What Used to Be

When the Israelites, who had been exiled to Babylon, were allowed by Cyrus, king of Persia, to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God, there was much joy. This was, after all, the fulfillment of the prophecy Jeremiah spoke during the years just prior to the exile and that Isaiah spoke 150-200 years earlier when God even called Cyrus by name.

What strikes me about all this is what happens after the foundation for the temple is laid. Most of the people shout for joy. But some of the old men, who remembered the previous temple, wept. They could not rejoice in God's faithfulness, their freedom, their return home, the new temple because it didn't measure up to what used to be.

How like that are we today? We revel in the past and don't rejoice in the new things God is doing. Maybe what God is doing does not fit well with our traditions. Maybe it's not our idea of what God should be doing - or how He should be doing it.

How many churches fail because the neighborhood, the demographics, of their location change but the church does not embrace it's neighbors with the gospel of Jesus Christ? We'll just shut the doors rather than do a new thing with new people, telling them, in essence, to "go to hell".

How many times does someone in a church say we've never done that before? Rather than reason to quit, it should be reason to celebrate. God is at work. He even says through Isaiah, "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19)

The rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple was a new beginning for the people of Israel. Maybe it wasn't as grand as before but God was working in their midst. We should always shout for joy when we see God at work around us. We should embrace it and not grieve the new thing He's doing because God's perception, God's purposes just might be a lot different than ours. Ya think?!

Life Can Be Hard

My Pastor, Perry Noble, started a new series last Sunday on The Life of Job - A Story of Hope. There is a lot of anticipation that God is going to do some amazing things in the lives of hurting people.

Life can be hard. Just because I am a follower of Jesus Christ doesn't mean I get a free pass on the trouble, the anxieties, the worries of this world. But because of Jesus Christ and his death, burial and resurrection, I have victory over all that comes my way. And - as an aside - Jesus was in the very center of God's will for His life when He was nailed to the cross. He didn't get a pass on trouble and pain!

A lot of times we forget that, as believers, this world is not our home. Our lives are just a vapor, a mist, that is only here for a snap of the fingers. Our lives seem so long but on the scale of eternity, the time is nothing really.

However, the pain we feel over broken relationships and broken dreams and disasters and sickness and death and hardships and all the other stuff of life is very real. Often that pain is so intense because we are focusing on ourselves. In the moment of great hurt, we tend to focus on our loss, our pain. Sometimes we focus on anger and assigning blame to the one who hurt us or maybe even to God.

But God wants so much more for us. God comforts us in our pain and our sorrow so that we can then comfort others. If we allow Him to, He will use our circumstances as a testimony of His faithfulness. If we look beyond human wisdom to the wisdom of God, we will know, as Job did, "...that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God." (Job 19:25-26)

Learning to focus on Jesus during times of great hurt will enable us to not only endure but to thrive.

The Way of Love

I've been thinking lately about something my pastor said a few months ago - you can't say you love someone if you are not willing to talk to them about their relationship with Jesus, even if it is awkward or uncomfortable. So how much DO I love those around me - family, friends, neighbors? Often not very well.

  "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
  Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 
  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13

Is the church of Jesus Christ characterized by love? Do we love the congregation down the street? "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another." (John 13:35) Do we love the downtrodden, the broken, the addicted in our communities? And what about those on the fast track to job and financial success? "Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) Are we motivated to pray for and help, rather than criticize, someone who falls into sin? "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1Corinthians 10:12) "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness." (Galatians 6:1)

Jesus, help me to love the way You love. Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Open my eyes, my ears, my heart to family and friends and acquaintances who desperately need You and then share Your love with them. Amen.

Wasted Years

I have often thought of my wasted years as those years when I was living in rebellion and wandering as a prodigal, living life the way I wanted to. That is not an incorrect assessment because those were years that I wasted. Not only was my relationship with Christ wasted during those years but the relationship with my family as well. My parents and brother loved me through it all but I didn't allow that love to flow toward me or back toward them because of my sin.

I am so grateful that Jesus Christ never abandoned me. During those years in the wasteland He protected me in so many ways. But what I have begun to think about now is the waste found in the years since I returned home to my Father and Jesus. What am I doing today that will be burned up in the fire as wasted?

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, "Now if anyone builds on the foundation [of Jesus Christ] with gold,  silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each one's work will become manifest, for the Day [of Judgement] will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."


Gold, silver and precious stone will survive the fire; wood, hay, and straw will be burned up. So what types of things will survive? Love, for sure. Love God, love others. Jesus said these are the greatest commandments. (Mark 12:30-31)

Right attitudes. "...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Doing the right things for the wrong reasons can cause them to be lost. (Matthew 23:1-3)

Proper use of resources given to me by God. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) Am I generous with time, money and other resources? Do I allow them to multiply and build the kingdom of God by wise use? Or do I horde them out of fear? (Matthew 25:14-30)

I need to search my heart - and ask God to as well - to show me any areas I need to work on as I live this life in preparation for eternity. "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24)

Thankfulness

One of the things I'm really working toward with God is being more thankful. Rather than always asking Him for something just taking time to say "Thank You!"

Not being thankful is taking God's grace and provision for granted. I have so much and too often I fail to acknowledge that all I have comes from God. So what DO I have that I need to be thankful for?

My family - my son, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter. We have a great relationship and are able to share life together.
My health - I don't take any medications for any conditions and at age 63 that is a gift straight from God.
My car - 14 years old but still chugging along - and it was free when I got in back in 2005.
My home - small townhouse that I bought in 2007. The bank stills owns more of it than I do but it is the only debt I have. Good neighborhood, good location, cheaper than rent.
My friends - I have friends that I get to go places with, laugh with, cry with. They enrich my life in so many ways.
America - I don't ever want to take for granted that I live in a free country. Of course it's not perfect but to have been born in this country, to me, is a huge blessing.
My church - God led me to the greatest church ever. Through my church He has allowed me to participate in life change with countless numbers of people.
My salvation - This is the greatest gift of all. To think that God loves me, ME! so much that He sacrificed His Son to pay the penalty for my sins. It overwhelms me every time I think about it!
My life - Waking up each morning, taking another breath, is a precious gift. One day I will leave this earth to be with Jesus for eternity but until that time, I will be thankful for each new day.
Food and water - I live where food prices are reasonable and the water is good and plentiful. There have been droughts and we have been told not to water lawns or wash cars but always have water for drinking, cooking, bathing.
Indoor plumbing and electricity - I love being able to flip a switch to have lights or air conditioning or heat. And if you've ever used an outhouse or port-a-potty, being able to flush a toilet is great.
Sunshine and rain - we need both and God controls them so I will be thankful for each.
Seasons - I love season change. Leaves are beginning to change now as the days get shorter and cooler. Each season has it's own reasons to be enjoyed. Spring of course is the time of renewal and Easter; flowers bloom, grass is green, trees get new leaves, the air begins to warm. Summer is hot but that makes for great times at the pool or the lake. Trees provide needed shade. It's also the main vacation time so life often moves at a slower pace with picnics and cookouts and long days. Autumn is cool relief from the heat of summer. Leaves begin to change colors and fall from the trees. Halloween and Thanksgiving are celebrated. Winter is Christmas and New Year's and maybe even snow. The bright green of evergreens can be seen in contrast to the stark brown trunks and limbs of those trees bare of leaves. And as we've had just enough of the cold, short days here comes Spring again.

There is so very much to be thankful for and I don't ever want to miss the opportunity to thank God for blessing me with so much.

Hope

Hope is something we all want; something we all need. Loss of hope can lead to depression and even suicide. What do we put our hope in?

Money/retirement funds - where does hope go when the stock market crashes or the job ends?

Government - where does hope go if the elected officials don't live up to their promises?

House - where does hope go if the house loses it's value?

Spouse/family - where does hope go if the marriage ends or the kids are rebellious or somebody dies?

Friends - where does hope go if a friend betrays us?

Health - where does hope go if health fails, if a debilitating or terminal illness is diagnosed?

Everything on earth is temporary. Everything. Therefore, nothing on earth can supply hope. The Bible says in Proverbs 11:7, "Hopes placed in mortals die with them; all their power comes to nothing." And in Psalm 33:17 "A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all it's great strength it cannot save." We don't rely on horses these days - unless it's horsepower under the hood of a car - but you can substitute any of the list above for "horse".

So, if I can't put my hope in money or friends or my spouse or my health, what is there? There is the only one hope, a sure hope, a never ending hope for all mankind. That hope is God. Throughout the Old Testament the writers speak of the hope found only in God. This is especially true in Job and in the Psalms. "Yet if you devote your heart to [God] and stretch out your hands to him...You will be secure because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety." (Job 11:13-18) Psalm 119 has many references to "hope in your laws", "hope in your word", "you have given me hope". 

The prophet Isaiah said, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." And Jeremiah tells us, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Paul in Romans 15:13 calls God the God of hope and tells us hope comes from the Holy Spirit when he prays, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

To know God, through Christ Jesus, is to know the only hope of the world. "remember that at that time you were separate from Christ...without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:12-13)

No Condemnation

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

From the moment we are born, we are all condemned to death. Because of Adam's sin, God said, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19)

So this frail, finite earthly body will die; it will return to dust. Because of sin. And I am a sinner. By God's standards. Man's standards don't count, only God's, because...well, HE IS GOD! And I am not.

Sin is what brought the condemnation of death. Paul tells us "those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." (Romans 8:5-6)

Death or life and peace. Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Jesus said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:16-17)

God has done everything necessary to make us right with Him by sending His Son. Jesus did all the work for our salvation on a cross in Jerusalem 2000 years ago. Jesus was condemned to death to pay the price for all the sins for all mankind for all time. But praise be to God, Jesus did not stay dead. He was raised to life in three days and "if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)

Life Can Be Hard

Sometimes life overwhelms us. A friend or family member dies. Someone close to us is living a dangerous or addictive life. A marriage ends. A child gets sick - really sick - or maybe I do. A job is lost. Life can be hard.

I can remember hearing Christians say things that might make one think if you're following Christ nothing bad should ever happen to you. Perhaps you don't have enough faith. Perhaps you have un-confessed sin in your life. The reality is Jesus said that we WILL have tribulation in this world.

"I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33) So what do we do when our world crashes down around us? We turn to Jesus. Does that mean that the child will get well or the friend will give up the addiction or a new job will be found today? Not necessarily.

Jesus didn't say I will take away all your tribulation but I will give you peace. Peace is not complacency; not an "Oh, well, there's nothing that can be done" attitude. Peace is a realization the God is in control. Yes, we still pray. Yes, we still speak words of encouragement. Yes, we still go about living and doing what God has called us to do. But we remember God's love toward us, understanding that His love is perfect and "perfect love casts out fear". (1 John 4:18) 

The apostle Paul said, "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)

So when life is hard - as it will be for all of us at some time - know that God is building character and hope in Him for those of us who are His children. "But to all who did receive [Jesus], who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12) The best question to ask when life is hard is have I received Jesus so that I may know His peace and God's love.

Romans

I never tire of reading the Bible. Even though I have read it from cover to cover numerous times and some books, like Romans, again and again and again, God's word is always fresh, always new, always alive. That's one of those God things that I don't understand - the Bible being alive (Hebrews 4:12) - but that I believe it because I have experienced it in my life.

Part of what I love about Romans is God's plan of salvation made extremely clear.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23) As my pastor would say, the Greek word for all means...all. If you are a person, you are part of "all". Doesn't matter who you are, what you do, where in the world you live, rich or poor, "good" or "bad" - ALL of us fall short of God's perfection.

"but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Since we are all sinners, God's love is poured out for all of us - everyone, every where. Christ died for all humanity. God loves us and sent Jesus to bear our punishment for our sins. He wants us so much He did everything necessary to make us right with Him.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Death or life? That is the question before each of us and a choice has to be made.

"because if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) God did not make this complicated. No pilgrimages to make, no service to perform, no steps to climb. Believe and confess."For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:10)

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13) EVERYONE - no matter our age, our race, our economic status, our nationality; no matter how heinous or trivial our sins by human standards. Everyone who can confess Jesus is Lord will be saved.

I am so grateful to this loving God who pulled me up out of the mire of sin, the pit of despair and set my feet on solid ground. The way to God is simple - but there is only ONE way. That's what throws so many people off. They want THEIR way, not God's way. Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14)

God Is Not Like Me

I have a really hard time, sometimes, thinking about God. God gives Himself human attributes - hands, voice, emotions, etc - throughout the Bible. Jesus even said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9) But of course, we have no physical description of Jesus. It's not about His humanness but about His heart, His compassion, His love.

If I try to picture God, I want to make Him a better version of the best people I know, like Billy Graham or Mother Teresa. But bringing God down to human terms diminishes Him. (God is NOT like me.) The Bible tells us God lives in unapproachable light.(1 Timothy 6:15-16) He can't be compared to anyone.(Isaiah 40:25-26) He is everlasting and never grows tired.(Isaiah 40:28) His thoughts and ways are different than mine.(Isaiah 55:9) He created everything.(Isaiah 42:5)

I just can't grasp infinite, all holy, all wise, all knowing, all loving, all powerful, all merciful which God is, because I am finite and sinful. So because God is NOT like me, He needed some way for me to understand Him so He communicates with me in terms I can grasp. Sometimes that makes me think God is like me but He is not.

I have heard people say I couldn't love a God who sends people to Hell. Well, He doesn't. Send people to Hell. We send ourselves when we reject His offer of salvation. Heaven is His home and if I want to live there I need to follow the house rule (only one) which is salvation through Jesus Christ alone. My parents always had house rules that I was expected to obey as part of the family so why would I think God is cruel if He does the same thing.

God gives us opportunity to do what He asks. When the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for 430 years, God said it's time for them to go back home. Each time Moses came to Pharaoh with the demand to let the people go, he also gave God's consequence if Pharaoh didn't comply. Pharaoh's heart was hard so he would not comply. And because God never lies, He did what He said He would do. 

When Jonah was told to go to the people of Ninevah and preach a message of repent or be destroyed, he didn't want to do it. He feared and hated these people so much that he wanted them to be destroyed. And because God never lies, when Jonah eventually preached the message and they repented, God spared them. (God was NOT like Jonah!)

Then someone might say but what about those who never hear of Jesus. I don't know but I do know that God is perfect and His justice is perfect. (God is NOT like me.) In Romans 1:18-22 Paul writes that man is without excuse. I guess my biggest problem is that sometimes I think God owes me something - like an explanation. He only owes me death because of my sin, because of my arrogance, because of my disregard of Him. But He has promised life to those who do things His way, those who accept His terms.

Once my heart was hard toward God. I wanted to live my life, my way. What a sad existence! What an empty futile life! There is more...so much more...to be found in a life fully surrendered to God.

"Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand." St Augustine

Passover Lamb

I don't know how many times I have read the story of Jesus' crucifixion and the last supper just before Jesus and the disciples left for the garden of Gethsemane to pray. While in that garden the Jews came to arrest Jesus and so began the road to His death and my life.

Whenever I think about this event, I always think of Easter. But this time I thought about the Passover. Jesus's death could have taken place any time of the year. But God chose to have these events unfold during Passover.

Passover was initiated by God as He was using Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God told them from now on, this month will "be the first month of the year for you." They were to take a lamb "without blemish, a male a year old" to be sacrificed. After killing the lamb they were to "take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses." God was about to pass through the land of Egypt to strike all the firstborn in the land. But He told His people, "when I see the blood, I will pass over you , and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt."  (Exodus 12:1-20)

John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. And not just any lamb - but the Lamb "who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) So during the Passover, during this time of celebrating God's goodness, His rescue from death, His salvation from the tyranny of the Egyptians, God sent HIS Lamb. His perfect, sinless Son to be MY Passover lamb.

When God sees the blood of HIS lamb surrounding me, He passes over my sin, my guilt, my shame to rescue me from certain death. How could He love me so much? I don't know. But I do know that I am grateful and humbled and an in awe of my God who would provide for me the Lamb needed to save me.

Amazing Day

Yesterday, Sunday, September 25,2011, was an amazing day at NewSpring. As we wrapped up the Revelation series, Perry called people go public with their faith in Christ by being baptized by immersion after salvation.

Perry told us how he was baptized twice, once as an 8 year old and again as a teenager, because he'd prayed a prayer in church as a 5 year old and had been told he was saved. When he was about 19, he actually met Jesus and asked Him to take over his life and so he was baptized a third time.

At the end of the service, people were asked to take their next step of baptism if that was what God was leading them to do. In Greenville 253 people were baptized. All campuses together saw 1442 people get dunked after they answered the question, "Who is your Lord and Savior?" with "Jesus Christ".

I am really in awe of such a gracious and loving God who would stir the hearts of so many people to get their relationship with Jesus in line with His teaching. Even more amazing to me is that He lets me be part of what HE is doing! Thank You, thank You, thank You!

Hearing

Mark tells us that Jesus spoke in parables "as they were able to hear it." Mark 4:33-34

Sometimes I am not able to hear God speak to me because I am not dealing - or don't want to deal - with what He is talking about. The thing I have to be careful about is wondering why others are not hearing God.

Maybe God has already dealt with me on a particular sin in my life and I'm beyond that now. So then I wonder why someone else is not beyond it. I mean, God's word is so clear, how can anyone not know what they are doing is not pleasing to God. Surely God is dealing with them about it. Surely they hear the truth preached on Sunday. Surely they see it in Scripture.

Maybe not. Maybe that person is not ABLE to hear. Maybe they have other issues going on in their lives that Jesus needs to deal with first.

I just need to be kind and loving as I speak truth into lives as Jesus directs. Not everyone reads their Bible daily. Not everyone seeks out Christian counsel. Not everyone is ready to deal with sin in their lives. Not everyone wants to please Jesus above themselves or other people. Maybe they are just beginning their walk with Jesus or perhaps they think salvation is the end of the journey rather than the beginning.

As I "work out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling" striving for the "holiness without which no one will see God",  I need never to forget that this has been a long journey and often a struggle with recurring sin and doubt, with times of impulsiveness and an unwillingness to let God lead me. Others may be where I once was so I just might be the voice God uses to help them to hear his truth. But if I speak without love, I am not going to speak well.

Afraid

How many times am I afraid to do what Jesus asks me to do? How many times am I like the disciples in Mark 4:35-41?

Jesus had been teaching and said let's go over there. Going over there meant getting in a boat and going across the lake. This in itself was not a problem for these guys. Several of them were fishermen and were used to handling a boat.

But then a storm came along. It was no longer easy. In fact the waves were so high the water was crashing into the boat and filling it with water. I can understand their fear, their uncertainty that they would be okay. They even went so far as to awaken Jesus and say don't you care?!

Hmmm...have I ever made that accusation against Jesus. I'm going along doing what I am supposed to be doing and trouble arises. Don't you care, Jesus? Why is this happening to me, Jesus? Where are You, Jesus? If I'm following You shouldn't it be smooth sailing with calm seas?

Jesus was right there with the disciples in the boat. He got up and calmed the wind and the waves. But He asked a very important question, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And that is the question He still asks whenever I am afraid. Afraid of the diagnosis the doctor gives. Afraid of the financial crisis that may be looming. Afraid of what the future may or may not hold. Have you no faith?

It's easy to have faith when all is sunshine and roses. But real faith is tested in the storms - when the waves are crashing all around. Jesus was right there in the boat with the disciples as they were doing what He had asked them to do. And yet they were afraid. Jesus is always in my "boat" as well. He has promised never to leave or forsake me. I should never be afraid with Jesus by my side.

Celebrate

Yesterday at NewSpring, Perry spent some time helping us celebrate what God has done over the past year in and through NewSpring Church. Some of the statistics are amazing. But of course it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God. Although celebrating the past is good, anticipating what God will do in the future is just, or maybe more, important.

This morning I began to think about Jesus and how and why He chooses people and/or churches to bless. We know that He chose Judas to be one of His twelve closest companions and that Judas was in charge of the money for the group. But we also know that Jesus knew that Judas was a thief and that Judas would betray Him. But still Jesus chose him.

Jesus chose Simon Peter who would declare boldly "You are the Christ!" and "Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You!" But Peter did deny Him, just as Jesus said he would. Peter was hot-headed and impulsive but Jesus chose him anyway.

The disciples had their flaws. Thomas the doubter. Nathaniel the skeptic. James and John the glory seekers. Yet Jesus chose them. Jesus knows that we are flawed by sin but if we allow Him to work in our hearts and lives, we can be completely new creations.

There are many people who think THEY have to clean themselves up; they have to get their act together before they can come to Jesus. And what is even worse is people who profess Christ who look at someone and think he/she is not redeemable so we don't even attempt to introduce them to Jesus. We don't want their messy lives to make a mess of our pretty churches.

Maybe that is one of the reasons Jesus is blessing NewSpring Church. We welcome those with messy lives; those who live like non-Christians because they don't have a clue about who Christ is. But they come to NewSpring and hear the gospel and Jesus transforms their lives. HE cleans them up. HE helps them get their act together. Just as He did for me and countless numbers of others through out history. Example: our opening song yesterday was "Glory Train" by Ozzie Osborne. A guy attending in Charleston said he came with all sorts of walls up. Walked in and heard Glory Train and the walls came down. After hearing the gospel preached, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ who performed the miracle of raising this man from the dead - along with 79 others yesterday at NewSpring.

So the celebration is not about NewSpring but about Jesus and life change. People who were dead and are now alive. And our anticipation is that Jesus will continue to raise people to new life until He returns.

Sad, Sad, Sad

When I read about the Pharisees and their reaction to Jesus, it just makes me sad. Jesus healed a man's withered hand by simply saying, "Stretch out your hand...But the Pharisees went out and conspired against [Jesus], how to destroy Him." (Matthew 12:9-14) 

Later, after Jesus healed a demon possessed man, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." (Matthew 12:22-24)

As Jesus was telling parables one day, the chief priests and the Pharisees knew He was talking about them but they "were seeking to arrest Him." (Matthew 21:33-46)

And that doesn't count all the times they tried to trick Him with their questions about taxes and divorce and the resurrection and fasting and cleansing and the Sabbath. How could they do that when Jesus was right in front of them? It's just sad that they were so blind to who He really is!

But haven't I done those same things? How about before I surrendered to Christ? Didn't I sneer at His followers and think it was all rather dull and stupid?

And even now...do I ever worry when Jesus has said not to? (Matthew 6:25-34) Do I ever doubt His ability to see me through tough times? Do I refuse to tell others about Him because they might not like me any more or think I'm weird? Do my words and my thoughts and actions always line up; or do I say one thing and do another? Do I sometimes try to earn God's love by being "good"? Do I ever pat myself on the back for MY accomplishments rather than giving Jesus all the glory? Do I ever encounter someone and say, with pride, thank you that I am not like them rather than recognizing that I used to BE them and it is only by the grace of God that I am no longer them?

Hmmm. Could be very easy to take up the roll of Pharisee. It could be me that Jesus shakes HIS head over saying sad, sad, sad. Building a good relationship is hard work and even more so when it involves always denying myself. The Christian life goes against everything our society tells us, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:24-25) That's why I must spend time with Jesus each day. At the end of life I don't want Jesus to call me a hypocrite or deny me because I denied Him. I want my Master to say "well done!"

Miracles

Last Thursday I spent 13 hours on my feet at the NewSpring Leadership Conference (NLC) in Anderson, SC. This was a most amazing day. I arrived at 6 AM and soon met up with the Facilities Cleaning Crew. Heather and I volunteered for the women's bathroom downstairs just outside the main auditorium. Our job was to clean counters, sinks and toilets, refill paper towel and toilet paper holders, and empty trash after each 15 minute break (one an hour). While the facilities were in use, we wiped up water and soap that dribbled onto the counters from hand washing. 

While the ladies stood in line, I was able to engage the women in small talk about the day and their church back home. I believe everyone I spoke to lived east of the Mississippi River except one pastor's wife from England. I was glad to meet her because the church her husband and she lead is one that we - NewSpring - help support.

When I finished the last cleanup and walked out the door at 6:50 PM, I was worn out! I didn't get to hear the speakers but I will listen when the podcasts go up in a week or so. The men who spoke are some of the most innovative leaders in the Church today. 

One woman, late in the day, heard me make the comment that I have never experienced anything like NewSpring. We began to talk and she asked why I thought God was doing so many great things in and through this particular church.

I gave her several reasons. Our pastor, Perry Noble, is very open about the struggles he has faced, the sins that he has overcome, and the counseling he has to help him stay the course; he's a regular guy who has been touched by God. Perry always tells us what the Bible says and is very direct in telling us what we need to do to be obedient to Christ. We are told over and over, invite your friends - invite, invite, invite - so we do and unbelievers come and hear the gospel and Jesus saves them. Perry tells us every week, last week was good but this week is going to be better. This breeds an anticipation that God is going to show up and He is going to do amazing things that only He can do.

As I was reading in Matthew this morning I read about Jesus being rejected in His hometown of Nazareth. The Bible says that Jesus "did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief."  Then I read a great blog post by Pastor Steven Furtick entitled, "Jesus: What You See Is What You Get" on this same passage.

Too many times people in churches all across America don't expect Jesus to show up in powerful ways on Sunday - or any other day for that matter. So He doesn't. Not because He can't but because the people don't anticipate it. I don't ever want to get beyond the awe, the wonder that comes from encountering Jesus. I don't ever want to just go through the motions; I want to fully engage, fully anticipate that He will do something amazing in my life or lives of those around me. Miracles still happen!

Authority of Christ

One of the things that struck the people of Jesus' day as He talked to them was the authority with which He spoke. During the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:37), Jesus spoke of His fulfillment of the law. (Matthew 5:17-18). Then he began to speak about the law...murder, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:21-26); adultery, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:27-30); divorce, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:31-32); lying, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:33-37); retaliation, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:38-42); enemies, you have heard...but I say to you (Matthew 5:43-48). He went on to talk about giving to the needy, and attitudes in prayer and fasting with the admonition of "I say to you." (Matthew 6:1-19)

Here was a teacher, a Rabbi, who was not just reading the law to them but actually expanding the law to get to the heart of God. No one had ever done that before. "...the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)

You just know it when you meet a person with authority; a school principal, a police office, a judge. If we read the Bible we will certainly learn of Jesus' authority. He had authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:10, Luke 5:24), to drive out impure spirits (Luke 4:36), to judge (John 5:27), to lay down His life and to take it up again (John 10:18), to give eternal life (John 17:2).

Some of Jesus' last words were "All authority in heaven and on earth have been given to Me. Go, therefore..." The church leaders of Jesus day were not willing to submit to His authority although they recognized the miracles He was doing even asking "Who gave You authority to do this?" (Mark 11:28)

When we recognize the authority of Jesus, it requires a response. Will I trust, submit and obey or question, deny and defy? Just as defying the authority of those around us can have dire consequences so can denying and defying the authority of Jesus. Only those consequences are for eternity.

Change

A lot of people don't like change. They always drive the same way to and from work or school or church. They eat lunch at the same place every weekend. They go to the same vacation spot every year. They sit in the same seat at church every week. A lot of people live by routine and are most comfortable with sameness.

I happen to like a certain amount of change. I drive different routes to and from work and church. Not every day but a couple of times a week. I especially like driving different routes home because it's OK if it takes me 10 or 15 minutes longer. I go to services at church at different times and sit in different places so I can I see different people.

I've changed jobs 4 times in 7 years (doing things I'd never done before) but only after 37 years at the same job. I changed churches but only after 23 years at the same church. I have found these changes to stimulating and definitely guided by the hand of God. Sometimes I wonder what I would be doing if I had been more attentive to God and the changes He asked me to make that I resisted long years ago.

As a follower of Jesus Christ my relationship with Him should always be growing, always changing, always seeing and hearing and understanding more about Him. If I'm not growing, not changing, I am stagnant. When I think of stagnant I see a stinking pond of scummy water. Maybe there is life there but it is not obvious to anyone. No one wants to jump in and swim around. My life in Christ is to be characterized by flowing rivers of living water. (John 7:38) Flowing rivers are moving and changing.

My church likes change as well. In fact one of our core values is growing things change. Since I've been at NewSpring during the last 3 years, our logo, our stated core values, our color scheme, the number of campuses, the number of people we serve, the way we celebrate Mother's Day, the location for the summer youth trip - all these have changed. We are growing so change is inevitable.

Just recently at the Greenville campus the Campus Pastor, the Discipleship Director, the Student Pastor, and the Audio Director changed. These changes did not come about because people left NewSpring or got fired or anything like that. Not at all. A couple were new hires but NewSpring is changing so the staff is constantly evaluated to be sure their gifts and talents are being utilized to the fullest so they are moving around. Well, except the former Student Pastor; Davey and Amanda are going to Indianapolis to plant a church.

The one thing that NEVER changes at NewSpring is the message of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

What does the Lord Require

"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? will the Lord be please with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my trangression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:6-8)

As I read these verses from Micah this morning I was reminded again that God is not after my performance but after my heart.

This could read, shall I come before him with my perfect attendance at church or my list of volunteer service or my daily Bible reading plan? Saying, in essence, see the sacrifices and the offerings I am giving to You. See all the good things I am doing in Your name.

And Jesus would answer, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. AND love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31) That is a heart issue.

Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God - heart issues. Sure there are a couple of action verbs there but they are rooted in the heart, not the feet or hands.

Jesus even went so far as to say, "On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' " (Matthew 7:22-23)

Why did He not know them? Because their HEART did not belong to Him. (Mark 7:6) Do I know that my heart belongs to Jesus? Yes, I do. How? First, because I have seen the changes He has made in my life, the wants and desires and speech and thinking and attitudes. But mostly because Jesus is enough. He sustains me and encourages me and guides me and comforts me and teaches me. No matter what this world throws at me - good or bad, Jesus is enough for each day. "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus is the bread of life for me.

Fall on Your Face

I have often heard people say when I get to Heaven I'm going to tell God a thing or two. Or I'm going to ask Him why this happened or that happened. I say - no you won't.

My first knee-jerk response is that if your attitude toward the Lord God Almighty, Creator of all things, the only wise God is so demanding of your rights and so much in disregard of His power and His right to do as He pleases, you may not get to Heaven at all.

When Ezekiel had his vision of the 4 living creatures and the wheels, he stood in wonder and amazement at what he saw. Ezekiel then describes what he calls the "likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it I fell on my face." (Ezekiel 1:22-28). We see it again in Ezekiel 3:23 as well as Revelation 7:11 and 11:16.

Paul tells Timothy that God dwells in "unapproachable light". (1 Timothy 6:15-16) God owes us nothing except damnation. But in His great love He has made a way for us to approach Him through His Son Jesus Christ. I am overwhelmed by that. 

Rather than demanding an audience to voice my grievances, I want to fall with my face to the floor in humble submission and gratitude that He chose me to be part of His family. I don't understand why things happen or don't happen as they do and so I will be the first to admit that I am not God. I don't need my questions answered because I know that God does no wrong. And there are some things I just won't understand this side of eternity.(1 Corinthians 13:12).

A Generous Heart

When Moses told the children of Israel about the contributions need for the construction of the Tabernacle, he said, "Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution: gold, silver and bronze; blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece."  (Exodus 35:5-9)

The people gave so much that the craftsmen in charge of making everything told Moses to tell the people to stop bringing their offerings because "the people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do." (Exodus 36:4-5) They kept a record of what was used and it turned out to be over 1 ton of gold, about 3 1/2 tons of silver and 3 tons of bronze. (Exodus 38:24-31) Plus all the "soft" goods and precious stones.

Reading this made me wonder what it would be like if ALL God's people had a generous heart today. There are many very generous people in churches across the globe but statistically only 5% to 7% of "church" people tithe and that is down to around 4% with the economic downturn.

Imagine what would happen if 10% or 15% of God's children would tithe. Or what if 50% to 75% tithed. Can you even conceive of EVERYONE who claims Christ giving a mere 10% of their income to God's house? How would our country be different? Would we need less government intervention? Would God's Church take up their role to care for the poor and the widows and the orphans? Would we end hunger and homelessness in our neighborhoods or our country or even the world?

And what if we went beyond the tithe to New Testament giving which was much more generous than tithing? Unfortunately in America, we love our money and our stuff and our comfort. All too often we upgrade to a new data plan on our phones before we upgrade our giving to God's work.

"What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul." (Mark 8:36) It really is all about our hearts. Surrendering everything to Jesus including our money. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21).

Jealous God

When Moses went up on Mount Sinai to meet with God, Aaron and the children of Israel got restless and decided that Moses must not be coming back. The people came to Aaron and asked him to make them a god to worship so he gathered their gold, put it in the fire and fashioned a calf. This was put on an altar and the people began to worship it.

God sent Moses back down the mountain. Moses in his anger broke the tablets God had written on. God in His anger said they should leave but He wouldn't go with them because He would destroy them all. But Moses interceded with God on behalf of the Israelites and God said He would go with them. So Moses goes back up the mountain with new tablets so God can write the words again.

While Moses was on the mountain this time, God revealed a new name for Himself. He was telling Moses when the people came into the land of promise, God would drive out all the people living there. The children of Israel were to make no covenants with those people and they were to "tear down altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God) (Exodus 34:13-14)

It's easy to see the "other god" when it is a golden calf or an altar or something like that. But what about in our day and age. Oh, we still see gods - little carved statues and tapestries in store windows or restaurants but do we recognize other gods in our own lives. Maybe it is money or perhaps our work or our children. Maybe it is that favorite TV show that we watch instead of spending time with God - when we haven't even thought of Him all day, until just now, but we just can't miss the next episode.

Whatever it is, God is jealous for His children. His jealousy is not an evil, manipulative jealousy but one of great love. He does not want His children to suffer the pain or loss that comes from turning away from Him. He knows way better than we do the agony and destructiveness of sin - it cost Him the the pain and death of Jesus on the cross - and He longs for us to walk closely to Him. The fact that God is jealous for me to worship Him alone gives me great comfort and strength to face whatever comes my way.

Sex in the Church

I am so proud of my pastor, Perry Noble, and his willingness to speak God's truth even when he knows he will get a lot of angry feedback. Yesterday's message, "Sex in the Church - part one" was a powerful message on the need to follow God's plans for marriage and for sex. 

1. A Godly Man - a man who loves Jesus and has surrendered his life to Him

2. A Godly Woman - a woman who loves Jesus and has surrendered her life to Him

3. Marriage - defined by God as a man and a woman; government nor culture can change that definition

4. Sex - for procreation, enjoyment and intimacy

Putting sex before marriage negates the "godly" in the equation because it means the person is not willing to fully submit to Jesus and deny their own fleshly desires.

Next Sunday he will be speaking about specific issues affecting people in the church including pornography and homosexuality. These are not politically correct issues to address but God's love extends to all sinners who are willing to repent and surrender to Jesus as Lord. And there are people in just about every church who struggle with these and other sexual issues. The Church just usually chooses not to "offend" people with what God's word says.

Praying for Pastor P with more fervency this week as he prepares for "Sex in the Church - part two."

Holiness

One of the things I like about reading the Old Testament is seeing the holiness of God. Sometimes I forget who God really is. Jesus taught us to think of God as Father (Matthew 6:9), and even more intimately as daddy (Mark 14:36, Galatians 4:6). Jesus calls believers friends (John 15:15) and Paul assures us of our adoption into the family of God (Ephesians 1:5).

God didn't want the children of Israel to forget who He really is. So as God gives instruction to Moses about Aaron and his sons, about the altar and the sacrifices, about the incense and anointing oil, He tells Moses they are holy, it is holy, it shall become holy or it is most holy to the Lord. Not just anyone could approach God because He is so holy. (Exodus 29-30) Later they will be taught that God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:24)

Jesus changed the need for sacrifice when He died on the cross (Revelation 1:5) and the curtain in the temple was torn (Mark 15:37-39). Direct access to God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son with the help of the Holy Spirit was given to all who have called on the name of the Lord. However, the majestic holiness of our God and Father, the consuming fire jealous God, was not diminished one bit. He may be Daddy but He is still God and as such demands attitudes and a lifestyle of respect and a sense of awe that He would even stoop down to earth to concern Himself with us.

The Bible tells us "be holy, as I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16 Leviticus 19:2). It also tells us to strive for holiness "without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14) Since God is the picture of holiness, I need to understand - by reading the Old Testament - what holiness looks like. Everything that was set aside for God's purposes was redeemed and made holy. The same is true for me. I have been redeemed and set aside for God's purposes by the cross of Jesus Christ. So I must act and think and speak and live in such a way that holiness becomes a natural part of my life. How? Read the Bible and do what it says!

God is in the Details

I'm reading now about God's conversation with Moses on Mount Sinai about the tabernacle and it's furnishings. (Exodus 25-27). God was very detailed in His descriptions of how His dwelling was to be made. Not only did He give Moses a verbal/written description, He also gave Him a picture. God wanted to be sure His house met His specifications so no detail was left unmentioned.

God cares about every detail of my life as well. However He doesn't give me a detailed picture of where to live or work or what car to buy or whom to marry. If I seek Him, He will speak to me about the issues of my life. He will guide me to make right decisions. He has already given each person who claims Jesus Christ as Savior a guiding light in the person of the Holy Spirit. Coupled with the Bible the Holy Spirit will guide me to go and do and be just who God created me to be.

There is great joy in doing life God's way!

What Now

Yesterday was a huge day at NewSpring. For weeks we have been encouraged to invite our friends to church on August 21. So August 21 finally came and we had around 18,000 people attend one of our 14 services in 5 locations through out South Carolina. We saw 490 people cross over from death to life by surrendering their hearts and their lives to Jesus. To commemorate the day of their spiritual birth, we put a hospital bracelet on each person's arm with "DOB 8/21/11" and the scripture Perry emphasized John 3:3.

They also were given a Bible and a Bible reading plan plus some other information. We got their pertinent details so we can follow up with them. We want to be sure they are baptized. We want to get them involved in a small group to be discipled in their new faith. We want them to becomes owners of NewSpring. We want them to continue to walk in the victory that is theirs through the cross of Christ.

But this morning as I was thinking about yesterday and praying for these who made decisions, I wondered how many would leave the hospital bracelet on to wear to school or work today. Would each boldly proclaim on Monday what Jesus did in their life on Sunday? It also made me think about my responsibility to them. I will contact some of the 86 from the Greenville campus who surrendered to Christ, to talk about next steps and to encourage them.

Beyond this, though, I should also boldly proclaim what Jesus is doing in my life right now as well as how He rescued me from death and a meaningless life to live an abundantly joyful life because of His great love and sacrifice, knowing that I will spend all eternity in the presence of Jesus. Jesus is always at work around me. If He is not doing something in my life now, I certainly can not pour into the lives of others. I must make time to seek God in the Bible and in prayer so that I might see Him in my circumstances, my family, my friends so I can proclaim His love and faithfulness to others.

Ten Commandments

As I was reading the ten commandments in Exodus 20, I began to think about all the controversy that surrounds the public placement of these in schools and courthouses. And of course that leads to thinking about crosses and manger scenes and other religious symbols placed in public (as in taxpayer paid for) places.

I just don't understand why some people get so angry and speak so rudely about these issues. These are folks who claim to be followers of Jesus, who happened to say a lot about loving our enemies and nothing that I can find about fighting them or the government. Jesus, in fact, upped the ante by saying not only do not murder, but do not hurl anger and insults!

You'd almost think they think God needs a defender - as if He is not powerful enough to defend Himself. Or maybe they think if someone reads the list and sees that God said don't murder, steal or lie, with which they agree, then they will just naturally decided to submit to the other seven. Or that seeing a manger scene on the courthouse lawn will cause someone to fall in love with Jesus. It just doesn't happen that way.

The USA is not a Christian country and will not be changed by a list on a wall in a courthouse or school room or by a cross or manger scene in anyone's yard - public or private. Those who lead our government can not save us from disaster or heal us of our wrongs. Change happens when I speak to people one on one about Jesus, inviting them to church, loving them as Jesus does. Then Jesus does what only He can do...He changes individual hearts and lives through His grace and mercy.

Bread for Today

After the children of Israel had been in the wilderness for a few weeks after being rescued from slavery, they began to grumble about the food they no longer had access to. They were missing Egypt and beginning to long to be there again, ready to go backward rather than forward.

I'm like that sometimes. There's nothing wrong with remembering what God has done in the past. In fact He encouraged the Israelites to build memorials and to hold feasts and to tell their children about what God had done for them - to sing His praises to the next generation. Remembering the past is one thing; longing for the past is another thing altogether.

I should never long for the good ole days with God but look forward with great anticipation toward what God is going to do now. God does not stop working in the world; He does not grow stagnant. If God is not doing something active in my life or the life of those around me, then the problem is with me or them, not God.

At the same time God does not want us to obsess over the future. Dreaming big dreams, praying big prayers, anticipating that God will do big things is great as long as I never forget that only God knows what tomorrow will bring. We have to trust Him for today AND tomorrow. When the Israelites went out in the mornings to gather the bread from Heaven, they were to take only enough for one day. If they tried to keep some over night it rotted - unless they were told to keep it. Jesus taught this same concept in the prayer He taught the disciples, "Give us this day our daily bread".

And besides, because I belong to Jesus my future is assured. "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39

Pharaoh and Me

As I'm reading in Exodus about God and Moses and Pharaoh, I am reminded that there have been times in my life when I was a lot like Pharaoh.

Each time Moses and Aaron would come to Pharaoh and announce a plague his heart was hard. When the plague came and the country was devastated by it, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron to plead with God to take it away. But once the crisis was gone, Pharaoh's heart was hardened again.

During my years as a prodigal daughter, I would periodically go to church - but only when I was in trouble of some sort. I would plead with God to fix my situation and even make some promises that I probably knew I wouldn't keep. Time and time again, God came to my rescue. Time and time again, I turned away from God to do my own thing.

The Bible tells us that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart so that "you may know that I am the Lord."  After the eighth plague, Pharaoh went so far as to say "I have sinned." But it still took two more plagues and the death of all the firstborn of Egypt for Pharaoh to listen to God and let the people of Israel leave. God's purpose in this was to make it known that "the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel" and that "My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt" and that "on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement." 

Some people would say that God was cruel or unloving or unjust in hardening Pharaoh's heart. But God never does anything that does not accomplish His purposes. I don't know if God was hardening my heart during those years in the wilderness of sin. But knowing me and my strong-willed heart, I probably never would have fully submitted to Jesus as Lord if I had not been allowed to get to the very brink of death. God didn't just want me to attend church or give up the drugs and alcohol and sex, He wanted me to be wholeheartedly, devotedly His. And He knew that I was not ready to fully submit to Him when I would go back to church for a few weeks or months. He knew exactly what it would take to make me surrender.

So perhaps He did harden my heart so that I would not just go through the motions. If so, then hardening my heart is the most loving thing He could have ever done for me.

A Life of Ease

I don't know where followers of Jesus Christ get the idea that following Him means life will be easy. Maybe it's the televangelists, I don't know. Following Jesus means listening to His voice and doing what He says. But doing what He says does not always lead to a life of ease or comfort.

When Moses was called by God to go to Pharaoh to secure the release of the Israelites, He did what God asked him to do. The result? Pharaoh made the work harder for the Israelites, calling them lazy, which made the Israelites angry at Moses. (Exodus 5)

Then the plagues start and all indication is that the first three affected the Israelites as well as the Egyptians because it is not until the 4th plague that God says He will make a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites. (Exodus 8:22-23) And He makes this separation, "that you may know that I am the Lord."

Things do not always go well for us when we do what Jesus asks. But it will always be right. It's a lot easier to manifest the fruit of the Spirit when there is no adversity, no difficult people, no trying circumstances but perhaps He is calling me to be His witness of love and grace and mercy and perseverance and hope and joy to those around me, despite my circumstances. Maybe that is why He doesn't give me a new job. Or why I have a contentious neighbor. Or why I'm "stuck" where I am.

He is more than my Savior, He is LORD. So...am I a believer or doubter; worshiper or complainer; obedient or disobedient? My actions, my thoughts, my response to my circumstances SHOW my answer to those questions to the world. Which leads me to ask do my Sunday and my Monday answer the same way?

Fails to Do Right

"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17

Too much of the time we focus on the sins we commit. Or we pat ourselves on the back because we don't do THAT - whatever "that" is. But we need always to remember that failure to do what Jesus has told us to do is sin. Disobedience can be as much what we DON'T do right as it is what we DO do wrong.

Maybe Jesus is telling me to speak to that person about Him. Or to stop to help the old woman with the broken down car. Or to get out of that relationship. Or to lead a Bible study group. Or to move. Or to downsize my house or car. Or to start giving more money to His Church. Or to volunteer with the homeless or helpless or hungry. Or to pray more for my pastor. Or to work harder to make my marriage grow better with the passing years.

Jesus is always speaking to His children through the Holy Spirit that indwells us. Am I listening? Am I obeying? Or am I making excuses why I can't? What my friend is hearing from God and is enthusiastic about may not be what He wants ME to do. I need to be in tune with God to hear what I should do. Jesus will not ask anyone to do anything that He will not empower them to do. But He does ask us to do things we think are impossible so that He can be glorified.

So turn off the music, the computer, the radio, leave Facebook and twitter for few hours and pick up the Bible and read. Take time to ask God what He would have YOU do - then listen to His answer and just do it.

Desires of Your Heart

At times I've heard people comment I prayed about something and it didn't happen. Didn't God say He would give me the desires of my heart? 

Hmmm...did He say that? Well, yes He did but there is a qualifier. The verse is Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Sometimes the attitude seems to be I gave my heart to Jesus now He MUST give me what I want. No! I must DELIGHT in the Lord. What does that mean?

It means Jesus needs to be enough; salvation needs to be enough. It means I want to know more and more about Jesus. It means I will spend time with Him every day. It means I will focus on what He wants for my life rather than what I think I want for my life. 

James said it this way, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." James 4:3. God does delight in giving His children good gifts but more than anything He wants our hearts to be His. When we delight ourselves in Him, the desires of our hearts become His desires for us and He graciously gives us all we desire.

Rock n Roll Church

Today at Mobile Meals in Spartanburg I ran into a husband/wife delivery team who go to the church my parents attended and where I grew up and met Jesus. They are probably in their mid 80's.

We had not seen each other since funerals for my immediate family, the last one being 2006, so we talked a little bit and I had opportunity to tell them where I now go to church. The man, Billy, said he hoped it was not a rock and roll church. And I said, actually it is.

He leaned over and said I know a couple of people who probably would not be happy, one being your daddy. I said as respectfully and lovingly as I could that now that daddy is in heaven he would be thrilled that I am part of a church that is making heaven more crowded.

I am now 63 and I do not want to do "church" the same way I did when I was growing up. It was fine for the 1950's but it will not reach many of this generation or the next. The gospel message NEVER changes but our methods for delivering that message should change to reach a city full of dying people. I have never experienced a move of God like I have since being part of NewSpring. Thousands of people are being told every week of the loving sacrifice of Jesus and scores are accepting that message as Truth, confessing and repenting of sins and surrendering their lives to Jesus.

The service each week in NOT about me and my preferences but about Jesus and having a place where people look forward to bringing their non believing family, co-workers and neighbors, knowing they will enjoy the experience as well as hear about the saving grace of Jesus. Pastor P often says, Jesus was not boring and His church should not be either. To which I say, AMEN!!

From the Same Mouth

"With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." James 3:9-10

There have been times I've caught myself saying something unkind about a person or maybe a group of people and God has speared my heart with conviction of sin. In the verse prior to those above, James says, "no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." 

How easy it is for us to tear down those we don't like or those we disagree with. As the political season heats up, the posturing for position in the polls begins, and the desire to win takes over the reaction of many who profess to be followers of Jesus will be to denigrate those who are on the "wrong" side, meaning the side the person speaking is not for.

Or what about all the debate over illegal immigrants. Do we hate a whole race of people, forgetting that they are made in the image of God? Do we tag them with labels that are demeaning - not having met or talked with any of them - lumping the legals and illegals all together?

Or what about the single mom with the unruly kids? Do we try to help or just shake our heads and talk about what a terrible mom she is?

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. How untrue that is! Words are powerful and there are no take-backs. Once said the words are in our minds and can shape our lives for good or bad. My mom used to say if you can't say something nice, don't say anything when I was tattling on my brother or complaining about the kid down the street.

Sure there are times when sin needs to be confronted or a person needs to be talked to about an issue but that is done on a personal level with someone we have a relationship with. To make brash, broad statements about someone's competence, intelligence or purposes is to have an untamed tongue. How can we worship Jesus on Sunday and on Monday be spewing all sorts of trash about someone? James says it ought not to be.

Good Works

"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James 2:26

Over the years as I've talked with people about what happens after you die, just about everyone believes there is Heaven and not many want to actually think there is Hell. If I ask why would God admit you to Heaven, I get a multitude of "good works" answers, even from many professing to be Christian. I read my Bible, I go to church, I pray - from those who are "Christian" or I take care of the earth, I help build houses for the poor, I try to do the right thing, from those who are not.

It's often hard to get the name of Jesus out of people. Why? Because they have not experienced the saving grace, the amazing mercy, the undeniable change that comes from repenting of sin and surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Bible is very clear that we are not saved by our good works but by believing in Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, John 1:12, Mark 1:15, Luke 8:12, John 6:40, Ephesians 3:8-9, John 14:6)

But as James says in the passage above, Jesus gave us the example as he washed the disciples' feet. (John 13:1-17) He instructed us to serve people to show how much we love Him. His love for us overflows in our love for others so that the Father might be glorified. We don't go around doing a bunch of stuff so God will take notice of us but so others will take notice of God which means we must also speak up about why we do what we do. Never be ashamed to speak the name of Jesus and give Him the credit for who you are and what you are doing.

Theology Refresh: Francis Chan

Theology Refresh: Francis Chan

This is a great link from the Desiring God website which is John Piper's ministry. You can download the podcast to hear a 15 minute talk with David Mathis and Francis Chan on the sovereignty of God. David Mathis, who happens to be from my hometown, works for John Piper. Francis Chan is a speaker, author and former pastor of a church in California.

Understanding God's sovereignty is key to understanding all the issues of life that we all face and being able to KNOW that God is right there in the midst of it.

I hope you will take time to listen today.

Trials

"Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, when you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort..." James 1:2

Enveloped in trials of any sort. That sounds painful. That sounds overwhelming. And I do not know many who consider trials joyfully. Our first response is usually how do I get out of this or how do I make it go away or how do I solve this problem. That's because we look at our problems (our trials) from our perspective. We are hurting or afraid or discouraged or sad because we are in the midst of something we really can't do anything about.

But that just may be God's sole purpose in having us there in the first place...for us to give up control, to realize that we can do nothing, to make us rely on Jesus rather than ourselves. "Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing." James 1:3-4

The trials of life are meant to give me an unwavering faith in God. A faith that KNOWS He is watching over me. He is still my Father. He still loves me. He still cares for me. He wants me to have no holes in my faith, no doubts. He wants me to be perfectly and fully developed to the image of Christ.

Faith

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

This week my friend Patti Bailey died from the cancer that was diagnosed just a few months ago. I last spoke to her about 2 weeks ago. She was weak because she had just completed her first round chemo after a full series of radiation treatments but was still upbeat and expecting this treatment to provide a cure for her cancer. So to say I was shocked to get the call that she had died is an understatement.

However, because of the faith Patti had - and I share with her - she IS cured and in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at this moment. Paul said, "for we walk by faith, not sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:7-8

So now Patti is at home with the Lord. She no longer suffers the pains of illness. She no longer wonders what it is like to see Jesus. She no longer ponders eternity; she is there. Do I have any actual proof? No, but I do have faith. And because of my faith, I believe even when I can not prove something is true. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6  Patti has been rewarded with a home in heaven.

Do I believe I will see Patti again? Absolutely! And not only Patti but my mom and dad and brother and other family and friends who have gone before and are in the presence of Christ because they confessed Him as Lord. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Forgiveness of Sins

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."  Hebrews 9:22

Many people find the cross of Jesus Christ offensive because of its cruelty and because of the thought of someone else being punished for my wrongdoing. But it was absolutely necessary.

When God gave the law to Moses, the requirements for animal sacrifice and the sprinkling of the blood was spelled out in great detail.(Leviticus 4) But before that, God required the Passover lamb be slain and the blood spread on the doorposts so that the death angel would recognize and spare God's people when He fulfilled His last plague so that Pharaoh would release the Israelites from slavery. (Exodus12:1-32)  But before that when Adam and Eve sinned against God and they recognized they were naked and were ashamed, God killed an animal to take away their shame by clothing them.(Genesis 3:1-21)

Jesus is called the Lamb of God, and His death for our salvation was planned from the beginning of time.(John 1:29; Revelation 7:10; John 10:18; Matthew 26:54; John 1:1-3,14;) So the cruelty of the cross was necessary to satisfy the wrath of God for the sins of the world. The shedding of blood was necessary to meet God's requirement for purification.

But it is God's great love and mercy that sent Jesus  - the perfect Lamb of God, without stain or blemish - to endure God's wrath for me.(Romans 5:8) God's wrath would destroy me in a nanosecond. And I certainly could never be good enough to save myself. So without Jesus, there is no hope. But God did not want to leave us without hope. He lavished His great love on us with the gift of His son.(Ephesians 2:11-13)

Hebrews 7:21-28

I love this passage from Hebrews. Just think about what God says here through this writer about Jesus, our high priest. And to top it all off God says I will not change my mind.

21. but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'"

22. This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
23. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,
24. but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever.
25. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
27. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
28. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

It Is Impossible for God to Lie

God provided the Bible for us so that we could know more about Him and His interaction with mankind. The Bible is full of stories of God's faithfulness, His love, His provision, His salvation.

When we read of God's purposes and His actions on our behalf and fail to believe it, we, in essence, call God a liar. But the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 6:18 that "it is impossible for God to lie." Of course we see this in the Bible long before this letter was written.

We see it through out the Old Testament as God sends His word through the prophets. God speaks of salvation and judgement, birth and death, prosperity and famine. He names names and places and times and events and they all happen just as He said.

In New Testament times the people who encountered Jesus called Him Rabbi or teacher or prophet. But Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6) Not one truth or some truth but THE truth. Something is either true or it's not. Jesus said I AM the truth. So, do I believe what He says or do I call Him a liar? And if I believe what He says, do I live it? Do I proclaim it?

Child vs Mature

I don't want to be a child all my life. I am glad I am a grown up who can drive a car and take care of myself and make important decisions. As I age I may become a child again but hopefully that won't happen - or at least not soon.

So why would I want to remain a child in my spiritual life? I've heard people remark about a church or pastor, I just wasn't being fed. They are not talking about a Wednesday night supper or Sunday dinner on the grounds but about being fed the Word of God. Now maybe that preacher doesn't preach from the Bible but I doubt it. And these are people who have been in church for years, claiming Christianity for years.

Why in the world would a grown up want to be fed? With actual food that's for young children or very old or sick individuals. Why should I expect the pastor to be my main source of nourishment from the Word of God? I have six days in the week to sit down with Jesus and the Bible to learn what He would have me do; how He would have me live; what truths He wants me to learn. Preaching on Sunday should be a reinforcement of all that I am learning on my own time. But of course, the preacher does play an important role in my understanding of Scripture. He is another - not the only - way I hear from God.

Maybe the person not being fed has not prepared his/her heart to hear from God or doesn't have a deep expectation of meeting with Jesus during the Sunday service. Maybe this person doesn't participate in corporate worship by singing AND praying AND giving tithes.

Or maybe, just maybe, God is stirring them to be a feeder of young believers. Bet they never thought about that. In Hebrews 5:12-14, the writer talks about those who ought to be mature but are still seeking milk like a child. Still going to the same Bible studies but never becoming a teacher who shares God's truth with others. They ought to be discerning, mature believers by now rather than seeking to be fed all the time.

Teaching may mean taking on a major responsibility to nurture young believers (regardless of age) in a group setting but it might also mean sharing truth with your children or a neighbor or a co-worker.