The Suffocated Believer

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

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Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. Luke 8:7 & 14

Jesus’ parable of the sower moves on to the person who receives God’s word and honestly seeks to live for Christ.  Like other believers, they profess faith in the Lord, join a church, and move ahead. The problem doesn’t show up immediately. According to the Lord, they are not willing to sever themselves from the world. This neglect isn’t fatal at first, but eventually the weeds choke out the God-life within them.

Jesus uses a graphic word to explain the reality of this situation. The word “choke” means “to grab by the throat and suffocate by drowning.” We may not think the world has this type of impact on our life but the Lord does. So many things are choking the Word of God out today as it did in Jesus’ day. Jesus organizes them in three categories… “life’s worries, riches and pleasures.”

Life is all about choices. If we spend most of our time and energy on worry, riches and pleasure, then we have little or no precious time to tend to our spiritual garden. The seeds of God which sprouted and were growing become choked and eventually suffocated by our own neglect.

I can’t tell you how many times the Lord has actually spoken to my wife and me about our own personal lives as being a garden. It is the single easiest way to understand spiritual growth. It is an analogy take keeps on giving. The Lord has used this illustration to talk with us personally about what He is doing or needs to do to bring real spiritual growth into our lives.

If you ever wonder what God’s goal is for your life, then read the last word of verse 14. The Lord is seeking to bring “maturity” to your life. It doesn’t happen instantly. Anyone who has worked in a garden knows this fact. But when we are faithful to God’s plan, eventually we will bear fruit and the process is repeated over and over.

Listen, I don’t know of any believer who has not battled the weeds of worry, riches and pleasure. All believers have felt these issues grip their spiritual throats. I believe it is time to not simply cut them down, but pull these nasty weeds up by the root. Weeds grow faster than plants. It is imperative we deal with them once-and-for-all.

British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once had a discussion with a man who firmly believed that children should not be given formal religious instruction, but should be free to choose their own religious faith when they reached maturity. Coleridge did not disagree, but later invited the man into his somewhat neglected garden. “Do you call this a garden?” the visitor exclaimed. “There is nothing but weeds here!”
“Well, you see,” Coleridge replied, “I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the garden in any way. I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself.”

 

Blessings,

Pastor

 

The Superficial Spectator

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

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Jesus’ parable of the soils moves to a second type. Unlike the first type of listener, this person hears the word and becomes excited over it.

Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Luke 8:6

Unfortunately, this immediate impulsion to receive the word doesn’t last long. They fail to count the cost, to consider the commitment, the self-denial, the sacrifice, and study to stay close to Jesus.

Can you say “moisture”? Jesus said the seeds fell, they sprouted, and everything appeared great on the surface until the young shoots began to wither because there was no nourishment in the soil to sustain them. I can’t even begin to count all of the folks I have known through the years who have embodied this section of Jesus’ illustration.

Many have begun the Christian journey with gusto and exuberance only to quickly wither. Initially, they were excited about their new-found faith, or so it seemed. Without warning they began to slowly fade away and eventually stopped growing. Maybe they will catch a wave later, maybe not. There are no guarantees.

It is a matter of growth! Jesus explained how this takes place when in verse 13 He said,

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. Luke 8:13

 

The crucial element missing from those Jesus is talking about is growth. Growth is essential if we ever want to mature. Peter encouraged new believers to crave milk.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:2-3

 

Salvation is not the question, growing up in the fullness of our salvation is the issue! God desires that we grow up into all fullness of our salvation. It is imperative that all new believers take advantage of the opportunities which are set before them. We have more books, internet resources, teachings, and churches in our day and time than ever before in church history. Moisture is everywhere. There is no excuse to exist as a superficial spectator. I believe the Lord places in each new believer an inward desire or craving for spiritual milk. The first test every new believer faces is the removal of milk. It is not that the milk is gone from their life. They simply have to make a shift to seek it out. The honeymoon phase dissipates and real work begins. Those who fail to make this adjustment eventually wither and fade.

Got spiritual milk?

Blessings,

Pastor

 

The Could-Care-Less Hearer

19 Monday Nov 2012

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The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air (literally birds of heaven) ate it up. Luke 8:5

These types of listeners are not careless hearers but are could-care-less hearers. The word of the Lord goes in one ear and right out the other. I am not talking about going to church where you normally think about hearing a word from God. For the most part, this parable from Jesus has nothing to do with going to church, so don’t think this way. God speaks all the time, to all people, everywhere.

Jesus reminded us the “seed” is the Word of God. Isn’t it interesting that the seed is scattered to all. The Sower doesn’t scatter only on ground which looks promising or productive. He scatters His seed upon all types of ground… to the good, bad, and indifferent. God is an indiscriminate sower. Jesus’ parable reminds us the seed doesn’t determine the outcome. The conditions of the soil and surrounding areas determine the outcome of what will happen to the seed.

One of the disturbing truths of Jesus’ teaching is the seed is not afforded the opportunity to linger in our lives.

Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:12

 

Whether we admit it or not… or whether we realize it or not… more of God’s word has been stolen from our lives than has been rooted, grown, and harvested. If you are honest with yourself and your process, you will agree. It is always in these early stages of God speaking to us that the devil is afforded the opportunity to steal God’s word. Satan is a word snatcher. He doesn’t care where or when the word comes to you. He will snatch that word from you at work or worship. This is why Jesus focused upon the art of listening. Those who are truly in the know, realize the Lord speaks all the time. They are ready to receive and implant God’s word immediately so that the word is kept from being stolen. If you are one of those spiritual procrastinators, rest assured God’s word will be stolen from your life. The unsettling reality is that once the word is whisked away, we forget it ever was present. A sort of spiritual amnesia settles into our minds and hearts.

Are you tired of God’s word being stolen from your life? If so, purpose to be a careful, diligent listener today. God’s word will be sown your direction today, tomorrow, and next week. The only question is what will you do about it?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying the usual things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was paying attention to what he was saying.
As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” People would automatically respond with comments such as “How lovely!” or “Just continue with your great work!”
Nobody listened to what he was saying, except one foreign diplomat. When the president said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning,” the diplomat responded softly, “I’m sure she had it coming to her.”

 

Blessings,

Pastor

Sowing, Sowing, Gone!

12 Monday Nov 2012

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Johnny Appleseed was said to plant apple seeds everywhere he went. He was a prolific caster of seed. He planted seeds because he wanted to see a harvest of apple trees in his wake.

The parable of the Sower was one of the most well-known parables of Jesus. It may be the most important. Jesus even blasted His disciples for not understanding it’s meaning. “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13) Jesus’ inference indicated that in order to unlock the mysteries of the kingdom it was imperative we understand this parable and it’s meaning. I am sure this was why this parable came first in the Gospel narratives.

God the Father is also a prolific sower. He sows twenty-four seven. He sows to all people at all times. Like Johnny Appleseed, the Lord is looking for a harvest. This is why I can always confidently say to you He will be speaking into your life this week, next week, next month, and next year. He has always been speaking and always will. Get this…The Lord even speaks and sows when we sin and are living in complete disobedience to His will. This parable confirms what I am saying. Whether we are good soil or bad, God sows.

Just because the Lord sows seed in our lives doesn’t mean we will be changed. This was why Jesus compared people to four different types of soil. Jesus said there were four different kinds of responses people made to the Word of God  being sown in their life. Out of the four types of people, there was only one type which truly was committed to excellence in his or her walk with the Father.

I read about a lady who had a hearing problem. One day she and her husband were driving from Tennessee to Little Rock, Arkansas. They were pulled over by a state trooper who asked if the husband knew how fast he was driving. The wife asked, “What did he say?” The husband replied, “HE ASKED IF I KNEW THAT I WAS SPEEDING.”
Looking at the driver’s license the trooper said, “I see you’re not from around here.” The husband said, “No, we are from Memphis.” The wife again asked, “What did you say?” The husband told her, “I SAID WE ARE FROM MEMPHIS.”
The state trooper then commented, “You know, the meanest woman I ever met was from Memphis.” The wife again asked, “What did he say?” The husband replied, “HE SAYS HE THINKS HE KNOWS YOU!”

The Lord knows us each intimately. In order to know Him, we must deal with the issues which are detrimental to our hearing Him speak. Follow me in the next few blogs and lets deal with those issues. The Lord will be speaking to you. The only question is will you be able to hear and respond to Him.

Blessings,

Pastor

 

 

 

 

The Four Rules By Which We Live

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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There is always a better way to live….

Blessings,

Pastor

 

More Proof, Please!

31 Wednesday Oct 2012

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Why did John the Baptist request for more proof? He asked, “Are you the Expected One, or should we expect another?” This is a puzzling question at face value, coming from John, because of his earlier statements about Jesus.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

Then John gave the testimony: I saw the Spirit of God come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. John 1:32

I have seen and testify that He is the Son of God.” John 1:34

 

So why did John ask for further evidence of Christ’s credentials as the Promised Messiah if he was previously convinced? Have you ever had such doubts? Do doubts mean we are not men and women of faith?

Some say John became discouraged while he was languishing in prison and needed assurance. In other words…he was experiencing the blues. Others have postulated that Jesus wasn’t carrying out His ministry the way John envisioned the Messiah should have. John’s mission had the distinct characteristic of judgment, while Jesus’ ministry had the distinction of mercy. Perhaps John was perplexed as to why Jesus ministry didn’t complement his ministry.

  • Why hadn’t Jesus called down the wrath of God on sinners?
  • Why hadn’t the King of Kings dethroned the despots of Roman tyranny?
  • Why hadn’t Jesus abolished the hypocritical religious establishment?

If you look closely at the content of John’s preaching and character of his lifestyle… this could be the reason he was having doubts. Everyone else misunderstood Jesus…so why not John. Thankfully, Jesus had an answer for John and he has an answer for us today as well.

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.  Luke 7:4-6

 

Why didn’t Jesus just say… “Yes, I am the Messiah. Don’t worry John. Everything is on target.” Jesus didn’t take this approach, but the answer he gave John was even better. Jesus gave John evidence. Jesus gave John the same evidence to prove He was and is the Messiah as we have been given. Jesus reminded John of His mission and how He fulfilled scripture.

Yet still, some won’t believe in Jesus as the one sent from God. They say a skeptic is a person, who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it’s a forgery. You just have to wonder about some people – they think God is dead and Elvis is alive. The evidences Jesus listed in His answer to John were acts of compassion. It was what John needed to hear and it is what we need to hear some 2000 years later. The miracles of His public ministry were a precursor to His trip to the cross. There He would deal with mankind’s greatest problems – sin and death.

There is one more segment to Christ’s answer. “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” (Luke 7:6) The Greek word for “fall away” is “skandalizo”. It literally means “to trip up” or to “stumble“. Jesus is in effect saying to John, “John, don’t stumble over my willingness to heal, forgive, and have compassion on people. There will be a time for judgment, but now is the time for grace.” There are a lot of things we can get offended over in the religious world. People do a lot of crazy things in the name of the Lord. But Jesus Himself is NOT one of those issues we need to get offended over. If there is anything about Jesus’ ministry and life that offends you …change the way you believe.

This passage provides for help to those having doubts. It shows us step by step what to do for those having doubts.

1. Go to Jesus

The first thing John did when in doubt, he sent two disciples straight to talk to Jesus. Jesus didn’t chase them away or discourage them. He took their concerns seriously and gave them the evidence John needed to answer his doubts.

2. Remember The God of Your Youth

After Jesus had performed miracles, He answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see.” This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.” Sometimes when we are plagued by doubts, we need to think back to the simple days of our youth. This was a time when we knew and believed that God made the Sun, the moon, and the stars. There is nothing wrong with returning back to a time when faith was simple.

3. Remember Your Salvation and Blessings

When we begin to doubt, we need to remember that we were once like the blind man, we were once walking around in darkness, we were as the leper, we were unclean and dead spiritually.

When you doubt, you need to think back to the day when you as a sinner maybe hooked on alcohol or hooked on drugs, living a life of adultery, living a life with no purpose, full of sin….. But you came to an altar and God Almighty delivered you, and cleansed your soul. Back in those days you had no doubt that there was a God because you felt His presence.

Several years ago a newspaper in Biloxi, Mississippi ran an article about an attempted suicide. A young woman apparently thought her life held no meaning so she jumped off a bridge into the waters of the Mississippi River.

A man nearby saw her jump, and without thinking, jumped in after her. It didn’t occur to him until after he was in the water that he couldn’t swim! Now there were two people in the water facing death. His screams for help and flailing limbs caught the attention of the young woman who pulled the drowning man to safety.

The writer of the newspaper article finished with this thought: “It wasn’t the gentleman who saved that woman’s life that night; it was purpose. No doubt, the man meant well. But what he provided for her was one moment where life offered meaning: the opportunity to save a man’s life. She had a clear purpose and objective… She tapped into the energy that was inside all the time when she finally linked up to a mission.”

Like John the Baptist, like the woman in the river, there will be times in our life when we too forget our purpose and reason for being. It is usually in these dark moments we begin to doubt and question God. If you find yourself in a dark place, return to the Lord and allow Him to restore your life. He loves you.

Blessings,

Pastor

 

Is Jesus Christ Enough?

30 Tuesday Oct 2012

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As a kid, did you ever want something for Christmas so badly, you swore you’d never ask for anything again if you simply received that special gift? Then, when you got what you wanted, you said to yourself, “this is not what I expected.”

As a teenager, you’ve heard so much about the prom or graduating and what it was going to be like. You spent all those years waiting, only to conclude afterward… “This is not what I expected.”

As an adult, you couldn’t wait to get that new car or that home, or even to get married. Then when you finally achieved those goals you thought to yourself, “This is not what I expected.”

Here is the point…. Life is going to be full of situations which are not going to turn out the way we hoped they would. Many times in life we may end up saying… “this is not what I expected.” Not only does this happen to us in the normal flow of life, it occurs in our spiritual lives as well. Anyone who has made a serious commitment to follow God is going to run into situations in which they say, “God, this is not what I expected.”

John the Baptist was sitting in jail one day and began to think these same types of thoughts. “God, this is not what I was expecting to happen to my life. Serving You and introducing the world to Jesus is not what I thought it would be.” Listen to his request.

 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are You the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Luke 7:18-19

 

Maybe John thought he would live a long and prosperous life. Even before he was born, an angel had told his father, “He is going to be a great preacher and will lead many back to the Lord.” As the boy grew, he kept hearing the stories about how his father could not speak from the moment he first received news he would have a son.

I am sure people would look at John and say, “One day that boy is going to be somebody. Do you remember his birth?” But even though his father had been a priest, John did not follow his father’s footsteps. Time passed and people had pretty much forgotten John’s so-called miraculous birth and his alleged mission from God. He was in his twenties now, and now when people saw him they would say, “now there’s one life that did not turn out the way I expected.” John was living in the desert, dressed in clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food consisted of locusts and wild honey. All this didn’t sound like the prophecies of old.

BUT, THE DAY CAME –

But then one day, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, the Bible tells us that the word of God came to John in the desert. God must have said, “John, I’ve heard your prayers time and time again, but the time was not ripe. But now it’s time to do what I promised your parents you would do.” It was about 25 years ago that God had made a promise to his parents.

Let me parenthetically say, part of the reason we do not get what we expect from God is because we think in terms of praying today and getting answers tomorrow. When God gives us a word it may take years for it to come to fruition. Our job is to get ready so God can make it happen… not make it happen ourselves.

People came from all around to hear John preach. They would fall on their knees in repentance before God. After repentance, they were baptized by John and his disciples. The size of the crowds kept getting bigger and bigger. John baptized so many people that they started calling him John the Baptist. Nothing like this had ever happened in Israel. Some were thinking John might be the Messiah. John said “No, I’m not the Messiah. Not me!”
One day John the Baptist saw Jesus, and he said, “There He is! This is the lamb of God. He’s the one I was telling you would come after me.” John’s disciples even began to leave him and follow Jesus.

BUT THE DAY WENT –

Even after Jesus began His ministry John continued to preach, but the crowds were getting smaller because the people were following after Jesus. One day, one of John’s disciples was a little upset by this and he told John, “You know teacher, that guy you pointed out as the ‘Lamb of God’, well everybody has started going to Him to be baptized. What are we going to do about this? This is not what we expected to happen.” John said, “I didn’t come to compete with Him. I came to prepare the way for Him. I’m glad. ‘He must increase, and I must decrease.‘”

John kept on preaching. He preached a message one day on marriage and divorce. Herod and Phillip came up in the sermon. John was arrested, thrown in jail, and almost forgotten. After being there for a month, I’m sure John was thinking, “This is not what I expected.” There he sat looking at the cold, damp walls of his prison cell. The first month turned into two, the two into four, and the four into eight. The large crowds he had preached to were only a memory now. He kept hearing reports about what Jesus was doing.

It was in this prison cell John began to have doubts. He just had to know…”Was Jesus the Christ, the Expected One?” John had given his entire life to prepare the way for the Messiah. Now, he was in jail for his efforts. The prophecies didn’t mention jail. The prophecies didn’t mention that John would be forgotten. How could John continue to prepare the way for the Lord if he spent the rest of his life in jail? It was here in this dark place that John had to ask and answer the question every follower of Jesus Christ has to ask and answer… Is Christ Enough?

 

 

Is Christ enough for you? Do you have expectations of the Lord which are not being met? I will address this more in the next few blogs, but suffice it to say, there is nothing wrong with asking these types of questions. If we neglect to address our doubts, they will eventually eat us up from the inside out. John took his doubts to the Lord, Himself. If John took this course of action…so should we. The Lord knows exactly what we need to hear.

There is a story of a philosopher who took a stroll one evening to ponder the meaning of life. With disheveled hair and dressed in ragged clothes, he wandered in the rain through dimly lit streets in a state of deep reflection. The police noticed him and thought he looked suspicious.  They abruptly cornered him and asked, “Who are you?” and “Where are you going?” To which the philosopher replied, “Those are the very questions I’m trying to answer. Can you help me?”

We do not have live like this puzzled and bewildered philosopher. Christ is enough. We only need to go to Him and allow Him to speak to the issues of our life.

Blessings,

Pastor

 

When You Have Come to the Edge…

28 Sunday Oct 2012

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If you have ever been at the edge you will appreciate this quote.  Have a blessed weekend.

Blessings,

Pastor

Portraits of the Blessed #4 Negate-the-Hate and Know-Your-Fate!

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

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22 “Blessed are you when men hate you and when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.”

26 “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”  Luke 6:22,26

 

Believers need to understand there are real causes for persecution. Jesus affirms such reasons in this passage. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that many Christians are persecuted not for their faith or for Christ, but because they are so unpleasant to be around. Some believers are rude, insensitive, thoughtless, and piously obnoxious. Others face rejection because they are thought to be proud and judgmental. These folks are the butt of jokes and constant harassment. I know there is no premium on stupidity… but it is these types of dues we needn’t pay. Peter warned us long ago about this issue.

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests on you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet if any suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 1 Peter 4:14-16

 

According to Peter, there is no intrinsic merit in being rejected and persecuted, but only in being thus mistreated on account of our service for Christ. It is impossible to negate all the hate out in the world. All true professors of Christ will experience some level of persecution. Jesus emphatically stated, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20) Our call is to expect persecution, not create it.

Knowing this, Jesus warns His followers of the persecution which will surely follow the real believer. A paraphrase of verse 26 says, “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests. Your task is to be true, not popular.” I like being both truthful and popular. How about you? When the world pushes us, and it surely will… we will ultimately have to sacrifice our truth or our popularity. If in the end we find men speaking well of us, then we have sacrificed our truth.

There is an old saying, “Even a dead dog can swim with the tide.” To swim against the tide you have to be alive and kicking. A person who is persecuted because of Christ is the only one truly living. Resistance is not futile…it proves you are alive for the Lord. Persecution becomes the only true gauge of how closely we are walking with Christ. If you find the tide always going the other direction, it is not a curse but simply an indicator. Keep swimming! There is nothing in the world’s waters you need anyway. When we do latch on to worldly items floating round, we stop swimming and thus drift with the tide.

In New York City, there are eight million cats and eleven million dogs. New York City is basically just concrete and steel, so when you have a pet in New York City and it dies, you can’t just go out in the back yard and bury it. A while back the city authorities decided that for $50, they would dispose of your deceased pet for you. (I don’t think this is the case now.)

One lady was enterprising. She thought, I can render a service to people in the city and save them money. She placed an ad in the newspaper that said, “When your pet dies, I will come and take care of the carcass for you for $25.” This lady would go to the local Salvation Army and buy an old suitcase for two dollars. Then when someone would call about his or her pet, she would go to the home and put the deceased pet in the suitcase.

She would then take a ride on the subway, where there were thieves. She would set the suitcase down, and she would act like she wasn’t watching. A thief would come by and steal her suitcase. She’d look up and half-heartedly cry, “Wait. Stop. Thief.” My guess is the people who stole those suitcases got a real surprise when they got home.

A lot of us are like those New York thieves. We’re chasing after anything we think will bring fulfillment. When we get it home… it is not what we thought it would be in the beginning. Life attractions simply fail to deliver. Once we latch on to them, the tides of the world cause us to drift and we lose the ground we had gained.

If you find that your zeal or spiritual hunger is not what it should be, then I give you the same counsel that Jesus gave to the church in Ephesus which had left it’s first love. What Jesus said to them, He is saying to us. “You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4,5)

Blessings,

Pastor