The Killer Instinct (Part 1)

04.12.13

2 Corinthians 12.10 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV)

There is a difference between external weaknesses: those caused by forces outside of us; and internal weaknesses: those of our own invention. And really, both are absolutely necessary because if we cannot determine our weaknesses, then we cannot determine our strength.

Paul’s argument to the Corinthians was that he was leaning (living, loving, and leading) on a strength not his own – unlike the super-apostles (as he calls them) who seemed to possess a strength that helped them to get to where they were by their own cunning and ingenuity and what made them who they were. Self-strength always rejects external help.

Now then, Paul’s contentedness with externals weaknesses is the key: God uses external difficulties to help us to rely not on ourselves but on Him: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The currency (if we can carefully use such a term) of the Kingdom is weakness, not strength. Which is harder: leadership or submission?

Paul allowed God to use difficulties in his life and mission to keep him from himself: the seat of all that is opposed to God within humans. If the Super-apostles rejected difficulties as a sign of weakness (and thereby criticized Paul because of his) then they only did so in cowardice and cunning: you can have whatever you want so long as you get it from us. Society today is no different…at all.

Paul was content with what he had to put up with because it helped him to see where real strength came from: outside of himself in the presence and power of the Lord. Paul’s killer instinct, much like that of a world-class athlete, came from finding God in the midst of his difficulties and rejecting self’s desire to escape trouble of any kind and just skate by unscathed. Jesus reminds His disciples that ‘just skating by’ equates to rejecting Him. Paul’s attitude toward that was he’d rather be torn apart by wild beasts than to reject the strength of Christ.

And Paul’s attitude toward external difficulties – those beyond his control – was they were absolutely vital for his spiritual survival should he cave and try to get (skate) by on his own: his own abilities and cunning. If all I depend on is me, then I don’t need Jesus. The more I am content on getting through difficulties with, and only with Jesus, the more I show myself to be submitted to His leadership and find the godly fruition of His true spiritual life. If I’m not striving for truth, I am just settling for something not worth the effort.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change or control and so give my natural defense mechanisms over to You – finding You in my difficulties; and thereby finding my True Strength: You. Save me from trying to be the master of my own destiny and to develop the killer-instinct to ruthlessly give over everything in me that doesn’t want anything to do with Your life, Your love, and Your leadership – even in the worst of circumstances – amen.

He wrote Letters

04.11.13

2 Corinthians 10.6 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.

Apparently Paul’s gift was not eloquence – Apollos had that. Apparently Paul’s “stage presence” was commanding – Peter had that. I’m not sure if there is ever an instance where Pricilla and Aquila are mentioned in Scripture where they did public speaking – that wasn’t their gift. Paul’s life – outwardly – looked as if he stumbled from one trial to another mishap (see 2 Corinthians 10:22ff). Paul’s outward-ness appeared messy, but he knew of what he spoke; and so much so that he planted more churches and reached more people than anyone else in the early days of the Church.

Paul’s teachings were lofty and sometimes distorted by people who made fun of his presence and lack of public speaking skills. But one thing Paul did: the boy could write: he wrote letters. He wrote in such a way as to make up for what he lacked in stage presence and verbal skills. He wrote in such a way as to take the majestic themes of God and make them understandable to dummies like me. His letters are the most widely read documents to this day. So, who cares that he looked (and maybe sounded) like George W. Bush when he spoke publicly? What he said and what he had in his heart came out in what he wrote. And what he wrote he knew.

Right now I have a friend who is going through what may be the toughest time in her life – and the girl can write. She has a way with the written word that captures the essence of her pain and helps her funnel it in such a way that many people are helped and blessed by her insights. I have another friend who knows how to get kids to have a wild and crazy time together and then just when they’re worn out from fun can eloquently communicate the gospel in ten minutes of sharing what captures the essence of what he knows about Jesus.

God will use anyone, anywhere, anyhow. God isn’t limited by what we don’t have; He capitalizes on what we do have: a willing heart. The New Testament is the Seminal Document of all human history and much of it was written by a guy we’ve never seen who was much maligned because he fumbled around verbally. What’s your gift? What are you good at in communicating what you know?

Father, Help us to share what we know and to remember there’re people out there who need to know what we know. Help us to find our gift and to share it faithfully – not necessarily skillfully; skill is icing on the cake. Put us all in places today where our gift shines and where we can make the most influence for who You are and for what You’ve offered. Thank You for the gifted people I know and for what You’ve brought them through to get to where they are with what they know! You’re so good at that!

A Wondrous Thing

04.09.13

Psalm 72.18-19 18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! (ESV)

In today’s reading is the account of the Ark of the Covenant’s return to Israel. Israel’s enemies, the Philistines, had captured the Ark in battle and superstitiously thought they’d taken away Israel’s power and strength by stealing their idol. Little did they know What or Who they were messing with.

Often in Scripture God comes across as an angry Parent defending His children from bullies: You can mess with me but you touch My kids and I go crazy… Of course the bullies never get it because they never get God. Sadly, Israel didn’t get it much of the time either.

So today, in the reading in 1 Samuel 6 and 7, the Philistines return the Ark to Israel because they’ve been plagued by tumors brought on by an infestation in their towns of diseased rats. I’m guessing it was some sort of bubonic plague. They thought it was because they had the Ark that they had offended some Israeli God and were being punished. They thought right.

Not every time we get sick is it God’s punishment. Actually, I think it’s: not very often is the case. I think more often, sickness ought to get our attention and turn our focus to God for whatever He is trying to teach us. Sickness is a part of our fallen world and not every disease is punishment for something we’ve done wrong. Sickness is a sign of our weakness and is a clear indicator of our need for the Almighty. And that applies even today for the enemies of God.

Here’s a thought: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. The Philistines had never messed with a god this powerful. They didn’t know what to do. They knew they’d offended him so they did the only thing that seemed reasonable: the sent the “idol” back with a sin-offering included – all that and a bag of chips. The Lord did a wondrous thing in their midst and they responded. And when they responded, He relented. It’s that simple.

Where does our mind go when we get sick or experience some misfortune? Can we summon the courage to trust God and proclaim: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things? Or do we rush to judgment that we’ve peeved the Lord and now what we’re in is payback? God uses even icky things like sickness and death to communicate His love, power, and presence. He’s that good.

Sickness can be wondrous and a good conversation starter: Lord, what are You trying to teach me and during this, what can I learn? And who can I tell? And even if I die, may it be for Your glory that Your glorious Name will be known throughout the whole earth… Amen and amen!

With that kind of attitude, how bad can it be?

The Space

04.07.13

2 Corinthians 7.1 1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (ESV)

In the story of Samuel, in 1 Samuel 1 and 2, it doesn't take long to see who is and isn't genuine. At this point in Israel’s history, there is a priesthood, but it had become corrupt. Samuel was the beginning of God’s judgment on the priesthood of Eli.

Eli sinned by not disciplining his sons Hophni and Phinehas for their antics and corruption as God’s representatives. Samuel is the stark contrast of goodness and faithfulness to these two criminals who were supposed to be leaders of God’s people.

Samuel’s mother gave him to the Lord out of gratefulness to have a son in the first place. She’d been barren and poured out her complaint to the Lord; and God heard and answered by giving her a son, the young man Samuel. She was resolute in her asking and God was gracious in His giving. And Samuel was guided into holiness (I think) by his mother’s godly influence and by the retelling of the circumstances of his birth. Samuel understood he needed to make the choice to follow God, and reject the uncleanness of the situation he was introduced into.

Paul compared the majestic magnitude of following God to the puny selfishness of giving into earthliness and urged the Corinthians to make the right choice: to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit by living in fear of the Lord. Choosing to follow God will enable one to reject the pull of the world. Paul told them to allow God to have such a place in their lives that they would reject the things that would encroach into such a space. That was Samuel’s defense: God held such a place in his life.

My behavior and choices are a direct reflection of the size of the place I have given to God in my life. My holiness (if I read this correctly) will be brought to completion as I live more and more in the fear (the respect) of the Lord. If I respect Him, then I’m not as inclined to give ground to the antics of a corrupt society around me. Living in respect for God kills living for self.

My life’s mission is to live for God and to protect the space I have for Him in my life – the bigger the space the more I am safe from the things that want to take that space away from Him. Protecting my God-turf is simply allowing everything I do to be filtered through the Space. And when I do, the promise is holiness will be completed in me.

The world around us (whether it knows it or not) is dying for a relief to what it has to offer. It doesn't know that, and probably doesn't want that, but it does want fair, and equity, and all that. What will our world think as it watches holiness being completed in us? That’s a thought worth thinking…

God’s Buddy

04.03.13

Psalm 89.1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. (ESV)

"We're a team

Me and God" - Josh Turner*

When I read the Psalms I am overwhelmed by the depth of relationship portrayed therein – the authors of the psalms knew God. They knew God in a way that makes most modern thoughts of God pale in comparison. If there is such a thing as a God expert, the writers of the psalms come close.

The Psalms are sort of the Greatest Hits of Israel’s music charts. They were written over a long period of time and capture the essence of man’s relationship to his Creator. Every man is called to know God and every man is mystified by such a relationship. Knowing God is more – way more – that knowing about God. The Psalmists knew God.

There’s a catchy little C&W song entitled, Me and God. Josh Turner wrote the song and the lyrics above capture the essence of his work. I have a hard time with his theology when I compare it to what is written in the Psalms – especially this one that I’ve quoted: Psalm 89. But there are many who look at their relationship with God and see themselves as only as God’s buddy: jus’ me and God. Don’t care what happens, it’s jus’ me and God. I don’t think the writers of the Psalms saw themselves as God’s bud.

We can be God’s bud if we choose to be; but should we do so, I think we do at the risk of missing out on knowing God by just knowing about God. I think most of the writers of God’s Hymnal would probably roll their eyes at our modern view of God.

Psalm 89 is written to proclaim God’s greatness but also the mystery of what appears to be His absence. God is never absent, but I think sometimes He is cataclysmically quiet. His quietness ought to get our attention. I quit singing Me and God when things get quiet. Quiet happens for a reason and if I’m deaf to the quiet then I might miss out on what God is saying by His silence.

And so Psalm 89 ends with this thought: How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of [the grave]? (Vv. 46-48) Sometimes wondering why God seems so absent may mean understanding He’s stopped, and we’ve kept on going like He was never there.

If God is just my Buddy then I’ve a shallow view of Who He really is and what I’m really supposed to be. I want to be more like the writers of the Psalms: bountifully blessed and morbidly mystified by the presence of God…

*January 24, 2006, MCA Nashville, (C) 2005 MCA Nashville, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Hay-Bales and Handbags

04.02.13

Judges 13.9 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. (ESV)

The Book of Judges ought to clue us in on just how much God intervenes in our lives when we don’t ask or expect Him to. There is so much fuss these days about freewill and free agency it seems the popular thought is: freewill is to God what kryptonite was to Superman; that God will only go so far in our lives. Only those who don’t know God think this way.

And so, in Judges 13-16 we have the account of Samson. God intervened in the lives of the Israelis through Samson’s parents when Israel was being afflicted by the Philistines, and God had had enough of Israel’s weaniness and whininess. Whether they realized it or not God stood by His promises to them and called them His people.

We have to factor in God probably wasn’t pleased with the way things were going in Israel, and in His sovereignty He chose to take things in another direction. God can do that. God can take our lives any direction He chooses; He doesn’t need our input, or permission. He sees and knows what is best and sometimes takes us there…despite our kicking and screaming.

Samson’s parents weren’t overly religious but they did pray and God heard their prayer. Samson’s father wasn’t sure what God was up to but he prayed and God answered. Sometimes it just takes the intervention of God to remind us that we are where we are for a reason (or a season) and God is completely in control; and we need to believe and trust Him. So Manoah, Samson’s dad, prayed and asked God: “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” (v. 8) The rest of the story plays out from there.

This Easter Sunday, we were driving home from Eastern Idaho and before we left we asked God to protect us as we drove and to remove obstacles from our path. Two minutes into the trip down Interstate 15 a guy lost control of his rig and dumped a trailer load of hay right in front of us and wound up facing northbound in the southbound lane. With several other drivers we all stopped and helped clean up the mess and got back on the road in less than 10 minutes.

Last night at a friend’s house we learned his wife had misplaced her purse. As we left we asked God to help her find it and within the hour came the report via Facebook: her purse turned up. God heard our prayer. It doesn't matter what is happening in our lives – hay-bales or handbags – God hears and God cares. And God intervenes sometimes when we can’t (or won’t.)

The history of Israel in the Old Testament is a testament to me of God’s gracious intervention into our lives and to His awesome responses to even the simplest prayers offered in faith. Our land needs God’s intervention and I suspect He is intervening in ways that if we realized it, we’d be astounded by what He’s doing without our knowing or asking.

Father, thank You for Your intervention in Samson’s parent’s lives and that You are the God who intervenes on behalf of His children. May we, Your kids, celebrate Your presence and providence when things seem impossible or unpredictable. Amen!

Death Sentence

04.01.13

2 Corinthians 1.9 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (ESV)

I remember the sentence of death: our oldest child was born with severe complications and was given two hours to live. I remember the sentence of death: I once made a serious administrative mistake at work and was suspended for two weeks without pay. I remember the sentence of death: the economy tanked in 2008 and I quit the ministry and took a just better than minimum-wage job. I remember the sentence of death: our home foreclosed in 2011.

Now granted, all of these things weren’t the end, they were just the beginning. Our oldest child lived fourteen years; I got over the suspension and went back to work. I left vocational ministry and have taken up lay-ministry in its place. Our home foreclosed and we didn’t die and there wasn’t a parade that I had to walk in with a sign around my neck proclaiming, FOOL! All these things happened to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who gives us dignity and takes away the sting of death and the power of death.

Life happens and stuff happens…period. Sometimes it is a diagnosis that claims the life of a loved one. Sometimes it’s a car wreck, or a pink slip, or a foreclosure. Sometimes it’s a fire that wipes out everything. But God uses all of these things to help us rely on Him and not on ourselves.

Last week a friend of mine told me he was losing his long time position with a non-profit organization and he was scared about how to face the future in an economy that’s sluggish and with a resume that only says ______________. (I’m limited in the details I can share.) But I told him, dude, relax, you’re a gifted and creative guy and God is on your side. The only way to face the death sentence is with God.

Another friend of mine is suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). His attitude is: Damn the disease!! I’m living for the glory of God! Who’s with me!? These things happen so that we will quit relying on ourselves but on God who takes away the sentence of death. We might even die – but with God how bad can that be?

Relying on God is the only true, wise thing to do. After all, He’s the Only True Wise God. Relying on God builds weak faith and allows God to do what He does best: get us to settle down, trust Him, and focus on what is really important. So much of our identity is wrapped up in self-reliance and it tragically keeps us from seeing God at work in our everyday lives. And I don’t think God dishes up doses of dastardly dirt so we’ll get back in line…but He sure does use the hard stuff to crack our hard hearts.

Today, I am rejoicing that hard stuff has happened and it will happen again, but it will help me to remember to quit trying to rely on myself and my pathetic weakness; and rely on God who walks every step of the way with my through the hard times and wonderfully changes my perspective to what is right and good and important: my trusting Him! A – flippin – men!