Pick me! Please?

I want to share with you one of the most important lessons I have ever learned in the course of my Christian life. I was a young man with a wife, three kids, and a mortgage when God called me to leave a pretty successful secular career and go into ministry on a full time basis. He hadn’t revealed at that point what that ministry was going to be, and it was a pretty daunting challenge.

Just a few years before, my brother had gone through a similar process. He left a secular career and enrolled in Bible College on route to becoming a pastor. I helped him move his family from a nice home into a tiny basement apartment where they had to string a line across the corner of the bedroom to hang their clothes. I distinctly remember heading home at the end of that day thinking, “good for him – there’s no way I’m doing that”.  

So here I was, feeling God leading me toward who knows what, and I said something like this. “God, I will do whatever you want as long as I don’t have to go to Bible College and put my family through that.” I will do anything but…  Having put this condition on my obedience I went for months praying desperately but getting no clarification from God on just what I was supposed to do.  I was in turmoil and getting nowhere.

In the midst of this inner struggle we had moved to a new city, a new job, and a new church. One Sunday morning I sat in a Sunday School class. The teacher was Glenn Pitts. I didn’t know him at that time, though eventually he would play an important role in my life. He was teaching from Isaiah chapter 6. It’s the story of Isaiah’s vision, where he was standing in God’s throne room. In verse 8 God said “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah immediately shot up his hand and said “Send me!”

Now I’ve heard lots of sermons taken from this vision, and even from that verse, but Glen made a point I had never noticed or heard mentioned before. Notice that God hadn’t said yet what the job was and Isaiah didn’t ask. Isaiah was so captivated by God’s presence, and so overwhelmed with the desire to please Him, that without even thinking he said “whatever you want, I will do it. “

That hit me like a ton of bricks. It was one of several occasions in my life where I knew God placed me somewhere and guided the speaker’s words because He had a message for me. You see, while I was pleading with God to reveal His plan to me I still had a condition on my willingness. Anything you want, as long as it isn’t Bible College. And here was Isaiah, so excited about the idea of serving God that he was willing to do anything. He was willing to enthusiastically volunteer even though he didn’t even know what the job was.

I went home that day and prayed, “Okay God, even if it’s Bible College”. From that moment God began to clear things up. Before long I knew where He was leading. It didn’t involve Bible College, but it did take me and my family down a path of great sacrifice and great miracles and great joy.

I learned an important lesson that day and in the weeks that followed about the attitude God is looking for. He is looking for willing hearts, servants who are prepared to be obedient and trust Him without condition. 

I said this was a lesson learned, but if I’m honest it’s still difficult sometimes to put it into practice. I still have times when I really want to put conditions or boundaries on what I am willing to give or do for God. I still want to hold back and say, “Lord you can have this part of my life, but I think I’ll just keep this part for myself.”

We can do that if we choose. In fact we can go through our whole Christian lives giving God only a part and stubbornly keeping control of the rest. We might even feel like we have won in the struggle, being Christians but successfully holding on to that part of our lives we don’t want to give up. The reality is we lose. We lose the opportunity to see what God can do when we give him total control. We lose out on the blessings God has for those who are fully obedient. We lose in our Christian growth, because we are stunted when we refuse to let God be Lord of our lives.

Giving God full reign over our lives is a hard decision for some. It’s definitely a step not every Christian is willing to make. God’s call doesn’t usually involve a career change. It may mean serving God in a new way, or simply giving up control over some activity or priority we are determined to hold on to. Whatever it is, following God’s way sometimes seems like too great a cost. The reality is that the abundant life Jesus wants for us (rich and satisfying in the NLT) comes when we are willing to let Him have all of our lives, when we place ourselves in His hands to do as He will.

Does your trust and obedience come with conditions? Are you resisting God’s leading or holding on to parts of your life because you’re not sure God can be trusted with them? Then you’re missing out. It’s as simple as that.  The good life really begins when, like Isaiah, we are so overwhelmed with God’s presence we can’t help but enthusiastically blurt out “Lord, I’m yours. I’m all in.”

Rich and Satisfying

A few weeks ago I preached a sermon called “Rich and Satisfying”. I took the title from John 10:10 (NLT), where Jesus said that’s what He wants our life to be. I explored the idea that when God asks us to do things it’s because His goal is to make our lives rich and satisfying.

We often feel as if the Christian life involves a long list of stuff we are supposed to do for God. We have to volunteer in church. We have to do kind things for people. We have to give our time and money. We have to pray. We have to… have to… have to…

Of course God does encourage us to do certain things as His children, but the question is why. Is it because He has a lot to do and is short of workers? Is it because He’s poor and needs our money? Is it because He doesn’t know how to do something and really needs someone with our talents or experience?   

When we look at it that way, it seems pretty silly. God spoke the world into existence. Does He really need me to get things done? So then, why does He ask me to do things He could easily accomplish on His own or in some other way?

There is only one logical answer. If God’s instructions aren’t for His benefit, they must be for mine. He asks me to serve because it’s how I will grow. He asks me to help others because I will develop compassion and generosity and self worth. He asks me to give because I will develop a generous spirit and learn to trust him. He asks me to pray because I will grow in my relationship with him. Every single thing God asks of me, the things I often do grudgingly or not at all, are not for His benefit. They are for mine!

When I do what He says I will grow in all the ways that are really important. I will learn to trust God and grow in the peace that can only come from truly knowing Him. I will have the rich and satisfying life Jesus said He wants to give us.

Does that mean life becomes trouble free? Sorry, no. We live in a world where sickness and death and hurt and disappointment are part of life, Christian or not. As long as we are in this world we will not be free of problems, but Jesus’ plan is that we grow in our relationship with Him and become the kind of people who can rise above the struggle. He wants us to have a rich and satisfying life in spite of life’s circumstances.

The conclusion is inevitable. If we do what God says we will grow and mature and move ever closer to the rich and satisfying life Jesus wants us to have. If we refuse we rob ourselves of the amazing life that is available to us.

How ironic. So many Christians avoid doing what God asks because they think it’s going to keep them from what they really want.  They are busy pursuing what they are sure will bring “the good life”. They don’t want to serve God or others because it will cut into their time for doing the things that will make them happy. They don’t want to give to God because they need that money to do the things they are sure will bring joy and contentment. They want to be great parents and are convinced that means providing their kids with more sports, more lessons, and bigger and better vacations.

Even for many Christians life is about doggedly pursuing their own goals and priorities because their way seems better than God’s. What’s the result? Instead of finding the ever elusive “good life”, they end up robbing themselves of the rich and satisfying life only God can give. They have stress instead of God’s peace. They are always reaching for more instead of knowing God’s contentment. Their children end up pursuing what everyone else says is good rather than pursuing God. They are always busy but not achieving the things that are really important in life.

If we could only grasp that God loves us and knows what’s best for us. Every instruction He gives us is for our growth. Every priority He asks us to adopt is for our benefit. Everything He tells us in His word is designed to bring us to a life that is rich and satisfying!

Dr. Phil is famous for the statement, “how’s that working for you?” Take a look at your life. If you are stubbornly pursuing your own agenda and your own priorities instead of following God’s instructions for life, you might want to ask yourself that question. How’s that working for you? Is it bringing peace and contentment and allowing you to rise above life’s struggles? Jesus wants you to have a rich and satisfying life.

Responding to Jesus' Challenge

In our Grounded & Growing classes we are looking at some of the lessons Jesus taught us in the sermon on the mount. I have promoted the class as "Christianity According To Jesus", since this sermon really contains the essence of what Jesus said the Christian life is supposed to look like. 

The things Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount are totally counter cultural. In fact they

are counter to our human nature in many respects. Jesus makes it clear that we are not to be satisfied with accepting our natural tendencies or the cultural norms. As followers of Christ our lives and our attitudes should be distinctly different from what is generally accepted as the norm. That's what the salt and light lesson is about. We are supposed to be different, different enough that our lives make things taste better, and bring light to a dark world. 

While all of what Jesus taught in this sermon is challenging, some things seems to be virtually impossible. That became quite clear as we discussed what Jesus said about anger and revenge and loving our enemies. We did pretty well in the anger and revenge discussions, but it is obvious that loving our enemies is simply not a natural thing for most of us. 

So that means I can't retaliate when someone hurts me, or worse yet, hurts someone I care about? So I am supposed to love and pray for someone who continues to abuse me or my loved ones at every opportunity? Okay, this is hard.

Yes, this and some of Jesus' other teaching is very hard. It goes against our nature. I suppose that's really the point. It goes against OUR nature, but is absolutely consistent with GOD'S nature. Somehow God's nature has to become our nature. That's the spiritual journey He wants us to be on.

As we consider some of the really difficult challenges Jesus confronts us with, we have essentially two possible responses. We can say "Sorry, but I just can't go there. That person hurt me so badly and they don't even care, so there is no way I can love them or pray for them. And forgiveness is out of the question. I know what Jesus said, but I can't (or won't) do it!" 

The other possible response is to say "I'm not sure I can do that, but I know it's what Jesus wants and I really want to please him. I want to be obedient. So God you're really going to have to help me with this because it's not in me to do it on my own."

The first says I can't do it, and I'm not willing. The second says I can't do it, but I would like to with God's help.

I've used the "love your enemies" teaching as an example because it is one of the more challenging teachings and obviously a real stumbling block for many, but the principle applies to any of the things Jesus teaches us about Christian living. We have the choice to say "I'm not going there" or "I want to go there and I need your help". 

I believe this is a critical choice and that it has a profound impact on our growth as Christians. The first response says I am not willing to be obedient. What's the result of an attitude like that? In my understanding the result is a stunting of our spiritual growth. When we say to God that I don't care what you say, I am going my own way, we are putting up barriers to what God wants to accomplish in our lives. We can only grow in our spiritual lives when we are willing to let God shape us and change us, and bring us more and more into a likeness of Jesus. God can't (or won't) mold an unwilling vessel.

On the other hand, when our attitude is to acknowledge both our weakness and our desire for God to help us overcome that weakness, we are opening the door for all the wonderful things God wants to grow and develop in our lives. When our desire is that God take our imperfect nature and mold us so we become more and more like Jesus, that's exactly what will happen.

We are born with a sinful nature,and the world we live in is plagued with ungodly attitudes. The things Jesus teaches us are often contrary to our nature and to what is generally accepted by the people around us. He knows that. He knows the lifestyle He teaches is so challenging we won't be able to get there without His help. The decision we face is simply, are we willing? Are we willing to let God shape us or would we rather stubbornly hang on to our own way even if it is contrary to what Jesus wants. 

If I'm right in my thinking, refusal to allow God to work in our lives and help us conform to His will will stop our spiritual growth in it's tracks. That's a terrible price to pay for stubbornness. It's a terrible price to pay just so I can hang on to attitudes or behaviours that God wants to change. 

We all have some struggles in conforming to Jesus' instructions for Christian living. Being the perfect Christ follower is illusive and impossible for me to get to on my own. Yet if my desire is to be all that Jesus wants me to be, and I am willing to submit myself to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I can daily grow more and more into the person He wants me to be. 

I want that.

A Matter Of Trust

I try to put a lot of myself into these blog entries, so to that extent they are all personal. This one is more personal than most.

It's been several weeks since my last posting. That's because on February 2 I had a car accident. It was a serious accident that could have easily taken my life, and the lives of others. Instead of that tragic outcome, I was the only one injured, and none of those injuries seem to be serious or permanent in nature. It has taken me a few weeks to get my head in gear enough to write to this blog. I'm not 100% yet, but I'm getting there.

It's not my intent to make this entry about the details of my accident. What I want to focus on and share with you are some things I am learning through this process. Perhaps they will be meaningful to you.

The hand of God in my accident is unmistakable. He clearly took a set of circumstances that could have been truly devastating, and reduced it something many times less severe. So if we were prone to question God, the obvious one would be "why didn't you just manipulate things to prevent this accident altogether?" In other words, why did you allow it to happen?

In all honesty I have not spent one second wrestling with that question. In fact, I only raise it now because I have a point to make. 

I have wondered what God is doing in all of this, and what He is going to do, but not from the point of view of "God, why did you allow this to happen to me?" My wondering is more out of a curiosity and could best be framed as this statement. "God, I see your hand in this and it makes me wonder what you are working out. Perhaps I'll never know, but I am definitely curious about what you are going to develop in me or in the lives of others as a result of these circumstances. If you choose to let me in on that some time, that would be great."  

Why am I so sure God is working something out? Three reasons.

• He didn't prevent the accident but certainly prevented it from being a serious tragedy. To me that clearly says He has something in mind.

• James 1 says to be joyful when trials come. Why? Because tests help us grow.

• Romans 8:28 teaches us that in all things God will work out something good for those who love Him. That good may be for us, or it may be for someone else.

James presents a real challenge. I find it as hard as anyone to be joyful when trials come. Right now I continue to have some pain, and that is limiting me in some ways. I tire more easily than normal and for now there are some things I simply can't do. I'm not happy about that. In fact I am impatient and frustrated at times, and generally less cheery than I would like. 

Yet under all of that I have a deep sense and trust that God knows what He is doing. He WILL turn this into something either for my benefit or the benefit of someone else. There is a small price to pay in the process, but I know this is simply an investment in the greater good that God is working out.  I am at peace knowing God is at work.

I have been very much aware during these past few weeks that some people as they go through life are required to make a substantially greater investment. Some have lost their lives. Some have suffered life altering injuries. Others struggle with pain that, aside from a miracle, is not going to go away. My relatively small problems have helped me be more mindful and more compassionate toward those who truly suffer. It has also left me so impressed with those who struggle daily without respite and continue to put their trust in God. In the midst of their own suffering, they say "God I am willing because I know you are working out something good, something important, something that makes this price all worthwhile."

Of course Jesus was the ultimate example of this. Knowing the pain and suffering He was about to experience, He submitted Himself to the will of God because of the greater good that was to be accomplished.

So here are a few things I am experiencing and learning in my own situation. I share them with you in the hope they will be of some help to you now or in the future.

First, I am grateful to God for sparing my life. I am far more grateful even for sparing the lives of others. This encourages me in my trust that God is going to use these circumstances for good, and I hope He might eventually allow me to see what that is. 

Second, I am growing in my ability to empathize with people who are hurting. 

Third, I am encouraged beyond measure by those saints of God who in spite of real suffering are unwavering in their faith and commitment toward God. They are willing to pay the price because they know in their hearts God has not left them but is still at work in and through their lives.

Are you struggling? Consider these amazing words from scripture.

"To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore. Amen"  Jude 24 - 25

Light in a dark world

We live in very challenging times. No doubt every generation has said that, and certainly every generation has it's own challenges to deal with. My parents' childhood was in the midst of the great depression and as young adults they lived with the reality of a world at war. In my generation it was the Vietnam war, race riots, collapse of moral standards and the explosion of the drug culture.  

None of those things have ended, and today's teens live in a world where war and racism and drugs persist. But they have added pressures previous generations didn't worry about. Things like terrorism, and the pressures brought about by social media. (not the least of which is cyber bullying sometimes extreme enough to lead to suicide)

Humankind would like to think we are "evolving" into a better society, and progressing to a higher level of morality and social responsibility. The evidence, however, is that hatred and violence and all kinds of evil are undiminished. Alcohol abuse, drug addictions, family violence, and immorality continue to be rampant. As a Christian I often feel I don't belong in the world I was born into.

If you and I are dismayed by what we see, how much more is God's heart broken? It occurs to me sometimes that if we could really see everything, as God sees it, we couldn't cope. If we could really see the extent of depravity in the world it would be too much for us to handle.

That makes me wonder sometimes why God allows it to continue. Why hasn't He put an end to it, as He did in the days of Noah, or in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah? While I ask that question at times, and even wish God would just finally put things right, I trust that He knows what He is doing. He will work out His plan on His timetable. Some day He will say "enough", but He'll do it when He's ready.

In the meantime we continue to live on in a world where evil abounds. How are we supposed to respond to that? I believe Jesus gave the answer in what we call the sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5: 13 - 16 Jesus said this.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

In a nutshell, Jesus said we are to be different from society's norm. Our very presence should make things taste better. Our lives should be like a warm light shining in darkness. 

In a world of violence Jesus said to be peacemakers. In a world of hate Jesus said love your enemies. In a world of immorality Jesus taught righteousness. In a world of greed Jesus said store up your treasures in heaven. In a world of darkness Jesus said "be light".

I realize I started this topic with some serious doom and gloom, but I have an important point to make. The point is that we have a vital role in a world where evil seems to have free reign. It is not to write letters or hold placards or sign petitions, though all of those things can be good at times. But our primary calling is to be like Jesus, a living demonstration of an alternative that is good and positive and attractive.

When the street lights come on at dusk, they are not particularly noticeable. As it gets darker and darker the light appears to be brighter and brighter. If the light becomes dim it has no value, but when it shines brightly in the dark of night it brings clarity and safety. I don't think there is any question that our world is becoming darker, but that means our light as Christians ought to be more and more obvious. The contrast of God's people to those who are without God should be the beacon that is impossible to miss. We should be attractive. We should be the warm light that promises a place of welcome and refuge to those who are wandering in the dark. 

Yes, the world is a dark place, and I fear for my grandchildren growing up in this darkness. Sometimes I get discouraged and just want God to wrap it all up. Well, one day He will do that, but until then we have a job to do. Our job is to be the salt that makes things taste better. Our job is to be the light that brings clarity to those in darkness. 

(Salt and light is one of the topics we will be looking at in our Grounded & Growing classes focusing on the sermon on the mount, beginning Feb 5)

Could I be a man after God's own heart?

This week as I was preparing for a new series of Bible studies in our small group I found myself confronted with an interesting question. I was considering the life of David, and found myself contemplating what it really meant when God referred to David as "a man after my own heart".

You are probably familiar with this statement about David, as I was, but I wonder if you have really considered what a truly incredible thing it was for God to say. God pointed at a human being and commented that that person had a heart just like His own. That's nothing short of amazing. 

Abraham was called a friend of God. Moses was permitted to see God and may have had a closer relationship with Him than just about anyone who ever lived. Other famous Bible characters trusted and were used by God, and became renowned as special men and women, but I know of no other person who was described as a man after God's own heart. 

The point of our study will be to try to figure out just what that meant. How could a man with so many flaws (murder and adultery to name a couple of biggies) earn such a title? What would my life have to look like to be described as having God's heart?

The fact that someone as imperfect as David could be awarded such praise from God is really a source of hope for all of us. You know better than anyone what your flaws are. I know better than anyone the sins that plague me, and the areas of my life where I fall short of God's standards. And though I am painfully aware of my many shortcomings, I've never murdered anyone and I've never committed adultery. If a man like David, who fell into this depth of sin, can still find God's approval there is hope for me - and for you.

What an amazing thing that would be, for God to say "Rob is a man after my own heart". What greater thing could I aspire to? What could God say about me that would be more gratifying?  

I wonder, do you have goals for your spiritual growth? Is there something you want to attain with respect to your spiritual maturity and your personal growth as a child of God? I've concluded there are few goals, if any, that would be greater than being a person God would look at and say "here's a man after my own heart".

In our class we are going to try to figure out what it was about David's life that brought about this high praise. Obviously it wasn't his sinless perfection, since he was far from that. It wasn't that he always had a perfect relationship with God. In fact on one occasion he got so angry with God that he refused to take the Ark back home and abandoned it for three months at the home of a man in another community. That is all good news for us, since perfect behaviour and a perfect relationship with God are things we are not likely to attain while living in this world. There must have been other things about David that brought God's approval. Maybe things like his trust in God, his mercy toward others, his love for God's word, his great desire to please God, and the way he responded when he committed some truly terrible sins. 

In recent years I've understood more clearly than ever before that the things that please God are the things in my heart. Things like love and mercy and kindness and generosity and forgiveness. These, and other things that spring from my heart, are the qualities God is looking for. These are what we see in God's heart, and the more they become reality for me the closer I will come to being a man after God's own heart. 

HOW THIRSTY ARE YOU?

RESURGENCE.  This is the theme Paul Penelton (Lead Pastor at The Mission) has chosen for our church for 2017. The word invokes different images for different people, but the idea behind this word as our theme is one of bringing new life where things have been dry and dusty and lifeless. Picture a spring coming forth out of the dessert, leading inevitably to green shoots and flowers and a general feeling of life and health. 

Our hope is that a spiritual resurgence, fresh waters and new life springing up in dry ground, will be the reality for individuals across our congregation. If that happens in individual lives it will build and accumulate until the church as a whole begins to experience the impact.

In John 7: 37 - 38 Jesus said, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the scripture declare 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart'". Verse 39 goes on to explain that this living water is really the Holy Spirit.

A similar message is found in Isaiah 43: 18 - 19. It's a message that is easy to understand. Speaking through the Old Testament prophets, and then through Jesus in the New Testament, God is clearly inviting us to experience an abundant spiritual life, one where the Spirit of God is moving in and through us. The primary requirement is... that we want it. Jesus said "If anyone is thirsty..."

The problem for most of us is that we so easily become complacent about our spiritual life and our spiritual health. It's so easy for us to just be satisfied with whatever level of spiritual fervour (or lack of) we've been accustomed to. Far too often we could be described as dry, desert-like, where there is little evidence of real life. God says if you're not happy with that, if you want more, if you are thirsty, come. That's the invitation God has set before us, and the emphasis we want to bring to the people of The Mission in 2017.

Are we simply inviting you to make another new year's resolution that you can be excited about for a couple weeks, and then lose interest? This is not about a new year's resolution. It's not about resolving to do better. That's because it's not really something you can do by simply being determined or more disciplined. In fact it's not really something you can do at all, other than to say "I want it" and mean it from your heart. We don't manufacture God's living water by being resolved. God pours it out when we come to the place of acknowledging our need and our desire for the Spirit of God to be in control and active in our lives.

Back in December we had the congregation complete a survey. The purpose was to help us better understand how interested people are in their spiritual growth, and how we could provide help and support. In answer to the question "Rate your desire to grow spiritually" 93% answered with a 7 or higher, indicating a pretty high interest. Of that number half answered with a 10, suggesting this was the most important thing in their lives.

It is fantastic that people want to place such a priority on their spiritual health! Unfortunately it can be like saying "yes, it would be nice if I could lose 20 pounds". The desire may be there but is it the kind of desire that is truly motivating? 

The word thirsty implies a powerful desire. When someone is really thirsty, desperately thirsty, everything else takes second place. Quenching that thirst becomes the all consuming priority. That's the kind of thirst God wants us to have. It's why the greatest commandment is that we love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind. That speaks of a powerful thirst for God.

The reward for being spiritually thirsty is overwhelming. The reward is the Spirit of God bringing new life into our dry experience, moving in our lives in ways perhaps we have never experienced or imagined. Not a glass full. Not a pitcher full, but rivers of living water.

That's our challenge in 2017. Are you thirsty? Do you want to know the Spirit of God in your life like rivers of living water? Jesus gave the invitation. It's up to you.