Due to some comments that I have received, I will be continuining this blog. Please consider helping me out by answering the poll at the right.
Thank you to all of you who gave me comments.
Jim
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Minster By Any Other Name
We were in a group discussion. There were just a few of us so we were pretty open in our discussions. As the discussions came around to what stesses each of us were dealing with, an interesting view that many of us have popped out.
As we discussed different challenges one individual stated that the responsibilities of ministry are extreme, suggesting that, just perhaps, the depth of responsibility on "ministry" was most likely beyond the ability of someone not in ministry to fully understand.
Fastening that we should have the concept or ministry/non-ministry being based upon who pays ones paycheck. This is not uniquely the property of those in "ministry" but many of those who have "non-ministry" jobs agree that we, indeed, have non-ministry jobs.
Scripture doesn't see things that same way at all. We are told that "whatever we do we are to do it as to the Lord".
An equal matter of concern, however, lies in the practicality of this issue. Let me ask you an easy question: who has greater access to the "unsaved", the "minister" or the "non-minister"? An even easier question: who has the greater opportunity to display Jesus to people who have no concept of grace?
Obviously, there are different types of ministry. None is more valuable than the other. We are all one body, different gifts; different callings; different accesses but still one body!
Minister in grace and in faith!
As we discussed different challenges one individual stated that the responsibilities of ministry are extreme, suggesting that, just perhaps, the depth of responsibility on "ministry" was most likely beyond the ability of someone not in ministry to fully understand.
Fastening that we should have the concept or ministry/non-ministry being based upon who pays ones paycheck. This is not uniquely the property of those in "ministry" but many of those who have "non-ministry" jobs agree that we, indeed, have non-ministry jobs.
Scripture doesn't see things that same way at all. We are told that "whatever we do we are to do it as to the Lord".
An equal matter of concern, however, lies in the practicality of this issue. Let me ask you an easy question: who has greater access to the "unsaved", the "minister" or the "non-minister"? An even easier question: who has the greater opportunity to display Jesus to people who have no concept of grace?
Obviously, there are different types of ministry. None is more valuable than the other. We are all one body, different gifts; different callings; different accesses but still one body!
Minister in grace and in faith!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Difficult Times Reach God's Heart
I call out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depths and You heard my voice…Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple…I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. Jonah 2:2-9
By the reference you most likely know that the author of the text placed himself in a pretty precarious position due to his own choices and decisions.
I’m quite certain that you haven’t encountered the wrong side of a big fish but, undoubtedly, you have placed yourself in your own precarious situations due to some less that stellar decisions of your own. So how did you feel when the weeds were wrapped around your head?
A flood of feelings come to mind but a desire to pray isn’t likely one of those. Desperation oftentimes compels us to "cry out" to the Lord.
This type of desperate prayer is absolutely valid and necessary from time to time. We see another example of this when Peter jumped out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the surface of the lake only to begin to sink.
Peter discovered that he had few options and he "cried out" "save me Lord".
Of course Jesus did rescue Peter from his decision in spite of the weakness of his faith. Likewise, Jonah found himself in a desperate situation due to decisions that he had made and had few options available to him therefore he "cried out" to God for help.
Although valid and acceptable because of Jesus, desperation prayer is not a prayer of faith.
A prayer of faith accomplishes things beyond our ability to comprehend and oftentimes beyond our ability to see. After all, that is what faith is all about.
The pathway from the prayer of desperation to the prayer of faith is illustrated in Jonah’s text. "I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving".
Oh, how easy it is to express our thankfulness when things are going well. It is a different matter entirely when we are wrapped in seaweed at the bottom of the ocean.
This is the type of sacrifice that reaches the very heart of God. This is the sacrifice that is modeled after Jesus when in agony caused by his physical pain magnified beyond all reason by my sin on His back He ask the Father to "forgive them".
Today, right this moment, there are things or people or situations that are not to your liking. You have been burdened by this thing for some time. Now would be a good time to offer Jesus a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" as you throw yourself upon His mighty shoulders.
While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple…I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. Jonah 2:2-9
By the reference you most likely know that the author of the text placed himself in a pretty precarious position due to his own choices and decisions.
I’m quite certain that you haven’t encountered the wrong side of a big fish but, undoubtedly, you have placed yourself in your own precarious situations due to some less that stellar decisions of your own. So how did you feel when the weeds were wrapped around your head?
A flood of feelings come to mind but a desire to pray isn’t likely one of those. Desperation oftentimes compels us to "cry out" to the Lord.
This type of desperate prayer is absolutely valid and necessary from time to time. We see another example of this when Peter jumped out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the surface of the lake only to begin to sink.
Peter discovered that he had few options and he "cried out" "save me Lord".
Of course Jesus did rescue Peter from his decision in spite of the weakness of his faith. Likewise, Jonah found himself in a desperate situation due to decisions that he had made and had few options available to him therefore he "cried out" to God for help.
Although valid and acceptable because of Jesus, desperation prayer is not a prayer of faith.
A prayer of faith accomplishes things beyond our ability to comprehend and oftentimes beyond our ability to see. After all, that is what faith is all about.
The pathway from the prayer of desperation to the prayer of faith is illustrated in Jonah’s text. "I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving".
Oh, how easy it is to express our thankfulness when things are going well. It is a different matter entirely when we are wrapped in seaweed at the bottom of the ocean.
This is the type of sacrifice that reaches the very heart of God. This is the sacrifice that is modeled after Jesus when in agony caused by his physical pain magnified beyond all reason by my sin on His back He ask the Father to "forgive them".
Today, right this moment, there are things or people or situations that are not to your liking. You have been burdened by this thing for some time. Now would be a good time to offer Jesus a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" as you throw yourself upon His mighty shoulders.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Difficult Personal Question
Faith is a difficult thing to really understand.
Hebrews 11:1 defines it as an assurance and a conviction about the unknowable and the unseeable.
A few weeks ago my eyes were opened to something shocking the Jesus said just before the last few days of His life on this earth. He said, "…when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)
Since "discovering" this question I have asked several people, "Where have you seen faith displayed most recently". What I get, in return is blank stares. I then follow up with this question to him/her and to myself, "when was the last time that you did something by faith?".
What answer do you think I would get? Better yet, what answer would I get if I asked you that question?
James 5:17-18 says, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain fir three years and six months. And again he prayed, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
Please understand that this is not intended as a message of condemnation. This message is one that pierces my heart far more than it could possibly apply to you.
So let me ask us all, will Jesus find faith on this earth when He returns?
Hebrews 11:1 defines it as an assurance and a conviction about the unknowable and the unseeable.
A few weeks ago my eyes were opened to something shocking the Jesus said just before the last few days of His life on this earth. He said, "…when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)
Since "discovering" this question I have asked several people, "Where have you seen faith displayed most recently". What I get, in return is blank stares. I then follow up with this question to him/her and to myself, "when was the last time that you did something by faith?".
What answer do you think I would get? Better yet, what answer would I get if I asked you that question?
James 5:17-18 says, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain fir three years and six months. And again he prayed, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
Please understand that this is not intended as a message of condemnation. This message is one that pierces my heart far more than it could possibly apply to you.
So let me ask us all, will Jesus find faith on this earth when He returns?
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Ask With Confidence
Jesus had a phrase that He used a few times that must have left His disciples scratching their heads.
"He who has ears, let him hear…" , once again the disciples looked around to see if the others heard these words. "What does He mean, ‘he who has ears?’ we all have ears and we all hear just fine".
As we listen now to these next words of Jesus hear them with your inner ears; the ones that God designed to be the direct connection between Him and our hearts.
If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)
Oh, how easy it is for us to jump on a particular appealing scripture. On the other hand, sometimes specific scriptures are difficult to understand because things don’t seem to work as represented. "Ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you" is one of those statements.
Obviously, there are some preconditions to the promised results in this statement.
Taken in the context of the body of the overall statement Jesus was making builds the case for this precondition.
I am the true vine, Jesus said, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him shall bear much fruit.
It is in this context that Jesus makes the statement "if you abide in Me and My words abide in you…". The key to the promised results is the precondition.
The fact is, our desires are, for the most part self-serving. Beyond self-serving, our desires are generally extremely small and foolish.
As we absorb the Word of God through reading, meditating and studying our hearts and desires begin to change. As our hearts change it then moves toward the heart of God.
This is not a quick metamorphous but a never-ending submission to the brilliance of God’s truth. The heart is a stubborn, resistant master and it does not submit easily or happily.
Master your heart by submitting it to the sharp edged sword of God’s Word. The surgery will be gentle but effective.
It is out of such a heart that Jesus proclaims, "ask whatever you desire and it will be done for you."
"He who has ears, let him hear…" , once again the disciples looked around to see if the others heard these words. "What does He mean, ‘he who has ears?’ we all have ears and we all hear just fine".
As we listen now to these next words of Jesus hear them with your inner ears; the ones that God designed to be the direct connection between Him and our hearts.
If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)
Oh, how easy it is for us to jump on a particular appealing scripture. On the other hand, sometimes specific scriptures are difficult to understand because things don’t seem to work as represented. "Ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you" is one of those statements.
Obviously, there are some preconditions to the promised results in this statement.
Taken in the context of the body of the overall statement Jesus was making builds the case for this precondition.
I am the true vine, Jesus said, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him shall bear much fruit.
It is in this context that Jesus makes the statement "if you abide in Me and My words abide in you…". The key to the promised results is the precondition.
The fact is, our desires are, for the most part self-serving. Beyond self-serving, our desires are generally extremely small and foolish.
As we absorb the Word of God through reading, meditating and studying our hearts and desires begin to change. As our hearts change it then moves toward the heart of God.
This is not a quick metamorphous but a never-ending submission to the brilliance of God’s truth. The heart is a stubborn, resistant master and it does not submit easily or happily.
Master your heart by submitting it to the sharp edged sword of God’s Word. The surgery will be gentle but effective.
It is out of such a heart that Jesus proclaims, "ask whatever you desire and it will be done for you."
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Faith During the Ordinary
Romans 12:12 says:
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer"
How easy it is to "rejoice" in hope. I know that we sometimes lose focus on the "hope that is within us" but we nevertheless know deep within who wins!
Being patient in suffering is a bit more difficult. Perhaps we easily fall into impatient frustration over our suffering at times but eventually we have no choice but to be patient or to be continually frustrated.
The last part of this phrase is intriguing don't you agree? "Persevere" in prayer? Does God know us intimately, or what? Prayer is tough; no not the simple act of praying, that's not what is tough. What is tough is to remember to pray, desire to pray, and to effectively pray.
Perseverance is "hanging in there" in spite of everything else. Do you think we would have an issue with praying if God immediately granted our every request? If we could simply make our request and turn around at see that it had happened, surely we would find praying easy and desirable.
It is the faith component that makes praying difficult and makes staying faithful to prayer a matter of perseverance.
Don't be discouraged when your prayer life seems cold. That happens to all of us. If it were easy anybody could do it; it isn't easy that's why God has called you to do it.
It's not about us being perfectly faithful; it's about a called group of believers who God has brought together to see that prayer is a constant in and in behalf of His Church and His world!
Be a part of the team!
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer"
How easy it is to "rejoice" in hope. I know that we sometimes lose focus on the "hope that is within us" but we nevertheless know deep within who wins!
Being patient in suffering is a bit more difficult. Perhaps we easily fall into impatient frustration over our suffering at times but eventually we have no choice but to be patient or to be continually frustrated.
The last part of this phrase is intriguing don't you agree? "Persevere" in prayer? Does God know us intimately, or what? Prayer is tough; no not the simple act of praying, that's not what is tough. What is tough is to remember to pray, desire to pray, and to effectively pray.
Perseverance is "hanging in there" in spite of everything else. Do you think we would have an issue with praying if God immediately granted our every request? If we could simply make our request and turn around at see that it had happened, surely we would find praying easy and desirable.
It is the faith component that makes praying difficult and makes staying faithful to prayer a matter of perseverance.
Don't be discouraged when your prayer life seems cold. That happens to all of us. If it were easy anybody could do it; it isn't easy that's why God has called you to do it.
It's not about us being perfectly faithful; it's about a called group of believers who God has brought together to see that prayer is a constant in and in behalf of His Church and His world!
Be a part of the team!
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Last Days are Here!
Realize this, that in the last days…men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 2 Timothy 3:1-4
Quite a list, isn’t it? As you read many of the descriptions what came to your mind?
Sounds a lot like the society that we live in doesn’t it? Everywhere we turn we see one or more of the traits described above displayed openly.
However, before we go too far down this road, we must read the rest of the scripture:
holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power… 3:5a
So, evidently, the descriptions above aren’t addressing the society’s issues. Those issues have always belonged to society. What is new is that these traits have seeped into the Church. It is only the Church that has the position to “hold to a form of godliness”; the world has never been interested.
Too easy it is to think of examples of the above traits within the Church. The music is too loud, it is too hot, the message was too long, church isn’t fun/friendly/applicable anymore and on and on.
Lost within the ugliness is the “power”. Long ago the manifest power of the gospel message has been buried under the self-interest and self-promotion. Each weekend we see displayed only the “form of godliness” while privately God’s people carry on the sickness.
Hear the Word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer; incense is an abomination to Me. I am weary of hearing them.”
“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen.”
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease evil, learn to do good, seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:10-17
As the Nation of Israel was equated to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah perhaps today’s church is not far from the equation as well.
We are well aware of who makes up today’s Church. Individuals like you and me are responsible for the loss of power. Jesus is inviting us to “wash yourselves, make yourselves clean”.
Let’s agree together to quit “trampling His courts” with our worthless prayers and come into agreement with how He sees us. It is only then that we can once again discover the power!
Quite a list, isn’t it? As you read many of the descriptions what came to your mind?
Sounds a lot like the society that we live in doesn’t it? Everywhere we turn we see one or more of the traits described above displayed openly.
However, before we go too far down this road, we must read the rest of the scripture:
holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power… 3:5a
So, evidently, the descriptions above aren’t addressing the society’s issues. Those issues have always belonged to society. What is new is that these traits have seeped into the Church. It is only the Church that has the position to “hold to a form of godliness”; the world has never been interested.
Too easy it is to think of examples of the above traits within the Church. The music is too loud, it is too hot, the message was too long, church isn’t fun/friendly/applicable anymore and on and on.
Lost within the ugliness is the “power”. Long ago the manifest power of the gospel message has been buried under the self-interest and self-promotion. Each weekend we see displayed only the “form of godliness” while privately God’s people carry on the sickness.
Hear the Word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no longer; incense is an abomination to Me. I am weary of hearing them.”
“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen.”
Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease evil, learn to do good, seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:10-17
As the Nation of Israel was equated to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah perhaps today’s church is not far from the equation as well.
We are well aware of who makes up today’s Church. Individuals like you and me are responsible for the loss of power. Jesus is inviting us to “wash yourselves, make yourselves clean”.
Let’s agree together to quit “trampling His courts” with our worthless prayers and come into agreement with how He sees us. It is only then that we can once again discover the power!
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