Then I Will

“We passionately intercede. We urgently speak of Jesus. We hope with a strength that is not our own.”

In the wake of the Vegas shootings, I felt overwhelmed. I had read a New York Times article several times throughout the day as it updated, and eventually even watched one of the videos posted by a concertgoer from that night. I’ll regret that for quite a while, as the sound of the bullets and screaming echoed in my mind for the rest of the afternoon. I texted a friend, equally as wearied by the world as I was, and together we wrestled with the question “how long can this go on?”

I don’t know the answer. I don’t have a date. Oh, that it would be soon. That the groanings of the earth would finally be put to peace by the arrival of its Creator. That the cries of a hurting people would be healed by the return of our Savior. Of course, I don’t know when that will happen.  But I do know that in the waiting, our heavy hearts must spur us to action.

What do we do in such a dark, evil world?

We passionately intercede. We urgently speak of Jesus. We hope with a strength that is not our own.

Our cities cannot survive alone. Our world has been in a constant state of collapse since the garden of Eden. This isn’t news to us, we see it around us every day, read about it in our history books. Poverty, starvation, war, murder, natural disasters, genocide….all things outside of God’s original intention for our planet, yet here we are. Living in a world of sin introduced to us by the arrogance of our ancestors long ago in Genesis. As Christians, we can’t ignore this. As Jonah stood between Nineveh and the wrath of God, as Abraham stood for Sodom, as Jeremiah stood for Babylon, so we stand in the gap for our neighborhoods, pleading with God for mercy, redemption, and salvation. Our cities will not stand if we do not stand for them. In this time when it looks like precious little good is at work, we must fall to our knees and beg God to interfere in our communities, that God would “rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You” (Isa 64:1). We desperately need the power of God at work in our world, and that starts with his children interceding for the lost and broken in their city.

“While I am ready for Heaven now, I cannot help but need more time on earth.”

As the past couple of weeks have unfolded, it seems that “when will Christ return” has become an even more frequently asked question than it normally is. One glance at the front page of the news, and a longing for Jesus is naturally what wells up in my mind. But I am also torn. If Christ were to return tomorrow….praise God. Hallelujah! I cannot express my joy and excitement at the thought. But how many of my family members would not be at my side? How many of my friends? My neighbors? While I am ready for Heaven now, I cannot help but need more time on earth. The state of our world, the evil that is parading in the streets, it must drive us to speak the name of Jesus with more urgency each passing day. Every moment ticks us closer to Jesus’s arrival; we are charged with the use of our time, a responsibility we must not take lightly. With each hurricane, each shooting, each attack...we speak the name of Jesus. Loudly. Clearly. The end is near, there is no question. So we must act. As Charles Spurgeon famously said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay.”

I recently read an article by David Mathis that stayed in my mind for several weeks, the gist of it being that as Christians, we always have something good to say. In every situation, because of Christ, we can speak hope. The world needs hope right now, specifically the hope Christians have to offer. There is hurt, and abuse, and pain...but there is also God. He will make all good and perfect in His timing. He has overcome this world, not one act lies outside His sovereign power. Yes, we suffer, but we do not suffer without hope. When the people around us see our burden but not our despair, this is when they clearly see Christ in us. The shooting in Vegas is an unimaginable act of evil. I can’t explain it, or give reason. But I can speak divine love and comfort into the lives of those questioning so much in its wake. I can speak of truth, of Christ, of a time when all will be set right again. When the dawn explodes into day, and the darkness has no place left to cower. Friends, one day demons will have no hold on this world, sin will be rejected once and for all, and we will finally be reunited with the love of our souls. The groom is coming to claim His bride. This is what I speak into unspeakable situations. Into hopelessness. Into the face of the enemy. My God is not done here, and because of this, I hope.

“My prayer is that in these dark times, the joy of our salvation is strengthened.”

“Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You.” Ps. 51:12-13. My prayer is that in these dark times, the joy of our salvation is strengthened. That the more clearly we see need around us, the more we are filled with joy because our needs have been met in the blood of Jesus. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways. Sinners will come to repentance. The more we are filled with Christ, the more we pour out into others. It is so easy to be overwhelmed by the weight of the world right now. To keep our heads above the water, we have to beg God for strength; to keep the miracle of our rescue in the forefront of our minds. For we are not a conquered people. We take heart, for Jesus has overcome the world. We are victorious. So we gather the broken pieces of those around us, and we pray. We speak Jesus. And we hope for the day when we have to hope no more.

Thankfulness

“ For although they knew God, they did NOT honor him as God or GIVE THANKS to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21,   The Holy Bible: English Standard Version

Romans 1 is clear that the gateway to “futile thinking” and “foolish hearts” starts with NOT being thankful, NOT honoring the God who gave us all things. (I would add, not humbly walking with the God of justice, acknowledging the one who has the right to Judge both the living and the dead, according to Micah 6:8, 2 Timothy and 1Peter, as well as Isaiah 33:22)

Maybe the key to the correct response to living is thankfulness.  Maybe this passage of scripture explains how we have degraded to a point of thanklessness, instead of finding every day something to be truly grateful for! It also explains how its no wonder our whole culture seems to get further and further from the Truth of God. Or more precisely, from God Himself.

Other passages make it abundantly clear that He has our own interest at heart; that He wants to share His true nature with us, and His eternal power. But we want to look another direction and ignore the things that have been made obvious. It is for our OWN GOOD that He had a standard that would bring us peace in a relationship with Him. But we have said NO.  Isaiah 30 says:

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 

“In returning and rest you shall be saved; 

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” 

But you were unwilling….

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, 

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. 

For the Lord is a God of justice; 

blessed are all those who wait for him. 

But we have chosen instead, INSTEAD OF BEING THANKFUL to “suppress the truth”,  “dishonor our bodies” to “exchange truth about God for a lie”, to “exchange the glory of the immortal God” (in whom we have been made in the image of), for lesser images, rather than give Him any acknowledgment. Such a sad state we find ourselves, and the evidence of our exchange of the Truth is nearly anywhere you look. Sad yes, and yet very telling when scripture is fulfilled all around us.                                                                                                              More from the prophet Isaiah (in chapter 5, verse 20)

Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil, 

who put darkness for light

and light for darkness, 

who put bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter! 

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, 

and shrewd in their own sight! 

And from the prophet Amos:

They hate him who reproves xin the gate, 

and they abhor him who speaks the truth.

I say we as followers of Christ must get back to being thankful!  Get back to simply recognizing good at work, His handiwork in the stars and all around us.  Then maybe “they” will also “SEE” His invisible attributes, that have been clearly perceived since the foundation of the world.”                                                               As in Psalm 19:

The heavens declare the glory of God, 

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 

Day to day pours out speech, 

and night to night reveals knowledge. 

The Gift Of Need

“Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who ‘have it all’ to enter God’s Kingdom?”  

Jesus’s words in Mark 10:23 ring a loud conviction to anyone who might listen. I feel this speaks so clearly to most Americans, and the American dream mentality, though I am truly grateful for these comforts. And yet, it can be a true hindrance to those around us actually hearing the message we preach. So much of the scripture attests to God trying to help humanity see their need for Him.  But what humans think they “need” is usually much different than what God KNOWS we need.  

Throughout the Old Testament (the old covenant), God showed the people their need for Him by allowing them to stumble, and then picking them up, dusting them off, and re-stating what He had already instructed they would need to do to have success.   Sound familiar?

It feels to me very much like what a parent has to do for a child several times, even in one day! Thus the references to the Israelites as rebellious children, lost lambs, straying sheep, make so much sense!  But what children have that we very often miss, is a true, blind trust of the one who loves them. Because of their need and natural dependency on the one who cares for them, there is a particular naivety involved in a child’s view of the world. This is, from my reading of the Scripture, exactly what is desired and protected by Jesus.  It is why He says, “….for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The opposite would seem to be true of the “rich.” Rich, referring to a mindset as much as, or more than, a house full of expensive treasure. In the mind of the one who “has it all” there is no need for dependence on any other person, no need to trust outside of himself. God tried to help the Israelites understand that when they trusted in themselves, they would ultimately fail. (So many battles were lost as the Israelites did not consult God. Saul, in 1 Chronicles 10, “did not seek guidance from the Lord,” so the kingdom was taken from him. The Gibeonites deceived the people, Josh 9:14: “they did not ask counsel from the Lord.”)  But if He was their resource, their Warrior, their shield, their Treasure, their King……the blessings would follow them throughout the generations. (See Joshua 23-24)  

In Mark 10, Jesus addressed the “I’m just fine” mentality.  The same type mindset that He addressed in Mark 2, Luke 5, and Matthew 9 when He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”  The ones who know their need for a physician, seek to find the Healer.  Those who know they will face a Judge and have blame, who are unable to be innocent before Him, know they need a Redeemer.  Those who have hit rock bottom in life and cannot save themselves, know they need a Savior. A Rescue, a Rock to stand on. Those who are vulnerable to this world, its sin, its dangers, its encumbrance, know they need a  Prince of Peace.  And those who have ever needed a defense, know they need a Shield, a Fortress, a Mighty Warrior.

Until a person realizes the need, or is willing to hear the still, small voice that calls a heart to the Only true Satisfaction….It is impossible for him to find salvation.  But as Jesus says in Mark 10:27, “With man this is impossible, but not with God.  For all things are possible with God.”  Thank you, God for Your indescribable gift!!

Believing Beyond The Now

Romans 4:20-25

20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (ESV)

God gave Abraham a specific promise that he would never really get to see; a promise that would come to fulfillment well beyond Abraham’s lifetime. Nothing now. Nothing much for you today, Abe.

Just a vision that his legacy would be great and his name would be the start of something legendary. All these things came to pass, yes, yet none of it benefited or affected Abraham’s life in that living time frame.

In fact, it just made things a bit more difficult for him. Chasing this promise, Abraham moved his family far from the comforts and life they knew. He began a journey that was more fraught with difficulty than great ease.

In the daily living, most of us tend to avoid conflict. We actively sidestep difficulty and seek a life which will improve our own situations and desires. Abraham did not. He knew there was something greater for him. He was in a friendship, a connected relationship with God that was enough in and of itself to warrant any risk he might be asked to take.

It is this faith-based relationship with God that Paul writes about in Romans 4; a relationship not just for Abraham, but also for us.

23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord...

Abraham’s faith is the kind of faith we can have too. We too can choose to lay ourselves aside and follow after God. To believe Him at his word and to see what He does with all that follows after. There may be some blessings in this life, Abraham had some,  but that is not the point Paul makes here. God showed Abraham the big picture and Abraham followed after it, reward or no.

So much of our faith is based on the now. We want God to do something for us that we can see and benefit from in our lifetime. We say “I choose to believe God so my life can be better today.”  Not so for Abraham. He believed for a future that he would never see. One that was beyond him, but that he knew would be obtained because of a divine promise. For him, being connected to God, and hope in His word, was sufficient for his faith.

How about you and me? Are we looking for what God wants in us? Or are we looking for something from God that we want for the now? Is a relationship with God sufficient enough, or must he provide something that you or I can see as a benefit in our lifetime? Is  following Jesus dependent upon what we think He should do for us, or are we willing to follow him, believing that a life lived in faith might benefit something far greater than what can be seen with our own eyes?

Psalm 45

I have been struck recently by a worship song based on Psalm 45.

This Psalm has at times confused me. It seems artistically personal, yet I have been taught it as relating to David as the King. But it is also seen as a Messianic Psalm, including  prophecy that refers to the Messiah.  And yet, it changes the audience from the King to God at verse 6...for some reason I have always missed this. Now, it brings me to tears.

It is communication between a King and His lover... God and the ones loved... the Messiah, and His bride... All one in the same. How beautiful. Perfectly clear and complete. How beautiful.

When I saw the true nature of a “heart moved by a noble theme” I, too, wanted to write a “verse for the King.” I, too, at a young age, became overwhelmed when the love and romance of this King came to my understanding, came to me. I am part of His bride, the church. I am His bride. He loves me, as God to His redeemed one, as a King to a servant, as a King to a Queen, as a man to a woman, as my Husband… (For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. Isaiah 54:5) 

Turn from your “father’s house,” what you have always known...and bow to Him, He desires your beauty as one He created to love.

Oh you, His loved one, find in this Psalm your great Messiah. King Jesus, your one True God...your lover. Find Him as your great defender (vs.5) Find Him as the ultimate companion and satisfaction to every corner of your heart.   Find His theme, to be loved

Love in dying for you, love in living again, love in bringing you into His most perfect plan for all of His creation and all of the Universe. To know His great LOVE

- Illuminate Worship Pastor, Tonya Sawyer

Psalm 45

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah; a love song.

45 My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;

   I address my verses to the king;

   my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

2 You are the most handsome of the sons of men;

   grace is poured upon your lips;

   therefore God has blessed you forever.

3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,

   in your splendor and majesty!

4 In your majesty ride out victoriously

   for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;

   let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp

   in the heart of the king's enemies;

   the peoples fall under you.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

   The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

7     you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

8     your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;

9     daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;

   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:

   forget your people and your father's house,

11     and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him.

12     The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,

   the richest of the people.

13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.

14     In many-colored robes she is led to the king,

   with her virgin companions following behind her.

15 With joy and gladness they are led along

   as they enter the palace of the king.

16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons;

   you will make them princes in all the earth.

17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;

   therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

(song reference: Psalm 45, Shane and Shane)

The Dancer

   “...a time to weep and a time to laugh,

   a time to mourn and a time to dance…”

 Ecclesiastes 3:4

I am not a dancer. I often joke about doing interpretive dance for church events, but no one has or will ever take me up on the offer. It probably has something to do with me being as graceful on the dance floor as a walrus using a hula hoop. It doesn’t stop me from offering. It probably never will. But I can appreciate the burst of energy and excitement that causes others to dance, almost like they can’t help it. 2 Samuel 6 describes this feeling as it came over David when he danced before the Lord in front of thousands of witnesses. And he was only wearing a loincloth. That’s a level of boldness I’m not sure I’ll experience. The elation, though, is familiar to me.

I appreciate Solomon’s contrasts in the beginning verses of Ecclesiastes chapter three. Uncontrollable laughter overtook my wife and I just days ago after reading a spectacular auto-correct fail from a friend meaning to console us. Tears streamed down our faces; the moment was both cathartic and well-timed. The sorrowful weeping came days later, as we knew it would. The beautiful timing had a taste of divine providence. On one hand was the truth of loss everyone will experience in this broken world, on the other mirth of kinship amongst friends and family.

What really strikes me is the second half of verse four. As we mourn, we are offered a promise, a contrast, to counterbalance the feelings clawing away at our insides. I’m fascinated that Solomon contrasted mourning with dancing. Why dancing? Why not rejoicing? Was this a concept Solomon learned from his father, for David wrote:

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing…”

Psalm 30:11

There is a relevant cultural explanation for this, but I find that answer too trite. The heart of the matter is far broader. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, death is no longer some illusive end point for a mortal existence. Eternity beckons us to one of two destinations, so for those who are in Christ Jesus, death is just a temporary painful physical separation. Mourning is an expression of that loss, grieving the loss of someone’s presence in this mortal existence, but what if it was more than that? What if mourning included acknowledging a separation that reached beyond the loss of a loved one?

I ask this because I know what if feels like to mourn, but I have to wonder what it might feel like for that separation to no longer exist. Ever. No separation from the living and the departed; no separation from the divine and His creation. Can anyone fathom an existence without separation, without pain, without mourning? So far, none of us have ever experienced this. When I do get to experience it, I can see why it would make me burst into dance.

Evoking Dependence

Since the beginning of Christianity, Christians have been arguing over whether or not to obey the Law of Moses. Few believe we are required to obey all of it. If we did, the ladies would have to leave their homes and towns once a month, men would grow awesome sideburns, and bacon would be off limits. However, the idea of letting go of the Law entirely and letting it be a thing of the past is simply too much for many people, so they pick and choose which Laws to follow and which to abandon. This, of course, is the height of religious hypocrisy, the very thing that set Jesus off from time to time. The real question Christians need to ask is, “What purpose did the Law serve?”

Matthew 5:17-20

“Don’t misunderstand why I [Jesus] have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”

What did Jesus mean in verse 18 when he said nothing about the Law would change until its purpose had been fulfilled? What purpose did the Law serve? Why did it exist? We can get hung up on a million little details about hygiene, dietary health, and layers upon layers of nuance, but what was the primary goal of the Law?

The purpose of the law is holiness. This was the impossible standard God set into place to show mankind how far they will fall short of His holiness. The Law literally points to mankind's need for someone to fulfill the requirements of the Law for us, a substitute sacrifice to appease the break between man and God. The result of never breaking the Law without fail was righteousness, and mankind insta-fails because of our sin nature. So God gave man a system of sacrifices to atone for when we failed. Jesus came to fulfill that perfect requirement for us because we can’t save ourselves and to become the perfect sacrifice to atone for our failures. His righteousness then becomes available to us if we accept it.

The Law was not given to empower performance but to evoke dependence. The purpose of the Law was to show us our need for a Messiah. That will never change. We will always need a Savior. Jesus said no part of the Law will be gone until its purpose has been achieved. Has it been achieved in you? Or are you still trying to be righteous all on your own? Jesus made it clear in verse 20 that unless your righteousness is better the righteousness of the Pharisees (performance based), you will not see the Kingdom of Heaven. Your righteousness must be Jesus.

What laws are you still trying to follow? What extra laws have you added to your life in order to obtain your own idea of righteousness, your own checklist of things to do so that you can feel good about yourself? There are spiritual disciplines Christians teach and practice, but those exist to help create the necessary space so we can encounter God. They aren’t law. They don’t make you righteous. All the spiritual disciplines in the world are meaningless unless you allow the Holy Spirit to move you to action in your heart and in your mind. Our righteousness is Jesus, but there’s nothing passive about pursuing Jesus.

The Curtain (part 2)

The human condition can be summed up with one word: brokenness. That break can be traced back to man’s decision in the garden not to trust God. Before that break, mankind existed as an immortal spiritual and physical being. Both parts of immortality are part of the original design. The divine connection between the Spirit of God and the spirit of man became infinitely corrupted by man’s choice to disobey, and that break between spirits gave birth to man’s mortality. Mankind has since struggled in one form or another to return to a state of wholeness. The desire manifests in various ways (greed, lust, religion, fantasy), but the underlying expressed human manifestation of this condition is discontentment. There ought to be more. I ought to have more. I ought to feel more. The odd part, though, is that many Christians seem neither immune nor averse to experiencing this symptom despite claiming Jesus as the restorative agent in that brokenness equation. Why is that? Why does discontentment remain in the heart of the believer?

The Apostle Paul describes contentment as an initiation or a deep, mysterious educational experience, often translated as a secret. It was his relentless pursuit of Jesus that gave him a glance behind the curtain. That pursuit, that glance, allowed him to make the following statement:

Philippians 4:10-12

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Too often, Christians will focus solely on the verse immediately after this particular passage, taking it wildly out of context and using it as a sort of mantra to justify a certain decision or quest.

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

While the truth of verse thirteen shouldn’t be diminished, the context isn’t about saying “I can do anything.” It says, “I can do this seemingly impossible task, i.e. being content in all circumstances, because of Christ in me.” Paul knew that contentment without regard to circumstance was a tremendous challenge to all believers, which is why he made sure the church in Philippi understood his gratitude for the gifts they sent him while getting the point across that Jesus is always enough. So how does the man who made the following statement find unshakeable contentment in the midst of this earthly existence?

2 Corinthians 11:24-27

24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one (that’s 195 lashes for those who don’t math). 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

Some people say Paul discovered the secret to satisfaction because of the trials he faced, but that is an insufficient answer. Many people have suffered greatly without it producing contentment, and people have found this peace without having to endure all that Paul did. The relentless pursuit of Jesus is what got Paul to the curtain separating this world from the next, but what did Paul see behind the curtain? What did he experience that allowed him to live an abundant life regardless of circumstances?

To be continued...

What Exactly Would Jesus Do

I have an urgency in my heart to communicate something to my brothers and sisters in Christ, that I fear will not be heard because of the divide in our country and political climate today. Everyone can somehow attribute their personal political preferences to "exactly what Jesus would do". But Jesus was not confused, He was very specific and consistent.
Hear me because this may come as a surprise to all of you.
At the Passover supper, as He sat knowing that every one of his closest friends would soon betray him in some way, (be it abandonment, for money, out of embarrassment or fear, or any other reason) He didn't look on them in bitterness. In anger. In knowledge that He deserved better and shouldn't continue to have friends that would treat him that way.... He looked on them with love and compassion, and then....
He got down on his knees and literally did the job of the help. He washed their feet.
He knew how they would betray him, and He washed their dirty, tired, feet.
Hear me because this is where it becomes controversial. 
He did not demand that someone in the room washed their feet. 
He did not call on the help to do their job and wash their feet. 
He did it himself.
The KING OF KINGS, washed the feet of His enemies, his closest "friends".
So my question to you, brothers and sisters, is this:
Are you demanding that feet be washed.... or are you washing feet?

By Hannah Weekley

Four Letter Word

It happens more often these days. Some may say it comes with the wisdom of age, but really it’s the Holy Spirit saying, “hey, you’re ready for this...here goes.” When it happens, I get all giddy inside, like I just discovered some ancient treasure or heard from a close friend after a long absence. I grew up knowing that God’s word is ever relevant and can still teach me new things from a passage I’ve studied extensively, but that doesn’t prevent the pure joy and excitement I feel when something leaps from the pages directly into my soul.

John 3:18-21

18 “He who believes in Him [Jesus] is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

And just like that, the Apostle John blows my mind. I’ve taught this passage before, from the pulpit and in a small group setting, but as I was writing it down in my journal yesterday, a single four-letter-word jumped off the pages and smacked me. Read the passage again.

Did you see it?

Verse 21 says, “he who does the truth.” Does. Just like that, truth becomes an action, not just cognitive information. This goes hand in hand with John’s use of “believe” some 98 times, each one the action form of the word in Greek. True belief is evidenced by action, meaning the change within the heart that manifests in how I begin to live a new life. Paul extolls me in Colossians 3:5, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.” Such a good word, lurking. “He who does the truth” has died to sin, and a new creation filled with real life takes the place of the old life condemned to live in darkness.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The way is a person. Truth is a person. Life is a person. Since truth is both a person and an action, the true belief in Christ means my life will become transformed to look more and more like the person of Jesus Christ. Otherwise it’s just worthless cognitive information. No action in my heart and life means no real belief. “He who does the truth” must do so in the light so he can see and reflect upon what he’s doing so he can do it better. Being in the presence of the light is a choice I make. The brighter the light, the further I’ve moved into a state of harmony with the Holy Spirit within me.

Moral ambiguity doesn’t exist in the light because the light shows me that what I do is done in God. The light burns. It reveals. It uncovers all the hidden filth in my life that I want to keep hidden from my God, my family, and my community.

Thank you, Jesus, for setting me free to walk in the light.

Let’s be perfectly clear.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

The imminent return of Jesus Christ is a common theme from the three major writers of the New Testament. Two thousand years have passed since those men wrote about the conviction they felt about Christ’s return. So were they wrong? Did they get it wrong? Was this feeling, this conviction from the Holy Spirit who coauthored their work, in fact, mistaken? Either God makes mistakes, the Bible isn’t inspired, or disciples of Jesus Christ need to approach this idea with the relevance it demands. It’s actually not a difficult explanation, though the practice is what separates sheep from goats. It’s pretty simple. Jesus actually answered it.

Matthew 24:38-51

“For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.  Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.  Therefore, stay awake, (pay attention, stay focused, don’t give up, give it your all, take this seriously, persevere) for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.  Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.  But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'  and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In plain English, Jesus is saying that you are a hypocrite unless you believe, act, and invest as though His return is imminent. Without the adopted mindset and reality of the imminent return of Jesus Christ, Christians will continue to approach Jesus’ command to take the good news to the ends of the world like little boys who drag their heals, rebel against biblical authority, get distracted, and lack discipline. They do not invest eternally because they act and believe as the wicked servant who says, “well, it’s been two thousand years, it won’t happen today. I got time. I don’t need to take responsibility yet.”

The true disciple of Jesus Christ is the one who won’t be caught with his pants down when the Master returns home.

Ephesians 5:15-17

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Making the best use of the time. Other versions call it redeeming the time you have left, since the days are evil. Redeeming time acknowledges that you have wasted time, perhaps a more accurate statement. It means being intentional about what time you have left. Since you don’t know how long you have to walk this earth and will eventually answer to the tribunal of Christ about your investments, how are you investing your time and talents? How are you inserting the truth of the Gospel into the lives around you? Or are you a hypocrite described by Jesus in Matthew 24, coasting along with Jesus on your Facebook feed but nowhere in your life?

The words of Jesus Christ leave no room for ambiguity.

Pajama Armor

There’s a glibness that exists in the western Christian world. Well-intentioned men and women of faith put it there, stacked higher and higher over the decades. Not only has it stunted the growth and development of young men and women in the church, it’s also provided much of the fodder used by critics and comedians targeting Christianity. Glib answers to some of life’s hardest questions and concepts often hint at the base levels of the truth, but they fail to bring to life the nuance and rich meaning found within the layers of God’s word. Superficial answers to raw, bloody questions fuel the rapid advancement of agnosticism and the church of ambivalence, and Scriptures that should bring hope and peace instead breed dismissive contempt. This is not a new phenomenon, but it is getting worse in the Western world.

One passage in particular comes to mind, a powerful message written by the Apostle Paul that has been reduced to Christian cliche. It’s a passage pounded into the minds of Sunday school children across the fruited plains. It even comes with songs and props. And the props are really cool. What eight-year-old boy doesn’t want armor and weapons? Unfortunately, the brilliant psychology of it seems to be accumulating dust.

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore,

with truth like a belt around your waist,

righteousness like armor on your chest,

15 and your feet sandaled with readiness

for the gospel of peace.

16 In every situation take the shield of faith,

and with it you will be able to extinguish

all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation,

and the sword of the Spirit,

which is God’s word.

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

The plastic Sunday school armor was undeniably cool. But time and time again, people raised in this knowledge are leaving the faith and falling for the tactics of the Devil, who is accurately called the father of lies by Jesus in John 8:44. Which one of you would go into battle wearing pajama armor or wielding a pool noodle as your weapon? That’s what happens when this passage isn’t explained and explored beyond trite analogies. There’s nothing trite about it. This is psychospiritual warfare. These are the weapons and armor you NEED in order to defeat the LIES and experience freedom and victory:

Truth: Jesus is the source of truth, so know Jesus or go into a gunfight without bullets. Believe it or not, this is positive self-affirmation done the right way. Who does Jesus say I am? Insert the truth according to God’s Word. “I am a child of God. I am loved by Him.” Truth challenges the lies of self-worth and self-pity.

Righteousness: The singular source is the blood of Jesus covering the sins of a sinful mankind. No one is righteous apart from Christ. This is the antidote, the armor, against pride and self-righteousness.

Gospel of Peace: Gospel means good news, so the good news of peace literally means acknowledging that the war is over. Jesus already won by paying the penalty for sin on the cross, culminating in His triumphant resurrection. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your HEARTS and your MINDS in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7) This infectious weapon is called joy.

Faith: It is the endurance to believe God’s promises even when your entire world is crashing around you. The enemy tells you you’re the boss, you’re in control, it’s your life. Pretty sure there are several songs affirming this lie. The act of faith is really an act of trust. Trust means relinquishing control and submitting to the ultimate authority. Faith produces hope, and the Devil hates hope.

Salvation: This challenges the guilt the enemy uses to paralyze people from being able to function. Jesus paid the price for salvation; that battle no longer needs to be fought. Standing firm in your salvation means forgiving yourself when you make mistakes and working towards not repeating those mistakes. It’s called grace, and it’s a spiritual nuke.

Word of God: When Jesus was tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11, He used Scripture, the Holy Word of God, to refute and defeat the lies, schemes, and snares of the enemy. The Word of God is the living, breathing power of the Holy Spirit imbued in Scripture. No spiritual force can stand against this weapon. None.

You are simply not equipped or empowered to heal the mental and emotional breaks in your psyche and defend against the attacks of a psychospiritual battle. You need the right gear. Millions of people have surrendered the fight, given into the lies, because of pajama armor.

The Curtain

Dissatisfaction. It’s a curious disease that plagues the perpetual battleground of the human mind. On some base level, everyone feels there ought to be more. Culture paints a broad picture of this disease, often expressed as carnal greed of one sort or another. The holiday season usually brings out well-meaning champions of anti-avarice expressing themselves on Facebook or pulpits, warning against the moral or political traps of living in a greedy, capitalistic world. Again, it’s the cultural pendulum at swing and not unexpected. However, this only addresses the physical, material half of the symptoms.

But what of spiritual dissatisfaction? Some may be surprised to learn that this form of the disease manifests itself just as openly as material greed. The level of cultural saturation is on par with that of materialism, once you identify the roots. The human condition longs for something more than the reality imprisoning every physical being. It’s why we have a culture obsessed with aliens, superheroes, and magicians. The Age of Enlightenment, the advent of the religion of science, was supposed to remove superstition and mysticism. Reality became confined to what can be observed and measured, and scientific study vastly increased man’s understanding of the natural world. This almost worked to appease the ought.

Not really. It didn’t come close.

Job 11:7 asks a poignant question: “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” The answer is a resounding no, but that does not stop mankind from longing to experience something beyond the restraints of our reality. The truth is, we long for something more that our existence, beyond what we can observe and measure; a deep longing for the mysteries of God is part of our genetic makeup. Always has been. Since enlightened people can no longer look to God for the answer to this longing, they settle for man-made fantasies involving superpowers or ETs. Call it just entertainment. Dismiss it as just cinematic pop culture. The fascination, however, reflects a fundamental desire to break free of this physical mold and experience something from behind the curtain.

Dare to take a peek?

1 Corinthians 2:6-12

Among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

   nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

Wounds

Primum non nocere. First, do no harm. Although this famous line is incorrectly attributed to the Hippocratic Oath of ancient Greece, it does accurately reflect a part of this famous pledge as follows: “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing.” Call it a catchy paraphrase. The strict notion of do no harm, however, becomes a moot point when the surgeon applies scalpel to flesh, slicing through dermis, blood vessels, and muscles, in order to remove some malignancy causing even greater harm to the body. In that moment, the surgeon is inflicting a wound upon the recipient, and a scar will remain as evidence. The life may be saved by the necessary act of rending flesh, justifying the action for the sake of a long-term view. The goal, of course, is to make the person whole.

This limited analogy has a direct correlation to wounds of the soul. The patient with a tumor will readily seek the aid of a skilled surgeon, agreeing to receive a wound in order to remove a more grievous ailment. Soul wounds, however, are ignored, suppressed, misdiagnosed, and treated to a host of ineffective solutions. The fallen state of man guarantees that all of humanity will experience soul wounds, most of which will be inflicted by other broken people. Once the surgeon removes the tumor and stitches the wound he inflicted, the patient will begin to mend by virtue of how the human body was designed. This same principle applies to soul wounds. The person must endure a rending that reveals the malignancy within, then sustain the pain of having it cut away before the spirit can begin to heal.

Proverbs 18:14 states, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” Stories of people remaining cheerful and optimistic in spite of physical ailments have been told since stories were first recorded. But what of the broken in spirit? If a man’s spirit can endure sickness, why is the reverse not true? At this point in the discussion, people will point to the therapeutic benefits of a nature walk or massage. They may point to the large self-help section at the local bookstore that didn’t exist a half-century ago. Those are as effective for a long term solution as the phrase “physician, heal thyself!” How does a wounded spirit receive healing? It starts the same way as the surgeon performing surgery: consent on the part of the patient.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Then several chapters later in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Instead of sharpened surgical steel, He might use the inspired lyrics from a song, the words of a godly confidant, or even a reflective moment of silence. The only sustainable, promised remedy for the wounded spirit is the cure found in the promises of Holy Scripture. It requires your consent. It hurts. It really does. It will even leave a scar as proof that you have been made whole. But spirit can only be mended by Spirit.

Hubris

It’s a fancy word for pride or arrogance. People express this negative attribute in many ways, some of which are obvious. Others are more subtle and reveal a systemic lack of thought or reflection. Depending on your philosophical bent, the word hubris could conjure an image in your mind of a polarizing figure, such as President Barack Obama or his political counterpart President-Elect Donald Trump. Both are arrogant, and both believe his worldview is superior to opposing views. This same hubris trickles down to those who ascribe to a similar worldview, expressed publicly on infantile Facebook diatribes, melodramatic YouTube meltdowns, vicious Tweets, and disruptive protests. People on both sides of the political spectrum have done this. Both believe and behave fervently that his or her view is correct and diametrically opposed to the counter belief, and both sides behave like fools at times. This form of hubris is blatant but is often the precursor to a more subtle arrogance, one that suppresses rational thought or reflection.

At this point in the mental process, hubris ceases to be an assurance of right. Someone who believes he is right can come across as arrogant, but that confidence protects him from the need to act like a childish fool. It is only the insecure belief that feels the need to attack when met by an opposing view. Culture has become less about defending personal beliefs and more about attacking the beliefs of others. A person no longer has need of a strong, rational defense, only loud, blind vitriol against those who oppose. This is called intellectual laziness. Atheists, Christians, Liberals, and Conservatives do this. It is not unique to any particular worldview. It never has been.

The Apostle James quotes from the Old Testament when he wrote in chapter 4 verse 6, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Some people have it in their minds that the word resist in this verse means ignore. Resist, however, is an action verb. It’s where we get the word resistance. Resisting arrest doesn’t mean you ignore the officer putting you in handcuffs. It means to fight or oppose, to struggle against in order to win or break free. In the next verse, Christians are extolled to “resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James doesn’t say ignore the devil. He says fight, push back, resist. Verse 6 takes on a whole new meaning when you imagine God pushing and fighting against a prideful individual. Hubris and grace are the equivalent to spiritual oil and water. By their nature, they cannot mix. The only allowable confidence any human should express is in God’s promises expressed in His Word. Period. God resists the proud because pride omits the ability to say “I am, or could be, wrong.” Without this reflective pause to assess a personal worldview, all anyone is left with is attacks on those who oppose. Intellectual laziness. Foolishness.

Hubris.

Is God resisting you?

So Yesterday....

Aftermath

Yesterday, I decided in a great slip of faith that the best way to identify with the mates in my life who are suffering from extremely limiting life issues, needed to be something I share an affinity with. So, while walking on the dock, toward the edge where I thought I would  jump in with my family and cool off for the day, I took a firm step on slippery ground and began a slip to end all questions about what it means to lose the ability to do certain things I previously took for granted. 

I managed to catch myself in some kind of Half-in-half-out of the water kind of pretzel and sat while several young adults and children came rushing over and asked if I was ok, in a way that you would a 95 year old man who was in need of great pity and unable to walk so why is he out here, kind of compassion.

My reaction was typically masculine (AKA stupid) and I shooed them away with the assurances that this was no big deal and that my leg and arms were supposed to be in this position. So they left. I was then sitting on the dock humiliated and hurting trying to figure out how to untie this pretzel I was now imitating.

I managed to shift my body and get both legs into the water and sit there in order to support the lie I had just told about bring okay a few seconds earlier. I checked the knee I had just bent in a way that I had thought no longer possible at my advanced age (apparently 95) and was relieved to see that it did indeed bend and no bones were visible on the surface. While sitting there the pained knee gave way to a growing inflamed feeling in my lower back on the right side. "Not good," I thought. The next thing I realized I was no longer able to move without immense pain. So I sat there and as my family realized I was missing they gravitated around me from the water and the doc and they encouraged me to get up and get in the water so I could work out the pain. After some convincing I decided to stand and try to walk over to the opposing edge of the dock and jump in.

I rolled over and pulled my legs out of the water.  Forcing myself though the pain to get to a standing position. The pain then made it hard to catch my breath at this point and I, instead, turned and walked off the doc. It was a painful walk. Pressure on my right leg put so much pain into my lower back it affected the way I was breathing and all I knew was I wanted to get back up the hill to the trailer and find an anti gravity something that would take the pressure off.

Noah's girlfriend,  Alexis, ran to get my wife who made her way over to me quickly with my sandals and together we worked our way up the hill and to the ibuprofen. Tonya convinced me that I cold not take the rest of the bottle right away but that it needed be dosed out in smaller increments to actually be helpful.

The rest of the evening was me trying to find a place or position that would prove remotely comfortable. There were none really. I managed to sleep a bit because I was pretty tired from working the night before. But then settled into my new reality of managed pain.

I am still in a great deal of pain today. Discovering the limitations gifted me by my little slip of reality yesterday. But it will pass with time. For those who have injury that never really heals totally and who live with managed pain to never know a baseline of normal health again, you have my renewed prayers and sympathies. I get to share, in some small way, the "ugh" of your existence for a time.  Renewed today in me is the longing for the truth that Paul expresses in 2 Corinthians 5. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬