A HOLY UNSETTLEDNESS
I heard a sermon last night entitled "More: Superficial vs. Supernatural". After the service I spoke to our Pastor briefly about it. It was about not being satisfied with the status quo. Not being satisfied with "church as usual". It was about realizing the power of God is at work all around the world changing lives, and that it needs to be more evident in each of our lives. It was about letting God do more in and through our lives. I told him it really resonated with Karen and I.
Since about July God has been impressing certain things on us as we study and pray. We have been subject to what we call a "holy unsettledness". That is, we know God has something else for us, maybe even apart from what we originally thought it was, and we are beginning to feel some level of anticipation as we await its coming.
I believe He promised me some months ago that certain things were going to happen to us after the summer was over. Now, as I write this, it is November. Those things have not yet happened. But I have become aware that summer is a season, as well as a specific time. It is the season of growth and development. After this particular time of growing is over, Fall, and the harvest, will come. So we await the completion of our growing season.
Part of the unsettledness comes from what else God has been showing us. We are beginning to have real vision about a future ministry. Not just the training ministry described here on DestinationGod.com, but something else entirely. And it is something we have not previously felt inclined to. That is a vision for a church, or a ministry within a church. I won't go into a lot of details here, but I currently have about 35 pages of details written out. And I am not even quite finished.
But, and here is where another aspect of the unsettledness comes into play, we have not felt compelled to pursue it right now. We have not been given the freedom to search for potential places of ministry. We are just in a waiting mode. And that is not always easy.
And especially not now, because we want more. Not from a selfish point-of-view, but more in keeping with last night;s sermon. God has brought us to a place where we are not satisfied to just sit around and wait. We know He has more for us, and we want that "more".
That is why I refer to a holy unsettledness. It is not discontent with what God has given us. It is the anticipation that he has more to give us, and more for us to do.
THE PURPOSE OF THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY
A few years ago Rick Warren wrote the book The Purpose Driven Church. He followed that up with A Purpose Driven Life. The premise of both tomes was that the Bible, especially in Acts 2, clearly sets out five purposes God has for each of our lives. These purposes are evangelism, worship, ministry, fellowship, and discipleship.
Elsewhere, in Ephesians 4:11-12, the Apostle Paul mentions what some call the “five-fold” ministry of the church. Those would be, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
There are many who doubt the validity of both of these lists. Some reject that God has these purposes for each of us. Others question whether all of these ministry areas are still active in the church today.
Here is a thought. If God does have five purposes for us, and if He does have a five-fold ministry active in today’s church, then it makes sense that those concepts should reasonably parallel each other. After all, above all else God is a God of order. Why else would he take so much time in the Bible to outline the order of creation and also take up considerable space teaching us not to be out of order with His gifts, especially the gift of the Holy Spirit?
So let’s walk down Ephesians 4:11 and see if it can go hand-in-hand with a purpose-driven church.
While we traditionally think of Apostles as the 12 who followed Jesus, in the New Testament Church it was the Apostles who had the authority and responsibility to plant churches and oversee the growth of the church. Paul was the preeminent Apostle in the writings of the New Testament. His main activity was spreading the Gospel and starting churches amongst the non-Christian peoples of his day. In the Purpose Driven paradigm evangelism is understanding and fulfilling the call upon all of us to take the gospel to the world. That would seem to indicate that Apostles = Evangelism.
If you look carefully at the activities of the Old Testament prophets, you will easily see a predominate aspect to their work. In the Old Testament, prophets most often decried the lack of true and authentic worship and called the people back to the true and authentic worship of God. The purpose of worship emphasizes a true understanding of worship as an act for God, not an act for us. Worship is to glorify God, not make ourselves feel good. In that way, we can equate the office of Prophet to the purpose of Worship.
For evangelists we need to look closely at how we define that word, and whether or not our definition fits the Biblical model. It is generally true that evangelists bring revival to the church. While evangelists intend to inspire people to salvation, their work is done mostly within the confines of the local church. In this respect the evangelist is not doing evangelism. They are doing ministry. We refer to what an evangelist does as a “revival”. This suggests re-igniting a spiritual fire within people who already claim to be Christians. Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church places the purpose of ministry within the church. Our connection then is one of Evangelists - Ministry.
It appears to me that Pastors equals Fellowship. Most people attend a local church because of the pastor. And one of the main benefits of the local church is the fellowship. People who don’t feel some sort of connection to the church, which is generally a function of personality of the pastor and the fellowship with others, usually end up finding another place to attend.
The last on is easy. Teachers teach. A teacher is what we are, not just what we do. Discipleship is the training of people to be like Christ.
So, yes, the Five Purposes and the Five-Fold Ministry of God do, indeed, correlate:
Apostle = Evangelism
Prophet = Worship
Evangelist = Ministry
Pastor = Fellowship
Teacher = Discipleship
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM
Advance confidently in the direction of your dreams. -- Henry David Thoreau
It might seem a little strange to quote Thoreau in an article related to the Practice of Vintage Faith. His was not exactly a life lived in line with those values.
But, we are called by God to do something. And whatever it is, He wants us to “advance confidently” towards it. However, the problem so many people have is knowing what that thing is, and how to advance confidently.
For that reason, many times someone will sit still, scared to move for fear they are going opposite the way God wants for them. So worried are they that they might not be in God’s “perfect will”, that they do nothing.
But God doesn’t want us to do nothing. He has a call on all our lives. By definition, the word “call” suggests an intended action. Sitting around doing nothing waiting for the “right time” doesn’t fit with being called to do something.
So how can we know if we are doing the right thing, or going the right way? Well, I think the first thing to do is define “right”. The specifics will vary, and most certainly will be varied throughout your life, but right is: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).
You want to know what God wants you to do? Do that. Go, make, baptize, teach, and obey. If you are doing that, you are in God’s perfect will. Congratulations!
Then it becomes a matter of listening to Thoreau (at least in this instance). What are your dreams? Develop a vision for what God wants you to do. Start with Matthew 28:19-20, add your own personality and “heart ache”. Stir. Bake in prayer. Serve when ready.
I once told this analogy to a friend who was in danger of sitting frozen in place, not doing anything for fear of doing the wrong thing. I told him to think of himself like a car. This car is sitting still, facing east. But it needs to go west. What has to happen for this east-facing car to go west? It has to start moving east! Only once it is going can it be changed to the correct direction. The driver can’t turn the car while it is standing still.
If you are not sure of the way to go, start moving. Keep in constant communication with the “driver”. He will turn you to the direction you need to go.
So God’s perfect will for you is to go, make, baptize, teach, and obey. How you accomplish those is the only matter in question. One clue, God made you with certain abilities, talents, interests, etc. Dream a little dream. Rick Warren asks people “If you knew you couldn’t fail, what one thing would you do for God?”
I Peter 4:10-11 tells us, Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Now be careful. This does not mean to run off to pursue some “half-baked” scheme. The title of this article is “Dream a Little Dream”. To dream suggests taking some period of time. And part of the dream “recipe” above is to develop a vision, bake in prayer, and serve when ready. “Developing” is a process. “Baking” is a time consuming action. And “when ready” speaks of waiting for the proper training and preparation.
But all of those are also actions. God wants us to do something. And He wants us to do it well. Our job is to do our job; His job is to do His job. Our job is to prepare well, develop vision, and dream a dream, all in context of Matthew 28:19-20. His job is to open the doors in the right time, all while giving us other opportunities along the way to minister. And we will have other opportunities to do “little” things for Him. It is all a part of making us ready to do whatever “big” thing we have dreamed up.
And that is what Destination God is all about. To help you prepare to advance confidently in the direction of your dream. The Transformation training process is a tool to prepare you to live that dream. To go, make, baptize, teach, and obey. Through this process you would spend two or more hours a week in study, two or more hours a week in sermon or lesson writing, and two or more hours a week “just a dreamin”. Actually, we call it vision development.
Vision development. I believe it is a much-underrated characteristic of ministry training. God’s plan for us is to go, make, baptize, teach, and obey. That is His “perfect will”. But how are we to do that as we are perfectly formed to do so if we don’t spend time letting God define and refine His vision for us?
If you look at the life of Paul, you will see a prime example of getting vision from God and using it to perform His perfect will of going, making, baptizing, teaching, and obeying. Throughout the New Testament we see a description of how Paul used his particular strengths, interests, etc to carry out the vision God gave him to reach the Gentiles, while being in the perfect will of God to go make, baptize, teach, and obey.
God has called you to go, make, baptize, teach, and obey. He has also given you certain interests, talents, gifts, desires, and abilities. How you use the latter to do the former is your vision.
Karen has a real heart for people. She cares deeply about everyone (no, that is not hyperbole). I often say she has never met a person who she didn’t consider her best friend. She has a real interest in children and the younger generations. And a real desire to see people living their life for Jesus.
I am a teacher. As “real” teachers will tell you, being a teacher is what we are, not what we do. My interest is doctrine and apologetics. I crave authenticity, and cringe when someone representing Christ lives a life that brings scorn upon Jesus and the Church.
Those are our interests, traits, personalities, and abilities. How we use those things in light of God’s perfect plan for us to go, make, baptize, teach, and obey is where the vision of Destination God comes in. And this vision didn’t develop overnight. Specifically, this idea is over a year in the making. Generally, our entire 13 years together has been the “oven” our dream has been “baking” in.
As the eminent theologians, Electric Light Orchestra, once said through song, Hold on tight to your dreams.
RON WILSON, BUS DRIVER
Did you ever see the movie Sky High? It was a Disney flick that came out in 2005. It is the story of a teenager, Will Stronghold, who is the son of two superheroes: The Commander and Jet Stream. Like all other super teens, he goes to a special high school – Sky High, so named because it floats in orbit above the earth.
Will is perplexed because as his first day of high school looms, he still doesn’t have any super powers. This means he might forever be known as 'hero support', or a sidekick. This is especially troubling because, as the son of the two most famous superheroes on earth, he is expected to, in the words of his dad, “save the earth someday, just to be able to experience that once”. The school nurse tries to console him by stating that she only knows of one offspring of two superhero parents who never inherited any powers: Ron Wilson, bus driver.
The driver of Will’s school bus has no powers. But he has a job to do nonetheless. He sees his role as important as the heroes because he has the responsibility of getting the next generation safely to and from school. He takes his job seriously. He is hard working. He is trustworthy. Toward the end of the movie, when he is called on to help save the 'real' superheroes, he rises to the occasion.
In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker was criticized by Yoda for “…all his life he has looked to the horizon, never his mind on where he was – what he was doing…” In Sky High, Ron Wilson is just the opposite. He didn’t worry about what he could be doing, or what others were doing that he couldn’t, his focus was on what he could do right now – and on doing it well.
You know what, God needs more 'Ron Wilson, bus drivers'. There can only be one Billy Graham. There is but one Reinhard Bonnke. Only one Rick Warren. But, just as the superheroes in Sky High couldn’t defeat the enemy without significant contributions from the ‘sidekicks’, God need the millions of ‘Ron Wilsons’ to do their job to support the Grahams, Bonnkes, and Warrens.
We can't all be superheroes. But we can all aspire to be Ron Wilson, bus driver. And do what we can, where we can, when we can, with what we can.
BAGUETTES, CROISSANTS, STONE-GROUND WHEAT, PUMPERNICKLE, RYE ... OH MY!
"Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread." --D.T. Niles
Recently, Karen and I went to see the movie End of the Spear. It is the story of five missionaries who were killed in South America back in the 1950’s. Except it is from the perspective of the Indians who killed them and how they eventually were reached with the Gospel. It is from a book by Steve Saint, whose father, Nate, was one of the martyred missionaries. If you have not seen it, you should. I don’t know how much longer it will be in the theaters, but I, for one, will buy it as soon as it gets to DVD. There is no justice if it doesn’t at least get nominated for “Best Picture” at the Oscars in 2007.
Those five men, and countless millions others like them, felt a call on their lives and were willing to give up everything to fulfill that call. In my own case, I have a friend who is about to go to Indonesia as a missionary. And it is not lost on him and his family, especially his teenage daughter, that being a Christian in a Muslim world is not going to be an easy task.
But we, too, have a call on our lives. Each of us has something that God wants us to do, and that God has created us especially to do. I encourage you to get involved in some ministry this year.
Not all of us are called to the foreign missions field. And it is likely that not many of us will be martyred for our faith. But, we are called to do something. Let's be sure we tell'em where to find bread.
JESUS STOPPED
I was curious not too long ago about how Jesus conducted His ministry. It seems to me that as Jesus conducted His life of ministry, so should we. After all, all of us are to be ministers. As I thought about it, the idea, “Jesus stopped” came to my mind.
What does it mean to say, “Jesus stopped”? I wanted to know if the Bible had anything to say about that? Is that phrase in the Bible, either as those words, or that idea? As I looked, I found 9 incidents where that idea or phrase is used. The actual phrase “Jesus stopped” is used in the description of 2 events: Matthew 20:32 and John 11:53-54. The idea that Jesus stopped whatever else He was doing in order to minister to a specific need or circumstance occurs 7 more times that I could see.
Jesus stopped for CHILDREN
(Mark 10:13-16) The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.
Jesus was walking from one place to another, teaching and healing people as he went along. As people began to bring children to Jesus for His blessing, the disciples tried to turn them away. Jesus would have none of it. He called the children to Him and did, indeed, bless them.
I believe Jesus is making a point about our treatment of children, a point that bears much repeating in America and the world in 2006. An old saying used to go, “Children are to be seen and not heard”. I don’t think that lines up with Jesus’ way of doing things. Jesus’ pattern seems to be going out of His way to acknowledge children. It would appear from the various Gospel accounts of Jesus’ interaction with kids that He knew that to raise a child well requires time and effort spent in “hands on” training. After all, we can’t just assume they know how to behave unless we have spent time “showing” as well as “telling”.
Jesus seems to be saying by His stopping for children that they are worth our time.
Jesus stopped to show COMPASSION
The story is told of a little child who went on an errand for her Mother. She was late coming back, and her Mother asked for an explanation. The child explained that a playmate of hers down the street had fallen and broken her doll and that she had stopped to help her. The mother wondered what she could do to help mend the broken doll. The little girl replied, “I just sat down and helped her cry”.
(Matthew 20:29-34) As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men …shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” …Jesus stopped and …had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
This is one of the places where the phrase “Jesus stopped” is actually used. Why did He stop, to show compassion. Jesus was walking along, with a large crowd following Him. These blind men called out to Him for healing. Jesus stopped, and answered their cry.
(Matthew 14:13-20) When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. …
Jesus stopped what He was doing in order to show compassion on people. What was he doing when He stopped? He was grieving the loss of His cousin, John the Baptist. He had just been informed of John’s beheading. He went away to a solitary place, presumably to pray. But the crowds followed Him. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. But you know what else—this is the story of the Feeding of the 5,000. He stopped what He was doing to minister to the needs of those following Him.
Why did He do this? He did it because He could feel their need. It was a need He shared. Remember how He fed the crowd: with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. The only food they had available. Now Jesus usually traveled with 12 other men, several women, probably a few children, and many others. Enough others that He could, on another occasion, send 72 people out to minister. Many people believe that the number of people who regularly followed Jesus around was over 100. That big group around and they have only 5 loaves and 2 fish. The need of the 5,000 (men, probably closer to 12,000 all total) was also the need of Jesus and His immediate followers. He didn’t just feel for them, He felt with them.
Jesus stopped to COACH
(Matthew 5:1-48) Jesus saw many people. He went up on the mountain and sat down. His followers came to Him…
The consistent life was what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. We refer to this as the Sermon on the Mount. Chapter 5 is what we call the Beatitudes.
Jesus had just returned from His 40-day trial in the desert. He had called His first disciples to Him and was traveling around preaching and healing. As would often happen, large crowds began to gather. Jesus stopped doing that in order to begin “coaching” His disciples. The Sermon on the Mount is a tremendous teaching on living a consistent life.
Whatever we are doing, one of our more important tasks would be to teach others how to live the Godly life. Not by our words, but by our life. I mentioned earlier the importance of taking time to train our children. This goes along with that. How do young people, or any people for that matter, learn from us? BY OUR LIFESTYLE.
Jesus stopped to CONFRONT
(Luke 11:37-54) When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised…
Once again, Jesus had been busy teaching. He was quickly approaching the end of His life, and was instructing His followers in preparation of that. A Pharisee invited him to dinner. Jesus stopped what He was doing to answer the invitation.
The Pharisee, doing what Pharisees usually did, began to judge Jesus’ actions. This time it was not for showing kindness to someone, or healing someone of their illness or disease, or for daring to follow the Law and gather something to eat while on the road. No, this time it was because He did not wash His hands before dinner!
So, Jesus began to “call it like He saw it”. He confronted their sin. He pointed out their egos, their hypocrisy, their injustice, and their ignorance, among other things. He did not mince words.
He stopped to confront sin. He did not put up with it. He did not condone it. He did not “wink” at it. When you see wrong, call it what it is – SIN. Is it possible you will offend people? Yes. But don’t try to offend. Remember, Jesus called out religious people who were doing wrong and leading others astray. He didn’t take the same tack when it came to calling sinners to repentance. Those He loved to God. Confront sin in those who should know better, and those who say they are better—like the Pharisees did. For all others, love them to God. Live your life in such a consistent pattern that people see God in you.
Jesus stopped in order to CONTINUE
(John 11:53-54) So from that time on the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem.
How many of you have seen the movie Grumpy Old Men? In that movie Ann Margaret plays a character named Ariel. She tells John Gustafson that it is sometimes necessary to go out of your way in order to come back correctly.
That is what is happening in this passage, which is the only other place where the phrase “Jesus stopped” is used. He had just raised Lazarus from the dead. The people were beginning to believe in Him so much that their leaders were afraid the Romans would come to put a stop to it. It is also at this time that the plot to kill Jesus intensified.
In order to be able to fulfill the purpose for His life, Jesus had to die only at a prescribed time, and in a prescribed way. His work was not yet done. There was still a few things He had to do and still some things He had to teach His disciples. In order to do that, to continue His work, He had to stop. In this case, He had to stop going around in public.
In order to do what God has appointed to us to do, sometimes we have to stop. What do we need to stop? Maybe we need to stop doing all the “busywork” that keeps us so tired that we can’t minister to others. Maybe we need to stop running ourselves and our families around to so many activities, no matter how worthy they may be, so we can relish the “wife (spouse) of our youth” or the “children of our inheritance”. Maybe we need to stop wasting so much time in trivial pursuits so we can spend more time before God.
In order to do what God has appointed to us to do, sometimes we have to stop. What do we need to stop? Listening to this story concerning Jesus we need to:
- Stop being flustered by things happening around us.
- Stop being surprised by the bad things happening to us.
- Stop being disquieted by the bad people around us.
- Stop being restless.
- Stop being hurried.
- Stop being worried.
However, we are not just supposed to stop doing certain things. We should also stop to do certain things. Things like:
Prayer – Simply talking to God as we would anyone we love and trust. Prayer is essential to our relationship with God. Prayer is essential to our doing what God has called us to do.
Fellowship – The church is a community of people who are called to walk alongside each other. To “weep with those who weep”. To “laugh with those who laugh”. To “spur each other on to good deeds”.
Witness – Witnesses are people who tell others what they have personally seen or heard. We need to tell the helpless, hopeless, and hurting the Good News of Jesus.
Serve – Serving God by serving other is something that should grow out of our love for Jesus—and what He did for us. This service is not meant to be involuntary. It is meant to grow out of love and gratitude.
We have to sometimes stop in order to continue doing and being what God wants us to do and be.
Jesus stopped because that is why He CAME
(John 9:1-12) As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. …(Jesus said) As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world…
Jesus and His disciples were walking along when they came upon this man who had been blind since birth. Jesus was asked whose fault was it that he was blind. Jesus replied that he was blind so that the power of God could be displayed in his life.
Jesus stopped to discuss the question and to heal this man because that is what He came to do. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus quotes a prophecy from Isaiah concerning Himself (the Messiah), The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
Jesus had a purpose for being. He had a purpose for His life. He stopped what He was doing in order to fulfill that purpose.
Jesus stopped for children. He stopped to show compassion. He stopped to coach (teach). He stopped to confront sin. Jesus stopped in order to be able to continue. He stopped…because that is why He came.
He was / is the Messiah—the Holy One of Israel. When asked about who He was, He quoted Messianic prophecies and applied them to Himself. His life was a walking fulfillment of prophecies concerning the Messiah.
He had much to do in His 3 years of ministry. His main work was to walk down the path toward Calvary. Yet, when needed to — He stopped.
And since His life is to be the pattern for our lives…
We need to stop and do these things, because just as Jesus did because that was the reason He came, these things are the reason we were created.
A MAN NAMED JED
Or, A Life God Blesses
Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed
Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed
Then one day he was shooting for some food,
And up through the ground come a bubbling crude
A man named Jed … Remember you are CREATED by God and are created in the IMAGE of God
Ps 139:14 -- and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me … of this I have no doubt.
If we are to live a life God blesses, we must begin by remembering one foundational truth: WE ARE NOT GOD. This life is not about us. It is about God. We are a work of His hand, His creation.
If we are to live a life God blesses, we must also recognize that, as a creation, we are not the master of all we survey. In the movie Titanic, Jack Dalton (Leo DiCaprio’s character) says, “I am the king of the World”. However, if we are to be blessed by God we must realize that, in fact, we are NOT ”the king of the world.” A life that is to be blessed should recall that basic fact of life.
Gen 1:26a (Msg) -- God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature.
We were made in God’s image. What does that mean? Certainly we don’t all LOOK like God. What traits does being made in God’s image consist of?
- Knowledge. Col. 3:10 (NIV) says, …put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
- Holiness. In Eph. 4:24 (CEV) we are told, … You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy.
- Righteousness. Eccl. 7:29 (NLV). See, I have found only this, that God made men right, but they have found many sinful ways.
Poor mountaineer … Be HUMBLE and GENTLE
Col. 3:12 (CEV) -- God loves you and has chosen you as his own special people. So be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient.
J. Oswald Sanders noted that humility should be an ever-increasing quality in our life. The life of the Apostle Paul suggests such a progression:
- In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he refers to himself as “the least of the apostles”.
- By the time he writes Ephesians 3:8 he is “the least of all the saints”.
- Toward the end of his life he writes to Timothy (1:15) that he is “the chief of sinners”.
The importance of being humble comes from the fact that it is part of the character of God. Look at Ps. 113:5–6 (NASB) Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? God is incomparably high and great, but He humbles Himself to take notice the things He created.
Mt 5:5 (CEV) -- God blesses those people who are gentle. The earth will belong to them!
Jerry Bridges suggests five strategies for obeying the biblical injunctions about gentleness:
- Make others feel at ease by being sensitive to their opinions and ideas.
- Show respect for the personal dignity of other people.
- Avoid blunt speech and abrupt manner. Be sensitive to how others react to your words, considering how they may feel.
- Don't be threatened by opposition.
- Do not belittle, degrade, or gossip.
Barely kept his family fed … Don’t be ashamed to admit to a SIGNIFICANT NEED
Ps 70:5 (CEV) -- I am poor and needy, but you, the LORD God, care about me. You are the one who saves me. Please hurry and help!
The Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles tells a story of faithfulness in chapter 20. Judah is about to be invaded by a “multi-national” force. King Jehoshaphat calls the people together to pray because, as he says in verse 12 (Msg), O dear God, won't you take care of them? We're helpless before this vandal horde ready to attack us. We don't know what to do; we're looking to you.
The prayer Jehoshaphat prayed is an excellent prayer.
- He acknowledges God, gives Him the glory, and takes comfort in that.
- He makes mention of God’s promise to hear and help them when they cried to Him.
- He pleads for justice against the enemy.
- He professes his entire dependence upon God for deliverance.
In verse 15 God answers: Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. When God says, “the battle is not yours, but Mine”, He means it. All the people of Judah had to do was go out to prepare for battle and start singing and praising God. Before the enemy even approached Judah, God had destroyed them. Actually, He had them to destroy themselves. So thoroughly, in fact, that not a one survived.
He was shooting for some food … Be FAITHFUL to do your part
I Corinthians 16:13 (Msg) -- Keep your eyes open,hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute.
The story is told that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends said, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now." Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn't they usually say three times and out?" "Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat -- he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner."
Picking up on that idea, someone has said, "The thing that counts is not how many times you are 'throwed,' but whether you are willing to stay 'throwed'." We may face setbacks, but we must take courage and go forward in faith. Then, through the Holy Spirit's power, we can be the eventual victor over sin and the world. The battle is the Lord's, so there is no excuse for us to stay "throwed"!
The Old Testament Book of Judges recounts the story of Gideon. He was chosen by God to save Israel from their enemy, Midian. In Judges 6:14 (NIV) God told Gideon to Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you? For Israel to be saved from their enemies would require a lot more than Gideon’s own strength. Midian was a powerful enemy with a large armed force. The people of Israel were so scared of them that Gideon; this so-called “mighty warrior”, was threshing grain in a wine press so the Midianites wouldn’t find him and steal the grain. But God gave him a job to do, and encouraged him that he could actually do it.
God’s ways are not always our ways. Remember that the Israelites defeated the city of Jericho by obeying God and doing nothing more than marching around it for 7 days and blowing a few trumpets. In this case, God had Gideon pare down Israel’s army from 30,000 to 300, and then gave the victory. God’s ways are not always our ways. He doesn’t ask us to understand WHY things happen, or HOW He will act. He simply wants us to keep going forward in the strength we have—the strength He gave us.
When up from the ground came a bubbling crude … You will be BLESSED for faithfulness
Ps 119:2 (Msg) -- You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
How’s this for being blessed by being faithful?
- Failed in business: age 22
- Ran for Legislature—defeated: 23
- Again failed in business: 24
- Elected to Legislature: 25
- Sweetheart died: 26
- Had a nervous breakdown: 27
- Defeated for Speaker: 29
- Defeated for Elector: 31
- Defeated for Congress: 34
- Elected to Congress: 37
- Defeated for Congress: 39
- Defeated for Senate: 46
- Defeated for Vice President: 47
- Defeated for Senate: 49
- Elected President of the United States: 51…
That's the record of Abraham Lincoln.
How about this example?
- Smallest and youngest of 8 brothers
- Anointed to become King
- Picked on and bullied by his brothers
- Hired to do a job by the current King
- King attempts to kill him—several times
- Lives much of his early life on the run, in fear of his life
- Leaves his own country to live in the land of his country’s enemy
- Finally becomes King, only to have his own son stage an attempted coup
- Commits adultery and murders the husband of his mistress
- Prevented from building a Temple to God because of his warrior past
- Referred to as a “man after God’s own heart”
That was the life of Israel’s King David
Or maybe this one?
- No beauty or majesty to attract me to Him
- Despised and rejected by me
- A man of sorrows
- Despised and rejected
- Took up my infirmities
- Carried my sorrows
- Pierced for my transgressions
- Crushed for my iniquities
- The punishment that brought me peace was upon Him
- Wounded for my healing
- My sin was laid upon Him
- Oppressed and afflicted
- Led like a lamb to the slaughter
- Cut off from the land of the living
- Assigned a grave with the wicked, though He was innocent
- Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped
- Made Himself nothing
- Took on the very nature of a servant
- Humbled himself
- Obedient to death–even death on a cross
- Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name ...
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Is 53, Phil 2)
Jesus is our ultimate example of faithfulness. He was faithful to complete the task laid before Him All He asks that we do likewise. Not all of us are called to preach. Not all are called to be oversees missionaries. Not all of us are called to full-time vocational ministry. But we are all called to something.
But, wherever we serve, we are to follow the example of Jesus and be faithful to the task set before us.
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