Rev 2:4-6, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."
You don't have to travel far in Christian circles today before you hear someone lamenting about the need for revival. And if asked directly, you'd probably be hard pressed to find a Christian who would say that revival isn't necessary. It also seems on the surface that revival may be happening. New churches have been springing up and are growing exponentially. We see stadium sized church buildings needing to add additional services just to be able to hold all of the new people coming in.
And yet...
Something doesn't seem right.
One of the greatest revivals in history was the Great Awakening. It was said that churches were full and taverns and jails were largely empty. In our day, we have churches that are full and growing. Yet vice, evil, and corruption are rampant and seem to be growing just as fast, if not even faster.
So what's the difference?
The Great Awakening began in the early 1700's. But it had it's roots some 200+ years earlier (actually before that) with Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenburg church. It was intended (among other things) to raise questions regarding unbiblical practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The end result was that christendom was completely changed. Even congregations that didn't embrace the tenets expressed by Luther, and Calvin were profoundly changed because of the Reformation. (The Roman Catholic Church was never the same either)
Now we fast forward to the early 1700's and we have a number of great preachers. Two of the most notable were George Whitefield and Jonathon Edwards. (Probably the most famous sermon of all time, "Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God" by Edwards was in most American literature textbooks up until about 30 years ago) Both of these men were highly influenced by the teachings of the reformers.
So the point to this is that without the Reformation, there would have been no Great Awakening. Before there could be any true, lasting revival there had to be a reformation. That is, they had to get back to the clear message that Jesus and the apostles taught. Otherwise any apparent revival would have been short lived and had little impact.
There are two extremes that I see today. (There's more I'm sure) I call them, "Reformed Legalism", and "Zombie Worship".
Reformed Legalism:
If you could sum up the doctrine reaffirmed by the reformers it would be the "doctrine of justification by grace alone". In reformed legalism, that doctrine is affirmed but then the approach becomes "my way or the highway", (So much for grace) or on the other extreme, ritual observances. This is typically found in denominational Christianity.
It is important to understand that the Bible is very clear about some things. You never hear solid, conservative Bible scholars debating about whether or not murder, adultery, or stealing are sin. You DO hear them debate about the consumption of alcohol, how often to take communion, sprinkling vs. immersion, spiritual gifts, infant baptism, etc. That should tell us something. Some things are spelled out explicitely in God's word, other things are not so clear. Perhaps that is why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) The biggest problem with making dogma where the scripture is unclear is that now people have done the work that was intended for the Holy Spirit. For example, the consumption of alcohol. The Bible does not expicitely condemn the use of alcohol. But does that automatically make it OK to drink? The Holy Spirit may want to deal with a particular individual on the subject regarding what God's heart is for them. But instead, a zealous preacher stands up and takes a few passages, omitting others, and condemns the consumption of alcohol. Now there really is nothing more that can be said and nothing more for the Holy Spirit to do. This is how legalism stifles the work of God, through his Spirit, writing his law on our hearts and minds. (Jer. 31:33; Heb. 10:16)
The other extreme of reformed legalism is that the church is largely defined by ritual observances that have little meaning. Some people say the problem with denominational Christianity is that it is out of date. That may be true to some extent but I believe that the real problem is that we perform these these observances and have no idea why. Why do we sing the Gloria Patri and the Doxology? Why do we recite the Apostles creed and the Lord's Prayer? Maybe instead of doing away with the practices, we should study a little of the history in order to understand why we do these things. Jesus never said not to use repetition. (Matt6:7) He said not to use VAIN repetition. That is, repetition with no meaning.
Zombie Worship:
I really did hesitate to use this expression because it sounds insulting. But let me explain: a simple definition of a zombie is an animated dead thing. It's a body that appears to be alive but in reality, it's dead. Jesus describes such a church in Revelation 3:1, "...You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead". In other words, you are zombies. One thing that stands out is Jesus' use of the word, reputation. This church is KNOWN for it's life. This is the church everyone wants to belong to. Great things are happening here. Great worship, great programs, great ministries, you name it. But...DEAD.
Many of the "happening" churches today have embraced a completely unbiblical prosperity and/or social gospel (the job of the church is to change the world). They've abandoned the gospel that Jesus taught. That is the height from which we have fallen. 1 Cor. 1:18, says that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God". Romans 8:7 tells us that the carnal mind is hostile to God. But in too many cases we have modified the gospel message to make it VERY appealing to carnal people in order to get people saved.
We have replaced the doctrine of regeneration (new birth which can only be accomplished by God himself) with "decisionism". One only has to analyze the typical gospel invitation to see what the problem is. Often it goes like this: "If you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus you can start one today. He wants to heal your brokenness; your relationships, finances, health, you name it. All you have to do is repeat this simple prayer and ask him into your life". What is often missing is any mention of our fallen sinfulness and depravity, the need to repent, and the coming judgment. Paul said the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. The typical gospel invitation is very appealing to anyone, regardless of whether they're actually being saved. Who doesn't want all of their problems fixed? Especially if you don't have to acknowledge your own sinfulness and your need to repent. Any message that does not convict (not condemn) of sin and the need for a savior who died to pay for our sin is a false gospel. If that is the message that an individual responded to, then they walked out of church that day no more saved than they were when they arrived. But they THINK they are saved. A false gospel brings death. Even though it may appear to bring life.
So what is the solution?
I believe the apostle Paul gives us a pretty good outline in his letter to Titus. In chapter 3: 3-8
"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewel by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone".
As John Bunyan said, "The best way to provoke ourselves and others to good works, it is to be often affirming to others the doctrine of justification by grace, and to believe it ourselves". (Christian Behavior)
The gospel gives life and changes people. The " washing of rebirth and renewal" changes us into new people who no longer have a carnal nature that is hostile to God. But have a nature that wants to follow and obey God. The mission of the church is to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and make disciples (Matt.28:19). Nowhere does it say our job is to get people saved. That is God's job. And while not every sermon needs to be an explicit presentation of the gospel, all preaching should have the gospel at it's foundation. Doctrine is important--sound doctrine (Titus 2:1) In Titus 3:9, "But avoid foolish controversies and geneologies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless". Many of the different denominations exist precisely because people did exactly what Paul said not to do. It's amazing how quickly we can get diverted to the "unprofitable and useless" things, and get our focus off what is really the most important. Because we are never completely set free from our old nature in this life, our tendency is always going to be to avoid the life changing message of he cross.
I believe that this gives a brief summary of the height from which we have fallen. let's pray for revival but let's first pray for a modern reformation and "do the things we did at first".
God bless everyone of you.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Stones of Remembrance
Joshua 4:21-24, "He said to the Israelites, 'In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' Tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all people of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.' "
I don't know about you but sometimes I suffer from amnesia. Especially when I find myself in a tough spot and need help, I tend to forget that God has gotten me through tough spots before. In the above passage God had just done the impossible. He had just dammed up the Jordan river so the people could cross over into the promised land. Because we humans have a tendency to forget God's provision and protection, the Israelites were told to set up a monument so that they would remember because it is so easy to forget. We all need these "stones of remembrance" in our own individual lives.
One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was the story of David and Goliath. (I always imagined something like Jack and the Beanstock) It took a LOT of faith for David to go up against that big Philistine warrior, but David had "stones of remembrance" that he could look to. In 1 Samuel 17:34-37 David tells Saul about two times while watching his father's sheep when a bear and a lion had tried to take one of the sheep. He had gone after the animal, struck it, and rescued the sheep. When the lion or bear turned on him he grabbed it by the hair, struck and killed it. Don't try this at home! One on one combat with a bear or a lion usually doesn't have a happy ending for the human. But David said something in verse 37:
The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion ad the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.
I've heard someone say that we who follow Jesus Christ live by faith, but it is a REASONABLE faith. David had a good reason to believe God would rescue him. He had done it before...twice.
We need to set up monuments as reminders God's faithfulness in our own lives so that we don't forget. Not necessarily a pile of rocks but maybe a post-it-note or photograph taped to the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror. Or maybe the dashbord of the car.
I am a free-lance carpenter contractor by trade. The vast majority of my work is fed to me by larger companies. Someone once told me if you want to learn what it means to live by faith, start your own business. He had a good point. As I am writing this on a Thursday morning, I'm looking at work for today and tomorrow. I have nothing lined up for next week. Some jobs fell through and some have been postponed.
I've been here before.
One of the most memorable situations was a number of years ago. I went to work on Monday morning with only some final touches to do on a kitchen and nothing else for the remainder of the week. There was another job just down the street from the one I was finishing but they were doing some remodeling and wouldn't be ready for the cabinets for some time yet. Around 11:00am as I was just finishing, the homeowner at the other job came by to see the finished product on this job. She said their handyman who was doing the work hadn't showed up for a few days and they couldn't get in touch with him. So they asked if I would be intersted in finishing up the rough framing. I moved my tools down the street and went right to work. That took me through Wednesday. When I got home Wednesday night there was a message for me to call someone regarding work. It seems that a real estate closing was held up because the house failed an inspection. They needed someone right away. That finished out the week. The funny thing is, I made about 50% more that week than I usually averaged on a normal week. I was able to relax that weekend because now the other job was ready and cabinets would be delivered first thing Monday morning. Not bad for a week that had very bleak prospects to start off.
That one goes on the bathroom mirror.
Just a week or two ago I needed new tires for my van and really couldn't afford them but couldn't put it off any more. When I got to the place I found out there was a closeout sale on the tires I needed and they just happened to have a couple left. Two new tires for under $100. Then I received my phone bill and saw that I owed only $7 for the month. When I called to ask if there was a mistake they said, yes there's a mistake. I actually had another credit and owed NOTHING.
God leaves his business card where I'll be sure to find it.
So what are your "stones of remembrance"? Is it time to dig through some old photographs or invest in some post-it-notes? It's so easy to forget otherwise. Many times in God's word we are told to remember. Then we are told to tell others of the wonderful things he has done. I can't wait to hear your stories.
May God richly bless you all.
I don't know about you but sometimes I suffer from amnesia. Especially when I find myself in a tough spot and need help, I tend to forget that God has gotten me through tough spots before. In the above passage God had just done the impossible. He had just dammed up the Jordan river so the people could cross over into the promised land. Because we humans have a tendency to forget God's provision and protection, the Israelites were told to set up a monument so that they would remember because it is so easy to forget. We all need these "stones of remembrance" in our own individual lives.
One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was the story of David and Goliath. (I always imagined something like Jack and the Beanstock) It took a LOT of faith for David to go up against that big Philistine warrior, but David had "stones of remembrance" that he could look to. In 1 Samuel 17:34-37 David tells Saul about two times while watching his father's sheep when a bear and a lion had tried to take one of the sheep. He had gone after the animal, struck it, and rescued the sheep. When the lion or bear turned on him he grabbed it by the hair, struck and killed it. Don't try this at home! One on one combat with a bear or a lion usually doesn't have a happy ending for the human. But David said something in verse 37:
The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion ad the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.
I've heard someone say that we who follow Jesus Christ live by faith, but it is a REASONABLE faith. David had a good reason to believe God would rescue him. He had done it before...twice.
We need to set up monuments as reminders God's faithfulness in our own lives so that we don't forget. Not necessarily a pile of rocks but maybe a post-it-note or photograph taped to the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror. Or maybe the dashbord of the car.
I am a free-lance carpenter contractor by trade. The vast majority of my work is fed to me by larger companies. Someone once told me if you want to learn what it means to live by faith, start your own business. He had a good point. As I am writing this on a Thursday morning, I'm looking at work for today and tomorrow. I have nothing lined up for next week. Some jobs fell through and some have been postponed.
I've been here before.
One of the most memorable situations was a number of years ago. I went to work on Monday morning with only some final touches to do on a kitchen and nothing else for the remainder of the week. There was another job just down the street from the one I was finishing but they were doing some remodeling and wouldn't be ready for the cabinets for some time yet. Around 11:00am as I was just finishing, the homeowner at the other job came by to see the finished product on this job. She said their handyman who was doing the work hadn't showed up for a few days and they couldn't get in touch with him. So they asked if I would be intersted in finishing up the rough framing. I moved my tools down the street and went right to work. That took me through Wednesday. When I got home Wednesday night there was a message for me to call someone regarding work. It seems that a real estate closing was held up because the house failed an inspection. They needed someone right away. That finished out the week. The funny thing is, I made about 50% more that week than I usually averaged on a normal week. I was able to relax that weekend because now the other job was ready and cabinets would be delivered first thing Monday morning. Not bad for a week that had very bleak prospects to start off.
That one goes on the bathroom mirror.
Just a week or two ago I needed new tires for my van and really couldn't afford them but couldn't put it off any more. When I got to the place I found out there was a closeout sale on the tires I needed and they just happened to have a couple left. Two new tires for under $100. Then I received my phone bill and saw that I owed only $7 for the month. When I called to ask if there was a mistake they said, yes there's a mistake. I actually had another credit and owed NOTHING.
God leaves his business card where I'll be sure to find it.
So what are your "stones of remembrance"? Is it time to dig through some old photographs or invest in some post-it-notes? It's so easy to forget otherwise. Many times in God's word we are told to remember. Then we are told to tell others of the wonderful things he has done. I can't wait to hear your stories.
May God richly bless you all.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Looking in All the Wrong Places
When I was a teenager I read a book, and I can't remember for sure what the title was but it was something like, "Davy Jones' Haunted Locker". Davy Jones' locker is the realm of the dead for those who die at sea. And Davy Jones rules this underworld.
Well there's a man in this village who has a crush on these three different women who are known for their beauty, and he's constantly trying to win the heart of one of them. Then there's this kind of cute, but somewhat annoying young lady who, in the modern vernacullar, thinks that he is the "cats' meow".
Somehow this man ends up dying at sea and finds himself in Davy Jones' locker and meets the rular of this realm, Davy Jones himself. Over a period of time in this realm it is discovered that a mistake has been made and they need to send this man back to the land of the living. So to compensate the man for the inconvenience, Davy Jones grants him three wishes. So the man asks for:
Fame:
Wealth and
Wisdom
Davy Jones begin to answer: "If you make it back safely, You will be famous". That took care of the first wish. For the second wish Davy Jones told him where there was a small chest of treasure buried; wish two.
For his third wish, Davy Jones said, "There are three rules of wisdom that you must follow if you want to be wise.
The first rule is don't marry the most beautiful woman in the village. because all she thinks about is herself and how beautiful she is.
The second rule is don't marry the second most beautiful woman in the village Because all she thinks about is how beautiful she is. But she's also miserable because she's not the most beautiful woman in the village"
The man asks, "Anything else?" Thinking at least there's still the third lady.
"Yes", Davy Jones said. "Don't marry the third most beautiful woman in the village. Because all she thinks about is how beautiful she is and she's even more miserable because she's not as beautiful as the other two women".
The man, now really confused asked him, "Well who should I marry then?"
Davy Jones replied, "Marry the woman who thinks that you are the most wonderful and handsomest man in the village. She won't be consumed by how beautiful she looks but she will look after your needs and desires which means that you will be able to look after hers too."
The man immediately thought of the cute, annoying girl and thought that maybe she wasn't that annoying after all.
The story of course ends with him marrying the "cute" lady and living happily ever after.
I've often thought about this story over the years and thought long and hard about how easy it can be to spend all of my energy pursuing something that I can never have. Or if I could have it, I would realize after it was too late, that it was not what I really wanted. Or that it was going to be a disaster. But is it possible that the very thing I am trying to win, is something I already have. Like the man in the story, trying to win the heart of a woman whose heart he'll never win, not realizing that he's already won the heart of the one who really does love him.
It isn't just about relationships. It can be about almost anything. I've even seen it with beekeeping. It's true. Someone gets the idea that it would be wonderful to have their own honey. They acquire, sometimes, several hives and then realize that they are absolutely terrified of bees or, worse yet, they are deathly allergic to bee stings.
So how do we know what the right choices for us are? I believe a lot of times we pursue the wrong things (I'm not talking about sinful) because we don't really know ourselves. So what is the solution? I think it's get good counsel. I don't mean necessarily a professional counselor although that may be what is needed, but surrounding yourself with wise friends who really know you. Maybe you're thinking of getting into beekeeping. A friend who knows you may remind you that you freak out when a bug flies by your face. Maybe it is a relationship. A friend might tell you that the other person doesn't like you and probably never will. besides that, they're into sports and you're into reading...,or whatever. As it says in Proverbs 5:22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed." We often really fool ourselves where others can see and provide needed direction. One of the great tragedies is that many people spend all of their energy striving to reach the top and when they get there, they realize it's a pile of manure. And then they can't get down. It's much easier to never get into a bad situation than to try to get out of one. Perhaps with wise counsel they would have seen that it wasn't going to be the best thing.
Of course, the most important thing is to pray. God is the best counselor. Ask him for direction and especially for the humility to listen. Often he provides his direction through other people. Often the counsel is not what we want to hear. because in our nature, we want what we want. That's why a humble spirit is so important. Proverbs 9:9, "Instruct a wise man and he will become wiser still."
But what if you've really messed up. As long as you're still alive, tomorrow is a brand new day. I've been thinking a lot abot the ending of the movie Castaway lately and I'll end with a quote from it. "...Keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring". Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. It could be the beginning of something new and wonderful. But you have to keep breathing. Blessings to all.
Well there's a man in this village who has a crush on these three different women who are known for their beauty, and he's constantly trying to win the heart of one of them. Then there's this kind of cute, but somewhat annoying young lady who, in the modern vernacullar, thinks that he is the "cats' meow".
Somehow this man ends up dying at sea and finds himself in Davy Jones' locker and meets the rular of this realm, Davy Jones himself. Over a period of time in this realm it is discovered that a mistake has been made and they need to send this man back to the land of the living. So to compensate the man for the inconvenience, Davy Jones grants him three wishes. So the man asks for:
Fame:
Wealth and
Wisdom
Davy Jones begin to answer: "If you make it back safely, You will be famous". That took care of the first wish. For the second wish Davy Jones told him where there was a small chest of treasure buried; wish two.
For his third wish, Davy Jones said, "There are three rules of wisdom that you must follow if you want to be wise.
The first rule is don't marry the most beautiful woman in the village. because all she thinks about is herself and how beautiful she is.
The second rule is don't marry the second most beautiful woman in the village Because all she thinks about is how beautiful she is. But she's also miserable because she's not the most beautiful woman in the village"
The man asks, "Anything else?" Thinking at least there's still the third lady.
"Yes", Davy Jones said. "Don't marry the third most beautiful woman in the village. Because all she thinks about is how beautiful she is and she's even more miserable because she's not as beautiful as the other two women".
The man, now really confused asked him, "Well who should I marry then?"
Davy Jones replied, "Marry the woman who thinks that you are the most wonderful and handsomest man in the village. She won't be consumed by how beautiful she looks but she will look after your needs and desires which means that you will be able to look after hers too."
The man immediately thought of the cute, annoying girl and thought that maybe she wasn't that annoying after all.
The story of course ends with him marrying the "cute" lady and living happily ever after.
I've often thought about this story over the years and thought long and hard about how easy it can be to spend all of my energy pursuing something that I can never have. Or if I could have it, I would realize after it was too late, that it was not what I really wanted. Or that it was going to be a disaster. But is it possible that the very thing I am trying to win, is something I already have. Like the man in the story, trying to win the heart of a woman whose heart he'll never win, not realizing that he's already won the heart of the one who really does love him.
It isn't just about relationships. It can be about almost anything. I've even seen it with beekeeping. It's true. Someone gets the idea that it would be wonderful to have their own honey. They acquire, sometimes, several hives and then realize that they are absolutely terrified of bees or, worse yet, they are deathly allergic to bee stings.
So how do we know what the right choices for us are? I believe a lot of times we pursue the wrong things (I'm not talking about sinful) because we don't really know ourselves. So what is the solution? I think it's get good counsel. I don't mean necessarily a professional counselor although that may be what is needed, but surrounding yourself with wise friends who really know you. Maybe you're thinking of getting into beekeeping. A friend who knows you may remind you that you freak out when a bug flies by your face. Maybe it is a relationship. A friend might tell you that the other person doesn't like you and probably never will. besides that, they're into sports and you're into reading...,or whatever. As it says in Proverbs 5:22, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed." We often really fool ourselves where others can see and provide needed direction. One of the great tragedies is that many people spend all of their energy striving to reach the top and when they get there, they realize it's a pile of manure. And then they can't get down. It's much easier to never get into a bad situation than to try to get out of one. Perhaps with wise counsel they would have seen that it wasn't going to be the best thing.
Of course, the most important thing is to pray. God is the best counselor. Ask him for direction and especially for the humility to listen. Often he provides his direction through other people. Often the counsel is not what we want to hear. because in our nature, we want what we want. That's why a humble spirit is so important. Proverbs 9:9, "Instruct a wise man and he will become wiser still."
But what if you've really messed up. As long as you're still alive, tomorrow is a brand new day. I've been thinking a lot abot the ending of the movie Castaway lately and I'll end with a quote from it. "...Keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring". Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. It could be the beginning of something new and wonderful. But you have to keep breathing. Blessings to all.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Forgive as You Have Been Forgiven
Matt. 6:14, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins".
In Matthew 18 :21-35 Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his master an astronomical amount of money, millions of dollars. Because the servant begged for mercy his master forgave the debt. Later, this servant found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the other servant couldn't pay and begged for mercy, he refused to be merciful and had him thrown into prison. The story ends with the first servant being brought back before his master and being thrown into prison. The last verse leaves no question, (vs.35) "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart". Unforgiveness is sin! In fact, it is an unpardonable sin.
When you look at this narrative something that stands out is the first servant's disregard for what his master has just done for him. He doesn't seem to realize the magnitude of the debt he owed. And this brings up an important point:
It costs to forgive...A LOT!!
Scholars have estimated that ten thousand talents may have been anywhere between 15 and 50 million dollars. Debt does not simply disappear. It has to be accounteed for in some way. In this story the master absorbs the debt himself in order to forgive his servant. It cost the master all of that money to set his servant free. Forgiveness is not pretending that nothing is wrong or that it's no big deal so don't worry about it. It begins with a full acknowledgment that someone has wronged you and hurt you in some way, and legally, you have every right to demand justice. Forgiveness is waiving that right and absorbing the cost yourself in order to set the offending person free.
I believe that the biggest obstacle to our being able to forgive is that we don't realize the awfulness of our own sin and just what it cost our savior to set us free. Jesus illustrated this in Luke 7:41-43,
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which one of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus answered.
Sometimes the problem, for me anyway, is one of perspective. I think of myself as the one who owed fifty danarii when in reality I am the one who owed five hundred. In other words, I don't think I'm such a bad person because, after all, I didn't do what THEY did. But the reality is, my sins put Jesus on the cross. When I see it from that perspective, I can see what an insult it is to my savior that I should have the audacity to think I have the right to demand justice and not forgive others, when he waived his own right to demand justice in order to forgive me.
Forgiveness and reconciliation
One question that always comes up is, does forgiveness mean reconciliation. They are not the same thing. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that a relationship can be restored. If there is no indication that the offending party sees that they have done anything wrong and are making no good faith effort to make necessary changes, You can extend forgiveness, but there really cannot be a relationship because the bahavior which broke the relationship will coninue to destroy it. We must be careful, however that the "rebuilding trust" is not simply a smokescreen to hide the fact that one hasn't truly forgiven the other person. When I hear someone say, "I forgave him but it takes time to rebuild trust". I invariably want to ask how long it's been since the person displayed the offensive behavior. If they say almost twenty years (That's no joke. I've seen it) I would suspect that they are only fooling themselves. They haven't forgiven the other person.
I would also suppose that, in some cases, too much "water has flowed over the dam" and forgiveness simply means setting the other person free and blessing them as they go. In a case of infedelity, where the offending spouse returns to ask forgiveness even though they are now remarried, would be an example. The individuals will simply have to move on.
This all sounds so good, but I can't do it.
I'll let you in on a little secret. If I write about something like this, it's because it's a personal struggle for me. If it weren't I wouldn't think about it enough to bother writing about it. This is HUGE for me an I don't have a quick and easy answer. But I know the one who does have the answers. And I think he gave it to us in 1 John 1:9,
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness"
If you can't forgive someone, tell your heavenly father. That's what confession is. Maybe you don't even want to forgive. Tell him that too. Phillipians 2:13 says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure". The fact is we DON'T have it in us to desire to do God's will. He has to put that desire in us; including the desire and ability to forgive. It must begin with confession. Complete, brutally honest confession. Acknowledge that unforgiveness is sin and that you are guilty. And then embrace his promise that he will do what he said; forgive us and purify us from the unrighteousness of unforgiveness.
But what if we are still struggling with being able to truly forgive from our hearts? Even though we now have a new identity in Christ we still have our old nature to deal with. And we still get it wrong sometimes. So here's one more passage. Psalm 103:13-14, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers we are dust." He remembers that we are weak and frail, even though sometimes we forget. It is by his grace that we are saved and it is sufficient for us. Lean on him and trust him. May God bless each and every one of you.
In Matthew 18 :21-35 Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his master an astronomical amount of money, millions of dollars. Because the servant begged for mercy his master forgave the debt. Later, this servant found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the other servant couldn't pay and begged for mercy, he refused to be merciful and had him thrown into prison. The story ends with the first servant being brought back before his master and being thrown into prison. The last verse leaves no question, (vs.35) "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart". Unforgiveness is sin! In fact, it is an unpardonable sin.
When you look at this narrative something that stands out is the first servant's disregard for what his master has just done for him. He doesn't seem to realize the magnitude of the debt he owed. And this brings up an important point:
It costs to forgive...A LOT!!
Scholars have estimated that ten thousand talents may have been anywhere between 15 and 50 million dollars. Debt does not simply disappear. It has to be accounteed for in some way. In this story the master absorbs the debt himself in order to forgive his servant. It cost the master all of that money to set his servant free. Forgiveness is not pretending that nothing is wrong or that it's no big deal so don't worry about it. It begins with a full acknowledgment that someone has wronged you and hurt you in some way, and legally, you have every right to demand justice. Forgiveness is waiving that right and absorbing the cost yourself in order to set the offending person free.
I believe that the biggest obstacle to our being able to forgive is that we don't realize the awfulness of our own sin and just what it cost our savior to set us free. Jesus illustrated this in Luke 7:41-43,
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which one of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus answered.
Sometimes the problem, for me anyway, is one of perspective. I think of myself as the one who owed fifty danarii when in reality I am the one who owed five hundred. In other words, I don't think I'm such a bad person because, after all, I didn't do what THEY did. But the reality is, my sins put Jesus on the cross. When I see it from that perspective, I can see what an insult it is to my savior that I should have the audacity to think I have the right to demand justice and not forgive others, when he waived his own right to demand justice in order to forgive me.
Forgiveness and reconciliation
One question that always comes up is, does forgiveness mean reconciliation. They are not the same thing. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that a relationship can be restored. If there is no indication that the offending party sees that they have done anything wrong and are making no good faith effort to make necessary changes, You can extend forgiveness, but there really cannot be a relationship because the bahavior which broke the relationship will coninue to destroy it. We must be careful, however that the "rebuilding trust" is not simply a smokescreen to hide the fact that one hasn't truly forgiven the other person. When I hear someone say, "I forgave him but it takes time to rebuild trust". I invariably want to ask how long it's been since the person displayed the offensive behavior. If they say almost twenty years (That's no joke. I've seen it) I would suspect that they are only fooling themselves. They haven't forgiven the other person.
I would also suppose that, in some cases, too much "water has flowed over the dam" and forgiveness simply means setting the other person free and blessing them as they go. In a case of infedelity, where the offending spouse returns to ask forgiveness even though they are now remarried, would be an example. The individuals will simply have to move on.
This all sounds so good, but I can't do it.
I'll let you in on a little secret. If I write about something like this, it's because it's a personal struggle for me. If it weren't I wouldn't think about it enough to bother writing about it. This is HUGE for me an I don't have a quick and easy answer. But I know the one who does have the answers. And I think he gave it to us in 1 John 1:9,
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness"
If you can't forgive someone, tell your heavenly father. That's what confession is. Maybe you don't even want to forgive. Tell him that too. Phillipians 2:13 says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure". The fact is we DON'T have it in us to desire to do God's will. He has to put that desire in us; including the desire and ability to forgive. It must begin with confession. Complete, brutally honest confession. Acknowledge that unforgiveness is sin and that you are guilty. And then embrace his promise that he will do what he said; forgive us and purify us from the unrighteousness of unforgiveness.
But what if we are still struggling with being able to truly forgive from our hearts? Even though we now have a new identity in Christ we still have our old nature to deal with. And we still get it wrong sometimes. So here's one more passage. Psalm 103:13-14, "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers we are dust." He remembers that we are weak and frail, even though sometimes we forget. It is by his grace that we are saved and it is sufficient for us. Lean on him and trust him. May God bless each and every one of you.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Something New, But First, A Time to Mourn
Isaiah 43:18-19, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Some years ago I saw a movie called, "Joshua". It was based on the book, "Joshua, A Parable for Today", by Joseph F. Girzone.
The story basically is Jesus, in modern times, showing up in a small town almost like a drifter, and he makes a huge impact on everyone he comes in contact with. In one particular scene, toward the end of the movie, a young lady who tragically lost her husband, the love of her life, out of anger and frustration picks up a crystal vase, smashes it on the ground and runs out. The scene ends with Joshua starting to pick up the broken pieces. Sometime later, after Joshua's gone, the priest is talking to this same young lady, who is also leaving, and he says to her, "Joshua wanted me to give you this", and he held out a beautiful figurine of a woman made from all the broken pieces of the vase. As she held it she said, "He made something beautiful." I choke up every time I think about that scene because it hits me like a ton of bricks: He didn't put the vase back together again. He took the broken peices and he made something new, something different. The thing is, this NEW thing was far more beautiful than what it had been originally.
When we find ourselves in that place where our lives are nothing but broken shards of the beauty that once was, it's easy to become overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness and despondancy. I want the beautiful vase back. I want my old job back, the relationship restored, the health problems fixed. I either yearn to turn back the clock and try to do better so maybe the vase won't get broken, or else I want God to put the vase back together again. But maybe God intends to do something else. When God asks, "do you not perceive it?" The answer is, no I don't perceive it. All I see is broken glass.
Now it may seem that the simple solution is to simply stop focusing on the problem and look up in expectation and watch God start to move. Right? Sounds so simple and so ideal, BUT...,
Not happening.
That is the answer but it's just not that simple.
So how do we move beyond the broken mess and wait in expectation for God to take the broken pieces and make something beautiful? I don't pretend that I have the answers but I did run across something that I had never seen before. It's at the end of the book of Dueteronomy. Moses has gone up Mt. Nebo, never to return. He's dead. The Lord is about to do a "new" thing. Joshua is going to be the new leader and the israelites are going to go in and conquer the promised land. But there's a little verse in chapter 34 that really stood out to me. Vs 8,
"The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over."
So now begins the mission of conquering the land of Canaan, but for thirty days, nothing is going to happen. They're taking the month off. It's as if God is saying, "I have a plan. But before I impliment my plan, you need time to grieve the loss of your leader and process the loss before you can move forward with this new thing I am about to do." Now at first glance that may seem a little unreasonable to think that people would be ready to move on in thirty days, particulary Joshua and the priests who had been intimately close to Moses and for whom the loss would have been very deep. Sometimes the wounds and the pain of loss can last for years. True. But I wonder, in our nine to five, "planes to catch, bills to pay" (nod to the late Harry Chapin) world, do we even get any real time to grieve and process loss. Is it possible that a "moment of silence" observed at a baseball game is all the time many of us ever get. What if we actually took time to grieve? Would so many of us be "walking wounded"? I seriously believe that those of us who have deep wounds from loss would be much healthier mentally, emotionally and spiritually if we had taken time to grieve and process what's been lost or broken.
Now the truth is, there are some losses that people don't ever completely get over. I have heard that the greatest loss is when a parent loses a child. I don't see how anyone fully recovers from that. Perhaps in such cases, healing means coming to a place where they can move forward with their lives. But it can't happen if they've never been allowed to grieve and mourn. And then to process, because that is important. Life is going to be different moving forward.
In this verse I believe that God also tells us that loss is real. He doesn't minimize it. In the new testament we see Jesus weeping over Lazarus, a man who in a few moments is going to be alive again. WE need to acknowledge that our loss and pain is real. Sometimes I get impatient with myself and think I should be moving on. Often, I am trying to accomplish the same level of productivity that I could accomplish before I experienced the loss. That is simply not reasonable. We don't expect a person with a sprained ankle to be able to walk like he did when his ankle was fine. In the same way, we can't expect ourselves to be able to perform at the same level we did when were weren't dealing with the pain of brokenness and loss. We may need to come to grips with the fact that for a time, we may not get much done.
So here's what I've gathered from all of this. See if this helps:
1. Acknowledge the loss and brokenness; it's real. Even if you think it's not as bad as what someone else is gong through. It's still a loss. If it truly is not as bad, you will heal more quickly. Makes sense. Simple as that.
2. Take time to grieve and process it. Even if it means taking an afternoon here and there to be alone. Don't be ashamed to cry (GUYS)...,even if a lot of time has passed. It's OK. Sometimes the healing simply means the ability to go on with your life. The grief may come on you heavy at times even years later, but it won't be crippling like it was at first.
3. Realize that things are going to be different now. Most likely, God won't put the vase back together. As he said to Joshua in Joshua 1:2, "Moses my servant is dead." He's gone. He's not coming back. Things are different now. Then He said, "Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them...." It wasn't until after the time of mourning and weeping, when all of the people had been given time to grieve and process the loss; that's when God said, "Let's move forward. Go conquer Canaan." Now they were ready for God to do something new. It's after we have had our time of mourning and weeping that we can then be prepared for God to take the broken shards of our lives and make something new.
Some years ago I saw a movie called, "Joshua". It was based on the book, "Joshua, A Parable for Today", by Joseph F. Girzone.
The story basically is Jesus, in modern times, showing up in a small town almost like a drifter, and he makes a huge impact on everyone he comes in contact with. In one particular scene, toward the end of the movie, a young lady who tragically lost her husband, the love of her life, out of anger and frustration picks up a crystal vase, smashes it on the ground and runs out. The scene ends with Joshua starting to pick up the broken pieces. Sometime later, after Joshua's gone, the priest is talking to this same young lady, who is also leaving, and he says to her, "Joshua wanted me to give you this", and he held out a beautiful figurine of a woman made from all the broken pieces of the vase. As she held it she said, "He made something beautiful." I choke up every time I think about that scene because it hits me like a ton of bricks: He didn't put the vase back together again. He took the broken peices and he made something new, something different. The thing is, this NEW thing was far more beautiful than what it had been originally.
When we find ourselves in that place where our lives are nothing but broken shards of the beauty that once was, it's easy to become overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness and despondancy. I want the beautiful vase back. I want my old job back, the relationship restored, the health problems fixed. I either yearn to turn back the clock and try to do better so maybe the vase won't get broken, or else I want God to put the vase back together again. But maybe God intends to do something else. When God asks, "do you not perceive it?" The answer is, no I don't perceive it. All I see is broken glass.
Now it may seem that the simple solution is to simply stop focusing on the problem and look up in expectation and watch God start to move. Right? Sounds so simple and so ideal, BUT...,
Not happening.
That is the answer but it's just not that simple.
So how do we move beyond the broken mess and wait in expectation for God to take the broken pieces and make something beautiful? I don't pretend that I have the answers but I did run across something that I had never seen before. It's at the end of the book of Dueteronomy. Moses has gone up Mt. Nebo, never to return. He's dead. The Lord is about to do a "new" thing. Joshua is going to be the new leader and the israelites are going to go in and conquer the promised land. But there's a little verse in chapter 34 that really stood out to me. Vs 8,
"The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over."
So now begins the mission of conquering the land of Canaan, but for thirty days, nothing is going to happen. They're taking the month off. It's as if God is saying, "I have a plan. But before I impliment my plan, you need time to grieve the loss of your leader and process the loss before you can move forward with this new thing I am about to do." Now at first glance that may seem a little unreasonable to think that people would be ready to move on in thirty days, particulary Joshua and the priests who had been intimately close to Moses and for whom the loss would have been very deep. Sometimes the wounds and the pain of loss can last for years. True. But I wonder, in our nine to five, "planes to catch, bills to pay" (nod to the late Harry Chapin) world, do we even get any real time to grieve and process loss. Is it possible that a "moment of silence" observed at a baseball game is all the time many of us ever get. What if we actually took time to grieve? Would so many of us be "walking wounded"? I seriously believe that those of us who have deep wounds from loss would be much healthier mentally, emotionally and spiritually if we had taken time to grieve and process what's been lost or broken.
Now the truth is, there are some losses that people don't ever completely get over. I have heard that the greatest loss is when a parent loses a child. I don't see how anyone fully recovers from that. Perhaps in such cases, healing means coming to a place where they can move forward with their lives. But it can't happen if they've never been allowed to grieve and mourn. And then to process, because that is important. Life is going to be different moving forward.
In this verse I believe that God also tells us that loss is real. He doesn't minimize it. In the new testament we see Jesus weeping over Lazarus, a man who in a few moments is going to be alive again. WE need to acknowledge that our loss and pain is real. Sometimes I get impatient with myself and think I should be moving on. Often, I am trying to accomplish the same level of productivity that I could accomplish before I experienced the loss. That is simply not reasonable. We don't expect a person with a sprained ankle to be able to walk like he did when his ankle was fine. In the same way, we can't expect ourselves to be able to perform at the same level we did when were weren't dealing with the pain of brokenness and loss. We may need to come to grips with the fact that for a time, we may not get much done.
So here's what I've gathered from all of this. See if this helps:
1. Acknowledge the loss and brokenness; it's real. Even if you think it's not as bad as what someone else is gong through. It's still a loss. If it truly is not as bad, you will heal more quickly. Makes sense. Simple as that.
2. Take time to grieve and process it. Even if it means taking an afternoon here and there to be alone. Don't be ashamed to cry (GUYS)...,even if a lot of time has passed. It's OK. Sometimes the healing simply means the ability to go on with your life. The grief may come on you heavy at times even years later, but it won't be crippling like it was at first.
3. Realize that things are going to be different now. Most likely, God won't put the vase back together. As he said to Joshua in Joshua 1:2, "Moses my servant is dead." He's gone. He's not coming back. Things are different now. Then He said, "Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them...." It wasn't until after the time of mourning and weeping, when all of the people had been given time to grieve and process the loss; that's when God said, "Let's move forward. Go conquer Canaan." Now they were ready for God to do something new. It's after we have had our time of mourning and weeping that we can then be prepared for God to take the broken shards of our lives and make something new.
Trust him! It's going to be beautiful.
Friday, March 25, 2016
The Man Who DIDN"T Live Out His Faith
"But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, ' Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise'" Luke 23:40-43
Here we are introduced to a man who was saved just as his life was ebbing away in an extremely excruciating manner. He was never going to attend church or a bible study. He would never read the gospels or study the epistles. He would never serve in his local church or go on a mission trip, feed the homeless or do anything that a follower of Jesus would do. In fact, because the Romans reserved crucifixion for those whose deeds warranted making an example of them, this man's legacy was that he was one of the worst of the worst. He was evil! If there was a man who could not be saved, this was him.
In the narrative of the rich young rular, (Matt 19:16-26) Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom. In the mindset of the day, it was thought that the rich people had an advantage because they were the ones funding the temple. Which is why the disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' answer applies to each and every one of us: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
While we can look at this man and say that his life was a dismal failure, none of us are any different. God's standard for righteousness is perfection. 99.999999(ad infinitum)% is not perfect. His standard is also pass or fail. Anything less than absolutely perfect, fails. James 2:10, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." And because (Rom. 3:23) we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we are no different than this criminal who was crucified along with Jesus.
After 3+ years of his ministry in which he taught that man cannot, by his good deeds be righteous before a holy God and that he himself was the only way to be saved. It seems appropriate that one of the last things God would do as Jesus was dying, would be to demonstrate for us just how, not only this man, but each and every one of us can be saved.
1. Confession: This man acknowledged his sin and that he was getting exactly what he deserved. It isn't just that we confess our sins but confess that God would be completely justified if he sent us to eternal judgment. he knew he was getting what he deserved and it is what we all deserve. 1 John 2:9, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
2. Total dependence on Jesus. As he hung helplessly on that Roman cross, his plea was that Jesus would remember him. That was his only hope and it is our only hope. Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Finally..
3. The assurance of salvation: Jesus promises him that he would be in Paradise with him that day.
The fact is that each and every one of us is just like that criminal on the cross: A wretched sinner saved by grace. And we are just as helpless as he was. It is only an illusion that we have any ability in our own strength.
So in just a few short verses we have this wonderful picture of God saving a sinner by his own love and grace, and a great example to follow in a man who never got a chance to actually live out his own faith...
OH BUT HE DID!!!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Life doesn't Turn Out The Way We Expect
Tonight for some reason I got the urge to read the two inaugural addresses of President Abraham Lincoln. I was struck by how the two speeches almost seem to have been given by two different men. And indeed, in many ways, they were. When Abraham Lincoln first took office, the nation was facing the threat of the southern states seceeding and the possibility of war. Mr Lincoln, in his first address, spoke of the necessity of preserving the union and seemed confident that it could be accomplished without bloodshed. This was the spring of 1861.
Now it's four years later. The war had come and the price had been awful. Instead of a nation that had pulled together and unified, laying aside their differences, Mr. Lincoln was now presiding over a badly wounded, shattered nation still in the throes of war, badly in need of healing. How could he have seen into the future four years earlier. Obviously, he is now a man with some deep questions as to why this terrible war had come about. He opined that perhaps it was divine judgment against the offence of slavery. Mr. Lincoln eloquently states in the address,
"Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth
piled by the bondman's two hundred and fifty years
"Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth
piled by the bondman's two hundred and fifty years
of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every
drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by
another drawn with the sword, as it was said three
Thousand years ago, so it must still be said, 'The
judgments of the Lord are true and righteous
altogether.' "
drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by
another drawn with the sword, as it was said three
Thousand years ago, so it must still be said, 'The
judgments of the Lord are true and righteous
altogether.' "
Of course, this brings me around to today. How often do we look back with incredulity and think, I would never have imagined my life to turn out the way it did. Four years ago, I would have predicted a much different life today. Not one with deep wounds, mostly inflicted by me, a trail of debris, and badly in need of healing. Perhaps much of it is the Lord's discipline to correct me. I'm sleeping in the bed I made.
Mr. Lincoln almost certainly did not see four years into the future to a time when he would be presiding over a nation that, yes, was still one nation, but almost mortally wounded.
The one thing I have learned to hang on to is the faith that while all of this may have taken me by surprise, none of it took my heavenly father by surprise. He also promises that none of it is wasted if we love him. (Rom. 8:28) His purpose will be accomplished. and he promises never to leave us or forsake us.
In the five decades I've been walking this planet the biggest thing I've learned is I don't know very much. But I know that there is someone who knows all things and that he loves me, not because of who I am, but because of who he is. (Ezek 36:22,"...not for your sake,..that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name.)
Often the journey out of the dark valley leads through an even darker tunnel. Another thing I have learned is that, more important than seeing light at the end of the tunnel, is feeling the hand of my savior, holding mine while I am in the tunnel. In my desire to be out of this darkness, I must not pull away from him.
The civil war changed Abraham Lincoln as well as a nation. Slavery was no more and Mr. lincoln had a much greater humility than before. Our journeys shape and change us. They change us for the better if we look to God's divine hand of providence and don't view ourselves as victims. It's been said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. Trouble will come, and yes, sometimes it is excruciating. However, I am convinced that if we allow our savior, who bore our sins on Calvary's cross to hold us, he may not take the trouble away but he will make something beautiful of the trouble that will be for his glory and for our blessing. God bless you all
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