The Heart of a True Worshiper - Part 1

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24) Jesus had been talking with a Samaritan woman when He spoke these words. In the culture of His day speaking with a Samaritan – especially a woman – was something that a respectable, well-mannered Jewish man would never do. Not only was she a Samaritan woman, but her lifestyle was questionable at best. She had been married several times and was living with a man who was not her husband. Yet Jesus spoke with her! In today’s world this would be akin to going into an adult bookstore and asking the owner for a drink of water, then hanging around and talking with the patrons…not a situation many of us are likely to find ourselves in! But then, Jesus chose the Father’s will over all things, even if it meant being controversial, or running the risk of being misunderstood.

So what did Jesus mean by the statement, “…true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks?” To answer this question we have to look at several principles in Scripture, all of which deal with the heart – not the physical organ, but that part of us which is the center of our being, the essence of who we are. As we look together this week at what God’s word has to say about the heart, I encourage you to be open and honest with yourself and the Father about the condition of your heart. This is what the Bible calls being ‘contrite’ or ‘repentant.’

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” (I Samuel 16:7) When we consider our relationship with the Father the one thing we must keep at the forefront of our minds is the fact that He looks at our hearts. He knows our hidden thoughts. We cannot hide our true motives from Him, our ambitions, our desires, our pain, or our fears. He knows that our hearts are riddled with destructive forces (the biblical term is ‘sin’) that will ultimately keep us separated from Him for all eternity if He does not step in and help us. But here is where things get a bit complicated. Above all things, the Father wants us to desire Him! He wants a relationship with us. He wants us to get to know Him, to have fellowship with Him. He’s not nearly as interested in what we can do for Him as He is interested in us knowing Him…His love, His goodness, His provision, His perfection, His beauty. (Anyway, what can we do for Him? He is the Creator, the Almighty, the Majesty. He is perfectly sufficient unto Himself!) He desires to walk with us, talk with us. He wants to affirm the fact we are His! We are precious in His sight; He delights in us and dances over us with joy.

But our hearts are sick. The disease of Pride and Selfishness causes a blindness that distorts our senses and warps what we see, hear and say, breaking relationship with the Father. Our hearts need healing. There is only one way we can be healed, and that is to come to the place where we are willing and ready to recognize the fact that our hearts are sick and we need the touch of the Healer. More on this tomorrow!

A few days before His encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus was in Jerusalem celebrating Passover. One night a man named Nicodemus, a Pharisee, sought Jesus out. During the course of the conversation we learn several things from the Lord: we must be ‘born again’ if we are to see the Kingdom of God; God loves us enough to have provided a way back ‘home’ to Him (yesterday I mentioned that the Father has stepped in to help us); we find our way back to the Father by trusting and believing in His Son; Jesus did not come into the world to judge the world., but to save the world; those who believe in Jesus are not judged; those who do not believe in Him are judged, not because of their deeds, but because they have not believed in the name of Jesus, the only Son of God.

The statements Jesus makes to Nicodemus in this conversation are a death sentence to religion. Merriam-Webster defines religion as “a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices.” Practical religion tends to remove the most important element necessary to our relationship with God: faith. Simply put, we must believe. The Apostle Paul states it well in Hebrews 11, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” A few sentences earlier, Paul wrote, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” This, dear friend, is what sets religion apart from relationship.

The sickness that is in our hearts robs us of the ability to see reality as it truly is. This ‘spiritual blindness’ is something we are all born with, because a long time ago the very first man and woman chose to break trust and relationship with the Father by doing the one thing He had commanded them not to do. This single act of disobedience has been humanity’s demise. When we choose to trust in Jesus, believing in His words and learning Who He is, our spiritual blindness begins to lift. The more we get to know Him through His words, the clearer our sight becomes.

Have you ever experienced the wonder of flying a kite or sailing a boat? Wind is an amazing thing! There’s nothing more soothing than a cool breeze that comes just before a thunderstorm on a hot summer day. At the same time, we stand in awe of the destructive forces of a hurricane or tornado. Another thing that Jesus mentions in His conversation with Nicodemus is wind. I find this to be one of the most interesting passages of Scripture in the Bible. To quote Him directly, Jesus told Nicodemus, “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) This is the most important clue that Jesus gives us regarding what our relationship with the Father is supposed to look like. You cannot see wind. You do not know when it is going to arrive. You cannot control it. You cannot make it stronger or weaker through any act of your own. It is what it is.

Practical religion is man’s attempt to bend the Wind to our own will. We set up systems of dos and don’ts, make policies and guidelines based on what we think the Wind should look like and how it should behave. Then we become frustrated and confused when we still find ourselves empty and no better off than we were before we started down the ‘religious’ road. We convince ourselves this is just the way things are, this is as good as it gets, and settle for lives of selfish misery. How unfortunate! This is not the way the Father wants it to be!

Why all this talk of religion? Because religion – man’s systems of worship – is one of the greatest deterrents to trueYet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” This phrase doesn’t make sense unless you think about it in terms of relationship. We worship in spirit (from the heart) and truth (openly, honestly, admitting our faults and weaknesses to Him and to one another). This is the only way in which we can approach the Father. worship. Remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman? “

There are as many different types of hearts and personalities as there are people. God delights in this…He made us each unique. He loves the variety! Unfortunately one of the biggest symptoms of the sickness in our hearts is the tendency to believe – deep down – that everyone else should look like, think like, and act like we do! This perspective gets us into a world of trouble. It makes us jealous, selfish, untrusting, and ultimately unloving. This by-product of Adam’s disobedience has been exploited by the evil one to create hatred among races and family members alike, not to mention the Church. Ultimately, Satan’s ultimate goal is to destroy all relationship, because he has relationship with no one!

How do we resist the evil one, or for that matter our own heart-sickness? We surrender to the Wind. We don’t try to control Him or manipulate Him or make Him serve our needs. We give up our rights and devote ourselves to serving each other. According to Jesus, the greatest command in the whole Bible is, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” (Luke 10:27) The second greatest command was just as important: we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Look at it this way. In America we pride ourselves on doing just about anything that we have to do in order to get our needs met. But are we willing to do just about anything we have to do (permissible within Scripture, of course) in order to help get our neighbor’s needs met? Putting the needs of others before our own is not something we find easy to do! But it’s one of the ways we prove ourselves to be God-lovers and God-pleasers, and one of the characteristics of a true worshipper.

Another aspect of true worship is obedience. When you love someone with all your heart you find yourself wanting to do things that please them. Meeting the needs of others at our own expense without expecting anything in return is one of the greatest demonstrations of love. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me you will do as I command.” Don’t misunderstand His statement. Jesus is not trying to manipulate the disciples by saying “if you really love me, then you’ll (jump through a bunch of hoops).” He is explaining that a natural by-product of their love for Him is obedience to His Word! Jesus has every right to expect this because He is God – the Creator, the great ‘I Am!’ He deserves our obedience because of Who He is. But beyond that fact, the only way we will know true contentment and peace is through obedience! Dear friend, all that is good, all that is beautiful, all that brings joy, all knowledge, all that is noble and pure has its source in Him. Our obedience to Him, our unswerving allegiance as His servants, enables us to enjoy His nature. Obedience is for our own benefit!

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:16-17) When we become the type of worshiper Jesus described to the Samaritan woman, we become the presence of Christ and representatives of the Father’s kingdom. We no longer live for ourselves. Instead, we cast our lives to the Wind, allowing it to take us where He will. This is the life of faith. We learn to not manipulate circumstances to our own benefit, but trust the Father in all things. We run free of the expectations that are placed upon us by others, or we sometimes place upon ourselves, trading these in for the privilege of carrying out the Father’s will. Our greatest delight lies in spending time with the Lord Jesus, learning to hear the Father’s voice.

This type of life is not comfortable to the flesh; in fact, it cuts against the grain of our fallen human nature. Jesus understands this, which is why He told His disciples in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” To choose Christ means to reject this present life and world-system. It is for this reason Jesus commands us to love each other. His followers, those who have trusted in Him and believed on His name, are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, strangers and aliens on this planet. Quite simply, we need each other! When our hearts connect in relationship and in worship, the world sits up and pays attention! Relationship, not programs, is the best form of evangelistic outreach!

Not once in these pages has worship been associated with the ‘externals’ we experience in our corporate weekly services. Worship is not about the bulletin, how we dress, the type of music we sing, or the pastor’s preaching style. Worship is about our willingness to engage with God at a heart level, surrendered to the truth of His Word. Out of this worship flows true relationship with one another. We support each other, believe in each other, bear with each other, suffer with each other, and endure each other’s weaknesses with joy and forbearance. These are the types of worshipers the Father seeks.

Jesus did not come to this earth to start a new religion. He came to draw us into relationship with the Father. When we choose to follow Him, obey His teachings, and trust in His name, believing He is the Son of God, we are changed from the inside out. Have you ever noticed how when you get really close to someone you begin to adopt their mannerisms, even their ‘catch-phrases?’ This is one of the reasons why married couples sometimes are said to look alike – they have rubbed off on each other for so long it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. This is how the Father yearns for it to be with us! He wants to ‘rub-off’ on us so we can, in turn, ‘rub-off’ on each other! It is a divine love-relationship of the highest order…unconditional love!

When Jesus Shatters Your World

"Because of what Jesus said, many of his disciples turned their backs on him and stopped following him. Jesus then asked His twelve disciples if they were going to leave Him. Simon Peter answered, "Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God's Holy One."

John 6:66-69

This spring marks 40 years that I will have been a follower of Jesus Christ. Having grown up in the church and in ministry (both as a missionary's and a preacher's kid), I have been exposed to God's Word of truth from an early age. It's wonderful, when, after all these years, the Lord continues to reveal Himself to me in new ways.

Take John 6, for instance. This may be one of the most misunderstood - therefore glossed over - chapters in the Gospels. It was still early in Jesus' ministry; the journey had taken He and His disciples from Cana to Jerusalem, through Samaria and back to the Galilee. Andrew, Philip, and Simon Peter were probably still trying to process the first miracle they saw back at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. From there He had gone on to raise up a lame man in Jerusalem, heal an official's son, save a whole town in Samaria, miraculously feed untold thousands, walk on a stormy sea, instantly transport the boat they were in across the Galilee, along with many other miracles Scripture does not record in detail, except to acknowledge that Jesus did them. Talk about fastening your seatbelt - the Twelve disciples must have been in a whirl!

And then, a breather. After feeding the multitude, Jesus spent time alone that evening before returning to Capernaum. The next day the crowds followed Jesus back across the lake. When they arrived, they found Jesus waiting for them in the synagogue. Synagogues were places of teaching, where Jewish men would go hear the Law of Moses taught by the priests and rabbis. The crowds had been following Jesus because of the signs and miracles He had been performing, not the least of which had been the 'miracle meal' 24 hours earlier! They were fired up! In fact, Jesus withdrew back to Capernaum because He perceived they were going to try to take Him by force and make Him king!

So He promptly shatters their world. He tells them that they should not be following Him because he filled their bellies, but because the Father has sent Him on a mission to save them and give them Life. He reminds them of the 'manna in the wilderness' experience during Moses' time (they are, after all, in the synagogue and this would be a common teaching, like a Bible story in Sunday School) But He adds a new twist. Jesus didn't tell them that He had miraculously fed them meat and bread (like Yahweh in the wilderness), and they could expect this provision to now continue since He, the Messiah, was here. Instead, Jesus told them He was the bread of life! In fact, He pressed the point home by stating His flesh was bread they must eat; His blood, the wine they must drink - this was true food. How's that for a political campaign?!

The crowd was rattled. They argued. This was outrageous! But Jesus didn't stop or backtrack. He pressed on to say, "I tell you for certain that you won't live unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. But if you do eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will have eternal life, and I will raise you to life on the last day. My flesh is the true food, and my blood is the true drink. If you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you are one with me, and I am one with you. The living Father sent me, and I have life because of him. Now everyone who eats my flesh will live because of me. The bread that comes down from heaven isn't like what your ancestors ate. They died, but whoever eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-59). The grumbling began to ripple-out through through His disciples (not the Twelve, but many others who followed Him as a rabbi and teacher).

The tension reached a breaking point. Any thoughts the crowd might have had of making Jesus king were forgotten. Surely this man was mad! How could anyone in their right mind teach these things? Eat his flesh, drink His blood? Bread of Life - what on earth was He talking about? At that moment, Jesus spelled it out for them, but He was not heard or understood. Minds and hearts were closed. He asked them, "Does this bother you? What if you should see the Son of Man go up to heaven where he came from? The Spirit is the one who gives life! Human strength can do nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are from that life-giving Spirit. But some of you refuse to have faith in me." (John 6:61-64) Jesus explained there is no power in the flesh - human strength - in an attempt to correct their thoughts on the 'cannibalism' issue. Yet when He gave them the Father's true perspective, the crowd remained closed. They were finished, done. They left. Many of His so-called disciples left with them. The huge momentum built over weeks of teaching, signs, and miracles came to an abrupt halt. High hopes and expectations were dashed. There would be no king to deliver them from Roman rule. Jesus shattered their world.

Only He didn't, really. What He did was speak Truth. He didn't come to deliver them from Roman rule, but from Satan's rule! He tried to get them to understand His mission was to bring them back to the Father, as many as would believe and follow Him. To their credit, the Twelve (Jesus' chosen disciples) got it! (John 6:66-69) You see, the miraculous meal which took place the day before was as much a test for the Twelve as it was anything else. Look at a couple of interesting verses back at the beginning of the chapter, "When Jesus saw the large crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, "Where will we get enough food to feed all these people?" He said this to test Philip, since he already knew what he was going to do." (John 6:5-6) Before you think that it might have been a little unfair of Jesus to test Philip this way, think back to the miracle at Cana. Philip, Andrew and Simon Peter were there when Jesus turned the water into wine. They heard Mary tell the servants of the bridegroom, "Whatever He tells you to do, do it." Simply put, the test was one of obedience. Would the disciples remember Mary's words and take them to heart?

When we come to Jesus, He speaks the Father's Truth into our lives. God's Truth shatters a world which revolves around misguided beliefs or faulty paradigms. When our world is shattered, we have a choice: do we follow by faith in obedience to His Word; or do we fall away because we don't understand, or our minds are made-up, or the way is too hard? It's been almost a month since my last blog. A month since Jesus shattered my world (something I've come to be most grateful for). I lost my job; my position on staff as worship pastor of a church I had grown to deeply love and enjoy serving. There were no reasons given by the church leadership other than 'differences in style and approach to ministry'. We agreed to end the ministry partnership amicably, in a way that honors the Lord, and the church leadership has been more than generous in providing for my family during this interim period in which I am discerning from the Lord 'what's next'.

Nevertheless, I am unemployed (at least temporarily), for reasons I don't really understand, as I step back and try to look at the whole picture. I am in a place much like the one in which the crowds in Capernaum found themselves on that day so long ago, in a synagogue by the Sea of Galilee; a place of disappointment, of confusion, of doubt. They thought they had discovered a king, a savior, but didn't understand Jesus was the King, the Savior. They allowed circumstances to close their hearts and minds to the Truth the Son was trying to show them: He came to save them - not on their terms, but on the Father's (far better terms, by the way!).

"'It's not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord God of hosts."

Zechariah 4:6

It's not about my job, or the ministry to which I am called. It's about passing the test of obedience. How else on earth can my faith be tested? The Lord has so incredibly blessed my life with an amazing wife and family, abundant seasons of prosperity, great times, wonderful accomplishments for His Kingdom, close friends and ministry partners, many of them lifelong. And yet the command to "sell all you have and come, follow me" still rings out. For me, this means accepting greatly perplexing things I don't understand, whether ministry-related or otherwise. As I look back over the last few years I think this is perhaps the greatest lesson the Lord has been teaching me. A life of faith is one which accepts those things that do not make sense to the human mind, letting go of anything that would challenge the Father's authority in our lives. Like the old hymn goes, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." (Public Domain, Rev. John Henry Sammis, Daniel Brink Tower)

Lord, there is no one else that I can go to! Your words give eternal life. I have faith in You, and I am sure that You are God's Holy One. I can't wait to see what's next!

True Religion

"...[Religion] is a real participation of His nature, it is a beam of the eternal life, a drop of that infinite ocean of goodness; and they who are endued with it, may be said to have 'God dwelling in their souls' and 'Christ formed within them.'"

-Henry Scougal

I paraphrase Henry Scougal's definition of religion to read, 'religion is that process by which we are conformed and transformed into the image of Christ by the inward dwelling of the nature of God.' This 'transformational process' occurs when we take the intentional steps to reach upward, inward, and outward. The Apostle Peter sums it up nicely in his second letter: "We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. God made great and marvelous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world. Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. But if you don't grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won't stumble and fall. Then our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will give you a glorious welcome into his kingdom that will last forever." (2 Peter 2:3-10, CEV)

The upward reach is described in verse 3, "It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness." The 'reaching up' we do is an act of faith, like a child reaching out to hold the hand of a parent when the light suddenly goes out. The child does not question the availability or the desire of the parent to guide and protect. He or she knows instinctively the parent is available, and desires to guide and protect as much as the child desires guidance and protection; it's a natural course of nature. From the time Adam chose to walk in the darkness of disobedience, God hand has been extended to guide and protect those who would seek Him. Not only that, but He entered into this dominion of darkness, the Light of the world, so that we might not walk in the darkness, but in the light!

This is where the 'reaching inward' comes into play, "God made great and marvelous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world." Imagine an operating room complete with the finest surgical staff, the best facilities, the latest technology and equipment, but no light. Would you choose to have surgery in such an environment? His Light exposes darkness. Living in darkness, our souls become marred and blemished. His light exposes the injuries we have wrought on ourselves, the blemishes and imperfections that scar us and cause us to fall short of His perfect nature. As we allow His light to penetrate, we are able to 'see' our hidden faults, the first step toward being healed of them. His light is perfect, revealing the truth, leaving nothing to the imagination. It causes us to see oursleves as we really are, forcing us to face the ugliness and deformity of our souls. But He doesn't leave us in this state! He is the Healer, the Great Physician, the Restorer. As we choose to walk daily in His light, His nature gradually changes us and into the beautiful creation He meant us to be, "Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love." We walk in His light by allowing His Word of Truth to frame our thoughts and our actions. We take the time daily to read, meditate, and pray through Scripture, surrendering our lives to His gentle nudges as we come to recognize and know His voice.

At this point it we naturally begin 'reaching outward'! "If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful." The Holy Spirit is a gentleman - He never forces. He is not a demanding taskmaster who manipulates and controls until He gets His way. He invites and beacons us to "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8) As we walk in the Light, our healing and restoration draws other to the Father by His very nature residing in us! We become a 'pleasing aroma', that casts His glow on those around us, inviting them to join in His goodness; and so the process of reaching upward, inward, and outward multiplies itself over and over again. It is a cycle that manifests the glory of God on this earth. And we are the vehicles He chooses to use for this process, if we will just surrender to Him. How awesome is that?!

Press On To Know The Lord

2010 Theme Verse - Hosea 6:3, 10:12

When I joined the staff of Bethel Church in 2001, Doug Anderson - the senior pastor at the time - introduced me to a practice that I eventually came to adopt as my own. It is a healthy practice, I believe, because it invites us to look beyond ourselves and see our lives from God's perspective. His perspective is perfect. It does not change with time. It is not influenced by cultural values. It is not biased by sin or human frailty. This practice encourages us to pursue knowing God and His perspective by establishing His word as the standard by which we live in a very real way! Moses sums the practice up in Deuteronomy 30, where he quotes God:

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, 'Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, 'Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?' No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

The Theme Verse practice is quite simple. In December of each year I begin to ask the Lord to bring me a Scripture that will guide me through the coming year; a verse which will provide His perspective for my life. There is nothing mystical about it, nothing overtly 'supernatural', other than the fact it is His word, placed in my heart by His Spirit as a guide through the months to come. In 2009 the Theme Verse came from Isaiah 43:18-19, "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert." As 2009 ticked past, I worked to filter my circumstances and decisions through these verses, reminding myself that His ways are not mine, He is always on the move, and I would do well to trust Him to provide in the bleakest of circumstances and not overly concern myself with the past. I also have been learning that what He does in and through me for His good pleasure may not always 'feel good'. But then, discipline seldom 'feels good', although, in the end, we are the better for it!

So, it's January 5th, 2010. I have been working my way through Hosea, who lived in the 7th Century B.C. during the time of Israel's rebellion and unfaithfulness. In fact, the whole book revolves around the theme of adultery...beginning with the Lord commanding Hosea to take a prostitute - Gomer - for a wife, which he does. Can you imagine? The book spares no detail in describing the Lord's distaste for unfaithfulness and disloyalty. It is sobering and drives me to my knees, for the book describes my heart at times! And yet, we also see a clear picture of the glory of God's grace and the nature of His unfailing love! As I have studied, two verses have leapt off of the page and into my heart. It is these I believe the Lord has led me to for 2010. I am writing them below in two versions, first the English Standard Version (ESV), then the Contemporary English Version (CEV):

"Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you."

(Hosea 6:3, 10:12; ESV)

"Let's do our best to know the LORD. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; he will refresh us like rain renewing the earth in the springtime. Plow your fields, scatter seeds of justice, and harvest faithfulness. Worship me, the LORD, and I will send my saving power down like rain."

(Hosea 6:3, 10:12; CEV)

Seek the Lord with all your heart this new year, my friend. Plow the ground of your heart until it becomes fertile soil in which the Word of Truth can grow into an abundant harvest of righteousness!

Love in Christ,

Mark

Regaining Momentum

Dealing With Life's Detours

The year was 1979. I was seventeen and my family had recently moved to Bradenton, FL, where my father had accepted the call to pastor First Baptist Church. We had left friends, family, home and schools behind in Lithia Springs, Georgia. In an effort to cure some of my loneliness, mom invited Scott, my best friend, down to stay with us for a few weeks over the summer. The unparalleled adventures we shared growing up in Georgia now turned a new chapter!

Scott decided to get a job at Chi-Fil-A at the mall. This was mutually beneficial, as it provided him with a paycheck and the both of us food. I picked him up after work one afternoon. The plan was to hurry home, grab the poles and go fishing. I decided to take a shortcut on some dirt roads behind a golf-course to avoid the afternoon traffic. What I didn't know was in Florida's coastal towns, most 'dirt' is sand. Sand that, during the dry season, you can hardly walk on, much less drive a car on. I promptly buried my '68 Buick Special all the way to the doors in a sand-trap.

Fishing now completely out of the picture, we walked to some nearby apartments, used a phone, called a tow-truck, and went back to wait with the car, dejected at the turn of events. The tow truck arrived, backed-up to our car, and promptly sank to the top of its wheel-wells! We just gaped at the driver, who gaped back at us, and then said some not-so-nice things. A 4x4 came along and tried to help, only to become yet another member of the "Mired In A Sand Dune" club. Finally, after 3 hours we were all freed, thanks to the efforts of a tow-truck designed to rescue and tow semi-tractors! This vehicle was huge! We laughed as it backed right up to each vehicle in turn, and pulled them right out. Sure, it sank a couple of feet into the sand each time, but when you have a 4-5' wheel-span, it doesn't really matter. We were even able to get a couple of hours of fishing in before dark!

Looking back on that experience, I realize how fortunate we were, and how the Lord protected us. The lesson is not lost on me, either. Sure, we were driving a less-traveled road, but we had no idea that the lack of rain combined with the traffic had rendered the road impassable. I'll never forget the sensation of that car slowly stopping, wheels spinning; having to climb out the windows, because we couldn't get the doors open; looking at our predicament with that sinking "what-do-we-do-now?" feeling; then bursting into hysterical laughter, because we were young, best friends, had no cares, and loved life! The confidence of youth blew worries out the window. We were engaged together in yet another famous "Mark and Scott" adventure (these were notorious among our friends in Georgia)!

Scott and I have grown up and apart (although we do run into each other occasionally on Facebook), discovering along the way - as well all do - that life's unexpected 'sand traps' aren't usually fun or adventurous. In fact, they can be exceptionally challenging and deeply painful. If we're not careful, we can find ourselves as stuck as my old Buick was, bemoaning the circumstances, the failure, the loss of time, relationship and life's momentum. We might have even pulled others in with us, and now we're all stuck, trying to figure out how to get out of the mess we're in (these situations can be particularly tricky and vicious, due to the human tendency to be unforgiving). Most of the time these 'sand pits' are our own doing. We've made them ourselves, ignoring the danger signs along the way! We've totally ignored the warning in proverbs, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

All of us at one time or another have taken a wrong turn; done or said something we deeply regret and desperately wish we could take back. We long for a new beginning, a fresh start, but discover these opportunities are rare, and more times than not we are forced to 'lie in the bed we've made.' We tend to see these times as negative, frustrating, and discouraging, when in fact they are wonderful opportunities, if we'll take the time to see things from God's perspective! This is what He says: "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (II Chronicles 16:9); "For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 29:11-14a)

The older I get, the thing I have come to most greatly value (and what I find I lack the most, many times) is perspective. Few have the ability to consistently see beneath the surface of things and anticipate what might lie ahead. We are limited by our knowledge, our experience, our values and our culture. We develop 'filters' through which we evaluate our circumstances and the actions of those around us; trying to discern how we 'fit', in order to create as much security for ourselves as possible. The problem is, these 'filters' tend to focus our minds on ourselves, when our thoughts should be centered on the Father, the Creator, the One who loves us most and knows us best. It's for this reason that we must constantly immerse ourselves in His Truth. It's the one best way to avoid life's 'sand traps'.

The next time you're 'stuck', do yourself and those around you a huge favor: run to the One who made and redeemed you. Seek after Him, get to know Him and His purposes. Spend time reading what He has to say to you...it's all right there in the Bible! Learn to trust Him. He owns the largest tow-truck ever made.

Love In Christ,

Mark

Walk The Line

Where Spirit and Soul Meet

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13)

We are never in more danger than when we presume to judge the thoughts and intents of another person's heart; never more arrogant or prideful; never in a greater place of potential deception. Make no mistake, this temptation is from the evil one and dates all the way back to the Garden of Eden, "...did God really say 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden?'" Not only did Satan distort the truth (God didn't say that), but he led Eve into trying to judge God's motives. When we begin to judge and evaluate the motives of another person, we place ourselves in a position equal to or above the very living Word of God! This sin has caused more strife, more bloodshed, more wars than perhaps any other in man's dismal history.

All human relationship is based on how we connect at a 'heart' level, where our "thoughts and intents" reside; in other words, how the 'essence' of who we are - how God created us - interacts with the 'essence' of who others are. At the pinnacle of healthy human relationship is the understanding that we are, first and foremost, created beings. We are not some random coincidence. No human has ever been born or conceived by chance; there is no such thing as an 'x-factor' when it comes to human existence. Every person who has ever lived, lives, or will live has been strategically designed and placed on this earth by the Creator for His ultimate glory! Given this fact, it stands to reason that relationship with one another can flourish only as we flourish in our personal relationship with God.

Jesus Christ was Emmanuel - "God with us". The immeasurable vastness of our Creator diminished in size and form until He could be contained in the womb of a young virgin. From an infant in a manger, to a child, to a boy, to a man, Jesus grew and lived and walked among us, eventually giving His life freely, taking the punishment for our disobedient, rebellious, prideful ways upon Himself. He did this in an incomparable act of grace and mercy; all so we could be reconciled in our relationship the Father, God, the Creator! If we believe this, we will follow His ways, learn and obey His teaching, adopt His 'worldview' as our own. This will change us, we will be affected, different, as we come to know Him better (for He lives, you see, just as much today as He did 2000 years ago). This change will be evident in our relationships.

Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by the love that we have for one another. This love Jesus talks about is not human love, based on selfish needs and desires. It is a type of love we can experience only as we place ourselves in our proper station: created beings (and redeemed ones at that!). So you see, my friend, the circle is now complete. Unconditional love accepts without judging or evaluating the thoughts and intents of another person's heart (there's a great description in 1 Corinthians 13).

Amazingly, even the world understands at an intuitive level that God's love, unconditional love, exists and is critical to all human relationship. The Broadway musical Les Miserables ends with this sung dialogue:

VALJEAN

On this page
I write my last confession
read it well
when I, at last, am sleeping

It's a story
Of those who always loved you
Your mother gave her life for you
Then gave you to my keeping.

FANTINE
Come with me
Where chains will never bind you
All your grief
At last, at last behind you
Lord in Heaven
Look down on him in mercy.

VALJEAN
forgive me all my trespasses
And take me to your glory.

VALJEAN, FANTINE, EPONINE
Take my hand
And lead me to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting
And remember
The truth that once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God.

I went with my two oldest sons, Aaron and Hastings, to see James Cameron's Avatar last night. The essence of this movie is distilled down into 3 words: "I see you." It was impossible for the characters in the movie to speak these words outside an acknowledgment of "Eywa" the native Pandoran deity, who lived in and through everything (similar to "The Force" in Star Wars). Like Star Wars, Avatar is riddled with New Age, American Indian and Hindu theology, and serves no purpose other than sheer entertainment. Yet even in this totally humanistic effort exists the underlying the message for the need of unconditional love. When the humans and Pandorans set aside their differences and genuinely tried to accept one another, rather than judge each other, relationship thrived and they could say "I see you" with all their hearts.

The church will be remembered (and evaluated) not for great buildings, organizations, or evangelistic efforts, but for the love shared between her people. This is her greatest gift, her greatest legacy. The kind of love which refuses to judge the thoughts and intents of the hearts of others cannot exist apart from the direct work of the Holy Spirit within each of us. This work calls for complete surrender and obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ - the Creator, God taking the form of human flesh - a form He created! It's time for the Church, the Ecclesia, the Body of Christ, His ambassador to this planet, to really get this; time for us to look at one another, full of the Holy Spirit, Truth, and grace, and say, "I see you".

Merry Christmas!

Mark

How, Then, Do We Live?

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." - Paul (Formerly Saul of Tarsus)

Sometimes we tend to dress-up and formalize Scripture to the point it feels 'iconic' rather than 'real'. This happens most frequently with very familiar passages like the one from which I quoted above (from Ephesians 5:15-20). To counteract the 'icon effect', let's take a look at the same passage from the Contemporary English Version of the Bible, a fairly decent paraphrase: "Act like people with good sense and not like fools. These are evil times, so make every minute count. Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything." I chuckle when I read this version because I wonder how many pastors in America today could get away with making a statement like this - and meaning it - from the pulpit, without losing a chunk of their congregation. It certainly isn't a passage that 'tickles the ears'! Let's spend a few minutes breaking it down.

"Act like people with good sense and not like fools." If you're like me, the word "fools" jumps off of the page because of its strength. But I believe the most important word in this sentence is actually the verb, "Act". Jesus said, "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Sometimes I think the greatest disservice man has ever done to the cause of Christianity is the construction of church facilities. Not because church buildings are bad or wrong, but because when we identify our walk with Christ with a man-made structure, we tend to live 'inside the walls'. In other words, we compartmentalize our spiritual life, associating it with a physical location. This, my friend, is not what the Apostle Paul would call 'good sense'. Make no mistake, we will only be able to live 'outside the walls' if we embrace the words Paul also spoke in Colossians 2, "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Living 'in Christ' means we become genuine disciples, obedient to His commands (you can read up on some of these by going to Matthew 5-7 and John 15).

"These are evil times, so make every minute count." We live in a day of unparalleled leisure. Statistics say that children accumulate more knowledge in one year, than they would have in a whole lifetime had they lived just 100 years ago. Nothing of any significance can happen in the world today without it immediately being broadcast globally (Tiger Woods, case in point). There is more vile, unmitigated filth available at the press of a few buttons to anyone who wants to view it, than those who suffered God's wrath for the same acts or less could have ever dreamed of. The average person today lives in conditions which historically have been reserved only for the most wealthy and powerful. Today's (unsaved) wealthy and powerful have a hard time not thinking of themselves as gods. And Paul thought the days were evil in his time! What would he say of these days? (He'd say "Look up, He's coming!) The only way we can make every minute count is to daily spend a significant number of them alone, in study of God's Word, and in prayer.

"Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do." Building off the end of the last paragraph, we will only discover God's plan for our lives as we seek His face; meaning we pursue the presence of Christ in our lives first, before anything else. Oh, my friend, this is so much more easily said than done! Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, "For 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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity." This was a prophetic word given to the children of Israel as it related to the Babylonian captivity, but there are some truths here that are applicable to you and me, namely the part about "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you." This 'seeking' is not an easy thing. You must be diligent, determined, devoted, and daring. Remember, "Aslan is not a tame lion!" (C.S. Lewis; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)

"Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life." (I love the way this whole passage builds upon itself.) If "getting drunk" means you indulge in excess to the point of losing control of yourself, then allowing "the Spirit to fill your life" requires that we do the opposite: live surrendered and obedient to God's Word, Ways, and Will. Getting drunk is a choice we make. So are surrender and obedience; not easy choices, mind you, for they are contrary to our stubborn human nature (which tends to get us into loads of trouble!). Ironically, only surrender and obedience will set us free...from ourselves! This is one of the greatest paradoxes of God's kingdom.

So far we've been instructed to "act with good sense, make every minute count, seek God's face, and live Spirit-dominated lives." We have (finally) come to the place where Paul encourages us to gather together in a way that pleases the Father! "When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart." "With all your heart." The last time we read these words it was in the context of seeking God's face. It seems that Paul is wrapping up worship, meeting together, and seeking God's face into a 'package deal'. This phrase is the pinnacle of the passage. But it is conditional on us taking seriously and building on what has already been stated (act with good sense, make every minute count, seek God's face, and live Spirit-dominated lives). Oh dear brothers and sisters, we have the potential to do ourselves and the name of the Lord such damage when we gather together with unprepared hearts! You see, Paul's little maxim (act with good sense, make every minute count, seek God's face, and live Spirit-dominated lives) is not a suggestion, but a directive. Our spiritual engine won't work - won't even turn over - if we're not doing these things first, before we gather together and meet as God's people. Yet how often do we get the proverbial cart before the horse? It's no wonder our churches get into such turmoil at times; and, sadly, it's no wonder the world has so little use for 'organized' Christianity!

What is the 'litmus test'? How do we know we are doing things in the right order? The answer to this question is in the last line of this passage, "Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything." The words that come out of our mouths evaluate us. Jesus said, "By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:37). I dare you to go through a day and listen - really listen - to the words that come out of your mouth. Are your words ones of blessing, praise and thankfulness, or are they words of criticism, self-pity, and gossip? Do they direct others into the presence of Christ, or do they quench the Spirit of God? In the same passage Jesus also said, "..out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." What is your 'overflow'?