Keller on The Gospel of Grace

"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.

Yesterday I began a post concerning how to reach out to the irreligious of our day.  I proposed that while folks are still radically converted by the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation, we might not be seeing such conversions because we do not share the real gospel (or at least the complete gospel?).

I am sure that such a claim will be met by both skepticism and derision by many.  How dare I claim that many don't really preach the real or complete gospel.

Well, I know for years I did not understand the full scope of the gospel.  I know I still don't get it fully, but I sure do wish to get it more.

I know I was a believer in Jesus, but I did not have a good ministry to unbelievers.  They felt like I was judging them, so they did not listen.  I know when the gospel took hold of my heart, this changed so that unbelievers and the irreligious liked me and listened to me.

I know I knew Jesus, but I really had no power to be transformed.  I could monitor my outward behavior, but I did not have the power to change my heart.  So, I felt guilty, I struggled unsuccessfully against sin, and I lived off my reputation, which was way better than my reality.

So what happened?  God's grace in Jesus undercut my pride and forced me to confess my real heart sins.  God's grace in Jesus gave me hope and life because His love for me was greater than I ever imagined.  This love and grace transformed my heart.

This is the essence of the real gospel.

The is how Keller explains it.  He does a much better job than I could ever do in his book, The Prodigal God.

The Prodigal God is about the parable of the two sons, which some mistakenly call the parable of the prodigal son.  He points out that 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 hard work.  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!  I would recommend reading the brief book.  I have heard Keller preach on the topic, and it was life-changing.  His book carries on that life-changing message.

Overall, I was struck and affirmed by his opening 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, but he had a great ministry to everyone else.  In my life, I encountered the grace of God through a series of bad decisions and failures.  I was a strong man who had not failed.  All of that quickly changed when I experienced failure in life and ministry.  This failure shook me to my core.

From it and by the grace of God, I learned that success in ministry does not depend upon me.  I 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, though the going on that front has been slow.  Yes, the opening quote encourages me that I was doing something right!

Yet, 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, but they do not trust me.  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 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 eldest brother 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.  We do not know if he took the offer since as an excellent story-teller, Jesus left that response untold.  Yet, the Father had an open heart.  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.  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 tendencies to bring us to repentance and rest.

Why aren't people converted anymore?

"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.

I often have discussions with folks about how to reach out into our postmodern world.  Some of these discussions are pleasant and encouraging.  Others are perplexing and discouraging.  I am glad many are having this discussion, as I think the question of how to reach our generation with the gospel is the most important of our day and age.  In fact, it is the most important question for every generation.

(An aside before I begin.  In 1830, the mission agencies trying to reach the Western territories with the gospel spent more money than the entire Federal government.  That was a generation who understood the importance of this question.)

How does God work in today's world?

In the past five years I have heard often from pastors and Christian leaders that people are not converted like they used to be.  I could not agree more.  Leaving tracts on tables, one week gospel crusades, and impersonal evangelism techniques are not effective.  Today, people often belong to the church before they believe the message of the gospel.  I have seen this happen again and again.

So far, we have agreement.  The problem is that such a statement is often followed by an explanation that people are not converted anymore because the process of conversion takes on average 7 long years.  Then, when people are converted, they are not really that committed.

I find this strange and perplexing.

While I hear the basis for their thoughts, I think they might wish to look at their understanding of the gospel.  The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.  It transforms hearts and then minds.  It brings forth the fruit of righteousness.  If we are not seeing conversions and transformation, we should ask ourselves if we understand and proclaim the good news of the gospel.  (please take this as a wound from a friend and not a wound from an enemy.)

I find that people are very hungry for the true gospel of God's grace.  They thirst for His righteousness to transform their hearts.  In fact, I would say the fields are ready for harvest!  We just need the tools to enter into the harvest field.  The greatest tool of all is the gospel of grace.  Unfortunately, this gospel and living in light of it often do not mark believers in Christ.

Most believers have been told or somehow have assumed that the way to reach out is to live such a good life before non-believers that they will naturally ask why you are so different (see yesterday's post).  As I have talked with believers in different parts of the country, it has been confessed that this method of evangelism  does not work.

Why?  I believe most non-believers are very skeptical of anyone who comes from an overtly religious position.  If an individual or church desires to reach out to others in this culture, you need to learn new strategies.

All of this to say that Keller's opening quote should provide us with a basis to think of these new strategies.  The point of his book is that the real gospel provides a basis to reach out to those with no religious background or inclination.  It also provides a basis for reaching out to the confused and moralistic religious folks.

Jesus is alive and real.  He is still searching for true worshippers.  We participate in this search when we live out and proclaim the gospel of grace.  Somehow and someway, the Holy Spirit works through the proclamation of the true gospel to bring about conversions and life-transformation.  We should expect to see these results personally and corporately.

Tomorrow I will explore what this looks like in real life.

Can a Hypocrite Witness for Jesus?

"With my mouth I will give thanks to the Lord;

I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

For he stands at the right hand of the needy one."

Ps. 109: 30-31

I have probably heard at least 1000 times the following statement made by a believer in Christ,

"I do not feel comfortable telling people about what I believe.  I prefer to let my life witness for me."

Have you ever heard this excuse/reasoning?  Have you ever given it?  I am sure that all of us have.  It has been making the rounds in Christian circles since the time of Jesus.  Let's take a fresh look at this often accepted thought.

On the face of it, I completely agree.  If our life does not match our witness, then we are by definition a hypocrite.  Our life should be a witness.

Yet, to what are we witnessing?  

My life should reflect good Christian morality.  My life should reflect my relationship with Christ.

While I think these two statements should equate, I do not think they mean the same thing.  I believe that by making them the same, we have made witnessing about Jesus something to which almost no believer feels comfortable.

Why?

What about when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and we snap at my family, have a bad day at work, or spend our time and energy belittling ourselves?  What about the awful muttering that we do under our breath?  What about our struggles with our "hidden hang-ups and sins"?

How can we witness to truth when our life is not really right?

I believe almost all of us feel these tensions.  We know we do not have it all together.  We have so many struggles.  So we reason that witnessing must be for people who have their life together better than we do.  Is there any wonder why the average PCUSA member invites some to church with him once every 17 years?  (An old statistic, but I am sure it remains true!)

Furthermore, what if we do live "good Christian morality?"  (However we define it)  My guess is that our co-workers, family, and friends will think that we are a great person.  They will think that we really have it all together.  They will think that we are dependable, solid, loving, ... you fill in the blank to what you think you should witness to.

Here's the rub.  Where is Jesus to these people in which we are witnessing?  They like us, but why would we assume they will make the connection that Jesus is the one who made us this way?  If we are honest, which we rarely are, we are witnessing more to our morality, our uprightness. and our way of life than to Jesus who transforms us.  

Furthermore, such thought has another negative consequence.  Since we are examples of good morality, we have to labor hard to maintain our reputation.  Boy do we labor.  We know our secrets and our struggles with living our faith.  If others knew these issues, they would reject our witness.  They would reject us.  They would know that we really don't have it all together and that our reputation is better than our reality.

The problem with maintaining our reputation is that we know intellectually that only the deluded and foolish think they have it all together.  Yet, when we equate our morality with our witness, we prove by our struggle to maintain our reputation that we are hypocrites.  Lord have mercy.

What can be done about this?  To what should we witness?

How about cutting through the hypocrisy of witnessing to and through our great (or not so great) morality?  Instead, we undercut the charge of hypocrisy by confessing and telling how much we need Jesus and how much grace He gives us daily.  We all need Jesus.  What would happen if we merely confessed this truth?

Something wonderful happens when we bring up the name of Jesus.  When we confess our need for Him and how He is our only hope, the Holy Spirit shows up to confirm what we are saying.

In my life I have proven this to be true time and time again.  When I confess my weakness, people listen to me because they have the same issues and problems. Somehow the Holy Spirit works through the confession of Jesus as our only hope to bring Him all the glory.

In other words, without mentioning Jesus we are not really witnessing about Jesus.  

Our life should reflect our relationship to Jesus.  Does yours illustrate your dependence upon Him?  The greatest sign of dependence is living real repentance and faith.  Real repentance means confessing your issues not hiding them.  The good news is that such a lifestyle undercuts our pride, illustrates our need for Jesus, and brings the blessings of the Holy Spirit to empower our witness for Jesus.

What are you looking at?

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; 

but often we look so long at the closed door 

that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."

Helen Keller

What we look at shapes our reality.

This is particularly true when it comes to living a life of joy or sorrow.

As Helen Keller shares, the human tendency is to stare at the closed doors of life until we are depressed and despondent that the door is closed.  We become consumed with the question of "Why did God allow this to happen?"  This becomes our driving influence.

I find that the answer to this "why" question is rarely solved by staring at the closed door.  A much better question to ask is, "Lord, what are you trying to say to me?"  Follow this up with true humility by stating, "Here I am Lord, your servant is listening."

In my limited experience, the "why" question is only answered after we walk through the open door to a better place.  Then, the "why" question is not really that important.  It is apparent, but no longer a driving influence.

A second quote follows up on these observations.  It comes from Dan Miller's website, www.48days.com from the February 22, 2012 post.  This selection is a storyline I have heard often.  I will let it speak for itself.  I will say that I believe it overlaps perfectly with the Keller quotation because so often as the door is shutting, we keep banging our heads against it demand that it open as we wish.  Where does God fit into such actions?

Here is Miller's post.

Last Sunday night, after speaking at a church, a lady approached me with her question. She was obviously very discouraged with low self-esteem, poor eye contact and overall weak personal presentation.  But her question was – “Why should I keep trying when God keeps closing the door on my calling?”  Wow – now there’s a question designed to stump even a theologian – which I am not.  If God “calls” us to something, wouldn’t He open the doors to make that happen?  Is this like asking if God can make a rock so big He can’t move it?

Frankly, I don’t think her question is that complicated.  I think she needs to take a fresh look at her “calling.”  She said she’s always wanted to be a counselor.  She got a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and then was rejected from entering graduate school in counseling.  So she spent three years and went deeply in debt to get her Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, thinking that would open the door.  She then applied for the graduate counseling program again but was rejected once more.  She took an entry level job with a community counseling agency but was let go after a couple of months.  She told me she has never married, lives alone and has few friends.  I asked her if people were coming to her for her advice and opinion now.  To which she replied – No – that’s why she needed the degrees in counseling.

I think this is a mis-interpretation of “calling.”  If God’s calls us to something there will be affirmation of that in many ways.  If God is calling you to be a musician you will likely already have shown talent in that area and have lots of people telling you to move in that direction.  If God is calling you to counsel or coach, I’m confident people are already telling you their problems and you are surprised by the wisdom you are frequently able to offer.

Yes I do think it requires work and struggle to be effective even in our “calling.”  But I don’t think God “calls” us to something that does not line up with our passions, talents, personality traits and dreams.

– Thomas Merton said:

 “A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him….  The more a tree is like itself, the more it is like Him….” 

Don’t try to be a rose bush (as good as that may be) if you’re a tree.  Be a great tree.

So often God closes doors because He loves us so much that He wants to help us grow into the person He made us to be.  I find that life can subtly shape us away from the person we are so that we fit into the changing situation.  Often the door closes because God is preparing to reshape us back to our natural inclinations.

So, when the door closes, ask the Lord, "What are you trying to say to me?"  Come back to your passions, talents, personality traits, and dreams.  Ask the Lord how these overlap with what is happening.  Ask for wisdom to see the doors He is opening.

Then, when God gives you insight into how who you are overlaps with an emerging opportunity, don't be afraid to move forward.

Why?

God uses it all.  He also will use you, as you are shaped and formed, to achieve His glory.  

What doors has God opened to you?  Why are you afraid to walk through them?

God's Cure for Overload and Anxiety

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, 
not man for the Sabbath."

Mark 2:27

We live in a day and age marked by incredible amounts of depression and anxiety.  I would say that in some locals, one out of every two people you talk to will be struggling with these issues.  In fact, chances are 50/50 that you are struggling with these twin demons of our age.

Has it always been this way, but we did not know to ask?  If there is more depression and anxiety now, is it because life if harder now than in the past?  Or, is it possible that life is tougher now because we have forgotten something that was known in the past?

As is virtually always true, I think a good place to begin the discussion is an understanding of what scripture says about how to live.  Today's world is 24/7.  The Bible says to work hard, sleep, enjoy life, and work 24/6.

How do we adjust to the biblical ideas about life?  I would suggest that we start by understanding the concept of Sabbath rest.  Thus, instead of running 24/7, we move to 24/6.

What is the Sabbath?  It is setting apart one day in seven to rest, to set aside the normal activities of life, and to grow in trust in God.  

It is not a day for two kid's soccer games, a play party, two trips to the store, and then a quick dinner while standing up.  It is a day to set aside the normal activities of life to focus on God's mercy and grace.  This grace includes the blessings of nature, family, and friends.

I know it sounds impossible.  How do we do it?

Begin by confessing that it is impossible for you to shut down the inner dialogue, the to-do list, and the thoughts and fears of the upcoming week.  Ask God to help you to relax, slow down, and focus on what is important.  In fact, you might have to ask Him to show you what is really important because today's fast-paced world often forces us to focus on what is urgent and not what is really important.

Second, look for the day you can take this rest.  Obviously the day the Lord set aside was a day of worship.  Funny thing is that Christians have been arguing for years if it is a Saturday or a Sunday.  I think this is part of God's plan.  Pick one.  If you work weekends, pick another day.  Just plan on a day not filled with normal activity.  Begin the day by asking God to set it aside and honor it.  Then, enjoy God's presence.

Please cut yourself some slack as you learn this discipline!  You will have good weeks and weeks that are not so good.  Confess and talk to God about it.

Friends, as you try to implement these basic ideas, you will grow in the last benefit of the Sabbath: you will grow in your trust in God.

How?

Working non-stop illustrates a profound lack of trust in God to provide and work apart from our labors.  When we cannot "shut-it-down" we live as one apart from Christ.  We prove we trust more in our actions than in God.

But what about all the people who need me?  What about all the work demands?  What about all the activities that I do for my family (that show we are good parents)?  

Friends, are you really that necessary?  Can God not take care of these folks and these demands?  Of course He can.  On your Sabbath, ask Him to do so.  Begin the process of trusting Him to do so. 

So where are you in life?  Are you struggling with intense anxiety?  Do you find yourself struggling with the darkness of depression?

I believe that taking a Sabbath rest is built into the very foundation of the world.  Our culture might not like it, support it, or expect it, but our culture is wrong about almost everything.  We need it.  Our forefathers and foremothers knew this truth, and they practiced it.  We ignore it to our own peril.

How can you put this idea into practice this week?

The Heart of Worship Renewal

What is worship all about?  

I have found that in America there are two different schools of thought concerning how to answer this question.

The first group answers that worship is a "service unto God."  The object and goal of worship is to honor and glorify God.  As a result, worship is God-focused.  It is not about the worshipper, but the God who is worshipped.

The second group answers that worship is a "time to lay your burdens down and be encouraged."  The object and goal of worship for these folks is to provide excitement, emotional release, and a feeling of God's presence.  Here worship is about the worshipper having their needs met.

Anyone who has eyes to see can and should understand that I just set up a straw man argument.  I presented two views of worship that are easily torn down because both are not complete.  Who actually holds these views and articulates them this way?  The answer is virtually no one.  Yet, ... the proof of what we believe is not merely what we say, but also what we do.  While virtually no one would articulate either of these two extremes about worship, many churches and individuals act like they believe it!

How about a new definition?  One that provides a balance?

Worship is a time for individuals and the community of faith to meet with God.

Worship must be God-focused.  It also must be done in such a way to encourage and promote active engagement with God's presence.

Is such worship possible?  Of course it is!  It is also necessary for revival and renewal both individually and corporately.  Notice the following quote from a contemporary writer.

"This extra "glimpse of God" is what most of us crave.  With any experience of God's nearness comes all the blessings of God's divine nature: renewal, power to change, deliverance, comfort, joy, and peace.  It is no coincidence that these are the very things for which the world is longing and searching."
Sally Morgenthaler's Worship Evangelism: 

Inviting Unbelievers into the presence of God, 97-98

Are you in a worshipping community where you enter into the presence of God each week?  I find it interesting that many of us are not worshipping in such a place.  Instead, we rationalize that we are "not one of those worship junkies" who insist on feeling God's presence.  We are more mature.

I would challenge that if we do not find God's presence in worship and we are content with it, then we might not be as mature as we think!  

Why would I say such a thing?  Notice how scripture affirms a biblical desire for God.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

Ps. 42:1-2

In other words, as people we were made to enjoy the presence of God.  When you get a taste of God's presence in Christ, it is addicting.  It is satisfying.  It is life.  Who does not want more life, peace, joy and love deep within their soul?

One of the greatest attractions of worship is when a community create a place where individuals can meet with God.  I know we can meet with God anywhere, but the time and space of worship together in community is often where we experience God's presence in a deep and real sense.  I believe such an experience can be felt and experienced even by non-believers.

My actual experience verifies this claim.  At my former church, Grace Bible Church in Maine, I often heard from visitors that they "felt" the presence of God while with us in worship.  This observation was made from believers and unbelievers,  first-time visitors and long-time attenders, and everything in between.  We were not a "large church" by the standards of worldly judgment, but God did work through and in our worship.

I also have experienced this phenomena in many other growing churches.  In fact, I could argue that such an experience of God's presence in worship is a mark of a growing and thriving church.

So, how do we move/grow a church so this experience of God's presence is felt even by unbelievers?

This is a tricky question.  God cannot be manipulated to "show up" like magic.  Yet, I think and I have experienced several traits of churches that have worship renewal.

First, these churches pray for this experience and presence.  They also come anticipating meeting with God.  These churches are filled with people who ask that the Lord's presence be known, and they are marked by a directed prayer ministry that asks the Lord to work through and in worship.  There is also an expectation that God will move and speak.

Second, these church have people who are called and gifted to lead worship.  These folks may not be the best musicians in the church, but they love to worship.  They have all the traits above, and they ask the Lord to work through them to touch hearts.

Please notice, I said gifted and called.  How do we tell this?  These folks have an inner call to lead worship, they have external call from a group to help them lead worship, and the Lord blesses their work by showing up!

The last mark of calling is the trickiest.  Who determines this?  Does someone's best friend get to say, "The Lord blessed your leading/playing today"?  Is it only the Elder's job to determine this?  Unfortunately/fortunately churches are often full of encouraging folks.  They encourage effort as much or more than results.  Could this skew the data in determining God's blessings on their work?

Of course it can!  The real and ultimate proof is God's presence being known to believers and un-believers, long-time members and first-time visitors.  Such proof cannot be ascertained in any given Sunday, but should be measured over the course of time.

What does this mean?  Finding, developing, and encouraging worship renewal is essential for a growing church.  As individuals we can pray.  As churches we can lovingly search for and encourage those who are blessed to help lead such renewal.  Is this easy?  No.  Is it fool-proof?  No.  Yet it is essential for worship evangelism and worship renewal to take place.

I would love thoughts and opinions on this topic.  As you can see, I am working through my thoughts, so help me grow by sharing yours!

For Such a Time as This...

"For if you remain silent  at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther 4: 14

I love a good question.  As a professor and communicator, I have seen how asking a good question can open minds and hearts.  I love seeing a person wrestle with their thoughts as they attempt to answer a question they have never thought about!  I think often in the midst of these questions, the Holy Spirit shows up to change someone's heart and mind.

The book of Esther is a strange OT book.  The main character of this book is probably Mordecai, but the book gets named after his cousin Esther instead.  

The setting for the book of Esther is the Persian Empire, which at this time is ruled by a somewhat unpredictable and crazy king named Xerxes.  In the first chapter, his queen, Vashti, disobeys and embarrasses the King before his nobles.  In a rage, he casts her out and he begins to look for a new queen.  The nobles come up with an idea to which Xerxes does not object.  All the beautiful virgins within the kingdom will be brought to him for a night, and he will choose the one he wants to be his new queen.

As you can see, this is not a great spiritual story!  It is very base and earthy in all of its components.  Into this cultural mix, Esther is brought into Xerxes' harem.  She is given beauty treatments and brought before the King.  He obviously likes her as he chooses her to be his bride!

Let us pause for a moment and see what great spiritual attributes Esther brings to the table.  She is obviously beautiful.  In fact, she must be smoking hot to be chosen as the most beautiful woman in the entire Kingdom!  ... That is about it.  I do not think she had to be a great conversationalist for what was expected of her.  She was good looking and willing to be part of Xerxes' harem.

I find it so ironic that many, throughout all of history and in every time and place, believe they are not qualified to do God's work.  God can truly use anyone!  

If our history is not noble and is marked by bad choices, God can use us!

If our knowledge and skills are low, God can use us!

If the best we can do is cry out, Lord have mercy on me.  God can use us!

In the book of Esther, she is now queen.  She is performing her duties as queen and Xerxes obviously likes her.  Then Mordecai uncovers a plot to destroy the Jews.  Why?  Because one of Xerxes' officials hates Mordecai!  Mordecai approaches Esther and asks her to risk her life to get the King to change this awful plan.  What must she do?

Esther must come before the King without his having called her so she can give her petition.  In the Persian empire, you could not come before the King without his having summoned you.  Xerxes had not summoned Esther.  She would have to break the law, almost in the same brazen manner that Vashti did, to bring her petition to the King.

Our opening passage includes Mordecai's answer to Esther's objections to coming before the King.  "And who knows but for such a time for this you have come to your royal position?"  Obviously this is true.  Yet how does she know for sure?  

Here is where we also struggle for clarity.  Just as Esther had to overcome her fear, so do we if God is to use us.  We have to step out in faith and do that which God has laid upon our hearts.

So, I ask, "For such a time as this", God has brought you through all of your life.  Will you step out in faith and do what He is leading you to do?  You are uniquely qualified to perform whatever task God has brought you to.  Will you do it?

It does not take great "spiritual strength" (whatever that is), but a willingness to believe.  Faith means looking past our fear because of the knowledge that God is at work.  He is doing something.  Even if I perish in the attempt, I will do what He is leading me to do!

So, what is God calling you to?  Is it a call to ministry?  To missionary work?  To talking to your neighbor about Christ?  To going back to church?  To loving your spouse even though they do not deserve it?  What has God laid upon your heart?

Even with all your heartaches and hang-ups, God has uniquely qualified you to do the task He has laid upon your heart.  Repent of your unbelief, trust in the Maker of all things, and watch Him work through you!

Gifting and Power for Ministry

"For the Kingdom of God does not consist in talk, but in power."

1 Corinthians 4:20

Have you ever felt this way?  Have you ever asked these questions?

Why am I not as gifted as ....?  Why can't I do .... when others can?  Why does God not give me the right gifts to do ministry?

Even as I write these sentences, I find them sad and short-sighted.  Yet, I know I often feel them and I often hear them expressed by others in life and ministry.

Why does God gift each of us in different ways?   I have no idea.  I do know that He calls us all to be the body of Christ.  A body without different parts just will not work right.  Instead, health means that all the parts of the body are present and working to help the rest of the body.

What does this mean for the ministry?

Having walked with believers and ministry workers for decades, I believe that most of us secretly wish we had different gifts.  We wish we could be like someone we look up to in ministry.  We are painfully aware of our shortcomings.  Deep within we believe that life and ministry would be different if we were just different.

In answer to this natural, fallen human tendency, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12 that we should not wish we had other gifts than the ones we do (gift envy), and he instructs us not to look down on those with different gifts (gift projection).

As I grow older, I am more and more convinced that there is a place for every type of person in the Kingdom of God.  In fact, I believe there is a place and ministry for every type of person.  The key to success is matching our gifts, calling, experience, and talents with the ministry to which we are called.

To put this positively, when God gives the call to a specific ministry, He also gifts us for the task.

What does this mean for us?  When we are looking at a ministry opportunity, we must know who we are in Christ and we need to understand what the ministry needs to succeed.  This requires wisdom and a bit of knowledge.  Today I want to offer some of Paul's wisdom regarding how God gives to His church spiritually gifted people just like you!

As Paul describes,

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Cor. 12: 4-7

Notice the phrase in the middle of these verses, "There are varieties of service and activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all."  In 1 Corinthians 12-14, Paul writes to a church where jealousy, envy, and ignorance have brought about division within the body.  It appears that this church has a variety of gifted folks.  In fact, Paul describes more and different types of gifts in writing the Corinthian church than he mentions in writing to any other church in the NT.

The problem is that this church wants to see some gifts and callings as greater than others.  From the context, we can see Paul argues such thinking is ridiculous!  Everyone and every gifting/skill set is needed!  All the different types of gifts are needed in ministry, and in the varieties of service in which we find ourselves.  The key is to serve where we are gifted and called while also affirming and encouraging others to service in different areas according to their gifting and calling.

So how do we know who God has made us to be?

Here is where wisdom is needed.  Unfortunately, it is a wisdom that often takes experience to discern.  I find that most of us learn this wisdom by getting into a ministry area to which we do not fit.  Let me share a brief story to illustrate.  

I had a good friend in seminary who came to school from North Carolina with his wife who was studying to be a psychologist.  He had loved his pastor in college and he wanted to be like him.  He wanted so much to be a pastor who could impact people's lives like he had witnessed.

He began in the M.Div. program, which is a degree to train for ordained ministry.  After a year, he was miserable!  His grades were very good, because he was bright.  Yet, he had no peace and joy in the work.  Before coming to seminary, he was an accountant.  After months of forcing himself to study theology, Greek, and such, he found himself nightly in the library studying tax law.  He found it fascinating (I cannot even imagine!).  Finally, he called his old firm and asked if they had a position in Boston.  He shared that he needed to get back to work in something he loved.  That was a Thursday afternoon.  The next Monday, he began to work at the Boston office of his accounting firm for $80,000 a year (remember this was the mid 1990s)!

What can we learn from this?  First, it pays to be an accountant!  Second, he was trying to force his way into a life and ministry to which he was not called and gifted.  The result was misery and a lack of success.  When he finally came to his senses, the Lord opened other doors and blessed his work.  In fact, he later applied for law school, did extremely well, passed the bar, and became a tax lawyer.  Last I heard, he was also working toward a political career.

If you are not good at understanding yourself (and most of us aren't good at such self-knowledge), I encourage you to find a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor to help you gain some self-understanding.  I also recommend that you take some personality tests and that you take some tests to help you discover your spiritual gifts.  While these tools are not fool-proof, they can be helpful tools in the hands of a wise counselor to help us gain self-knowledge.

Most importantly, get out in a variety of ministries and environments to see what brings you life, joy, and success.  Try everything!  If you fail at something, do not get down, but learn from it.  Why did you fail?  What happened?  If you find that you are good at something, but still not empowered and full of joy while doing it, ask why?  Perhaps the gifting is present, but the direction of this ministry was not quite correct.  Most importantly, try a variety of ministries and areas of labor!

At all times remember that God is one who has given you a desire to serve Him.  He will never forsake you and He loves you dearly!  If you are in a tough spot now, this does not change God's love for you.  If you have failed miserably in a certain ministry, this does not change God's love for you.  He even uses our failure.  In fact, He seems particularly good at using our failures to give us wisdom and direction if we have the heart and faith to ask for wisdom with what happened!

Rest in the reality that God is the one who prepares us for life and ministry.  His Spirit leads us to fruitful fields of labor.  We should strive to discover where and how God is leading us while at the same time be encouraging and acknowledging that others are called to different tasks.  

May the Lord lead us and guide us to use our gifts and personality to pursue His calling for us!

Cures for Hardness of Heart

"All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.  Go, therefore and make disciples ...
Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20

Where is God and why is He not working through me?  

I wish to see people come to know Jesus.  

Why is no one interested?

Last year, I had a message from a young lady in south east Asia who shared her desire to see people come to know Christ.  The problem was that she was seeing no fruit.  She explained that she did not see any conversions and that most of the people to whom she shared the gospel expressed no spiritual interest.  

In other words, this young lady is experiencing the Christian life of most of us!  She hears from others how they can witness freely and see results.  She wants to know the same success.  She really wants God to work in and through her.  The problem is that through her witness, only a few had expressed interest in Christ.  

So, is she doing something wrong?  I would guess the answer to be no.  While she probably could be better at knowing and presenting the gospel, I can read between the lines to see that her heart is in the right place.  She desperately wants to see God's name exalted in her life and in the lives of her not-yet-believing friends.

This heart attitude is where most believers fall short in being used by God.  For many, complacency and selfishness drive our Christian life.  We view Jesus and the Holy Spirit as our personal saviors and helpers.  We seek to be healed of our hurts and hang-ups, and then we might tell others about Jesus.  The problem is that we never completely "get over" our hurts and hang-ups so we never get around to sharing the gospel with others.

This is where many of us go wrong!

The Holy Spirit must go somewhere in our life.  His purpose is to exalt the name of Jesus and the bring glory to the Father.  As we share about Jesus' work in our life and the truth about who He is, the Holy Spirit shows up to bring glory to Christ.  In the process, we are changed and transformed!  

Yes, the biggest reason most of us do not grow much and do not see people come to faith is that we do not share the life-changing message of the gospel!  Our "fear of rejection" illustrates a profound lack of faith.  Our desire to "be made right and holy" before we share our faith illustrates a profound misunderstanding of how we grow in grace.

Our friend in Southeast Asia does not appear to have this problem.  I am so glad!  So, what could be wrong?  If she is sharing her faith with a right heart, why is there so little fruit?

For the past twenty years I have worked in several places in America known for their secularism (The University, Maine and now Seattle).  For eight years I labored in Northern New England, an area with the lowest percentage of church attendance  in the USA that boasts in having the highest level of "noners" (those claiming absolutely no religious affiliation or preference) in the United States.  New England, and Maine in particular, has been called the grave-yard of preachers because of the rocky spiritual soil.  I know many sincere pastors and Christians who have seen little or no conversions through their witness.

Does this mean we are all failures?  I know many need to get past the fear of rejection and witness.  Others need to stop thinking of Christ as their personal savior and see Him as the answer to virtually all human questions and needs.  Their friends and co-workers need Jesus!  But there is something more at work here.

Most believers don't understand that there is a spiritual component to an individual's hardness of heart.  As a result, they don't deal with this spiritual component in their sharing of the gospel.

In scripture, we are told that Satan has blinded the eyes of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4).  In my experience and in the book of Acts, I have seen some groups of people responded more favorably to the gospel, while other entire groups of people rejected the gospel.  Even Paul witnessed little conversions in Athens (Acts 16:16-34), while seeing great revival in Berea (Acts 16:10-15).  Did he do something wrong in Athens?

Some would argue yes, but I think not!  The people of Athens were more worldly and secular than the people of Berea.  By this I do not mean "evil" but instead I mean that they looked and believed in natural causes more than spiritual answers.  Worldly and secular folks rule out the work of God from consideration.  Obviously it is harder to witness to these folks!

For example, the Stoics mentioned in Acts 16:18 most likely would have been very moral people marked by great self control.  They might be "more righteous" in their conduct than anyone we know!  Yet, they rejected the supernatural as superstitious "babbling" from a weak mind.  Of course they reject Paul's message.  They probably did not even listen to it.

I would argue that such thought is the very definition of worldliness.  It is also the mark of those controlled and dominated by the blinding influence of the evil one.

Our friend in Southeast Asia labors to witness for Jesus in an area dominated with the same sort of worldly and secular thought.  The spiritual blindness is real, deep, and pervasive.

What can we do?

First, pray like your life depends upon it!  In fact, pray like the lives of those to whom you witness depend upon it.  Ask for the Lord to send a spirit of revival and transformation.  Pray that the veil will be lifted so they may see their real need and embrace Christ.

Second, do not give up!  Keep praying, witnessing, and most importantly washing yourself in the gospel.  It will be easy to forget the gospel if you do not have others around you to remind you of its beauty and truth.  Find a community of like-minded believers to encourage and pray with you.

Finally, rejoice in the spiritual interest and conversions you do see.  It may not match the volume or experience of others in different towns or place, but who cares!  You do not live in those places.  God has called you to your specific place and to these people.

In other words, please remember that there is nothing wrong with you!  In fact, God has shown great trust in you by placing you in such a difficult environment.  Keep witnessing to the truth and praying for God to send His Spirit to open the eyes of unbelievers.  Immerse yourself in the gospel.  Gather with a community of believers who share the same Lord and the same struggles.  Remember that today may be the day the revival starts through your witness.  To God be the glory in that wondrous revival!