Help My Unbelief…!
July 31, 2008
I am growing weary over the battle for supremacy being waged at my house between me and the ants (yes…I know this is improper grammar, but I refuse to put the ants before me in this sentence). This summer seems to have been especially bad. The ants just keep coming, and I just keep spraying. Is there no end to their march?
Every once in a while we grow weary in a battle that seems to pop up over and over again. Jesus, whose power is inexaustible, never grew weary in His battles against unbelieving religiosity. In John 5 He continued to battle against the unregenerate religious, as they opposed Him for doing a miracle on the Sabbath. They were more concerned that a lifelong lame man was carrying his mat on the Sabbath than they were that a lifelong lame man was walking.
By the end of John 5 Jesus had indicted them pretty well. After a long message, he ends it by saying, “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (italics added)
Jesus indicts them for what may be the greatest crime. The greatest accusation is not some particular sinful behavior, but it is unbelief. Unbelief is the most severe and crushing indictment against someone brought by our Lord. As sinful as individual sins of the flesh might be, how much more is the sin of unbelief in an omnipotent Savior?
Unbelief doubts the very power of God. Unbelief undercuts the ability of the Savior. Unbelief questions the power of the Sovereign Lord.
Yes, other sins damage a testimony and harm the Body/body. Other sins chip away at the integrity of the testimony of a believer. Yet, unbelief questions the very existence of God. If God really does not have the ability or presence to do what He says, then does He even exist as He claims? Unbelief is a despicable, damaging, detrimental sin against the God-head.
Holy God, may we walk in absolute trust and belief.
The Evangelical Capitalist
July 30, 2008
How you are born is how you will die.
This, at one time, was the general idea of class and economics in most of the known world. Class and economic systems were fairly rigid with little opportunity of improving one’s status. In some cases, people would work, slave, and save over a long period of time and advance their status in small ways. And, every once in a while, prodigies of art, athletics, politics, writing, or military would storm ahead from poverty to world class status. This type of advancement was — by far — the exception.
In the 1700s the birth of Industrial Revolution began in England and Europe. From the development of mechanical inventions, came the idea that — if one could develop a better invention — then he or she could promote it, sell it, and quickly gain wealth. The birth of capitalism saw investors take this idea one step further. If one found a new and better invention, then the old could be rendered obsolete and the new would earn wealth for the one promoting it. Investors looked to capitalize on every opportunity, and capitalism was born. The 8-track-tapes of the 1970s, became the cassettes of the 1980s, which became the cd’s of the 1990’s, which are becoming the Mp3 files of the new millennium. This is how capitalism works. Investors capitalize on each opportuntity to advance as it comes along.
WHAT IF BELIEVERS BECAME EVANGELICAL CAPITALISTS?
In John 4 Jesus capitalizes on five different evangelistic opportunities in a series of a few days. He presents salvation and personal evangelism as follows: a well (4:1-26), a wheat illustration (4:27-38), a stay in an unlikely city (4:39-42), returning home (4:43-45), and the healing of a child (4:46-54). Each of these opportunities is totally unique to the others.
Note the flow of evangelism from the Master. Not the variety of soul-winning, the sensitivity to the moment, and the awareness of surroundings. Each moment is efficiently used so that the setting, the occurances, the experiences and the details of the day go toward winning lost souls. Jesus CAPITALIZES on every moment and every experience to advance the Kingdom and the message of salvation.
Are you as sensitive and effective in the use of your surroundings in pointing people to Christ? Every single day of your life provides a myriad of experiences and events that can move toward introducing the lost to the Savior. The question is not one of opportunity, but it is one of CAPITALISM.
GOD MAKE US EVANGELICAL CAPITALISTS! HELP US CAPITALIZE ON EACH INDIVIDUAL MOMENT AND EVENT TO POINT PEOPLE TO YOU!
I Want more Indulgent Believers!
July 24, 2008
Indulgent.
“an inability to resist the gratification of whims and desires”
“a disposition to yield to the wishes of someone”
“the act of indulging or gratifying a desire”
As a pastor and undershepherd of one of God’s local churches, I WANT MORE INDULGENT BELIEVERS IN MY CHURCH!!
Are you paying attention now? Then…consider this…
“You know as a church that I have not hesitated to INDULGE large ideas of what we might do for God, and we have accomplished all that we purposed. I have sought God’s aid, assistance, and help in all my many undertakings. Though I cannot tell here the story of my private life in God’s work, yet if it were written, it would be a standing proof that there is a God who answers prayer.” — Spurgeon, The Golden Key of Prayer
The Tug Fork River split the Kentucky county of Logan and the West Virginia county of Pike. In Logan County Devil Anse Hatfield raised his family to live, work, play, and fight hard. In Pike County, West Virginia Ole Ran’l McCoy led his family much the same way.
The Civil War brought about border rivalries and soldiers for the Union and Confederacy. After the war, tensions ran high between these two groups who competed for property, livestock…and…eventually…love.
When tensions were at their height, Roseanna McCoy fell head over heels for a strikingly good looking ladies man named Johnse Hatfield. They came together, according to stories, during the election events of 1880. In those parts, election day gave good reason to come together, eat, sing, and drink. A series of events would lead to Roseanna’s heartbreaking loss of her beau Johnse. No…it was not to a brave death, but to a cowardly act of womanizing. After one particular rendezvous, where Johnse was taken prisoner and Roseanna rescued him, he never returned to her side. Roseanna would end up pregnant, but would miscarry the child. Johnse Hatfield would marry Roseann’s 16 year old cousin in 1881.
It was the 1882 election that saw this simmering fued burst into flames. Three of Roseanna McCoy’s brothers stabbed Ellison Hatfield to death — seemingly unprovoked. From that day until the recognized ending of this war in 1891, there were thirteen deaths of revenge and repayment.
What an awful story of two families who could have done so much together. Instead, out of spite, seeming offense, and anger, these border neighbors killed, hurt, and mamed one another. People can do an awful lot of damage to one another when they take revenge into their own hands. Yet, what do God’s people do when we are wronged and attacked by the world?
Early in the travels of God’s people from Eqypt the Ammonite and Moabites not only refused to help, but they also hired a professional prophet to issue a curse against the Israelites. Of course, according to Numbers 22-24, not only did Balaam not bring a curse, but he actually blessed God’s people. Yet, what were God’s people to do about this awful wrong against them by the Ammonites and Moabites? The best answer is to allow God to handle it.
In Nehemiah 13:1-3, as the Israelites have completed their wall and are beginning to re-inhabit the city of Jerusalem and build their city, an interesting dilemma arises. It says, “ On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. (italics added for emphasis)”
In other words, God is still dealing with the wrong perpetrated against His people from hundreds of years earlier. Do we really think that God is not able to rectify a wrong done to His people? So often, worldly people do hurtful things to us, and we take great offense. We seek to repay or re-explain. Too often, we even try to even the score. In the midst of it all God is taking care of things. He is able to rectify wrongs and make straight the things others have done to us.
What would have happened if the Hatfields and McCoys could have allowed the perceived wrongs to be handled by God instead of by their own impulsive anger? Maybe history would be different and lives would not have been lost. What happens if you allow God to take care of your perceived wrong brought against you? Maybe true justice and the glory of God will be lifted up. Either way, God’s people MUST know that our job is not to seek revenge or rectify a perceived slight. That is the job of a perfectly just God.
The Preceding Announcement…
July 16, 2008
The announcement will precede the coming important event. This is how movies, products, businesses, and marketing executives plan things. Precede the critical day or product with announcements of praise, information, and declaration.
In Nehemiah 12:27-47 a massive celebration and dedication service takes place to acknowledge the completion of the walls of Jerusalem. It was the greatest day Jerusalem and God’s people had seen in over 100 years. That is a long time to wait for a celebration.
Nehemiah and Ezra break up the Levites into two massive choirs, and they all gather on the walls. Singing, playing, and celebration breaks forth. In Nehemiah 12:36b (this refers to the end of the verse) an understated observation is made when it says, “Ezra the scribe went before them.” The “them” referred to is the choir over which Ezra directed. Ezra was an expert and teacher in God’s Law. In this case he was also a choir director, yet I cannot help but note the importance of the fact that the man who knew and taught God’s Law was vitally part of the music and celebration of God’s people.
No matter the worship time, celebration time, or corporate time of praise, the Word must be central in its impact and positioning with God’s people. In a TRUE worship service, the Word of God must have a front and center place. Emotions, preference, age, style, and structure are NEVER the primary elements in determining corporate worship expressions. God’s Word Is.
Lord, May your Word ever and always be a critical central element of my life and the life of the church.
