Preparation and Proclamation

4/16/2017

Matthew 3.3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” – St. Matthew

The gospels were not written in real-time – they were written looking back. The prophet Isaiah, didn’t call John by name, but he foretold what he would one day do. Matthew, a disciple of Christ and one of the Twelve, understood John’s ministry as the one described by Isaiah. Malachi (300 years after Isaiah) saw the same thing: “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.” (Malachi 3.1)

I don’t see anywhere in Scripture where it speaks of me, save: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (John 17.20-21a) I am one who has believed their message.

John was not one, who would be seen strutting around proclaiming he was God’s messenger as foretold by Isaiah the prophet; but John knew who he was, and what he was called to do: prepare God’s people for the coming Messiah, and proclaim Jesus when He arrived. Isaiah lived about 700 years before the birth of Jesus; and John was born about the same time as Jesus.

As I read all this today, Easter Sunday, I thought about what Scripture might say about you and me, were we written therein. Would it say we were to be preparers and proclaimers of God’s glorious message to mankind; that He had sent us to cry out to our relatives and friends: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’? It doesn’t, but that is who we are.

In each successive generation since the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God has placed His messengers to prepare and proclaim His message of salvation. It may not be distinctly written somewhere that we are; but we are. God’s plan is that we are.

As we take inventory in our minds, who is it, that God has called us to, to prepare and proclaim? Who do we work alongside? Who are we related to? Who will we engage in conversation with today that will benefit from a conversation of preparation and proclamation? Not only are we to enjoy God’s friendship and presence, but we’re to invite others to enjoy it as well.

This Easter Holiday, (or Resurrection Day) is a proclamation of what God has done. Some are ready for it; some are not. But we – those who believe – are to prepare others for that proclamation by being the people God has called us to be, and to live as God has called us to live, so that others may accept the proclamation that He is not here, He is risen! (Luke 24.6)

We don’t seek a hero, we seek a Savior. We don’t seek a crucified Savior, we seek a risen Savior! The tomb is empty. Death could not hold the Author of life!

Father, may everyday be a day of preparation, not for His coming, but for His return. May I be used to help others see and be ready for that great Day. Thank You that as part of Your Church, I am called to prepare and proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord because: faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Amen

In the Name

4/15/2017

1 Samuel 17.45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not about Goliath or any other foe or problem. It’s about God.

For sure, David went into ‘battle’ physically outmanned. For sure, the enemy was skilled and successful at what he did – he was, a champion, and still alive after many conflicts. He had an armor bearer, someone to assist him. But David only had faith.

The world cannot buy into the whole faith-thing. It wants the powerful, and proven so. It wants champions and heroes who can kick butt and get the job done… don’t just get your taxes done; get your taxes won! The world wants militaries and powers and advantages. The world knows their track-record points in the direction of: the fittest survive. The world does not know the one who proclaims: I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty!

Faith on earth is viewed mostly as fantasy; maybe if there are gods, maybe they’ll do something. The faithful one, however, moves because God moves and has no faith in himself, but only in God. One thing is for sure, the nay-sayers will have to give an account one day.

I am facing what appears to be, in my mind, a giant. A friend of mine happened to call last evening and we discussed my giant. He encouraged me to have greater expectation in God as I approach my giant. Is the battle about me, or is it about God? Are my chances in me, or are they in God?

I had to stop and think that one over.

The battle is the Lord’s. (1 Samuel 17:47) My pastor told me: Paul, you can work and let God rest; or you can rest and let God work. I smiled, he’s good for ‘pastorly’ quips like that. But he’s right. And I know it.

The battle is the Lord’s. Goliath comes with his skill and victories – and his title: champion/hero. Titles are overrated. The saint is called to battle, but only when the Lord says to go, and only in the knowledge that his participation in the battle is to see the Lord’s glory in victory. David had only his faith and his indignation. Naïve? Well, maybe. But guess who died…

Father in Heaven, the battle is not for the fittest, but for the faithful. You don’t stop the battles, but You promise to see us through them. It’s not about me, Lord; it’s about You. May I walk in the light of Who You are today and remember the faith that You’ve called me to. The battle is Yours. Amen

God Regretted

4/14/2017

1 Samuel 15.35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

This is a sad story because Samuel really loved Saul. This account should be familiar to multiplied thousands of people who've put their trust into another, only to find their trust shattered by the one they've trusted in. This was the case with God and Samuel, and Saul.

To be fair, Samuel was the king-maker. He was the one appointed by God to do the work of obedience in anointing Saul and everyone looked to Samuel as, someone who knew what he was doing. Samuel was the prophet and judge. Samuel was the one to whom God spoke.

And Saul was a disaster. And Samuel mourned for him. I think people wondered about Samuel’s choice…

People do have potential. People are put on earth to be successful and productive. God’s intent seems to be to help people overcome the evil of this world, and to make a decent life for themselves as they journey toward Heaven. But that intention and help that God provides, is only as the people He has created partner and walk (live) with Him. God never intends for any of us to go it alone. With God is success, without God is, well, Saul.

This verse says that God regretted He made Saul king. To our human ears that may sound like God – the Almighty and Omniscient One – made a mistake. Notice it didn’t say God, regretted that He made Saul; it says, He regretted He made Saul king. Saul, through his own choices refused to cooperate with God. And it cost him the crown.

Does God regret what He has sent us to do when we end up like Saul – a train wreck? I think the All-knowing One sees what we could have been with Him, rather than what we are without Him. God believes for the best in all of us – why else would there be God?

We are the regrettable – we are the ones who’ve rejected God and wound up in the place we are. Notice, we’re not the deplorables; God never looks at us that way. And here is where the love of God comes to our rescue: our lives are not the sum-total of what we do; our lives are the sum-total of who we are. And who we are, is the sum-total of how we view God; He is either Lord of all, or not at all.

God was not, Lord of all to Saul. And Samuel mourned and God regretted – not His decision, but Saul’s choice. When we chose other than God, I think God regrets our choice. I think God regrets and family and friends mourn. Ah, but the love of God and the power of forgiveness.

God can work through our train wrecks. It won’t be pretty, but it is a sign of His indescribable love. God is the God of chances and all it requires on our part is, repentance…Jesus says, now, go and sin no more.

Father in Heaven, I think about my life and where I am at this point and for one, I am glad that You love me and have not given up on me. In my Saul-ish ways, I have my own share of train-wrecks. But I am humbled that You are still working in my life to correct the damage, and keep me going in the direction You’ve chosen for me. Find me willing to obey, and compliant with all You are doing in me – Amen!

The Test

4/13/2017

2 Corinthians 13.7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. – St. Paul

I call them, my Bible Scholars. They are between 11 and 13 years old, and they are part of my Adventure Rangers group at church on Wednesday nights. We teach them about doctrine, manhood, biblical worldview, cultural issues, and sexuality. (Want to see boys squirm, bring up the topic of sex…) The thing I’ve noticed about 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders is they tend to be omniscient – they know everything, and what they don’t know they make up as it goes.

Several of the boys in my group are enrolled in the Academy at our church and are pretty smart, but they are also kids. They are kids on their way into manhood, but they are kids. And like many of us who were raised in or around the church they are full of factoids – just the rote stuff they've been taught.

So, last night during our Bible Study, we talked about the advantages that Jesus employed in His earthly ministry that are also available to us. And we talked about Christ’s obedience, and His prayers. We looked at 3 different portions of Scripture, and I asked them to write down what they saw of Jesus in the passages. I pointed at my head and told them, “Don’t just tell me what’s in here.” I pointed at my heart and said, “Tell me what’s in here.” That’s where they struggled a bit, because at this point in their lives, Jesus is still mostly academic – just a bunch of factoids.

Boys will be boys until they are taught to be men, and my strategy with them is to move past the factoids of faith, and to deal with the issues of faith. I think Paul the apostle dealt with the same things with the Corinthian Church. He said to them: I’m praying to God that you’ll not do anything wrong— not so that people will see you’ve learned your factoids, but so that you will do what is right because of your relationship with Christ and what is in your heart. (My paraphrase) The Test, is that their relationship with Jesus be their guide, not just me, or some other adult telling them how to act appropriately.

And bible scholar or not, I believe this is the way for all mankind. Don’t act, or not act just because you know the rules; act because of your love for, and relationship with, Jesus Christ. Our actions will reveal a viable relationship with the Lord, and our testimony will be the reality of who we are, in Him. Anybody can obey when the attention is on – the test is what is done when the attention is off; that is what matters.

Paul dealt with a bunch of Bible Scholars in Corinth, and he told them: it’s not who you are when everyone is looking that matters; it’s who you are when they’re not looking that counts. What we know shows what we can remember. What we do in Him is what will make the difference with what we know.

Father in Heaven, it’s not what I know, but Who I know that’s what is important in this life, and the one beyond. That I may know You, and walk in ever-increasing fellowship with You, is my prayer. Help me Jesus as I try to help my bible-scholars… Amen

The Power of Weakness

4/12/2017

2 Corinthians 12.9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – St. Paul

This thought smacks against human culture and humanism; in our eyes, we’re not to be weak but to be strong – that’s the way of the world, the survival of the fittest. But Heaven is not earth, and the culture of Heaven is utter dependence upon God in all things, all the time.

I was not raised by the culture of Heaven, and I suspect others were not as well. I suspect many of us were raised with western Americanism (not nationally, but hemispherically). The culture of the west is you pull yourself up, as we say, by your bootstraps and you are never to be a burden to anyone. That sounds good, and it sounds strong, but according to the culture of Heaven, it’s way wrong.

The Bible enjoins us to work, to produce, and to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Work is a good thing for a person to do if that person is capable of doing so. But work is not the end, it is only a means. We are put on earth for two reason, to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever (Westmister Shorter Catechism).

To glorify God we must refrain from the pervasiveness and  power of sin. We were brought into this world in sin (through no fault of our own) and invited to glorify and enjoy God as He frees us from the power of sin, and the power of self-strength. Humanity believes it can free itself to do better; God says, My power is made perfect in [your] weakness – reliance upon Him, not on myself. Apart from God, I can do nothing.

Our life on earth is a life of difficulty tainted with sin. Our sin is against God and others. The perniciousness of sin can only be dealt with by the power of God offered to us in Christ Jesus, and by following Him (His teaching and example) as He leads us to fellowship and friendship with God.

The issue boils down to whether we will follow Jesus or not. Our problem is we want to fix ourselves and the reality is, we’re impotent to do so. To follow Jesus, we have to admit we’re weak, and that’s where the western culture of rugged individualism collides with the reality of human weakness. Jesus only helps the weak. And the real rub: we have to admit we’re weak.

Our culture lies to us, to convince us, we’re strong; that we don’t need God. Again, the clash of cultures. We admit we are weak, but we don’t remain there: we remain in the presence of God to overcome, by His presence and power, the weakness that is in us. It’s the only way it works… And it is so against everything we hold dear as humans and westerners…

And, so, today, I admit my weakness, and cry out to God for help. God helps the humble, but leaves the proud to their own devices. A Proud in his devices is doomed to a frightful future. The humble, boasts all the more gladly about his weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on him as he makes his way toward Heaven.

Father, today, admitting my weakness, I ask only this: help me. In my weakness, Your power rests on me. Amen

A King Over Us

4/10/2017

1 Samuel 8.19-20 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

Sometimes people get fed-up with leadership. They get so fed-up that they demand something new, and in Samuel’s day, they demanded something new: a king. Up to this point, in their history, Israel had been led by prophets and judges who were by their very nature, religious in nature. And now, because the shine had come off the apple, they came to Samuel and demanded someone – other than Samuel – to lead them as their king.

First, I notice their mind was made up: “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Samuel, you’re not listening to us – we are tired of you, and want the glitz and glamour of royalty!

Second, they sought to be what they imagined was best: Then we will be like all the other nations… For some reason the thought of having a king was more desirable and formal than the seeming informality of a judge.

Third, they wanted a hero: a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles. Heroes seem to get things done. Heroes are ones who’re supposed to have the guts, grit, and gusto to punch the enemy in the face and keep him at bay. Let me be what I will be; but go and fight my battles for me.

Life is not about fighting, but it is about battles. And battles come in all shapes and sizes; some from within, some from without. We have pushback and difficulty in this life – just try taking a walk on a gusty, windy day. Paul said, the battles we fight are not carnal or worldly – they are the battles that arise to deny God, and make Him less in our eyes and mind. I think the biggest battles we fight are against the thoughts in our own minds: people, places, perspectives.

We’re to fight those battles against our imaginations and thoughts. Paul said, we’re to take every thought captive and control it, because if we don’t, they’ll run wild.

Israel had a king – they just couldn’t accept Him because they couldn’t see Him, and He told them to take responsibility for themselves. Responsibility for me is hard work. Accountability to Someone else is even harder…

The freedom to have a king is still present today. And God’s offer is still the same: Let Me be your King, and I will lead you to be responsible, accountable, and to lead purposeful and meaningful lives for My sake, not yours.

Accepting, and cooperating with God’s leadership is possibly one of the biggest battles of all…

Father, You are King and are to be treated and respected as such. Lead on, O King eternal, the day of march has come; henceforth in fields of conquest Your tents shall be my home. Through days of preparation Your grace has made me strong; and now, O King eternal, I lift the battle song. Amen

Accompanies My Confession

4/9/2017

2 Corinthians 9.13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. – St. Paul

For a couple years, I worked for a company whose whole MO for doing business was: Live Generously. Now, this might be a strange business model for a company which sells insurance, investment, and retirement products. But, that was the way they operated, and in reading Paul’s second missive to the Corinthians, he seemed to be telling them (in chapter 9): live generously.

Paul said, when we do, “… others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies [our] confession of the gospel of Christ, and for our generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” So, this is all about God and His glory and obeying His heart in giving.

I like the phrase: “…others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies you confession of the gospel of Christ…”; that’s like putting our money where our mouth is. Jesus said, what comes out of the heart is what comes across the lips. And when the heart and the lips move, the hands should follow. St. John said: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3.18) Giving is active obedience to the Gospel (which is directly tied to our wallets…)

So, when we give, God is praised. God is praised because God provides and His provision proclaims His promises and His presence. God is not far away from our needs; He meets our needs through the lives of others, and we meet theirs by our obedience that accompanies our confession of Jesus Christ. Love in action.

I’ve heard it said we’re to live in a spirit (mindset, lifestyle, habit) of abundance. Scarcity is like weeds but abundance is a beautiful flower that dominates the view and God is praised and we are happy, not because of clinging, but because of release. To God be the glory!

It’s not what we give but that we give! Live generously: time, talent, and treasure…

Father in Heaven, I am motivated to give. I don’t have a job and my resources seem to be few, but the act of giving frees me to the obedience that accompanies my confession of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for me. May I live today in that obedience – Amen!