The Gospel's Call to All

"Jesus's teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day.  However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect.  The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones.  We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people.  The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church.  That can only mean one thing.  If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.  If our churches aren't appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we'd like to think."  Tim Keller, The Prodigal God, 15-16.

Tim Keller is truly one of the best pastors and practical scholars of our day.  His work in Manhattan at Redeemer Presbyterian as well as his efforts in promoting church planting have been exceptional.  In this brief book, Keller writes about one of Jesus' most famous parables: what is commonly called the parable of the prodigal son, but I think rightly Keller renames the parable of the prodigal God.  

Keller begins by pointing out the parable is really about three scandalous people: the younger son, the eldest son, and the Father.  We only focus on the younger son because so many of us are eldest brother types whose lives are marked by doing the right thing and by working hard.  Unfortunately, the elder brother also is marked not by his love for the Father (God in this case), but his desire to work for the Father so he can get something back in return.  As Keller argues, true or authentic faith is marked by repentance from both our outright sin and our religious self-effort.  In other words, we must repent of the evil we do and the good we do.  What a scandalous message!  

Overall, I was struck and affirmed by the above quote.  I know as a young pastor, I was very good at attracting the "conservative, buttoned-down, type."  I preached the Bible, thought I was building people up in their faith, and felt pretty good about myself.  Unfortunately, I saw no one come to faith outside the mold of conservative, buttoned-down types or those repenting of a brief foray into sin from their conservative, button-down type upbringing.  In other words, I had a great ministry to Pharisees!

The problem is that Jesus did not have a good ministry to Pharisees even as he had a great ministry to everyone else.  Personally my outreach to non-Pharisee types changed when I encountered the grace of God through a series of bad decisions and failures.  I was a strong man who had not failed.  As I experienced failures and setbacks, I was hurt and then broken.  It was so painful!  Through it all, I learned that success in ministry does not depend upon me.  I also learned personally that I was, and probably still am, a Pharisee.  As I repented of my sin, I tied into the grace of the Lord Jesus.  I found unmerited love.  This is the same Love that the Father gives freely to both the younger and eldest son in the parable of the two sons.  As I did, I found that my ministry changed as did my message.

How?  Well, first of all I was attractive to the broken-hearted, downtrodden, and out-right sinners.  They liked me.  We talked about Jesus.  They felt comfortable.  Many came to faith or at least began a faith journey that I pray and trust will lead to faith.  I also became much more comfortable in my own skin, and I believe I became more authentic as a person.  I have even seen a few eldest brother types come to faith through my preaching and ministry.  Yes, the opening quote encourages me that I was doing something right!

Yet, I my ministry also changed with the eldest brother types.  While I was once their darling, now I am an outcast.  I have found that the religious types just do not understand me.  They might like me personally, but they do not trust me professionally.  I have found that religious types judge me and find me wanting.  I  have seen their sideways glances at their friends, and I know I have been judged not good enough.  Often these folks come to my church or a class I teach and then walk away unchanged by the grace of God.

At first this reaction of the eldest brother types was very dismaying.  It even made me angry (a true mark of my own eldest brother sin tendencies!).  Could they not see the grace of God?  Did they not want it?  I judged them.

Notice the Father in the parable.  He offered grace and restoration for the eldest brother.  He did not judge him, but he freely offered extravagant grace and mercy to his undeserving elder son.  We do not know if the elder son took the offer since as an excellent story-teller, Jesus left his response untold.  In fact, Keller is most like right that the way the story ends means Jesus primarily told the story to convict the Pharisaical elder brothers of their need for repentance and faith.

The key to the entire parable is the open hearted love of the Father.  I think in the past few years I have learned to a greater degree to leave my heart open to the eldest brother types, and to leave the grace of God wide-open for them.  I do not find myself judging them as much, and I repent when I do.  Still, the eldest brother types are the hardest to win to the gospel of grace.  Why?  They are so right that they do not need Jesus.

May all of us this day be amazed at the awesome grace of God.  May this grace shatter our younger brother and eldest brother sin tendencies to bring us to repentance and rest.

Be encouraged, God can use you!

"I wish God could you me like he uses pastors and missionaries."  "I mess up so much that I doubt God could use me."  "When I get it all together, then I will be able to serve God."

In my years in the ministry, I have heard all these statements expressed in different terms, but uttered many times.  Many people believe such nonsense!  I am writing today to encourage us that God can use anyone and everyone who is open to His leading.  Yes, God can use you to advance His Kingdom.

Let me give an example from Jesus' most famous followers, the Disciples.  In Matthew 28:17, the writer gives us a glimpse into their hearts and minds.  As a group, they go to Galilee in response to Jesus' request.  He appears to them and "When they saw him, they worshiped him."  Obviously, they believed he was the Messiah.  A good Jew of that day and age would not have worshiped anything but God.  They believed that Jesus had risen from the dead.  Obviously they did not understand all that this means (who has!), but they knew Jesus was the Messiah.

"But some doubted."  This is the next part of versus 17.  What did they doubt?  Obviously from the context they did not doubt that Jesus was the Messiah.  Instead, Matthew's context might give a glimpse into the cause of their doubts when he records the Great Commission.  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples..."

These early Christ-followers doubted that God could use them.  Why?  They had rejected him.  Peter might have been one of the biggest doubters as he had sworn his fidelity to Jesus, and then denied him three times in an evening.  They had more questions than answers.  In the last week of Jesus' life, they had fought over who was the greatest.  They no longer had the assurance of Jesus' presence in a physical sense.  From the accounts, it is obvious the risen Jesus did not show up on command.  He had appeared, but when would be the next time?

They were living and believing just like we often do today!  How could Jesus use them?  They were so disappointing.  They were struggling.  They did not have all the answers.  They now did not have Jesus' physical presence.  How could God use them?

"Surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age."  Jesus concludes with words of promise and hope.  Words of Grace into the midst of the disciples' fear and doubt.  He was not leaving them as orphans!  He would lead them!  He would work in, through, and even in spite of them.  He would use their strengths, their weaknesses, their sin, their doubt, and their times of faith.  He knew their past, but He did not condemn.  He gave a command to go and make disciples sandwiched between the promise of His power and authority (it is really about Him and not us), and his promise of abiding presence.

How can God use you?  How can He use me?  Real ministry is about trusting in His grace that He can use you even with our weaknesses.  In fact, Christ often uses us through our weaknesses, as Paul tells us that His power works through broken vessels (2 Cor. 4:7).  As I see it, there are three keys to being used by God:

1.) Recognize and confess that we are broken "jars of clay."  Don't put on airs or think your answers will change anything or anyone.  Confess your need for God to work!

2.) Ask God to work through you. Missionaries or pastors are not a special class of Christian.  We are all priests of the Great King!  Ask Jesus to use you at work, at home, or where ever you find yourself.  Walk in partnership with Him.  Talk with Him about people and situations.

3.) Be open to God's leading.  In other words, have your eyes open to opportunities to love God and neighbor.  Sometimes this means speaking.  Often it just means going out of your way to express love and concern.  As you do this, you will be amazed at the opportunities that will arise to speak about what God has done in your life.

Authentic grace means that God can use people like the disciples, like you, and like me!  I am so encouraged by this fact.  Do not fear for Jesus is the risen King!

Back to School and New Patterns

This morning my 8th grader will get on the bus to head to school for the first time this year.  Tomorrow, I get to watch my High School junior do the same.  Praise the Lord!  Fall is here (almost).  I have enjoyed the summer with the family: the constant activity, the farm work, the complaints of nothing to do, and the precious time together.  Now I look forward to a different season.

I was thinking of several conversations I have had in recent weeks.  People were commenting on their need to make major changes in their lives.  They felt trapped.  They did not know how to proceed.  I hate that feeling!

In my experience, it takes three days to make most surface changes.  To change your diet, three days.  To change exercise patterns, three days.  Three days of will-power and you can change many patterns.  The key is that you really have to want to change.  

Many say they want to lose weight.  Yet, they eat horribly.  The reality is that they like junk food more than they wish to lose weight.  Three days and you can change patterns!

If you fall off the wagon, remember it is only three days of will-power.  Remind yourself of your goal.  Stop yourself from your destructive patterns for three days.  On day four, it will be easier!

The real issue with making surface changes is investigating why you have such surface sins.  Why do you eat wrong foods?  Do you like food or do you hate your body?  The first can be cured with will-power, the second needs the gospel to deal with your heart.  You have surface sins because your heart needs grace!

First, ask the Lord to help you see why you do what you do.  In relationships, are you controlling?  Why?  Ask for the Holy Spirit to be at work revealing the truth.  Repent of your actual heart sins.  Ask for the Lord to heal those places deep within.  

Use the three day will-power trick to force yourself to come before the Lord in repentance and then faith.    By day four, it will be easier to come into His presence in repentance and faith.  My guess is that in three weeks, you will find changes to your heart.

Remember growth is a process.  Real heart change often takes time and there will be ups and downs.  If you fall off the wagon, repent and begin again.

Every day is a new day of grace!

Hurricane Hype and Peace

It is a beautiful Saturday in Maine.  Tomorrow, Irene is supposed to pass to our west causing wind and rain.  Two days ago we had several bands of thunderstorms come through dropping several inches of rain.  These storms were accompanied by strong wind gusts.  Somehow we survived these thunderstorms.  We made it through them without fear, hype, and hours of talking heads telling us how to survive.  How did we do it?

Storms are a reality in life.  On a slow news week, they become the dominate story.  Irene will be and is a real hurricane down south.  Is it really different than their yearly hurricanes?  No.  Why are we so worried about this one?  It could be catastrophic!  So could the stroke you experience tomorrow.  So could the car accident that occurs next week.  Why are so many acting like this storm is all there is in the universe?  Do they not know there is a God who can work through and in the wind and the waves?  Do they not know that there is more to life than the hype of a storm?

As you can tell, I am not impressed with this hurricane and the hype the media is giving it.  I even had someone e-mail yesterday to ask if we were canceling church on Sunday.  Canceling 48 hours ahead of a storm?  I sure hope they were kidding!  We do not know what will happen with this storm.  Today's forecast for Maine says 30 mile an hour winds with gusts to 60 (maybe) and 1 to 2 inches of rain.  Are you kidding?  We had this with the aforementioned thunderstorms of two days ago.

As believers we should be speaking peace into the "hype" of the modern world.  We know there is a God who is sovereignly in control of all things.  We know this God!  We also know that there is more to life than fear of a short-term future.  Yet, I find believers in this God just as fearful as those who do not know Him.  Why?

A final quote from David Adam before I move to another book is in order.  This passage is written to clergy, but it applies to us all.

"We, who minister, need to offer more stillness and peace to our people.  How can we preach peace and the grace of God if we are stressed and strained?  How can we offer healing to others if we are so sick ourselves?  We need to be able to be present in the present and not to be distracted by the past or the future.  We should be able to encourage people to enjoy who they are and where they are.  Kilke, in his Letters on Cezanne, wrote, 'One lives os badly, because one always comes into the present distracted'."
Adams, The Road of Life, 22-23.

The past is gone.  The future is uncertain.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Rest in His loving and sovereign hand.  Speak His word of peace into this chaotic and troubled world.

Growing Through Trials

I have an early appointment today, so there is little time for thoughtful blogging.  I will repost a blog from the past.  May the Lord bless the use of it!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, wherever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." James 1: 2-5

Today I began a look at James in my devotional reading and prayer time.  I was immediately struck by this first passage in the entire book.  Why would I consider it joy when I face trials?  Like most of us, I avoid trials and I complain when I am in them!  How can I consider it joy?

I have to say that the past year and a half have been a time of trial for me.  I have seen betrayal in ministry, disappointment in my personal life, began to suffer from irritating health issues, and I have listened to a nagging string of condemnation from the Evil One.  As the time of trial began, I complained to God.  I knew I was innocent, or at least not directly causing any issues, so why did I have to go through them?!  Have you ever been there?

As weeks turned into months, I began to ask God different questions.  Lord, what do I need to learn from this?  What are you doing?  What do I need to see?  I think this is the process that James describes in this passage.  Finally, I began to ask for wisdom.  I also began to grow and develop as a person in different directions.  I must admit that the change was slow and at times imperceptible.  Still, I can now see how God was changing me.  As I persevered through the trials, I developed a new level of maturity.  I know I am still lacking in much, but I thank God for allowing me to develop and be transformed by His grace.

I share this experience because I wonder how God has worked to shape each of my readers?  Trials promote humility or bitterness.  Which one marks your life?  Trials promote an attitude of blaming God and turning away from a walk with Him or trusting him more (perseverance in our faith).  Which one marks your life?  I am thankful for His faithfulness that He did not allow bitterness and unbelief to dominate my life.  I know that the only true anchor and rock is my Lord and my God!  Not because I declare it or believe it, but because it is true.

The next few sentences of James are very interesting, and even this morning I puzzled over them.  "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." vs. 6  What does this mean?  It sounds so harsh!  Is this a new idea or part of the past one concerning trials, perseverance, and wisdom?  I believe it is part of the preceding idea. When you ask for wisdom, do not doubt it when you get it!  God will answer your prayer for wisdom, but do not doubt what He is trying to tell you.

I often find that people only move to a different place (spiritually, physically, emotionally, etc.) when pressed to do so.  Most of us would prefer to stay in a bad situation or place because it is more comfortable than the unknown.  Truly a body at rest, stays at rest.  God loves us so much that He knows what is best for us.  He knows our sin tendencies and our hang-ups.  He wants us to grow out of them because they are harmful to us.  He desires a great and promising future for us.  He wants to lead us to this future!  The question becomes will we follow His leading?  Most of the time no.  Thus, trials come to awaken our body at rest.

I think this is the answer to James' thoughts concerning doubt.  We all doubt many things.  This is a natural consequence of our fallen state.  Doubt is a broad category, and this passage is not saying that all doubt is bad.  When doubt leads to questions, it is often good because we will find the answers in Christ!

The key to understanding this passage is in the context of praying for wisdom.  When we pray for wisdom, we should not doubt it when we hear it.  Through God's word, inner impulses and instruction, and most importantly the counsel of others, we can hear God's voice.  When we hear it, often we are like Gideon or Moses and we say, "You have the wrong guy!"  Unfortunately, some of us are not as honest as Gideon and Moses.  We don't talk back to God and question Him.   No, we ignore His leading and voice.  Then, we wonder why trials keep coming and why God does not change our current situation to meet our needs.  

"When we ask, we must believe and not doubt."  God loves us so much that He wants what is best for us.  We are so short-sighted that we simply do not know what is best for us.  In our pride, we think we do, but often we are wrong.  

May the Lord lead and guide each of us.  May we learn to walk with Him through the trials and difficulties that naturally come from living in a fallen world.  May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven for His glory.  Ask for wisdom and believe His love and grace for you!  Who knows what blessings you are missing out on because of your lack of believing.

Community and Real Life

This past weekend I had a sad discussion with a man about life in community.  He shared that he did not need community to grow in his relationship with God.  He was fine without others because he had his own opinions.

Unfortunately, these opinions were often strangely unorthodox in their understanding of God, Jesus, scripture, sin, love, life, eternal life, and he lacked solid self-understanding.  I am not trying to be judgmental!  Please understand that at heart I am a true libertarian.  I give plenty of room for each of us to believe and live as we see fit.  One reason why those outside the Christian faith like me so much is they know and experience this tendency within me.  Yet, by any measurement and even generous judgment of life and thought from a historic Christian perspective, this man's ideas did not match with or even come close to the mainstream.  As I reflect, it was a sad discussion!

I have found that those who refuse community, for whatever reason, often end up depressed and unorthodox in their thought.  I think this man was greatly disappointed with the Church because of a bad experience or a series of bad experiences.  I know in my life, I have had some horrible experiences with folks in the church.  The question I ask concerning these experiences was different than this man.  I asked, "Is this the church's problem or those people's problem?"  

Every time the answer has been individuals and not the glorious, universal Church!  Even if one local body goes strange and anti-Christian, this does not eliminate the importance of the Church and community.  I know I need others and the Church to experience true life.  Celebration needs community to be lasting, real, and life-changing.  I will end with another quote from David Adam.

"I have often found more joy and celebration among monks and nuns than I have among young people.  Maybe the religious have already struggled with their lives and come to terms with some of their own limitations and failings.  They have the benefit of affirming the love and presence of God each day within their community.  The lack of community for many of our young people, in not all of us, can make modern living very lonely.  In our journeying through life we need companions.  I often think upon some words from St John of the Cross: 'The soul that is alone is like a burning coal that is alone.  It will grow colder rather than hotter.'  To maintain enthusiasm, joy and love we need to be able to express them and share them in community.  To celebrate life we need to be with other 'burning coals'." David Adam, The Road of Life, 129.

May each of us seek out and find other burning coals that help us to grow deeper in repentance and faith!

A full and meaningful life

"'Do you believe in life after death?'  What can one say as a Christian?  Of course I do.  I believe that Jesus died and rose for us and in him we have eternal life.  But I felt there was a danger of putting off to some future date what should be ours now- life, and life in all its fullness.  Too many sad folks project their own desires to a future world when they should be living by faith in this world.  I believe in life after death but I also believe in life before death.  We need to make sure we are living now." Adam, The Road of Life, 122.

If we do not live out the gospel, we are always in danger of projecting true life somewhere else other than to our current experience.  Some project true life back "in the day" when they felt alive and free.  They often forget that at the time they were likely projecting forward looking forward to true life in the future!

Others, particularly those who lived or are living through times of struggle, project into the future true life.  My family on my dad's side often lived this way.  They projected into heaven all of their desires for life, and they complained about their physical ailments and difficulties in the present.  For these good hearted folks, the present was something to be endured and not really enjoyed.  They are models for a brand of Christian spirituality that many live.

The gospel compels us to live in the present.  God is with us right here and now.  His presence is around us, in us, and near us.  We can meet with Him in repentance and faith.  He promises us life right now- at work, at home, at play, or in difficulty.  A minute of His touch can make even the most difficult tasks enjoyable.  So why do we project His presence backward or forward in time when His life changing power is here and now?

I know this is hard to live out.  Here is an example from our life.  Currently, we are trying to toilet train a two year old.  How do we view this task?  With every puddle, do we only look forward to the future?  I am afraid so!  We have this intense longing for the future.  To a time of no more diapers, no more grossly stinky diapers!  We have to consciously enjoy the present by asking for God's presence in the now.  We need to talk with Him, thank Him for every success, and ask for His love to be with all in the process.  

All of this does not diminish our longing for the future.  What it does is place God's presence squarely in the present.  This is where He belongs, but in my fallen state I often don't live that way.  Another opportunity to walk in repentance and faith!

May the Lord dwell in your present this day.  Also may my son become potty trained really quickly!

God talk but no walk

I apologize for the random posts this past month.  I have been very busy with life and ministry, so I have not had the time to sit, think, and compose on one solid topic.  Instead, you get my somewhat random thoughts on many different topics.  I will begin the week with another quote from David Adam.

"I am always worried by groups that want to talk about God but do not make much effort to talk to him.  I felt that they were using dogma to defend their inner uncertainty, using a system of belief to protect them from the world around them.  The real world will always challenge our human, dogmatic claims, it will disturb our fantasies and seek to put us in touch with God.  But for rigid dogma, this is unacceptable, God must approach them through the channels they have chosen or he will be unrecognized.  We all live with the danger of a selective egotism that would censor the world, the preacher, the Church, the Bible, and even God.  We make our belief, our prayers and our God act like a sedative, preventing us from full engagement with the world.  It would be better to lose a God that we could grasp and a faith that hid us from our fears, and stand before him with whom we have to do.  At some stage we need to discover our God is a consuming fire and is not tameable by us." The Road of Life, 110.

I have met many people in my journey of life who have no dogma or theological grasp of God.  In fact, most of us, when we come to faith, have little understanding or appreciation of the character of God or how to think about the world in relation to God.  The one thing that we discovered was a holy and loving God revealed in Jesus Christ.  We knew, however shallow the understanding, that we were sinners in need of a savior and Jesus was that savior.

The real shame and crime of the faith is that for many they stay in this place.  Many church communities and many individual Christians shun those who desire to know God better, to think clearer, and to grow deeper.  They say it is about relationship instead of knowledge.  In some ways this is true, but how can we be in relationship with someone we do not know!  In reality, these shallow churches and individuals encourage new believers to stay infants in the faith.

The problem is life.  We learn shallow platitudes, but life is way to hard to keep these platitudes in line with our experience.  So, many give up the faith of the "church" and make faith a private matter.  Others fake their way through church and with others.  They know they do not live what they say, but they know what they believe is true.  Eventually, they find themselves living a dual life compartmentalized between times of faith and real life.  Eventually, they find themselves lukewarm.

In reaction to the shallow life of many believers, a different breed of Christian has arisen.  This breed is one that is academically and theologically rich.  It seeks to know God.  It investigates the avenues of faith throughout church history.  It plumbs the depths of scripture.  Eventually, it finds that systems of thought have walked these paths before them.  This brings joy because it means they are not alone!  This propels them into deeper study.  For those with this personality type, in a few years they know more about God than their friends and the pastors of many churches.  This is very satisfying!

Again, the problem is life.  This time it is not the life they experience outside of themselves.  These folks have the intellectual tools to understand creation, sin, and redemption.  Many of these folks excel in their professions.  They are insightful people!  The problem is that many cannot understand why they know so much, yet they personally struggle to live out what they believe.  They struggle to love.  They struggle to feel and know the presence of God.  In the words of Adam, they have been using "dogma to defend their inner uncertainty, using a system of belief to protect them from the world around them.  The real world will always challenge our human, dogmatic claims, it will disturb our fantasies and seek to put us in touch with God."

How do we escape the trap of being either being shallow and not growing in knowledge of God or being academic and not growing in our relationship with God?  We believe the gospel!

If life is about repentance and faith (which it is in a fallen world!), we learn to live this life.  We do not fake our need.  We nurture and grow in our knowledge of this need.  We repent of our sin and learn to cling to Jesus.  We do not tolerate shallow knowledge because we want to know the lover of our soul.  We struggle to understand scripture and theology.  This should lead us to deeper repentance and faith, which is deeper relationship.  We keep an active eye out for our growing pride, and we develop a faith that recognizes that maturity means deeper dependence worked out in repentance and faith.

Authentic faith lives a life of growing knowledge and growing relationship.  To diminish either leads to error in life and practice.

Stop hiding behind your "faith" and come to know the consuming fire that is our God.

Spiritual Warfare and Authentic Spirituality

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6: 10-13

I have been reviewing my posts and the interest from around the world for each post.  I have come to the conclusion that there is much interest in the topic of spiritual warfare.  I also conclude that there is much less interest in coming into the presence of God through prayer.  The great irony is that both are so closely related!

Today I am reposting something I wrote several months back on spiritual warfare.  Given the interest in the subject, I think it might be the best avenue into presenting a gospel-centered life to a wider audience. I will be interested in seeing if there are more hits because of the subject!

I do know that in this world, we sometimes see glimpses of the spiritual realm, though most of us do not know what we are really seeing.  In other parts of the world, spiritual warfare is much more intense and out in the open.  In America and the West, it is much less visible though just as prevalent.  The truth is, we live in a spiritually alive universe.  There is only one God, and His power, majesty, and sovereignty are not in question.  The evil one is not another God, though he seeks to take God’s rightful glory.  He is a usurper who steals glory and praise not due him.  He is a fallen angel given the earth as his home range  until Christ comes back to set all things aright.  He lives on a short lease: a lease held by the sovereign Lord.  He has under his command an assortment of fallen angels (demons) who seek to destroy God's work and Kingdom.  We know that these evil beings will not prevail!  Yet, in this life, we need to be aware that we have an enemy seeking both our destroy our life and to keep us out of Kingdom work.

With this in mind, will you my readers take time to pray for me as I think through, write, and blog on this topic?  Specifically, would you pray that the Lord will protect my walk with Him, my family, and my Church.  Please pray that He will give me clarity as to what the scriptures say on the subject.  Joining with Paul’s words, please pray that I be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Pray that I would put on the armor of God, which is Christ’s righteousness, so I can take my stand against the devil’s schemes.  Pray for clarity of mind to write well and quickly.  Pray that I would cut through the many knots found in this subject to compose something worthwhile and helpful.  As Jesus told us to pray, ask the Lord to “not lead Dr. Greg into temptation, but deliver him from the evil one.” (Matt. 6:13)

The first lesson in spiritual warfare is not to ignore it.  It is real.  The evil one does not desire for the lost to be found and for light to shine into the darkness.  When the kingdom of God advances, the evil one is right there trying to take glory from God by diverting attention, causing division, and counterfeiting an authentic work of God. 

The second lesson in spiritual warfare is that prayer is our primary weapon.  Pray.  Ask for God’s help.  Ask for others to pray.  Claim the promises of scripture (our only other weapon!), and walk humbly with God.

Solitude, God's Presence, and the Gospel

Today I have a long post that I intended to be short.  Sorry!  It is also not as clear as I would like, but a mix of too many ideas.  Forgive me even as you wrestle my writing and these ideas so as to grow deeper!

"For my days to remain healthy, I needed this silence.  For to be renewed in strength I needed to come before my God.  It is amazing how a few minutes with our God can so energize us and empower us to return to our daily work.  To miss out on this time of quiet is to deny ourselves our birthright as daughters and sons of God.  If I am to speak meaningfully about God to others, I need to spend time in his presence and learn of his love.  In the same way, if I am to talk meaningfully to God about others and his world, I need to be immersed in the world and relate to others." Adam, The Road of Life, 109.

I have so enjoyed reading this book.  I have taken the time to ponder, to pray, and to meet with God as I read it.  In my years of walking with Christ, I have also found this message to be so true.  If you desire more of God in your life, there is no way to get it except to pursue Him!  

I am always amazed by those who will then argue theologically with me on this point.  They will claim, often with a dismissive and condescending tone, "Don't you know that you have every spiritual blessing in Christ?  You do not need more of God!"  To this I must say, "Really?"  I find that I need more of God's presence and work in my life!  The older I get the more I find I need Him.  To argue theologically about this reality illustrates an aversion to the gospel, to God's presence, and to our need.  As I read scripture and church history, everyone who really walked with God has sought His presence and grown in an awareness of need.

Let me give one example, the Apostle Paul.  Paul writes early in his ministry that we are to be imitators of him, just as I am of Christ.  In what ways do we imitate him?  I believe it was in his humility as he came to Christ for mercy and grace.  At the end of his life, Paul writes "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am the foremost of all.  And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." 1 Tim 1:15-16.

The key to this verse is that Paul uses the present tense to describe his life.  He is the chief of sinners.  I know some will argue that he was using to present tense to show past participation.  I find that argument hogwash.  As Paul matured in the faith, he understood his need for Christ to grow.  He understood his sinful self-sufficiency and pride as more and more real.  Christ came into the world to save sinners, and he knew himself to be the foremost sinner!  

This should give us so much hope and encouragement.  We do not have to minimize or fake the reality of our sin.  We should confess it, repent of it, and seek Christ's help to grow deeper.  As we do this, we find God's presence.  We also find wisdom, power, grace, love, and mercy.  All of this leads to peace and joy.  Why?  Because we find fellowship with Jesus.

Take a moment to think of the opposite way of growing.  I believe this is completely hypothetical because it does not match anyone's experience even as we try to make it match our vision of the Christian life!  It has a slight resemblance to the truth, but it ultimately untrue.  Here is the vision of maturity.  Believers grow more and more holy as they become more and more immersed in the Christian community.  We learn how to put aside sin more and more as we mature in the faith.  How?  By growing in knowledge and by escaping the evil World.  The result of such separation from evil will be that we will grow in our knowledge of God and this leads us knowing Him better.  As a result, we put away our sinful tendencies and grow into Christ.  You can tell mature Christians by their personal holiness.  The problem with this vision of grow is where it leads.  Eventually, we find that we do not need a savior as we now have it all together.  Now Jesus is our equal, as we are just like Him.

Such thought does not match the experience of the Apostle Paul.  Nor does it match the testimony of anyone I would trust throughout church history.  The only folks that believe this believe in the Enlightenment ideal of progress through education.  These often well meaning folks deny the effects of original sin and in the process deny their desperate need for a savior.  What is missing in this vision of the Christian life is the gospel.  Because it misses the gospel, it is nothing more than bad self-help advice.

So where does it go wrong?  The hint of the truth is that maturity will be lived out in personal holiness.  As we grow, we do put aside many of the obvious sinful tendencies that marked us.  The problem is that our cultural vision of the Christian life dismisses the very power that can change us.  If we are honest, we find that as we come to know the real God, we find ourselves struggling more and more with real and damaging sin.

At one time, our problem was pornography.  Now it is a heart and mind that just thinks of sexual sin seemingly without cause.

Another example, our problem was outward fighting, brawling, and a rebellious heart.  Now our problem is a heart and mind that cannot stop judging others and looking down on those who are different.

Others have grown to recognize and put aside materialism.  Yet, now they find their heart and soul are so captured by temporary comfort and the pleasant events in this life that we take our eyes of Jesus.  Before we were blind to how our outward actions were really driven by these inward, seemingly innate desires.  Now we see them more and more.

So what should we do?  Do not pretend that these inward thoughts, desires and sin tendencies do not exist.
Maturity means that from the outside people can see us growing more holy, but inwardly we grow to understand our need for repentance and faith.

Confess your struggles with others.  Pray, seek God's face, have others pray for you.  Slow down and seek God in solitude.  Most importantly, remember that the gospel is central to all of life.  It is not merely a ticket to heaven, but it is the foundation for authentic living in a fallen world.

Will you quiet yourself enough today to listen to the power yet still small voice of the living God?

Peace in the Presence of God

I have been reading a book by David Adam called The Road of Life.  Several nights ago when I was having difficulty getting back to sleep after being awakened by my 2 year old, I came across this great passage.  It lead my mind to better thoughts, and I wanted to share it.  Adam was the Vicar of on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne for 13 years.  This island has been a Christian retreat center/monastery almost 1500 years, and it is the destination for many seeking peace and the presence of God.  Adam was discussing how we as humans bring our sin tendencies with us always.  Even on "retreat" we can find our mind thinking about our issues instead of focusing on the living God.  As he states,

Often people come to the Island for peace; some are fortunate but others find they are the same on the Island as they were at home.  I try to persuade such people to give up seeking peace.  Do not look for a present, look for the Presence.  In seeking peace we are like the child playing with the box and the wrappings while ignoring the real gift.  We may get deep delight from peace, but there is a far greater gift offered.  God offers himself to us.  God is willing to walk with us, to listen to us, to care for us.  When God is recognized, when we abide in his presence, we also receive the gifts we sought.  God says, 'My presence will go with you and I will give you rest' (Ex. 33.14).  In this world the only lasting peace we will find is in his presence.  (p. 97)

I could not agree more!  Yet, I find so many who do not know how to come into the presence of God.  They "feel him" in worship, so they become worship junkies.  They "feel him" in nature, so they become nature junkies.  There is a great problem with this.  Like the druggy, the effects of the outside stimulus diminish over time.  God is not "felt" in worship like He was.  We trade churches looking for a new high.  We do not see him in the same old natural places, so we look for new activities and new places.  We might become a thrill seeker.

God's presence is found when we seek Him in humility.  When we repent and come naked before Him asking for mercy and depending upon Christ, His presence is found.  With His presence comes peace and life-changing power.

As a pastor, I often come at this issue in the opposite direction.  Do you lack life-changing power?  Do your addictions to sin and self dominate your life?  The power to break sin only comes in the presence of God and by His grace.  You cannot use God as a self-help motivator.  You must enter His presence and allow Him to work as He wishes.  He will put away sin and He often leads us in ways we would not naturally go.

Seek His presence today.  In quietness, repent of your sin.  It might take time.  You have much clutter in your mind and heart!  Ask the Lord to put it in order or to take it away.  Begin the journey with the true source of power and peace.  Seek His presence!

What is the gospel? The Story of Life

I remember taking a Philosophy of Religion course many years ago in college.  We were asked as an assignment to define "God".  I was a young believer at the time, and I thought this would be easy.  I opened the Bible, started to look for passages to help define, and I quickly began to realize this was a tough assignment!  At that time, I did not know that people before me in the faith had written excellent scriptural definitions concerning many topics, including the character and person of God.  I had not be taught as a believer that these Confessions of Faith are vitally important.  

What I learned from this assignment was to be careful about attempting to define anything!  It is much easier to critique or comment on other's work than to clearly define your own.  Today, I am going against this sound wisdom to begin a discussion toward defining the gospel.  I appreciate any comments that help me in the definition, as this is tough work.  I am so thankful that others have walked this path before me though I confess beforehand that I will build upon this work instead of just copying it.  My hope is to work on a definition that allows us to build a "gospel-centered life" as well as merely a statement of faith.

As I see it, the gospel is really a story of life.  It is an explanation for why we are here and what we experience.  In the past hundred years, (post) modern philosophy has told us that grand "meta-narratives" are impossible and should be abandoned.  To this claim, I ask why?  Because some philosopher told me to give it up?  Because some wish to "make their own reality"?

I have found that this story is the basis for all great stories in literature.  It resonates with people from every continent.  It has the ring of truth within it.  Why?  Because it is foundational truth!  It is an understanding of the world that makes sense of the often senseless experience we have.  It is not just a "personal" as postmodern philosophy wish to make all truth, but it applies to every situation.

The Gospel is a story that is the basis for all good stories.  It begins with God- a creative, loving, and holy being.  God loves His creation and He made it all for relationships with Him.  God creates everything from nothing.  This is important.  In most religions, God uses the substance already present to fashion a world.  In the Biblical gospel narrative, God speaks through the Word everything into existence.  This makes God above and beyond all the so called 'gods' of the ancient world.

God creates the entire universe good.  In fact, when he is through with the foundations of creation, He declares everything very good (Gen. 1:31).  Included in this creation is man and woman, who together reflect the image of God.  We were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  We were created for relationship with God, others, and creation.  Furthermore, we were created to be stewards of creation- exploring, protecting, preserving, and using creation wisely.

This explains why sensitive people love the beauty of creation.  It explains why we enjoy the fellowship of others.  It explains why we value elements of culture, art, and music since human creation continues the creative work of God.  As all of these dimensions of our experience reflect the created good, they are beautiful.  As all of these dimension of our experience stray from their created good, they move in the direction of ugly and distorted.

So how do we move away from our created Good?  The Gospel declares that creation is fallen because of the fall of humanity from a state of perfect relationship to a state of animosity toward God because of sin.  I know we do not like being called "sinners" but what word better explains our situation?  We often know the good we ought to do, but we lack the will to carry it out.  This is the state of fallen.  As we move further and further away from the way were made to be, we find it easier and easier to walk in sin without blushing.  Why?  Because sin, piled upon sin, leads to hardness of heart.  Such a condition refuses to acknowledge its need for God, need for others, or need for being in good relationship with creation.

Does this not describe accurately where most of us live?  I will attempt to pick up here next time!

Haying, Economic disruptions, and approaching Fall

As I write a cool, damp breeze blows through my cracked window.  I think I might need to get rid of the shorts for a day and move to pants!  After almost two months of heat and humidity, it feels cold.  Yes, fall is coming quickly!

I love living in the far North.  Here it is wise to prepare for winter before winter arrives.  In the past month, I have finished my fire wood preparations and I have put up almost all the hay I need for a winter.  I have even had some extra hay, so I was able to sell it to pay my hay gathering expenses.  We have seen the harvesting of some of our cattle, and I have two pigs that will find a home in someone's freezer soon.  We are preparing for a fall of travel and laboring at pastoring and writing.  Even as I write, I feel a smile come to my face because I believe we are prepared.

Throughout the time of our weather pattern change in Maine, the world-wide culture and economic news has also been rapidly changing.  As I sit on my tractor, I have plenty of time to think about it all.  Riots in London, Israel, Wisconsin, and Philly.  Social unrest and class warfare rhetoric promoted from the top and bottom of the power structures.  My dollar is worth less and less at the grocery store.  Money is tight not just for me, but for almost everyone I talk to.  Most do not have a fear of the future, but a pessimistic dread.  Our underlying question is how do we prepare for the future?  Winter preparations we can handle.  How do we prepare for 10 or 20 years from now given our current situation?

I sure wish I had answers to these questions.  I like to prepare and to think through possibilities.  I have a mind and gifting that allows me to see potential scenarios.  I often can plan accordingly.  Now, there are so many variables in play that seeing what the social and economic landscape will look like in 10 years is virtually impossible.

Perhaps our biggest problem now in the world is that we think we should be able to see and plan out our future.  We do not leave much room for change and for the direction of the Lord.  Can you imagine the life of a third century believer in Greece?  The political situation could change quickly and you could lose your business or your life by decree at any moment.  What do you do?  How do you react?  Do you look for a new country to move where it will be safer?  No, this is almost impossible.  Do you hide away your money?  How?  No, you recognize the risk and you live your life with your God, enjoying your family, and laboring to create and be productive.

Things may change.  They might even change rapidly.  Welcome to the world of the farmer, the merchant, and the politician throughout all of history.  Sometimes these changes mean that fortunes are lost, homes destroyed, and families torn apart.  Welcome to the world as most know it and as most have lived for all of human history.  How did people cope?  For those who know God, they cling to the promises of Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  They live like they are eternal in a superficial and transitory world.

Prepare for the future by walking humbly with your God.  We might be approaching a cultural winter.  So what?  Even if we are really approaching a new and glorious spring, so what?  The money you make, the retirement you plan for, the life you in-vision all will pass away quickly.  We so much long for security.  It is only found in direct relationship with the living God.  Repent of your desire for control.  Believe in the one who made you and who desires what is best for you!

Life as a Practical Atheist

What difference does this make?  This is one of the key questions each of us should ask on the road to an authentic spirituality.  True growing means more and more application.  Many times in life we are merely treading water or even going backward in our pursuit of growth as individuals.  During these times, we should pause, slow down, and allow God to inform our life.  Unfortunately, many of us have not learned how to do this!  It takes emergencies, health issues, or great loss to get our attention so we take time to listen.  Today, I am reflecting upon an interesting quote from a man named David Adams in his book, The Road of Life: Reflections on Searching and Longing.  He hits upon one the great causes of why our spiritual lives often do not reflect authenticity or the character of God.

"One of the sad comments on our time is that our faith is not at home in our homes, our God is not at home in our homes.  We have relegated God to the 'holy', to sacred buildings, to services, and so lead most of our lives without him.  If our faith, our lives, are to be truly alive we need to have a natural, living relationship with our God in our daily life.  Until our faith is expressed in our day-to-day life, it will remain weak and lacking in vigor." (57)

What difference does your faith make in how you relate with your family?  At work?  When no one is looking?  Please take time to consciously and seriously reflect upon this.  For many of us who have professed faith for years, we say it makes much difference.  Does it really?  How different is your actions, your style of relating, your ability to love others than your neighbor who professes no faith?  How different are you at work than your office mate who does not walk with the Lord?  Are you growing in your ability to love God and neighbor or just treading water?

As we enter another busy summer weekend, I encourage and challenge each of us to think through these questions.  Take time to be still before the Lord, with your Bible open, and speak with Him about it.  Escape the trap of living like a practical atheist.

Prayers of the Heart

"My heart is steadfast, O God; 

I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth." Ps. 108: 1-5

Amen and Amen!  I was thinking this morning about the difference between prayers of my heart and prayers of my mind.  I know there should not be a difference, but I find that there is.  I also find that explaining this difference is difficult, but I will try!

Prayers of my mind come all the time.  As I am walking through life, I notice things around me and I speak with God about them.  I find I often pray about my life, my family, my ministry, and my needs.  Notice how often "my" is in there!  I also pray for people I know and think about.  What I find interesting is that with these prayers I can move through life without really engaging with my God.  In my arrogance, I am informing God about His universe.

Now, this is not the worst thing in the world.  There was a time when God did not enter into my perspective on anything.  These prayers of my mind show me that God has penetrated my thoughts and worldview.  I am thankful that I often pray in this manner!  Still, there is something more if I really want to grow in depth as a person, a believer, and a servant of the Lord.

Growing deeper in Christ is what I am pondering this morning.  When my heart informs my mind, prayer is powerful, effective, and life-changing.  When my mind tries to change my heart, it seems to seldom work as I intend.  In fact, it can become rote and boring.  In my opinion, the only life-changing power that can transform our tendency toward rote, dry prayer is what I am calling the prayer of the heart.

Notice in today's Psalm, "I will sing and make music with all of my soul."  Here the Psalmist is speaking of the core of his being, what can be called both our heart or our soul.  He is affirming that he is praising God from the core of his being.  Many of us in the West misunderstand the importance of this concept.  We believe that we make up our mind, and then act according to our decision.  This presupposes our mind is free and clear to make rational choices.  The biblical understanding is different.  It argues that from the heart flows the life that empowers all we do.  It is the seat of will or volition.  It is the core of our being.  It is what informs our mind, shapes our thoughts, and ultimately determines our actions.  As Jesus encourages and warns us in Luke 6: 45 "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil out of the evil stored in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."  

The Psalmist is using the tool of music to bring his heart or soul into praise of God.  How does he do this?  By focusing his whole being on the love and faithfulness of God.  In other words, but focusing upon the truth of the gospel and allowing it to penetrate deeply within his heart.  I believe the only thing that can change our rebellious and hard hearts is love.  It is a powerful and intoxicating motivator between us as individuals, and it is even more powerful and intoxicating when we find ourselves falling in love with Christ.  When we know in the core of our being the love of God, it changes us.  It prompts our love for God.  It transforms our decision making.  It drives us to ministry and service not out of fear, but out of thanksgiving for God's love for us.  We find ourselves affirming, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth!"

So, how do we enter into this prayer of the heart?  Ask God for it.  Repent of our self-effort and the sin that we rather seek than God's presence.  Ask for mercy and love to transform you.  Ask that He would allow you to pray with your whole being.  As you do these things, the Holy Spirit will begin to teach you as your ask.  Find others who have walked this journey before you and ask them for advice.  Read the Psalms reflectively, slowly, and with a listening ear.  Do not give up into the gospel penetrates deep within your heart.

There is so much more to say, but I repent of my desire to say it!  Please begin to pray from the heart.  The following is a sample, though shallow prayer to give an example. 

Lord, forgive me for the busyness of my mind and scattered nature of my thoughts.  

Father are with me.

Lord, have mercy upon me as I need your love more than all I think will bring me life.  

Christ have mercy. 

Lord, lead me to meet with you and transform me by your love.

Holy Spirit lead me to know you and to meet with you.

Time and Reflection

This week is the start of a new month, and the start of a new ministry year at Grace.  After a month of prayer and rest, it has been meetings and people.  I love it, but it has not given me time to sit at the computer and write.  I do thank God that I have had time to be with my Lord and my God.  I ran across a couple of Irish sayings that apply.

"It is not by your feet alone you can come to God."

"Your feet will bring you to where your heart is."

Walking with God is about enjoying Him.  It is about being with Him.  On the one hand, we can never leave His presence, as He is everywhere and His handiwork can be seen throughout all of creation.  Yet, we sure can wear thick blinders to His presence!  We can stumble around in the dark because our eyes are tightly shut.

So far this week, my heart has been at rest even as my feet have been in motion.  So much is up in the air, but God's presence and love keeps me on the ground and with Him.  I pray the same for each of us.

If knowing and walking with God sounds foreign to you, repent and believe.  Call out to Him and He will meet with You!  (Isa. 30:18)