Tag Archives: Jesus

You Might be a Great Servant… #4 If You Know Less Is Best!

19 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Servanthood

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

Of all the points I’ve mentioned so far from John the Baptist’s life, this one reminds me of what it really means to be a servant and friend of the Lord. John summed it up best when he said,

He (Jesus) must Increase but I must decrease. John 3:30

If Jesus had called people to only be kings, celebrities, and national heroes, He would have had a larger following. Who isn’t interested in being popular, well-liked and loved by all? Who wouldn’t like being on the cover of magazines and newspapers? Yeah, sign me up for that type of duty!

Lets break this verse into two parts. First, are you willing for Jesus to be increased in you and in the world around you? John the Baptist reflected on his position in God’s plan and concluded, “Jesus must increase. My followers must become His followers. His ministry should far exceed my ministry. He must flourish far above anything I am doing. Jesus’ popularity must grow. The name of Jesus must become more important to people than my name.”

It is easy for us to look upon John’s situation and say, “Well that was supposed happen.” This would be true.  But maybe it was a little more difficult for John to give away everything he worked so hard to build. The truth is “the Jesus increase” is supposed to be happening right now in our lives as well. The reality is … “the Jesus increase” only happens as “we increase“.

This is hard to explain…but I want to give it a shot. Most every believer I know would state emphatically, they want desperately for Jesus to be increased in them. We pray it, speak it, and try to live it. The issue is not in the first half of John’s declaration. (Jesus must increase) The issue is in the second half of John’s statement. In order for Jesus to be increased, I must be decreased. The truth is when believers are decreased, they begin to fall apart! Most believers don’t actually believe that their personal decrease is a good thing for God’s kingdom. This proves to me that Christians don’t actually find their worth in seeing Jesus increased in their life. No, they only find worth in how God uses them. If they are used by the Lord, then they can bring glory to Him. If they are not used by the Lord, then they cannot bring glory to Him. They actually believe, “If I increase, the Lord increases. If I decrease, the Lord decreases.” This was not what John was declaring.

Believers actually believe the polar opposite of John’s testimony. Lets be honest… Most think along these lines… “I would like to do something really big and important for the Lord. I want to be used. I want to do something that people will note and remember – and do something that will stand out. I want people to know that I am being used by the Lord. I want to be used in a mighty way, so Jesus will be glorified. I want people to know the Lord is alive and well, because of what He is doing in me.” Now, don’t even try to convince me you haven’t thought some of these same thoughts. Lets be real here. I’ve fallen into the same trap. Denial is a river in Egypt. You know what I am saying. What is wrong with this type of thinking, if anything?

If we allow ourselves to think this way, we will only seek to “increase” ourselves and hope Jesus is magnified in some shape, form, or fashion. Understand, this is faulty thinking and not what John was relating. You might be saying, “Pastor, Jesus loves me. He would never have me decrease, because that would decrease His message and ministry in my life. If I decrease, Jesus will have fewer opportunities to make Himself known to others.”

Listen, I have heard it all before and thought it all myself and have come to one conclusion… There is nothing good in you. There is nothing good in me. There will never be anything you can do, in and of yourself, which will bring glory to the Lord. Like John, we must all come to the conclusion…”I must decrease.” It is the only way.  According to the Lord, here is what a decreased life should look like.

they were… tortured…faced jeers and flogging…chained and put in prison…stoned…sawed in two…put to death by the sword…went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated…wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Hebrews 11:35-38

Are you ready to sign up? These are the real heroes of faith. By the way, John ended up in prison with his head chopped of as well. His life ended just like those found in Hebrews 11. This is what it means to live a life of decrease. The real call to serve Jesus doesn’t seem as attractive when we are asked to become absolutely nothing for Him?

Allow me to offer you an invitation to join John the Baptist. Do you remember your dreams and aspirations when you were still young in Junior High or High School or college? Do you remember how you wanted to be a somebody? Do you remember wanting to make a mark on the world? Most want to accomplish something in their lifetime. Unfortunately, most believers keep this fleshly type of thinking after salvation and simply “inject” Christ into their life ambitions. They falsely believe by simply “adding Jesus” they have resolved their “me issues.” Now they can steadily proceed and when they increase, Jesus will increase. The Lord will never “decrease them” because He will be decreasing Himself.

Here is the problem…. Jesus cannot and will not be “injected” into our life ambitions.  Jesus doesn’t work like Betty Crocker.   We cannot simply add Jesus into the equation… mix, stir, pour, and bake.  According to John, Jesus is the equation. Jesus gives us His equations and calls us to work it out. This always means; He must increase and we must decrease that He might be gloried above all. Nowhere in Scripture are we given the go-ahead to plug Jesus into our own personal agendas. We don’t plug Jesus into anything! Jesus can only take your life and plug it into His!

As you can probably tell… I am passionate about this issue. I have seen too many fleshly productions inside and outside the church, all claiming to be bringing glory to the Lord. I am not convinced. Listen, the world has not been convinced either. I am not pointing fingers…just stating the facts. All those who truly made a “kingdom impact” died to the flesh. They ultimately chose the road of decrease. I beg and urge you to do the same. Bring the Lord real glory. Honor Him who gave His life that you might live.

Blessings,

Pastor

You Might Be A Great Servant… #3 If You Find Your Joy From the Groom’s Joy

18 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Servanthood

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

 


I said yesterday once the negotiations have been made and the groom and bride are finally joined… the best man’s job is complete. He steps aside and fades quietly into the background.

This illustration speaks for itself. Have you ever been at or in a wedding and waited for the Bride to make her entrance? Everybody is so excited. Why? You know the couple and are excited… their joy becomes your own personal joy.

I am sure many of you saw the recent Royal Wedding between William and Kate. It took the bride over four minutes to walk down the aisle. WOW. As she arrived near the front, Prince Harry was looking back, smiling in a grand fashion. Then he started whispering to William, getting him excited about his approaching bride. This is part of the best man’s responsibility. He stands beside the groom and shares in his joy.

The groom is joyous because of the bride — she belongs to him! In all weddings the best man stands off to the side once the bride arrives. We need to be like John the Baptist. Our joy needs to be discovered, not in what we receive from Christ, but in what Christ receives from being married to His church. John said, “That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” John wanted people to be drawn to His Lord, not to him personally.

John Brodie, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, was once asked why a million dollar football player should have to hold the ball for field goals and extra points after touchdowns. Brodie said, “Well, if I didn’t, it would fall over.” The Church works best when there are enough people who are willing to hold the ball so someone else can kick. These are called great servants. Receiving glory and honor is not their goal. Their joy is found when Christ receives all the glory and honor.

Once we learn our job as best man, Jesus views us as friends, not merely servants. The source of our own personal joy can reveal to us if we have moved from merely being servants of the Lord to being His friend. If our real joy is found in seeing that Christ receives all the honor and glory instead of ourselves, then we are moving to a more intimate level with the Lord.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

Our friendship with the Master means we’re more than just servants. Jesus lets His friends in on His plans. A great servant and friend is one who recognizes God’s plan at work. John was saying, “I love it when a plan comes together! It’s working… Jesus is front and center! This is my real service!” Are you intimate friends with Jesus? Jesus needs true servants who are willing to lay down everything to become His friends. We are all called to servanthood. Some realize Jesus wants more than servants…He desires everyone to walk the path to become His intimate friend. Let the Master’s joy become your joy today!

Blessings,

Pastor

 

You Might Be Great Servant… #2 If You Are An Intimate Friend of the Groom

17 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in Servanthood

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

I want to continue a blog thought I started a few days ago on what it means to be a great servant of the Lord. John the Baptist was considered to be the greatest servant of God in history. Jesus said of him, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” John said about himself, “I am not worthy to even untie Jesus’ sandals.” Did John know anything different about the Lord than we do today? I don’t think so!

Here is the question you need to ask yourself… Could you personally be Jesus’ best man? Even if you are a “lady“, I still want you to ask yourself this question. This is how John saw himself and his ministry. He saw himself as an intimate friend of the groom. Listen to his own description…

I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. John 3:28-29

John could have talked about being Jesus’ cousin through Mary, or about how he was the last prophet of the Old Testament. Instead, he used a word picture which emphasized a position of service.  John saw himself as Jesus’ “best man.”

The “friend of the groom” played an important role in the first century Jewish wedding ceremony. The best man negotiated on behalf of the perspective groom and his future father-in-law. Contractually the best man served as mediator. In other words, he was someone who looked out for the groom’s best interests! John saw himself in this position. He was looking out for Jesus’ best interests.

An ironic event happened to the best man on the way to the altar. The “best” man must become the “least” man at the wedding ceremony. Once his job was complete, he willingly and graciously faded from the scene. If he did his job correctly and the couple were wedded, then he was truly the best man for the job. He had a prominent place and a very important job, but he was not center of attention.

So when John’s disciples brought him news that Jesus’ ministry was succeeding his and his was fading, it didn’t cause him to fall into a major depressive episode. This wasn’t bad news, but good news. His job as best man was a success. No one else may know or understand. John was now to take a subservient position to Jesus. John was a success prior and now afterward. By the way, sometimes choosing to allow your ministry to fade, which results in your head being chopped off, is not the ideal ministry end.

A little country boy was fishing with a makeshift pole, but he was catching fish! All this didn’t go unnoticed by a city dweller sitting close by him. This city fellow had the finest fishing tackle, but was having no success at all. He decided to ask the country boy about his success. The boy replied, “The secret of it all is that I keep myself out of sight.”

John understood this principle. When it came time for him to fade away, he did so with grace. He didn’t need the limelight to be successful. I think we struggle with our position in the Lord sometimes because we forget our first calling… to be a “friend of the groom.” The word here for “friend” is the same word for “brotherly love.” This is what motivates great servants to service Jesus — a genuine, loving, and intimate relationship with the Lord. If you need some motivation to serve Jesus with a genuine heart, return once again to your first love.

Blessings,

Pastor

 

 

Which Boat Are You In?

05 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Our Spiritual Process

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

Jesus is worthy! He is not just worthy of our affection and or our attention. He is worthy of all our entire life. Jesus is worthy of our fanaticism. When the Lord moves us from the fan level of faith to the fanatic level of faith, we soon discover how dangerous real faith can be. So lets answer this question… Which boat are you in today?

  • Are you staying in the boat close to shore or are you in the boat floating out in the deep? 
  • Are you in the safe boat… the place where you are comfortable simply listening to the teachings of Jesus?
  • Or, are you in the boat which is encountering the miraculous way out in deep waters?

Which boat are you in today?

The boat out in the deep is the one where you either pass or fail faith’s tests. This is the one where you are challenged and ultimately changed into Jesus’ image. No one else may even detect you are out there in the deep, except those out there with you. In fact, those on shore may even deny there is a “deep water experience.” The mild-mannered Jesus they know would never suffer His followers to undergo such a trial.

There is no challenge when you stick close to shore. Yeah, you hear Jesus’s teachings and you get to watch what is going on, but there is no action in your own life.

Which boat are you in?

One day with Jesus changed Peter’s whole life. He had been washing the nets while keeping one ear listening to Jesus. He had other responsibilities and duties to do. He had to fish in order to make a living. His family relied on him to bring in a good catch to eat and sell. So he thought he couldn’t give up what he was doing in order to spend a whole day with the Lord. But, Jesus had other plans for Peter. He has other plans for us as well. Listen as the story continues in Luke.

4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. Luke 5:4-7

 

This movement from the shallows into deeper water is an analogy of what Jesus was going to do in Simon’s faith life. Jesus was going to move Simon from his superficial, half-hearted and casual attention to Jesus and turn it into a deeper, more personal and real commitment. While Peter’s baptism didn’t turn him into a radical believer…while watching Jesus heal his mother-in-law didn’t make a fanatic out him. One day in the deep water did change Peter’s life forever.

Resistance is Futile! Jesus was not the leader of the Borg collective, but Simon couldn’t resist. Peter tried to counter Jesus’ suggestion, but quickly caved. I don’t know about you but I don’t like starting over on task when I have already cleaned up and put my stuff away. When I conclude my business…I am finished.

Here is what you and I need to know. Just how does Jesus take us from where we are to where He wants us to be? Jesus pushes us, that’s how! The Lord pushes us, ever so gently. Sometimes He uses words and sometimes He moves us with actions. He encourages us to move from one level of stability, as symbolized by the shallow water near the shore, to a place where we are more dependent on God than even before as symbolized by the deeper water.

We might mildly argue with him, saying, “Lord, I’ve already been there and done this several times. I’ve already tried reading the Bible, I’ve already tried praying, and it hasn’t worked. I’ve already done what others have attempted numerous times.” Hopefully we won’t stop at this point. Like Peter we need to say, “Lord, if this is what you want me to do, I will move one more time from where I am now, and be obedient to Your word.”

Which boat are you in today?

Now I personally wouldn’t want to get into a boat with Peter. Every boat he gets into begins to sink. Twice storms ravaged the boats Peter takes to cross the lake. Jesus doesn’t seem to care. On one occasion, Jesus is asleep and the other He is walking on the water attempting to sneak pass the boat. On this venture the catch of fish begins to take the boat under. Why would anyone want to get into boat with Simon Peter or any other disciple? It is going down! Who wants to purposefully undergo a near death experience every six months?

It is tough being in a boat with someone who needs to learn their faith lessons. Invariably, the boat begins to sink and they have to exhibit faith. It is tough to watch your own self or other believer struggle in faith. Why? Everybody has to go under two or three times before they learn. I know…I have been there and got two or three (actually 5-6) wet t-shirts to prove it. How about you? All Jesus will say during these failures is…”Where is your faith?” I have absolutely hated those words at times in my life. I thought, if I have to continue hearing that phrase I will scream and pull out what little hair I have left. For some of us, our hair isn’t falling out on its own…we are pulling it out because we struggle with faith.

But there is a reason why I kept hearing those faith words…. I wanted out in the deep with Peter and the boys. I didn’t want to remain close to the shore with most of the other fans. I wanted and still want to “walk on water” with the Lord. I don’t want to just see Jesus exhibit faith…I want to exhibit faith too! I have always wanted to be a fanatic. In fact, those fans on the shore drive me crazy too. They always talk about great faith but have never left the shore. If you stay there long enough they will chain your boat to the bank and convince you Jesus doesn’t operate this way. Tell this to Peter.

Pass or fail, sink or swim… I wanted to go to the deep. Anyone who really wants to grow must go out into the deep with the Lord and learn what real faith is all about. No one can do it for you. No one can help you. Your faith lessons are not my faith lessons. My faith lessons are not your faith lessons. I don’t know how God does it, but He personally tailors each person’s walk of faith.

Have you see the “Footprints the Sand” poem?  Have ever noticed how neatly the tracks are in the sand?  Well, my tracks are not like the poem’s.  My shoreline looks like “D-Day on Omaha Beach.”  I have left tracks all over the beach where I fought with the Lord, rolled on the ground, and kicked sand all over the place.  I’ve cried, wallowed, and basically thrown fits.  The only thing I can hope for was the Lord wasn’t recording during the melee.  Learning to walk in faith is not pretty.

Your greatest blessings will always be out in the deep. Yes, it is a little scary, unstable and unfamiliar out there. But it is also where most of the fish live. Fishermen never catch many fish from the shore. They have to go out into the deep water to catch larger and greater numbers of fish,  unless you want to catch them one-at-a-time with the rest of the fans hugging the shore. You might still have your hair, but will not have grown in faith.

Which boat are you in today? Jesus wants to take you from your comfortable shoreline to a deeper place where you will find more food for your soul and discover your dependence on Him. Are you ready to go! The Captain of Our Souls is calling.

Blessings,

Pastor

Are You a Fan or a Fanatic?

04 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by in Our Spiritual Process

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

I know I may have told this story before, but it is one of my favorites.

A middle-aged woman has a heart attack and is taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she has a near death experience. During that experience she sees God and asks if this is the end. God says no and explains that she has another 30 years to live.  Upon her recovery she decides to just stay in the hospital and have a face lift, liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, etc. She even has someone come in and change her hair color. She figures since she’s got another 30 years, she might as well make the most of it.

She walks out of the hospital after the last operation and is killed by an ambulance speeding by. She arrives in front of God and complains, “I thought you said I had another 30 years.”
God replies, “I did, but I didn’t recognize you.”

I know and you know God always recognizes us. This story is usually the other way around. We don’t recognize God. We fail to recognize what He is doing in our life. We fail to recognize what He is doing in other’s lives and in general we miss what He is doing in the world around us.

Listen to the story from Luke as Peter has a personal encounter with Jesus one day by the Sea of Galilee. Even in this story Jesus was already working in Peter’s life… he just didn’t know it yet.

 

Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. Luke 5:1-3

 

Jesus was teaching and the people were listening to Him. Apparently, He felt a little crowded and wanted some space. He saw two boats near-by and asked to use Simon Peter’s as sort of a stage or platform.

But I believe there was clearly another reason why Jesus wanted to speak from the boat. Later on, He wanted to talk to the owner of the boat, Simon. Jesus is not only interested in crowds, He is also interested in you individually. Sometimes we need more than classroom instruction. We need individualized tutoring. The Lord knows when we need more personal attention and arranges life so that we get His undivided attention.

If we believe the Lord’s instructions cease after we leave the church pew, we are mistaken. If we believe the Lord’s instructions conclude when our Bible’s are closed, we are deceived. These events are merely the beginning of our journey. The real test arrives when we are called to apply what we have learned. How much one-on-one time have you received lately?

Why does Jesus change His approach for just one person? Why would Jesus change His focus from a crowd to a single person? Most ministers are trying to climb out of the single digits, not move towards them. Evidently Jesus recognized a hunger in Peter He didn’t see in everyone else. So, He rearranged His schedule to help Peter move from a shallow type of faith to a deeper faith. I don’t believe Jesus wastes His time. If you are receiving one-on-one attention, then He believes it is time for you to move into deeper waters as well.

There was an Episcopal pastor who was having a cup of coffee in the restaurant across the street from his church. He was reading his paper when the fellow next to him noticed his clerical garb and asked which church he led. He pointed across the street to the Episcopal Church. The fellow eagerly piped-up and said “Why that’s the church I go to myself!” At this the pastor perked up and said “That’s strange. I’ve been preaching there for five years and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you.” The man responded, “Come on now, preacher. I didn’t say I was a fanatic.”

Peter was a “fan of Jesus” at this point, but he wasn’t a “fanatic for Christ” either. He had been baptized by John the Baptist and witnessed Jesus being baptized as well. He had witnessed Jesus performing a few miracles including the healing of his mother-in-law. But until this point, he had yet to commit himself fully to Jesus’ teachings.

For many Peter’s type of committment would have been enough to give them security. Jesus knew the difference and so should we. Jesus wants to move each of us from the “fan” level of faith to the “fanatic” level. The only question is are we personally willing to go with the Lord to deeper waters?

– More tomorrow.

Blessings,

Pastor

How God Creates a Man or Woman He Can Use (Part 3) Prophetic Utterances Hovers Over Them

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in How God Creates a Man or Woman He Can Use

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

Even before a great leader, prophet, man or woman of God is raised up… God uses the voices of the previous generations to prophetically speak to the future generation. This is why it is always important to speak and pray back to God the words He gives you. It is the job of each generation to speak God’s words of destiny to the next generation. I think this has been one of the failures of my generation. We have been so intent on building kingdoms for ourselves, we have neglected to speak into and bless the next generation. Our spiritual myopathy has not allowed us to view life in a generational way. This is why large ministries and mega churches struggle to pass the baton to the next generation.

Listen to the words of Gabriel as he prophetically speaks into John the Baptist’s life.  Where are the prophets and leaders prior in John’s generation. These words are important because John is going to need these utterances later in life.

 

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:13-17

 
This prophecy about John is mentioned several times in the Old Testament and now in the New. Jesus also had many prophetic utterances about His life. The question is WHY? These words are prophetically spoken so God’s man or God’s woman will know their purpose and destiny.

 

“There is a difference between knowing the good news and being the good news.” Dieter Zander

 

 

There are many good and faithful believers who understand scripture and can teach it effectively. We need these folks. But there is a difference in a believer, when the Lord or someone spiritual speaks prophetically about their future and destiny. Prophetically spoken words become their spark plug. Then they not only present the good news, they become the good news of the Lord. There is a difference between knowing and being. This is why Jesus said of John, “If you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come.” Wow! How could John be Elijah? The prophetic word was so formed in him, he became Elijah to his generation.

We need Elijahs, Johns, and of course Jesus, in our generation. Listen, don’t wait around for someone to come along to speak into your life. Ask the Lord Himself to speak prophetically to you. God is not short on words. His words have not all been consumed by other men and women. The Lord’s words will hover over you for the rest of your life. God’s words will spark and propel you forward when nothing else will.

When I was seventeen years old, I was a green believer. I didn’t know much about scripture or the things of God…But I loved the Lord. One day, out-of-the-blue, the Lord called me into the ministry. On this occasion, I heard clearly the words… “preach and preacher.” I have heard it numerous times since. At the time, I really didn’t know what to make of it, except this was my calling. In the beginning I was an awful speaker. Like Moses, I thought the Lord could have chosen someone more eloquent for the task, but He didn’t. I have since learned this truth… I am what the Lord says I am. If He says I am a preacher, then I am a preacher. I am what He says I am. You are what God says you are. You will become what He says you will become. It really makes no difference what the circumstances or conditions in your life are like. If God speaks it, it will come to pass. If God speaks something into your life, it is your job to walk it out. Today, become what God speaks. You will change the world.

 

Blessings,

Pastor, but really a Preacher!

 

When the Holy Spirit Comes… Conviction of Righteousness

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in When the Holy Spirit Comes

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

When the Holy Spirit comes there will be a second form of conviction.  Through the believer the world will be convicted of righteousness. Jesus said, “because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.”  (John 16:10) That is, when the world looks at the church, it ought to see a different way of life, a different standard of behavior. Only the believer can walk in righteousness.   What the world once saw in Jesus it should now see in His followers.  Christ in us is what convicts the world that there are absolutes in life.

Don’t be alarmed that secular writers and philosophers believe there are no absolutes and no standards. Without the Lord, men have always defaulted back to “doing whatever is right in their own eyes.”   We are deluged today by “situational ethics“, the idea that the situation alone determines whether a thing is right or wrong. The world will continue to operate in this fashion until it sees in the church a righteous standard of behavior. Surveys have revealed time and time again that there is little difference between the moral and ethical standards of the church and the moral and ethical standards of the secular world.

Once again when the world looks at the believer, they should be convicted of righteousness.  This occurs not so much by what you say with your mouth, but…

  • by the life you lead;
  • by the decisions you make;
  • by the fundamental truths you believe in;
  • by the peace and tranquility you possess; and
  • by the fact of Christ living in you!

What the world ought to see when it looks at the church is beauty. The Old Testament calls this “the beauty of holiness“.  When the Lord Jesus is reigning in an individual’s life, there is a beauty about that person’s life which captures people’s attention.  Real righteousness is captivating.

Listen, I hear people praying all the time for God to send a Great Revival which brings conviction and causes people to repent.  I have prayed for this.  According to this verse, how and by what means will God send a revival?  Real revival will only happen in you. The only way for the Holy Spirit to convict, reach, and touch the world around us is for God’s people to ask and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with the righteousness of Christ. If you really want the Lord to move… then you must be willing to be moved by the Spirit first.

There are two ways to tell people they are wrong.  One is you can convict them on everything they do wrong.  Or, you can speak to them about what is right.  Which approach do you think the Holy Spirit takes?  When the Lord was convicting you, did He speak to you about all the sin in your life, or did He convict you because you were rejecting Christ.

This is the Holy Spirit’s job to tell people there is a better way… Jesus. The Holy Spirit keeps Jesus before our eyes. Yes, He keeps Jesus before the world’s eyes, but they usually do not listen.

QUESTIONS:  

  • Since the world is going to pot (spiritually downhill), is the Holy Spirit failing in doing His job?
  • Could He be doing a better job?
  • Has the Holy Spirit left and are we on our own?
  • This is the crux of the matter, isn’t it?

The Holy Spirit is doing His job and we should be doing ours by allowing the Holy Spirit to keep Jesus before our eyes twenty-four-seven. It is impossible to win people by telling them how wrong they are and at the same time lacking the presence of Christ in our life.

We have two approaches we can take.  We can continue to tell people how bad they are and how bad their sin has become or we can tell them how good our Jesus is.  We can follow the Holy Spirit’s approach and speak to people in the fashion which He is convicting them.  Or, we can follow the devil’s lead and tell them how rotten they are.

In most cases, people understand they are sinners.  What they need to know is the Good News of Jesus Christ, the impact of repentance and confession.

What has been happening in our world today from Christians and the Church?  What has been the results?  What do you think will be the future results?

Blessings,

Pastor

 

Would You Rather Have Jesus or the Holy Spirit as Your Guide?

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in When the Holy Spirit Comes

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

 

 

 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.   John 16:7

 

I am not trying to get you to sit and compare which is better, Jesus or the Holy Spirit.  They are both vital to our lives. The question is not which is a better teacher.  God in the form of the Holy Spirit is more effective in motivating, moving, and leading millions of believers at the same time. And Jesus… Well, He is Jesus!

Lets get real here for just a moment.  Most of us have thought or said something along these lines in the past.  We have secretly believed the disciples had a great advantage over us because:

  • They were able to sit and listen to the very words of Jesus.
  • They were able to physically see Jesus’ face.
  • They were able to physically hear Jesus’ words.
  • They were able to witness how Jesus acted.
  • They were able to walk with Jesus and bear witness to all His miracles.

What an advantage they had! How many of us have felt, “Oh, if only we could have been there, if only we could have seen what Jesus’ disciples saw! I know my walk with the Lord would be stronger.”  Yet, Jesus told His closest followers very plainly it was to everyone’s advantage He needed to leave.  He basicly communicated, “Look, it is going to be better for you when I leave. For when I go away, the Strengthener will come.”  It is the Strengthener, the Helper, and the Comforter who meets our needs from within. This was what these disciples needed and this same Holy Spirit is what we need today.

I know it is hard for us to grasp that we are better off with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Did you ever notice in reading through the Gospels that when Jesus finished some of His greatest messages, the disciples still were clueless?  They never went away with their faces aglow, their minds full of understanding, their hearts committed, and ready to work? They were blown away, but not radically changed.  Instead, the record tells us that every time Jesus talked to them, He puzzled them. Those closest were perplexed. They couldn’t figure Him out. Many times the disciples went away arguing about what He had to say. Jesus’ actions produced more questions and on occasions created disputes within their ranks.

Now fast forward to the day after Pentecost, when the Spirit came. This same group was in unison, ready to face all of life’s challenges.  Their faces were radiant and joy was in their hearts. Before the Holy Spirit came, they all ran from death and persecution.  After the Spirit came, they welcomed persecution. This is what the Holy Spirit does in the life of a believer. It was indeed to their advantage and to ours that Jesus was not with them.

We have the same access to the Father and Jesus through the Holy Spirit. We are simply not taking advantage of what we have.

Does the church act more like Jesus’ disciples before or after the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost?  If you answered before, then you and I need to get to know the Holy Spirit.  Maybe we don’t need anymore teachings, sermons etc.  What we may need is a reintroduction to what it means to walk in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. This was Jesus’ desire.

Blessings,

Pastor

Testing the Blessing (3) – To Make us Deeper and More Productive

11 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Abraham: Life of Faith

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

If I were to take a survey among Christians asking, “Does your personal faith need testing and trials?”  Most would tell me their personal faith is in good shape.  Yep, most believe they are in very good shape.  James, Paul and Jesus paint a different picture for the average believer.  In James we are told…

the testing of our faith … produces endurance, and endurance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4 )

 

Paul tells us that

suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

 

Jesus paints a picture so clear, it cannot be ignored.

every branch (or believer) that bears fruit “he prunes so that it may be more fruitful”.

 

In reality, most of us are like a nail in search of a hammer.  A nail would certainly question the value of a hammer. To the nail, the hammer is a cruel instrument. But what it doesn’t see is that each blow forces the nail to bite deeper and hold more effectively. Without the hammer, the nail would have no purpose in life.

If metal had feelings it probably would question being scrapped by a file and being thrown in furnace. Metal doesn’t want to be shaped and is quite comfortable remaining the same shape. The rough scraping of the file would seem tortuous, but it is necessary to fit the metal for its part. The furnace would be met with screams and dread, but the furnace is necessary to purify and strengthen the metal.

 

Chuck Swindoll has some great words concerning this illustration.

Heartaches and disappointments are like the hammer, the file, and the furnace. They come in all shapes and sizes: unfulfilled romance, a lingering illness, and untimely death, an unachieved goal in life, a broken home or marriage, a severed friendship, a wayward and rebellious child, a personal medical report that advised immediate surgery, a falling grade at school, a depression that simply won’t go away, a habit you can’t seem to break.  Sometimes heartaches come suddenly . . . other times they appear over the passing of many months, slowly as the erosion of earth.  Do I write to a “nail” that has begun to resent the blows of the hammer? Are you at the brink of despair, thinking that you cannot bear another day of heartache? Is that what’s gotten you down? As difficult as it may be for you to believe this today, the Master knows what He’s doing. Your Savior knows your breaking point. The bruising and the crushing and melting process is designed to reshape you, not ruin you. Your value is increasing the longer He lingers over you. [Encourage Me p. 36]

 

Abraham certainly wondered “why”. “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:2) Perhaps he felt like a nail being attacked by a hammer. But Abraham also understood that the nail and the hammer were both held by the hand of the Lord. He knew that God knew what He was doing and so he trusted him.

 

Blessings,

Pastor

Have You Heard the Father’s Phone?

12 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in Receiving Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

      You should be familiar with heaven’s phone by now.  Four different times in John 10 Jesus said, “My sheep know my ‘phone’“.  Phone is the Greek word for “sound” or “voice“.  Have you become familiar with heaven’s sound?  I believe the Lord has a distinct sound and voice.  Genesis 3:11 relates that Adam and Eve knew this to be true.  ” They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” 

      The impressions and words I have received from the Lord all have a very familiar sound.  Jesus said certain sheep do not follow Him because they “do not hear His phone.”  I believe the Lord attempts to speak to all, but many have yet to turn into His frequency.  How about you?  Are you listening for His “still small voice“?