostly new believers and there had been little time for cultivating or strengthening their faith.

When Paul, Barnabas, and John-Mark made their fist journey at the commissioning of the church in Antioch of Syria, they spent much of their time "evangelizing". Then, after Paul was stoned at Lystra, they began making plans to return to Antioch.  They returned to some of the believing groups they had developed in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia. Their message was one intended to strengthen and encourage them to "continue in the faith" since apparently there was or would be "many tribulations."  They must endure in order to "enter into the kingdom of God."   Before leaving the area, they appointed Elders in each of the churches. It does not say what the role of these elders were at this point, just that they were appointed.

In these infant years of the church, what exactly or how exactly, were new believers strengthened and encouraged?  There was no Apostle's Creed, not official documents or "statement of faith". There was no Sunday School curriculum or discipleship program.  I suspect they relied on one another for what they had heard and seen. Therefore, they were dependent on one another for stability and staying power.

Is there little wonder that the early church struggled in its belief system? Does it strike anyone as surprising that Paul, Timothy, Peter, John, and the three evangelists found it necessary, even  expedient,  to provide a more "corrective" compendium of information?

Perhaps, just perhaps, the whole foundation of these early believers centered around what Jesus offered:

"'Hear O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and will all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'  The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"  (Mark 12:29-31)

Nevertheless, they began to drift away from this as the days passed and the tribulations began. Their confusion compounded as insiders and outsiders began chipping away at these foundational principles or even worse, adding to them. They were drifting from their "first love."  (Galatians 1-2, Revelation 2:4)

Developing disciples is not an easy task. It was not then and it is not now. It is hard work and takes a significant investment of time, energy and sometimes dollars. However, the dividends reaped are eternal in many regards.

The church we plan to join is just now embarking on a journey toward "formal" discipleship. I am excited to see what happens and how I might become involved. It should be an interesting journey.

Fanning the Flames

Every believer knows when God is "speaking" to their heart and convicting the soul. It is hard to explain to someone outside the family of God, but we know it when we experience it.

It has taken several days for me to come to the realization of that experience during worship last Lord's day. I attended a new church - I say "I" because my lovely wife was sick with a cold - and immediately when walking through the front door, I felt at home. Of course, we have been looking for a church home every since we moved to NC, so sometimes my heart gets ahead of my mind. Nevertheless, it felt good.

The pastor there, ironically, is also one our local news anchors. I will admit, it was strange hearing his voice coming from the pulpit rather from behind the news desk. Now, it is equally strange to watch him on the news and not see him behind the pulpit. Nonetheless, his voice was warm and inviting - as was the entire service. However that is not my point. My point is that God was working in me that day. Not only convicting me of sin, but also, in some fashion, saying "this is where you belong." Of course, being the irrational person that I am, it has taken me a few days to process all of that and come to that conclusion. If indeed, I have.

Now that may or may not be our "church home." But what was clear is the embers of my spiritual desires were being fanned. It was a wonderful experience.  Thank you Lord.

Unique & Special

We are in the process of looking for a "new" Corvette to replace the one we sold in Texas.  Of course, that means my truck will have to go, but I think that's okay.  I cannot begin to tell you how many Vettes I have looked at online or in person. There is one in particular that I keep revisiting. It is a 96 Collector's Edition. The reason I keep coming back to that car is fairly simple in my mind - they made a limited number of them, it is the last model year of the C4 series Corvette and you seldom see them on the road. For me, that makes it unique and special and I like unique and special.

When you read chapter 9 in the book of Acts we learn that apparently God needed someone unique and special in order to accomplish His purposes for the church and mankind. Whatever characteristics the original disciples/Apostles had were not good enough. He, for whatever reason, needed a Paul.

We seldom give regard to the dynamics of the relationship of Paul and the Apostles, but I suspect, there may have been some tension. After all, here are 12 men that basically spent three years of their lives with the Christ - living, looking, and learning from his every move. Now, suddenly, there comes a man who has had no personal contact with Jesus, was not a witness to the resurrection, and was obviously bent on doing his own thing (Gal. 1:16-18).

Perhaps Paul's three years in Arabia was a corresponding training period similar to that of the Apostles. His preparation for coming out as the NT "debutante" that would transform the presentation and propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Does it not say in Acts that he was able to "prove" that Jesus was the Christ (9:22) ?Had the others somehow failed in this objective?

Now do not get me wrong, unique and special are important when it comes to presenting the powerful claims of the Christ.  And yes, Paul did what supposedly none of the others could do, were willing to do or were not in God's plan to do. He was the "collector's edition" of the mission minded church. But let's not loose sight of the human dynamic involved. For it is the human dynamic that makes the scripture come alive and where we find relevance and application for us.  That is truly  unique and special!

We Love to Tell the Story

They hymn "I Love to Tell the Story" was written by Katharine Hankey. She lived from 1834-1911.  It is a wonderful classic hymn that is still sung in some Southern Baptist Churches today. Yet it has an opening line that is interesting..."I love to tell the story of unseen things above..."  How does one tell a story of something they have not seen, especially something heavenly (implied)? The refrain goes on to say the "story" is of "Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love."

On of the roles we have as Christians is that of a witness. We are to be sharing the story of Christ and making disciples. By the way, those two things are separate to a large degree. Witnessing is a phenomenon that we do not witness very often. Part of it is because our culture has made the church its evangelistic arm and not the followers of the Christ in the church. Another part of it is because most people are not comfortable sharing the "Roman Road" with their friends, neighbors, and - God forbid - perfect strangers.

In a recent television commercial a man is telling his buddies how he had a problem starting his truck. He proceeds to tell them something of the problem and his efforts to solve it by taking his starter to the local auto parts store. He continues to tell them how they willingly and freely tested his part and said he did not need a new starter, rather he need this XYZ part.  Of course the man is impressed because they took time to find the problem and offer an alternative solution which fixed his problem and saved him money.  Naturally he finishes the story by saying how much he will rely on that store and its competent employees in the future.

Do you think his buddies were impressed? Of course they were. Do you think the implication of this mans story is that his buddies can trust that parts store too and should shop there?  Of course.

Many of us do not hesitate to tell these kind of stories. We are prone to tell the story of a good customer service experience more than we are the love of Christ. Why is that?

I think, in part, it is because it is not a natural occurrence for us, but a contrived one. We think we must get four points of scripture in our story or it will not be witnessing. When in fact, telling what Christ has done for us, is more important than telling someone Romans 3:23 or 6:23.  Even John 3:16 can be synthesized to our life, not our ability to know Bible text.

Yes, I know the argument that "God's word will not return void" and that if we share the scripture the Holy Spirit will do the convicting and convincing. Nevertheless, does quoting a text equally sharing our triumph in the Lord?

While in college, one of the most impressive chapel messages I  heard was delivered by one of our professors. He spent 30 minutes or so challenging us with God's call, never once --- never once -- quoting a verse of scripture.  When he finished, you could have heard the proverbial pin drop. The message moved me deeply But later, as I thought back on that message, basically every word that came from his mouth, was a passage from the biblical text. He was telling the story without quoting the story!

When you look at the disciple Stephen's testimony in the Acts 7 you will note that biggest part of it is indeed "story". There are only two points where he quotes OT prophecy. The remainder of what he tells his accusers is scripture in story form. And guess what, he did not have a "tract" and he did not have his "Bible". He had his understanding of God etched in his mind and heart. He had a story that issued from his heart which he was able to tell with conviction.

We may say we love to "tell the story", when in fact many of us may not know the story well enough to tell it. Yes, we can quote John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 6:26, John 1:12, etc. But can we tell others what Christ has done for us? Can we share the Christ of the Bible and not just the Christ of the most recent tract we were given by our church?

"I love to tell the story; tis pleasant to repeat. What seems each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet."

What is Our Motive?

It is probably just a coincidence but these past few weeks I have read Daniel and Revelation. Both books steeped in the theme of visions and metaphors.

I read Revelation because the pastor at the church we were considering was preaching a sermon series on it. So I read Daniel along with it. Then we (I - Alice was not feeling good) went to a new church this past Sunday. For some reason I felt lead to attend the Sunday evening service where, there again, the book of Revelation was being preached. This time with a bit more dogmatism than the previous preacher.

These episodes started me thinking down a particular vein. Why is that the Second Coming is so important? What is it about the "last days" that captures our attention? Is it that we need those thoughts of anticipation regarding the "at any moment" idea of the the return of Christ? Is the belief system regarding the return of Christ- that is fear of impending judgement - what motivates us to live a godly and holy life?  Are we so much like the Israel of old that we need to be threatened with death, isolation, and destruction - or even the return of Christ - in order to do what God desires us to do?

I know many would say that the motive surrounding the Second Coming is the anticipation of Christ's return and reign. Is that the true stimulus or is it simply couched in that thought, with the more accurate motive being "don't get caught with your pants down when He returns?" A fear that we may not be what we should be in Christ or doing something we should not be doing when he returns.

Is it not possible for us to love Christ, be devoted to God and live lives according to His divine laws and love for our brothers without thinking the Second Coming is a future event?

You may regard these remarks as heresy and that's fine. My intent is not to disparage the Second Coming of Christ, simply to explore motive. The motive to live out of pure devotion to our God because that is what we want to do not have to do.

What is your motive?

Hope and Devotion

What kind of daily discipline of devotion do you practice? Do you read your Bible everyday, pray in a certain place at a certain time, keep a journal or some other record of your daily worship practice?

It is interesting how our church culture puts a certain emphasis on daily rituals or habits of discipleship in order to, in effect, measure one's devotion to God. When, in actuality, we see little emphasis of this type of behavior in Scripture. That is, we do not often get a glimpse of what the saints, OT or NT, were doing in their daily devotional lives. Daniel is a rare exception. In the Book of Daniel 6:10 we are told that "He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously."

That practice is something that we seldom, if ever, see divulged about other people - patriarchs, prophets, disciples, or Apostles. Yes, Acts 2 gives us a glimpse of what the early church was doing, but not individuals. I am sure there may be instances recorded in both the OT and NT, but I am not aware of them at the moment.

So why do we, meaning our culture, put such an emphasis on daily rituals? What do those expressions mean regarding our devotion to God? Is someone who reads their Bible daily and prays in a particular manner more devoted than someone who does not?

My habits are rather unexciting compared to my wife's. Now, as I may have indicated before, she is far superior in her faith than I, but I do not believe it is because of her daily devotional practice. That may help, but there are other contributing factors. On the other had, my daily readings and impromptu prayers are different. I often read for content and understanding more than devotion. My prayers are not regular, in fact they are rather spontaneous.

At the heart of all this may indeed be one's understanding of God and what He expects, compared to the pastors and what they often "demand". Also, one's comprehension of God's sovereignty comes in to play.  Are our devotions intended to teach us to learn about God, yield to His sovereign will, or perhaps affect His will with out petitions? Some would say all three, but I would challenge that person to ponder their intent and they may find it is really one over the others.

I read and study to learn about God, to think about God, to seek to understand the nature of God. My prayers are often petitions to God for something or about something. Rather a bizarre contradiction when I think about it, and I DO think about it. Nevertheless, that is my tendency.

It is my suspicion that there is no right way. No magic formula that makes one person's devotional habits more effective than another's. We may find ourselves kneeling and praying three times a day toward Jerusalem, or simply reading scripture for ten minutes then praying a prayer of thanks and petition. I suppose whatever works, works.  Whatever a person's habits are, it would be poor thinking to bounce mine against theirs to measure one's devotion to God.

Father Spirit, I am devoted to you much more than my devotions are devoted to you. You desire more than habits or rituals. You desire my life lived out in harmony to who I am in Christ.