September 06, 2010

The Worth of Work

On this Labor Day, let’s take a look at what God says about work.  Grab a Bilble or hover your mouse over this passage in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18.

The church in Thessalonica had some problems.  Like physical ailments, if they were left untreated, these chronic complaints would only cause more sickness and pain.  Some of the believers had a wrong response to the imminent return of Christ and had stopped working and become idle.  Because they had nothing else to do, they ran around spreading panic and putting their noses where they did not belong.  Paul refers to them as busybodies.  Warren Wiersbe puts it this way: “They had time on their hands and gossip on their lips, but they defended themselves by saying, ‘The Lord is coming soon!’”
This wasn’t the first time that Paul had to address their faulty views of work. 

• Look at verse 10: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’”  Right after starting the church, Paul gave them some guidelines for how to handle those who refuse to work.  We could say it this way: No loaf to the loafer and no soup for the slacker.
• Then, because Paul’s words were not taken seriously, he stepped it up a notch in his first letter to them in 1 Thessalonians 4:11: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you.” 
• Now, just a matter of weeks after receiving the first letter, Paul pens 2 Thessalonians in part to rebuke those who withdrew from the work world.

This is now the third time Paul tackled this topic, and each time you can sense the rising intensity. 

The Worth of Work

The question begs to be asked: Why did he spend so much time talking about work?  In fact, the topic of labor takes up almost as much space as the focus on the return of Christ in his letters to the Thessalonians.  Before we jump into our passage, I think it’s important that we understand why work is worthy in God’s sight.  Have you seen the bumper sticker that says, “Work fascinates me, I can sit and watch it for hours?”  Here’s one that some of you may agree with: “The worst day of fishing is better than the best day of working.”  Another one I’ve seen goes like this: “Hard work may not kill me but why take a chance?”

Our culture has some confusion about work.  On the one hand, we have workaholics and on the other extreme are “workabhorics.” And, in the middle, the majority of people today follow the philosophy of another bumper sticker: “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.”  Homer, the famous Greek writer, said that the gods hated humans so much that they invented work as a way to punish people. 

Some of you may have heard that work is a consequence of Adam’s sin.  Genesis 3:17-19: “…Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…”  Is work a product of the Fall?  Turn back to Genesis 2:15 for the answer: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”  Work is a worthy pursuit, designed by God, who is Himself a worker.  Work is woven into the very fabric of creation.  The Fall didn’t introduce work; it just cursed it by bringing in thorns, thistles, and trials.  Someone put it this way: God designed man to be a gardener but the Fall made him a farmer.  That’s pretty good.  At the beginning Adam’s job was to care for what God had planted.  When sin entered the world, work became more difficult.

In a sermon on this topic, John MacArthur gives four biblical insights about work (http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/53-14.htm):

1.  God commands us to work.  Exodus 20:8-9: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.”  We talk about the importance of rest but we must remember that the command here involves working six days.
2.  God models work for us.  Exodus 20:11: “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them…” God is the greatest worker in the universe.  The Bible describes His works of creation, judgment and redemption.
3.  Work is part of the creation mandate.  Stars shine, plants grow, water does what its supposed to do, clouds do what they do, and when we work we’re doing what we’ve been designed to do.  Psalm 104:23: “Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.”  Work is our contribution to God’s amazing creation.
4.  Work is a gift from God.  When we labor out of love for our Lord, we put on display the genius of God who created each of us uniquely to reflect His beauty.  When we work in concert with Him according to our giftedness and abilities, God is glorified and we’re fulfilled because that’s what He’s made us to do.  Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

John Stott captures the essence of work when he writes: “Work is the expenditure of energy (manual or mental or both) in the service of others, which brings fulfillment to the worker, benefit to the community, and glory to God” (http://pbc.org/dp/ritchie/4003.htm). 

There’s a story told about three men who were digging a foundation.  When asked what he was doing, the first man replied that he was earning money to feed his family.  The second man said he was working so he could go out and party on the weekend.  Only the third man captured the architect’s plan for the structure when he said, “I’m building a cathedral to the glory of God.”  Friend, do you see your job as an avenue to promote the purposes of God?

As we come to our text today, it’s important to understand that the Thessalonians were inundated with at least three influences when it came to work.

• Some with Jewish background believed that only those who studied Scripture like the scribes were doing worthy work.  They separated the spiritual from the secular.
• Those from Greek background believed that work was demeaning and belonged only to slaves.  They had a superior attitude.
• And there were some from the Thessalonian congregation that believed work was no longer necessary because Jesus was going to return any moment.  As a result, they withdrew from work and became busybodies.

This background is helpful in understanding Paul’s passion to promote a biblical theology of labor to this young congregation.  I see 6 Ways to Stay Busy For Christ in this passage.

1.  Stay away from the idle (6).  Since Paul has already exhorted and warned the believers to keep working, he now appeals to the authority of the “Lord Jesus Christ.”  He uses the Savior’s full title here to communicate the absolute seriousness of the problem.  This is not just Paul’s opinion or suggestion.  The word “command” in the Greek comes right at the beginning of verse 6, “We command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”  A general would use this word when he gave orders to his troops.  The commander-in-chief of the armies of heaven is ordering us to stay away from the idle.

The phrase “keep away” means to abstain or avoid.  It was used of furling the sails on a boat.  When the wind would come up they would unfurl the sails, or open them up.  When the wind died down, they would furl them, or pull them back in.  Likewise, we’re to pull back from believers who are “idle,” which is another word from the military world that means to be out-of-step or out of rank.  Those who are idle are disorderly and have gone AWOL from their God-given responsibilities. 

The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about those who are intentionally idle by referring to them as sluggards.

• 6:9: “How long will you lie there, you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep?”
• 10:26: “As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.”
• 19:24: “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!”
• 21:25: “The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.”
• 26:14: “As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.”

It seems a bit strong to sever ties with slackers, doesn’t it?  Paul will develop this further in verses 14-15, but for now, remember that work is worthy because it has been stamped with God’s creativity and sanctified by His eternal purposes.  Also, keep in mind that these believers had ignored Paul’s face-to-face instruction, had blown off the exhortation in the first letter, and were continuing in their errant behavior. 

These recalcitrant leisure lovers were defiantly disobeying a direct order.  In order to bring them back to the ranks, busy believers were to pull back from lazy loafers.  It’s time now for some discipline.  The aim of this alienation is for the wayward to get back on board.  Disfellowship should lead the person back to fellowship.  Romans 16:17 echoes this sentiment: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.  Keep away from them.”  We’re to pull back for our protection and for their restoration.

2.  Follow the example of hard workers (7-9).  Next Paul appeals to his own example in verses 7-9.  Along with Silas and Timothy, they modeled what it means to “labor and toil,” which means, “to work to the point of pain.”  And, they did this night and day when they were with them.  They worked hard, not because they weren’t entitled to some support, but because they wanted to give them a model that they could imitate.  Because they were planting a church, they did not want to be a burden to the believers.  The sluggards, on the other hand, were trying to leach off the church when they should have been working.

I’m thankful for the strong work ethic that my parents passed on to me.  Both my mom and dad worked with everything they had.  I’m also grateful for the hard workers in this congregation who model what it means to labor to the point of pain.  Many of you understand that there really is no difference between the secular and the sacred as you live out the truth of Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

3.  Work is the responsible thing to do (10-12).  In verse 10, Paul refers back to a maxim that he repeated all the time: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  Now, this doesn’t mean that those who can’t work, for one reason or another, shouldn’t eat.  He’s referring to those who will not work, to those who are idle even when work is available and they are able. 

We should never use this verse to hammer the poor or the unemployed because we often don’t know the whole story.  Some of you have been looking for work for many months and you can’t find a job.  We hurt for you and we support you.  This verse is referring to a small minority of believers who had willingly decided to just live off others and put their noses where they didn’t belong.  Having said that, the principle still applies.  If we want food we must be willing to work.  It’s interesting that after Jesus fed the 5,000 in John 6, the next day they showed up again for breakfast, only this time He didn’t feed them.  He fed them the day before in order to teach them and reveal Himself to them, but he wasn’t interested in subsidizing slackers or providing people with an eternal welfare state.

Verse 11 describes what the idle had begun to do: “We hear that some among you are idle.  They are not busy; they are busybodies.”  A busybody is one who has so much time on his hands that he stays busy by meddling in the lives of others.  The Greek word literally means, “to be working around.”  Someone has compared busybodies to mules: When they are pulling, they cannot kick; when they are kicking they cannot pull.  A person who is working hard is generally not lashing out at those around him.  The individual who is inflicting pain on others is usually not pulling her load.

Proverbs 26:17 paints a vivid picture of what can happen when we meddle in matters that shouldn’t matter to us: “Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.”  Busybodies often turn into gossips according to 1 Timothy 5:13: “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house.  And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.”  It’s easy to get into the habit of being idle.  When that happens, being a busybody and passing along gossip can easily become a vocation in itself.

Paul has some strong words for those who are in the habit of being idle in verse 12: “Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.”  Notice again the use of the word “command” and the full title of Jesus.  He’s calling the slacker to mind his own business and to stop flitting around in the lives of others.  To “settle down” means to be still or quiet.  Or, we might say, “chill out and find a job.”  Ephesians 4:28 provides some helpful insight: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”  When we work we don’t have to lean on others but can instead help those who are hurting. 

Work is a wonderful antidote to anxiety and an unbalanced speculation about the return of Christ.  We are to work so we can eat.  Jesus may come back tomorrow but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to work in the morning.  One day, Francis of Assisi was hoeing in his garden and was asked what he would do if he knew Jesus was coming back that very day.  Do you know what he said?  This was his answer: “I’d keep hoeing.”

4.  Do the right thing even when others aren’t (13).  In verse 13, Paul recognizes that it’s easy to get discouraged when we see people doing things that are wrong.  Some of you students who are trying to live for the Lord see a few of your Christian classmates who are not walking with Christ at school and you’re bothered by it.  Or, maybe you’ve tried to help someone and have been taken advantage of.  Whatever the case, don’t lose your focus.  Don’t get tired of doing what is right.  Regardless of what others are doing, hang in there. 

Specifically, Paul is encouraging those who are hard workers to not get bummed out when they see those who are not working.  Galatians 6:9 likewise challenges us to keep on doing what is right and to trust God with the results: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” We should not withhold financial help from those who legitimately need it and not let busybodies bother us.

5.  Don’t hang out with slackers (14).  Verse 14 deals with the matter of church discipline, a subject that we strive to take seriously as a church: “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him.  Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.”  These idlers had refused to obey orders and were clearly exhibiting a rebellious spirit.  As a result, specific and tough measures were needed.  The Bible gives us several other passages that have to do with disciplining a straying disciple (Matthew 18:15-18; Galatians 6:1-3; Titus 3:10; 1 Corinthians 5:1-3).

Lett’s look at three steps we should take with those who fit within the parameters of our passage..

• The plan: Take “special note” of those who are disobeying.  This means that the whole church is to take this seriously by keeping an eye on the person who persists in going down a wrong path. 
• The process: Do not associate with him.  They are to watch him so they can avoid him.  This verb in the Greek means that they are not to “get mixed up with” or have close associations with a slacker.  Likewise, you and I must be careful to not endorse or enable self-destructive behavior.  Sometimes we need to pull back in order for people to fall down so they will look up.
• The purpose: The goal of church discipline must always be restoration.  The hope was that the idle individuals would be isolated to the point that they would feel ashamed of their actions.  This should then lead them to become so hungry that they would be forced to go back to work.  When idlers are ostracized from intimate fellowship with believers they should feel some shame so that they will respond to the cries of their conscience. 

We’ve lost the element of shame today, haven’t we?  The word itself is distasteful.  Literally in the Greek it means to “turn on yourself, to feel what you really are.”  While I certainly don’t want to “shame” people when I preach, because many of us are already paralyzed by false shame and guilt, the Bible does declare that we should feel some shame about our sins.  Jeremiah 6:15: “Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct?  No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.  So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them, says the LORD.”  Properly understood, shame should always lead us to the Savior.  Psalm 83:16: “Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD.

6.  Be loving toward other sinners (15).  Verse 15 provides us with a much-needed reminder to not be too harsh with those who are messing up.  I’ve said this many times before, but our default setting is to get angry with those who sin differently than we do.  Paul recognizes this when he writes: “Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”  The offenders are not enemies but fellow believers in the Lord.  They are brothers to be admonished, not enemies to be abused.  At the same time, we’re not to excuse behavior; but we’re to “warn,” in a “tough-love” kind of way.  To warn someone is literally to put sense or biblical wisdom into the mind so that it changes behavior.

A Prayer For Peace

Paul concludes with some final words that are very comforting in verse 16: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”  1 Thessalonians begins and ends with a focus on peace, and Second Thessalonians follows the same model.  Jesus is the Lord of peace because He is the only one who can bring peace.  The phrase “himself” is emphatic, meaning that it is Jesus, and only Jesus who can give us peace.  John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

This peace that surpasses all understanding can be experienced “at all times” (continually), and in “every way” (in all circumstances).  This was especially comforting to these believers because they were facing persistent persecution, rumors about the return of Christ, and now they needed to discipline fellow disciples.  This reminds us that life is loaded with trouble and circumstances that can easily unsettle us.  No matter what you are going through right now, you can have peace at all times and in every way. 

Some of us desperately need that kind of peace because we’re caught up in the stress and anxiety of the Christmas season.  Others of us are filled with fear.  Some of you have friction because of ruptured relationships.  The peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always.  Notice how peace and His presence are linked together in verse 16: “The Lord of peace himself give you peace…The Lord be with all of you.” 

I recently read about a doctor who put together a very interesting survey involving his patients.  As they waited in the waiting room, they were asked to complete a questionnaire.  One of the questions asked was “What is your number one wish?”  Do you know what it was?  67% of his patients wanted to have peace of mind! (Cited in a sermon by David Dewitt).

Friends, Jesus came to give us peace.  This peace first involves coming into a relationship with God the Father.  The Bible says that by our nature we are at war with Him.  It’s only through the sacrificial death of the Savior that you and I can have peace with Him.  Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The only way to experience internal peace and to be truly at peace with others is to make sure you are at peace with God.  The final salutation of this book draws our attention to the only thing that makes our peace even possible: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”  Once you have been saved from your sins by grace and have been born again, the Bible declares that you will be at peace.  In other words, you cannot have the peace of God until you know the God of peace.  Do you know Him?  Would you like to get to know him right now? 

You don’t have to work for your salvation because Jesus has done it all.  On this Labor Day, give Him praise for all He has done…and then work hard at whatever job or ministry you have.  Worship while you work, for when work is done for Him, it is worship.  And keep looking up, because Jesus is cominig soon.

September 05, 2010

One More Game IV

For the past four years I’ve given a message to a bunch of guys who put the pads on for “One More Game,” an annual event held at PTHS by Champion Fitness. 

Here’s what I shared yesterday…
—-

I dropped another daughter off at college yesterday.  I kept thinking as I drove away, “I’m not ready to be done.  I don’t want it to be over.”  We have four daughters and I love each of them.  You can’t beat being a dad with daughters. 

I was crying quite a bit.  Actually, “heaving” is a better word as I made the four-hour trip home by myself.  When I got about an hour away I was able to listen to tough guys Mark Myre and Coach Pete on the radio as they announced the Pontiac Indians game. 

I experienced two extremes on that trip – I felt pretty frail when I left Lydia and then I got pretty pumped up as I listened to the football game.  My feelings were tender but listening to football helped me feel pretty tough.  This morning when I woke up I prayed for Lydia and told God that I was going to trust Him to take care of her.

That’s a metaphor for life as a man.  God wants us to be both tender and tough and to develop trust.  Many of us do a better job of playing the tough guy part…at least on the outside.  You guys all look tough right now but I guarantee that you’re going to feel pretty tender when you wake up tomorrow!  Actually, Schade wants you to still be hurting next week so you come to Champion for some therapy.

This past Sunday I called out the guys in our church to become men who trust God with all their heart.  Here’s what I said…

I believe that there are way too many mediocre men here…and sometimes I’m one of them.  “We live in a world full of males who have prolonged their adolescence.  They are neither boys nor men.  They live suspended between childhood and adulthood, between growing up and being a grown-up.”  Guys, it’s time for us to man-up, to be real men. 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” 

Here’s what I want to talk about today.  I’m going to assume that none of you want to be a mediocre man.  You’re involved with “One More Game” because you’re ready to man-up and go after it today. 

A college freshman named Smitty became the field goal kicker for the football team.  At the end of a game he was called on to go in and kick a game-winning field goal but Smitty wanted to make his mark so he changed plays in the huddle.  The ball was hiked directly to him and he started running and was clobbered and fumbled the ball. 

The ball was picked up and the opposing player started running toward the other end zone.  The other players couldn’t catch him and then out of nowhere someone starting gaining ground on him.  He was running like a streak of lightning. 

Do you know who it was?  It was Smitty!  He caught up to the other player and tackled him before he could score.

The assistant turned to the head coach and remarked, “Did you know Smitty had wheels like that?  He beat our best athletes and made the tackle!”  The head coach replied, “I’ll tell you why.  The other guys were running because they were supposed to.  Smitty was running because his life depended on it.” 

Check this out: “Life will not give you what you want, neither will it give you what you think you deserve, life will give you what you’re willing to settle for.”

Let me break this down a bit.  If you want to be manly then don’t settle for mediocrity.  Live like your life depended on it…because it does.  You and I must man-up by becoming…

1.  Tender-hearted.  I don’t know about you but God often uses hard things in my life to get my heart where He wants it to be. 

I’ve struggled with some neurological pain for over twenty years and I’m going to get some help this next week to see if they can figure out what’s going on.  I don’t know if God will heal me of this but I’m sure asking him to.  But in the meantime, he’s helping me to become a real man because the pain is tenderizing me. 

The Bible has something to say about this. The Apostle Paul was a tough guy but he also had an issue in his life that kept him humble. We’re not sure exactly what it was but he refers to it as a thorn in his flesh: “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”

God brings us through hard times to tenderize our hearts.

In his new book called, “Coming Back Stronger,” last year’s Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees writes about how to unleash the hidden power of adversity.  He faced a lot of trials in his life.

-He has a large birthmark on his face and was made fun of growing up.
-Tore his ACL in high school and almost quit.
-He threw interceptions against Notre Dame in a game Purdue should have won.
-He was drafted in NFL in the second round even though he expected to be taken early in the first round.
-He suffered more injuries in the NFL.
-He was cut from a team.
-He threw interceptions and had many fumbles.

This all served to tenderize him and make him more sensitive to the pain of others.  God has used this in his life even now as he has focused on helping those decimated by Hurricane Katrina.

The first mark of a manly man is to be tender-hearted.  The second is to be tough-skinned.

2.  Tough-skinned.  The best model of this is Jesus.  He is often depicted as a bit soft but actually as a carpenter he would have been a tough guy.  He had rough hands and a strong back.

One of my heroes in the Bible is Caleb.  He was one of the spies who went into the Promised Land and believed they could conquer the land because God was bigger than the giants who lived there.  Unfortunately, he was outvoted and as a result God’s people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until that entire generation died. 

In Joshua 14, we read that Caleb continued to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and now, at the age of 85 – that’s about how old Mike Friend is and he’s still playing football!  Seriously, who’s the oldest here today?

They are once again at the border of Canaan, and he says in verse 11: “I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.”  I love what he says next in verse 12: “Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day…” 

Referring to the enemies who lived there, he declares: “…but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.”  His concern was not having a condo at Shalom Acres; instead he wanted another whack at the hill country.  He wanted to put the pads on again.  He was up for a new challenge.  He was a manly man.  He didn’t run away when responsibility came knocking.

A pastor was walking down the street one day when he noticed a very small boy trying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. However, the boy was too short to reach the doorbell. 

After watching the boy’s efforts for some time, the pastor moved closer, walked up behind the little guy, placed his hand kindly on his shoulder, leaned over and gave the doorbell a solid ring.

Crouching down to the child’s level, the pastor smiled and then asked, “And now what, my little man?”

To which the boy, who had started to move off the porch, turned and yelled, “Now we run!”

Don’t run away from being a man.  God wants us to be tender-heart and tough-skinned.  And finally, he wants men who are trust-focused.

3.  Trust-focused.  Here’s the deal.  If you want to be both tender and tough, then you must trust in two areas.

• With your faith.  Real men love Jesus.  Jesus said in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.”
• With your family.  While I really enjoyed watching the Super Bowl my favorite play came after the game when MVP Drew Brees held his son up in the air, oblivious to all the accolades the announcers were gushing about.  As the camera came in for a close-up, the announcers stopped talking about the game and began talking about a dad and his son.  This is a great picture of our role as men as we hold up our children, even when they leave home, to the Lord. 

Bobby Bowden, who coached for Florida State for 35 years, was interviewed this past week.  He was asked a question about winning.  His answer went something like this: “You need ability to win…but you also need men with responsibility.”

Are you ready to live like your life depends on it?  Then don’t run away from responsibility.  Instead run toward your responsibility.  Do you want to be manly instead of mediocre?  Then become tender-hearted, tough-skinned and trust-focused.

I’ve been praying this prayer.  If you’d like to pray it as well, then be a manly man and join me: “God, I don’t want to be a mediocre man.  I want to be a real man who is tender and tough and a man who trusts in you.  Make me a man with a soft heart, tough skin and a growing trust in you.  Make me tender so I can love people.  Make me tough so I can handle life.  And give me trust so I can please you.  God, make me a man.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.”

September 04, 2010

An Epidemic of Apathy

Here’s a column I wrote for the Bugle this week…

In our technological world, parenting has gotten more complicated.  I recently heard a speaker at PTHS challenge the students to go without texting for a day to see if they could actually talk without their thumbs! According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, if you add up the total time children spend consuming “media,” which includes iPods, phones, computers, video games and TV (and now iPads); it’s almost 8 hours a day, seven days a week!

According to Webster, an epidemic is primarily defined as “a disease affecting many individuals in a community or a population instantaneously.”  A secondary definition is “Anything which takes possession of the minds of people…as, an epidemic of terror.”  When epidemics hit, it’s natural for people to take notice because they can be terrifying. 

I want to suggest that that we’re facing a frightening epidemic that has hit the homes in our community.  We could call it the epidemic of indifference or apathy.  Here are some stunning statistics about the state of the family today.

• According to George Barna, 61% of today’s young adults were churched at one point during their teen years but are now spiritually disengaged.  Most youth of today will not be coming to church tomorrow.
• In his book called, “Already Gone,” Ken Ham points out that we are one generation away from the evaporation of church as we know it. 
• And a recent Lifeway poll discovered that 87% of parents believe it’s important to teach their children how to have a relationship with God, but only 55% take their children to church on a regular basis.

I’m reminded of the famous painting by Norman Rockwell that shows a family going off to church, led by the oldest sister followed by the mother who is followed by the younger sister.  All three women are dressed for church.  Following them is a young boy who appears to be going with some reluctance.  Why is he reluctant?  Because at the center of the painting is dear old dad slumped in a chair, in his pajamas, reading the paper.  As junior walks by he casts a longing eye at his father.  He’s going to church but clearly he’d rather hang out with his dad at home.

I’m challenged by Psalm 121:1 - “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”  Parents, are you allowing God to build your house?  Are you participating with him in the process of raising sons and daughters for His purposes?

Harmon Killebrew once said, “My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, ‘You’re tearing up the grass.’ ‘We’re not raising grass,’ my dad would reply, ‘we’re raising boys.’”

One of the saddest things I can think of is when a parent tells their children that they are brats or worse yet, when I hear of a child being abused in some way. Another tragedy is when kids are left to dive into technology without any boundaries.  One pastor writes, “We should treasure our children as we would a precious gift from a wealthy friend – because that is what they are.”

Parents, if you want to fight the epidemic of apathy in your home, then cultivate your faith for your own sake and for the sake of your family.  And take your kids with you to church this weekend.

September 02, 2010

Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?

A recent national survey discovered that 90% of Americans pray.  Of those who pray, 75% do it every day and 95% say they have had their prayers answered. 

But, according to this same article, the issue that most divides those who pray is whether or not our prayers are even answered.  Nothing is more spiritually debilitating than a string of unanswered prayers.  You call Heaven and no one seems to be home.  What about those times when we pray for someone who is sick and he or she doesn’t get better?  Or those times we ask for something that seems so good and so right, and the answer never comes?

If you’ve felt this way, you’re in pretty good company.  The Apostle Paul experienced his share of heaven’s silence when he prayed.  The Bible says that Paul had some sort of chronic physical ailment.  2 Corinthians 12:8 says that he prayed and asked God to remove it 3 different times, but his problem never went away.  On another occasion, Paul asked a group of believers to pray that he would be delivered from his enemies in Jerusalem.  Instead, he was arrested, imprisoned, and eventually martyred.

Why did one of the greatest apostles who ever lived experience the agony of unanswered prayer?  Why don’t we receive answers to some of our prayers?

I think there are several definite explanations, but sometimes only God knows the reason.  Isaiah 55:9 says “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  There’s a certain mystery to prayer.  But, the Bible tells us that the great majority of our unanswered prayers can be accounted for. 

There are at least 3 categories that describe these reasons.  I’m borrowing this outline from an outstanding book by Bill Hybels called, “Too Busy Not To Pray.”

1—If the request is wrong, God will say, “NO”
2—If the timing is wrong, God will say, “SLOW”
3—If we are wrong, God will say, “GROW”

1.  If the Request is Wrong, God Will Say, “NO.”  There are times when God says “No” to our requests because they are the wrong kind of requests.  God is not a genie—He does not give us all that we ask for.  He is not obligated to give us everything we want.  That reminds me of the little girl who said her prayers one night.  Her dad had just refused to grant her a certain request so she prayed, “And please don’t give my parents any more children.  They don’t know how to treat the ones they’ve got!”

In a similar way, I know that some of my prayer requests are self-serving and materialistic.  James 4:3 says that, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”  Sometimes we don’t receive what we ask for because our motives are all messed up.  Instead of praying for something that would honor God, at times we’re more interested in only pleasing ourselves.  The purpose of prayer is not to get our will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.

Here are some helpful questions to ask to make sure your motives match up when you pray:

 Will this bring glory to God?
 Does this request advance His kingdom?
 Will it help people?
 Will I grow spiritually if this prayer is answered the way I want it be?

It would be a recipe for disaster if God simply gave us whatever we ask for.  If He granted us all our requests, we’d become like spoiled children.  That reminds me of two brothers who came to Jesus one day, and asked Him if they could reserve the two best seats in the kingdom.  In Mark 10:35, they boldly and rudely ask: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  They asked for special thrones but what they really wanted was recognition.

Jesus turned their request down because it was self-centered: “There’s going to be a lot of pain and hardship in my kingdom before my glory is revealed.  Besides, the places of honor are already reserved.”  In other words, Jesus was saying, “Your request is wrong, and I will not grant it.  I will not answer such a selfish prayer.”

Friends, if the disciples were capable of making self-serving, shortsighted and materialistic wrong requests, then so am I and so are you.  Fortunately, God loves us too much to say, “yes” to our wrong requests.  His answer to prayers like this is “No”.  We really don’t want a God who would do any less than that.  I’d rather have God evaluate my requests from His all-wise, all-knowing perspective as He sees fit.

Ruth Harms Calkin, in her book called, Tell Me Again Lord, I Forget, writes this: “Lord, day after day I’ve thanked you for saying yes.  But when have I genuinely thanked you for saying no? So thank you for saying no when my want list for things far exceeded my longing for you.  Thank you for saying no to senseless excuses, selfish motives and dangerous diversions.  Thank you for saying no when I asked you to leave me alone.”

2.  If the Timing is Wrong, God Will Say “Slow.”  I’m often like an impatient child when I pray.  I want God to answer my requests right now, not down the road.  My guess is that some of you are just like me.  Do you know how God responds to our immaturity?  He lets us wait.  He knows what He’s doing.  His delays are not necessarily His denials.

Some of us view God like a celestial vending machine that we want to kick if we don’t get an instant response.  Actually, God is a loving Father who will give us what we need when we need it, not necessarily when we think we need it.  God may have something far better in mind if we’ll just wait for it.

We see this illustrated in the life of Jesus.  One day, Mary and Martha, who were two of His closest friends, sent an urgent message to Jesus.  They wanted Jesus to come quickly because their brother was deathly ill.  You’d think Jesus would come right away, wouldn’t you?  After all, the Bible says that He and Lazarus were buddies.  But Jesus didn’t hurry because he had some other things he wanted to teach his friends.  John 11:6, “Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.”

Due to His delay, Lazarus died.  Mary couldn’t understand why Jesus had taken His time.  Why didn’t Jesus answer this urgent request immediately?  What was the hold-up?  Listen to what she said to the Savior in verse 32, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Jesus had something far better in mind.  He wanted to demonstrate His power in another way.  Instead of healing his friend who was sick, He now had the opportunity to raise him from the dead!  In fact, Jesus tells us why He didn’t come sooner in verse 15: “And for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe…”  Jesus was more interested in helping them grow in their faith than He was in immediately answering their urgent request.  Sometimes God is saying “slow,” because He wants to give us an opportunity to trust Him in a new way, or to give us time to revise our requests, or to change our character.  Don’t box Him in with your timetable.

3.  If We Are Wrong, God Will Say, “Grow.”  The first two categories deal primarily with God’s reasons for unanswered prayer.  This third category has more to do with us.

Many of us blame God when our prayers are not answered.  It’s a lot harder to look in the mirror and say, “Maybe I’m the problem.  Perhaps I’m the cause of my short-circuited prayers.”  I want to briefly address 4 of these “Prayer Busters”.

1 - Prayerlessness

The most common cause of unanswered prayer is prayerlessness.  We might have good intentions to pray; yet if we were honest, many of us would have to admit that we hardly pray at all.  I believe in the power of prayer.  I know God moves in response to the prayers of His children.  And yet, I don’t pray as much as I should. 

Many of us blame God for not answering our prayers when the problem may lie with our own lack of prayer.  James 4:2 says that, “You do not have because you do not ask God.”  Some of you may be thinking, “I pray whenever I think of it.  Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?”  It may be because you stop too quickly.  In Luke 18:1, Jesus challenges us to pray and never give up.  He wants us to be persistent—to not bail on prayer after only praying one or two times for something.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 challenges us to pray without ceasing.

A woman telephoned the manager of a large opera house and told him that she had lost a valuable diamond pin the night before at the concert.  The man asked her to hold the line.  A search was made and the jewelry was found; but when he got back to the phone, the woman had hung up.  He waited for her to call again but she never did.

Have you hung up on God?  Do you pray as much as you should?  Have you been blaming God for not answering your prayers—even though you have not been praying persistently?  Friend, show God that you mean business when you pray.  It’s really quite straightforward.  We don’t have because we don’t ask God. 

2 - Faltering Faith

Sometimes our prayers go unanswered because we don’t pray enough.  A second prayer buster is that we don’t really believe God will answer them anyway.  In other words, our lack of faith may short-circuit the power of prayer.

Jesus made it clear that faith is a prerequisite for answered prayer.  He told his followers in Mark 11:24, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours.”  It’s not enough to just pray, even if you persist in it, if you don’t believe that God will answer your request.

James 1:6-8 paints a graphic picture of the individual with faltering faith:  “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”  Like waves, we’re often up one minute and then down the next.  We’re blown around by life.  The phrase, “double-minded” literally means, “two-spirited.”  Almost like we have multiple personalities when we pray.  We believe and yet we don’t.  We doubt more than we trust.  James says that we won’t receive anything from the Lord if we’re double-minded.

Now, before you get blown away because you think you don’t have that kind of faith, remember in Luke 17:6 that Jesus said if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, great things can happen.  The point is that we have to have enough faith to believe that God can, and will answer our prayers.  The very act of prayer requires that we have faith in God—otherwise it’s not really prayer. 

When you pray do you really believe that God will hear you?  Do you have faith that God will not only listen, but will answer your request?  If you don’t, you will be like the person who has no anchor, tossed back and forth by the crashing waves of circumstances that are beyond your control.

3 – Ruptured Relationships

The third prayer buster is even more personal.  Ruptured relationships can prevent prayer from being answered.  Most of us grossly underestimate how committed God is to building and maintaining a loving community of Christ-followers. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges his followers to keep short accounts with others, to not let friction and conflict grow.  Listen to Matthew 5:23-24 from the Message Translation: “If you enter your place of worship and when you’re about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right.  Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.”

God wants us to be in community with others before we do business with Him.  There’s really no point in trying to pray if you are in the middle of some ongoing conflict with a family member, a co-worker, a neighbor, a friend, or a fellow believer.

This is especially important for those of you who are married.  It’s easy to allow conflict to fester.  If you want to experience the joy that comes from answered prayer, then you need to treat your spouse with respect and strive toward oneness.  Actually, there’s a verse that challenges husbands to take the responsibility for keeping the prayer pipeline open (sorry guys, I couldn’t find a passage that singles out our wives!).  1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

Did you catch that last part?  “So that nothing will hinder your prayers.”  Men, if we are not treating our wives with consideration and respect, our prayers will be ineffective.  Here’s the principle.  Before spending time in prayer, make sure you do an inventory to determine if you have any relational ruptures.  Have you offended anyone?  Then go and own up for it.  Have you been mistreating your spouse?  Then ask for forgiveness.  Do you feel some tension with someone?  Then do what it takes to be reconciled. 

Don’t dampen what God is trying to do simply because you have too much pride to admit that you may have wronged someone.  Don’t let your prayers be torpedoed.  If you don’t repair your relationships, your requests will be knocked out of the sky before God can hear them. 

4 - Unconfessed Sin

The Bible says that sin that has not been confessed has some serious consequences to our spiritual growth.  Psalm 66:18:  “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”  Sometimes when I send out an email and I’ve typed in the address wrong, it gets “bounced back” to me.  Because I made an error, my message doesn’t get through. 
In a similar way, our unconfessed sins keep our prayers from God’s ears.  When we cherish sin in our heart, when we’re living in a pattern of deliberate disobedience, with no desire to change, God says that He will not listen to us.

If you’re tolerating sin in your life, don’t waste your breath praying unless it’s a prayer of confession!  It must disappoint God when we flagrantly disobey Him while at the same time we present him with regular laundry lists of personal prayer requests.  Do we really expect Him to honor our prayers while we callously dishonor Him by the way we’re living?

Norman Vincent Peale recalls that as a boy, he once bought a large black cigar which he starting smoking when he was on a quiet side street.  He was feeling quite bold until he saw his dad walking toward him.  He tried to hide the cigar behind his back, and searching for something to say, asked his dad if he could stay out a little longer.  His father responded, “Norman, one of the first lessons you should learn is this: never make a petition and at the same time try to hide a smoldering disobedience behind your back.”  (Peale, “How to Pray.”)

Do you have some smoldering disobedience this morning?  Get alone with God and confess it.  If you don’t, your prayers will get bounced back. 

The Premier Prayer

Some of you have never come to the place in your life where you have seen the need to confess your sins and ask God to forgive you.  The Bible teaches that forgiveness is only possible through what Jesus accomplished on the Cross.  Most of you know that He died for the sins of the whole world.  What you might not know is that you need to do something in order to have this activated in your life. 

Let me put it another way.  The Bible refers to God as the Creator of all, but the Father of only those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  If you want to experience answered prayer, then you need to first become a child of God, you need to join His family.  John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Once you receive Jesus Christ into your life, then you will enjoy many privileges.  One of them is access to God the Father through prayer.  Until you commit yourself to Christ and ask Him to be your forgiver and leader, your prayers are going to fall short.  You can begin that new life by praying a prayer that God guarantees will be answered.  It’s called a prayer for salvation. 

Friends, most often the greatest hindrance to answered prayer is ourselves.  He doesn’t withhold answers in order to cruelly tantalize us.  God is great.  He is good.  And He is gracious.  He longs to hear us lift up our prayers and He loves to answer them if the request is right, if the timing is right, and if we are right.

Bill Hybels tells the story about a situation that took place after a baptism service. 

“I thought my heart would explode for joy.  Afterward, in the stairwell, I bumped into a woman who was crying.  I couldn’t understand how anyone could weep after such a celebration, so I stopped and asked her if she was alright. 

“No,” she said, “I’m struggling.  My mother was baptized today.”  This is a problem?  I thought.

“I prayed for her every day for twenty years,” the woman said, and then she started crying again.

“You’re going to have to help me understand this,” I said.

“I’m crying,” the woman replied, “because I came so close – so close – to giving up on her.  I mean, after five years I said, “Who needs this? God isn’t listening.”  After ten years I said, “Why am I wasting my breath?”  After fifteen years I said, “This is absurd.”  After nineteen years I said, “I’m just a fool.”  But I guess I just kept praying, even though my faith was weak.  I kept praying, and she gave her life to Christ, and she was baptized today.”

The woman paused and looked me in the eye.  “I will never doubt the power of prayer again.” (Too Busy Not to Pray, page 121)

I’d like you to take 30 seconds right now and connect with God.  It’s time to take an inventory of the obstacles to answered prayer in your life so that you will never doubt the power of prayer again.  Ask yourself these questions:

1.  Because of a wrong request, is God telling you “No”?
2.  Is He telling you to go “slow”?
3.  Are there some areas He wants you to “grow” in?

 Do you need to pray more persistently?
 Do you need to have more faith?
 Do you need to resolve some relational ruptures?
 Do you need to confess some sin?
 Do you need to receive Jesus Christ by faith?

“Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life.  I admit that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself.  I repent of my sins by changing my mind about the way I’ve been living.  No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking.  By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth.  With all my heart I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day.  Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life.  I believe your words are true.  I accept you into my heart.  Be my Savior and Lord.  I surrender to your leadership in my life.  Make me into the person you want me to be.  Amen.”

September 01, 2010

Free Parenting Tips

Would you like some free parenting tips delivered to your inbox?  If so, click the banner on the left side of the blog to get started.  I’ve been receiving these tips for quite a while and have found them extremely helpful.

September 01, 2010

Another Perspective About Church Behavior

I agree with the part about how people act in church.  When I need to sit in back instead of where I usually sit I see so much going on with people and wonder - why are you here?  Feet up on chairs, sleeping people, children lying down on other chairs (some sleeping), teenagers talking about boyfriends things going on in their lives.  I just wonder what you must feel like being up front trying to do a sermon with all this and more going on.  I feel bad knowing that there are people in Church who are not really there.

September 01, 2010

Feedback Worth Pondering

Here’s some feedback from Sunday’s sermon that I wanted to pass along.  Here’s an example of someone with some zeal…

You touched on a few issues that are so heavy on my heart, one of which is the parenting issue.  Our families have to be strong and parents have to be parents…everywhere, I see, as do you, constant battles over who is in charge; and when the parent consistently, lovingly and firmly makes it clear that they are, then the kids feel safe, loved, protected and you can have great times together!  It takes energy and consistancy but so worth the effort.  Too many parents want to be their child’s friend or just don’t invest the energy and time to settle this issue correctly.  I also hear parents threaten things that they never intend to follow thru with - they have lost the battle.  Sorry, I don’t mean to ramble but this is a very important issue in my mind because as the family goes, so does the future Church and this nation. 

Also…it breaks my heart to see so many chomping gum, visiting, etc. during the music instead of worshipping the Lord thru singing.  More importantly, it makes me sad to know that it must break the heart of God.  We need to encourage families to sit together - no more disruptive, unattended kids in the balcony or back!!  I can’t imagine how disruptive that must be to you as you deliver the message.  Sorry, another soap box issue for me. 

...Thanks again for sharing your heart with such zeal!!  How I pray that I and others will seek revival in our lives and our church.  I don’t want to be slothful in my service.  If we truly grasp who we are in Jesus and what God has done for us, how can we not be on fire for the Master??  Time is so short and people are so needy.  As I see it, if we all engaged in less griping, gossip and drama, we would have more time to serve!!  It’s not about us anyway! 

August 31, 2010

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August 31, 2010

What About Other Religions?

As has been the tradition for many years, Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Georgia, agreed to host their community’s baccalaureate service again about seven years ago.  But this time, the organizers wanted to include speakers representing the Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Wiccan religions. 

Several students expressed a desire not to have the name of Jesus mentioned during the service because it would be offensive.  The pastor explained that it would be a dishonor not to mention the name of Christ in His own house and that the service should be moved to a neutral location if they wanted to include other religious groups.

Many major newspapers and media outlets picked up on this story and focused on the narrow mindedness of the pastor.  Let me read part of this pastor’s response from a sermon he preached three weeks ago:

“My single purpose as an ordained minister is to preach Christ.  Political correctness is not a deity here.  In the past few weeks, I have been asked to pray in this church and not use the name of Jesus Christ.  I’ve been asked to cover the crosses in the church because they might be offensive to non-believers.  I’ve said ‘no’ to each one of these requests.  It’s absolutely amazing to me how people who push tolerance will push anything except tolerance of Christian faith even when it is expressed within its own church.” (Compiled from http://www.mtbethel.org/pages/sermon.htm)

The Exclusive Claims of Christ

Some of you might not think the question we are addressing is all that difficult to answer.  Since we live in America, we value cultural diversity and religious pluralism.  Pluralism is the view that all religions offer equally valid paths to God. 

Though Christianity still dominates by sheer numbers, the U.S. now has a greater diversity of religious groups than any country in recorded history.  The Encyclopedia of American Religions lists 1,600 different groups, with 44% of them non-Christian.  Half of these have blossomed just since 1960. 

In the midst of all this doctrinal diversity, the Bible makes some rather startling claims that run counter-cultural to the mantra of religious tolerance.  Let me list just a few:

• Referring to Jesus, Peter boldly states in Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

• 1 Timothy 2:5-6: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in its proper time.”

• 1 John 5:12: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

These passages are extremely exclusive and overwhelmingly clear: Jesus is the only way to heaven.  His statements of divine authority are incompatible with the homogenizing views of religious pluralists.  The claims of Christ are outrageous but they happen to be what G.K. Chesterton called “the wild truth.” 

Perhaps the strongest verse in the entire Bible is a sentence uttered by Jesus Himself.  Please turn to John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Here are a few observations:

• Notice that this verse begins with the pronoun “I.”  We are not saved by a principle or a force but by a person.  Jesus did not say that He knew the way, the truth and the life, or even that he taught these great principles.  He declared Himself to be the embodiment of the way, the truth and the life.  While answering all of life’s questions, Jesus doesn’t offer a recipe to follow, but rather a relationship.

• In the original, the words way, truth and life have the definite article in front of them so that the verse would read, “I am the way (that is, the only way), I am the truth (that is, the only truth), and the life (that is, the only life).”

• All three concepts are active and dynamic.  The way brings to God; the truth makes us free; and the life produces relationship.  Without the way there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing, without the life there is no living.

• The context indicates that the idea of “the way” predominates.  We could put it like this: “I am the way because I am the truth and the life.”

• There is only one avenue to salvation.  With Christ removed there is no redemptive truth, no everlasting life and no way to the Father.  While other religions offer systems of thought that try to bridge the gap between man and God, Jesus is the only one who has succeeded in bridging the divide.

Since every word of this astonishing statement challenges the fundamental beliefs of our culture, let’s look at this verse a little more closely.

1.  Jesus is the way.  Jesus does not merely show the way; He is Himself the way.  This has a twofold meaning.  He is the way from God to us in that all divine blessings come down from the Father through the Son.  He is also the way from us to God.  The only way to get to God is through Jesus.
Many people today believe that there are multiple paths to God.  Studies in comparative religion have concluded that there is an “essence” to all religions.  Out of this quest to find the lowest common religious denominator, “The Mountain Analogy” was developed. God is pictured at the peak of the mountain with mankind at the bottom. 

According to this illustration, the story of religion is the account of man’s effort to move from the base of the mountain to the peak of union with God.  The mountain has many roads.  Some go by a direct path.  Other roads wind all over the mountain, but eventually reach the top.  The bottom line, according to this analogy, is that all religious roads, though they differ in route, ultimately arrive at the same place. 

Here’s the rub.  Jesus very clearly states that there’s only one way to the summit.  All the other roads are dead-ends. 

2.  Jesus is the truth.  Truth is the scarcest commodity in the world.  We hear people say, “that might be true for you, but it’s not for me.”  Chuck Colson writes that the dominant worldview of many younger Americans can be summed up in one word: “Whatever.”  People today don’t seem all that interested in finding out what is true.  And without the clarity and consistency of absolute moral truth, we are reduced to doing what seems right, what feels good, what produces the least resistance, and what provides the greatest personal fulfillment.

Jesus rises above our cultural confusion and shouts out, “I am the truth.  Get to know me and you will discover that which is totally true and transforming.”  Truth is a very exclusive thing because it implies an objective standard.  It is not something that changes with the whims of emotion or time or culture.  What was true yesterday is true today. 

3.  Jesus is the life.  All through the gospel of John life describes the principle of spiritual vitality.  Just as death spells separation from God, so life implies communion with Him.  We are dead without Him.  We live when we surrender ourselves to Him.  Since Jesus is life we will only find meaning when we commit to His lordship.  John 1:4: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”

3 Questions

Jesus doesn’t mince any words.  No one can come to the Father except if they go through Him.  In light of His exclusive claims, you and I may be asked at least three questions by pluralistic people.

1.  The Question of Sincerity.  The first question is the Question of Sincerity.  After all, there are millions of sincere worshippers in different religions.  Who can question the sincerity of a Muslim bowing to pray five times a day or the self-discipline that many Buddhists seem to possess?

The assumption here is that because people are sincere they can’t be wrong.  But sincerity, or the lack of it, has nothing to do with determining truth.  In other words, we can be sincere and right or be sincere and wrong.

2.  The Question of Tolerance.  At the heart of our national sense of unity stands the crucial principle of religious toleration.  The question goes something like this: “Even if you believe Christianity is true for you, does that mean it has to be true for the rest of the world?  Isn’t that condescending and unloving?” 

Because Christianity does have a narrow nature to it, it has been attacked as being intolerant of what others believe.  It’s important to make a distinction at this point.  The underlying assumption is that anything this narrow has to be wrong. 

A position can be narrow and wrong, or it can be narrow and right.  For instance, truth is always intolerant of error.  The fact that one plus one always equals two is very narrow, but it’s also right.  When we fly in an airplane we want the pilot to land on the runway, not the highway.  I want my pilot to be narrow-minded when he’s flying the plane I’m on.

If Jesus is the only way, then that’s true for me and it’s true for you—whether we believe it or not.  We can argue all day about whether this claim has an intolerant spirit about it. But the real issue is whether or not it is true.  Is it backed up by evidence?  Are there reasons to believe what Jesus said?  If so, then we must allow for a certain amount of intolerance because truth is always intolerant of error. 

3.  The Question of Truth.  If Christianity is true, then the issues of sincerity and tolerance take a back seat to truth.  It doesn’t matter how sincere someone is if they don’t acknowledge the truth of what Christ teaches.  Tolerance is a non-issue if Christianity really is the only true religion.

Obviously, not everyone accepts the exclusivity of Christianity—or any other religion for that matter.  The Bahai faith seeks a total synthesis and amalgamation of all of the world religions.  They try to take elements of all the different doctrines and blend them into one.

I suspect that some of you hold to this view as well.  No, you might not consider yourself to be a practicing Bahai, but you like to think you can take a smorgasbord approach to faith by picking out what you like from the matrix of religious views. 

The problem with this approach is that there are many clear contradictions between the various religious beliefs. 

Here’s another way to say it.  How can all religions be true if they contradict each other?  The Law of Noncontradiction states that if two statements about one particular issue contradict each other, then there are only two possible answers: (1) only one of them is true, or (2) they’re both false.  They cannot both be true in the same sense and at the same time.

If Jesus Christ claims to be the only way to God and Mohammed says there’s another way to God, then either Christ is right and Mohammed is wrong, or Christ is wrong and Mohammed is right, or they’re both wrong.  They cannot both be right.  Since Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Christians all view Jesus differently, they simply cannot, logically speaking, all be correct.  If Christianity is true, then those religions that contradict it cannot also be true.

The Claims of Christ in a Pluralistic Culture

The Bible records for us what happened when a man came face-to-face with Jesus.  Before he encountered Jesus, he was filled with rage against Christians.  He practiced another religion and was determined to persecute and even assassinate the leaders of this new religion with its exclusive truth claims.

One day, as he was traveling to another city to arrest some more Christ followers, he met Jesus and was converted.  He realized through his encounter with Him that Jesus was the only way.  Now, instead of tormenting Christians, he devoted his life to telling others about the claims of Christ.

Several years after this life-changing event, the apostle Paul traveled to a cosmopolitan city that was known for its religious diversity and pluralistic views.  Athens was a lot like America today.  People were free to believe whatever they wanted to.  There were hundreds of different religions to choose from, and thousands of deities to worship.  When Paul arrived, Acts 17:16 says that he was “distressed to see that the city was full of idols.”  He was bummed out when he saw this cornucopia of human religiosity.

This culture valued open discussion about new views, so Paul reasoned with people in their religious centers and out in the marketplace.  The crowds grew as he taught them about the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.  Because of this, the city leaders asked Paul to come to a City Council meeting and explain himself more clearly.  Since they were interested in religion, they thought they could just add Christianity to their belief system.  Maybe what Paul was saying could be mixed in with their other religions. 

You might be surprised to know that Paul affirmed them for their interest in spiritual matters.  He acknowledged their sincerity in verse 22, “I see that in every way you are very religious.”  He didn’t demean them for their views; instead he recognized something that is true for each one of us—we all have a God-given desire to connect with God.  By the way, it’s good to affirm people.  We don’t want to blast people just because they believe something different.
Because God created the world, we can expect to find traces of Him throughout His creation.  He made us to know Him.  Ecclesiastes 3:11: “…He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

While they were busy worshipping and following the dictates of their religious system, these citizens didn’t fully understand the uniqueness of Jesus.  God had set eternity in their hearts but they had not yet discovered salvation through Christ.

If Jesus is the only way to a relationship with the Father, and He most certainly is, how then should we live and act in our increasingly pluralistic culture?  I find some great help from Paul’s sermon in Acts 17.  There are four key points to his message.  Let me summarize them briefly.

Paul’s Message

First, Paul begins in verse 24 by establishing the Greatness of God:  He is the Creator: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of Heaven and earth…” 

Second, in verse 25 Paul expounds on the Goodness of God: He is the Provider.  God not only gives us life, He gives us everything else we need: “…He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”

Paul now has their attention.  His third point focuses on the Government of God:  He is the Ruler.  We see this in verse 26: “…And He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.”  The gods of the Greeks were distant beings who had no concern for the problems of people.  Paul taught in verse 27 that the true God is “... not far from each one of us.” He’s intimately involved in our lives.

As he brings his sermon to a close, Paul points people to the Grace of God: Jesus is the Savior.  Many years ago, there was a conference where the participants were arguing about what made Christianity unique from all other religions.  C. S. Lewis, a strong defender of Christianity, came in late, sat down and asked, “What’s all the rumpus about?”  When he learned that they were debating the essence of Christianity, he immediately commented, “Oh, that’s easy.  It’s grace.”

For centuries, God demonstrated His greatness, His goodness, His government, and His grace.  He was patient with people’s ignorance, but now Paul boldly declares in verse 30: “...he commands people everywhere to repent.”  Things are different now.  Something has happened.  Since Jesus Christ died and rose again, the playing field has dramatically changed.

Listen to how Paul drives this point home in verse 31: “For God has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man [Jesus] He has appointed.  He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.”  Jesus will judge the whole world.  The proof of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ is wrapped up in the Resurrection.  If you missed our Easter service, you may want to access this sermon on our web site or pick up a tape.  Everything in Christianity rises or falls on the resurrection.

How do you think people responded?  How do you think this went over?  Actually, people reacted much like they do today. 

3 Responses

1.  The Bible says that the first group of people were indignant.  Acts 17:32:  “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered.”  This group mocked Paul and laughed at him.  They wanted nothing to do with the exclusive claims of Christ.  To them, this whole business of only one way to God, and the resurrection was ludicrous.  Why, that would mean all their other religions were invalid! 

Radical relativity has invaded our cultural consciousness as well.  Any absolute claim is labeled as bigoted or intolerant.  Choice, in and of itself, is deemed good.  And the only choice that cannot be tolerated is that some beliefs are true and good while others are false and wrong.

2.  There was another response to Paul’s message that day.  Some were indignant but there were others who were curious.  Instead of sneering at Paul, they were seekers of the truth.  In verse 32 they said:  “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  They were open to investigating what Paul had to say.  They were curious.  What if what they had always believed wasn’t true?  What if Jesus did really rise from the dead?  What if He is the only way? 

3.  Along with the indignant and the curious, there was another response—some believed.  Verse 34 tells us that one of the members of the city council became a believer and a woman named Damaris became a Christian.  I should mention that this passage says that only a few believed.  My guess is that most of the people blew Paul off.  A smaller number wanted to examine the evidence, and only a few were actually saved.

Friend, where are you today?  What camp are you in?

Are you upset about the claims of Christ?  Let me challenge you to examine the evidence before making your decision.  It’s logically impossible to believe that all religions are true.  And, it’s not really a good idea to think that none of them are true.  Do you have the courage to take a look at the evidence?  The stakes are high.  Don’t assume that the narrow way is too narrow because there’s room on the road for you.

What about those of you who are curious?  I applaud you for taking the time to ask questions, to explore, to examine.  Keep it up.  Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Many of you already believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  He has radically impacted your life.  I want to give you four bedrock truths to help you remain anchored to the truth as the waves of relativism and pluralism crash against our culture.

1.  God is perfect and fair.  Genesis 18:25: “…Will not the judge of all the earth do right?”

2.  Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God.  John 1:18: “No one has ever seen God, but God the one and only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.”

3.  There is no other way to be saved apart from Christ.  Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

4.  We are mandated to evangelize and disciple.  Matthew 28:19:  “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

All the other major world religions teach that you must get yourself together.  You must pray five times a day, give money, fast, take a pilgrimage, use a Tibetan prayer wheel, avoid certain foods, observe the Sabbath, attend religious services, live a decent life and other innumerable requirements.  If you do these things, then maybe you’ll work your way to Nirvana or Heaven or to God.

Christianity is different.  God tells us that we will never earn Heaven or deserve a right relationship with Him.  Simply put, we can’t live up to His standards.  Instead, God has taken the initiative.  Because of His great love for us, He sent Jesus to rescue us from the penalty of death that our wrongdoing deserves. 

Jesus is the only way to God.  You see, religion is our attempt at finding God.  Christianity is God’s plan to find us.  Here’s your choice: you can be religious or you can have a relationship with the one who made you and loves you. 

When the missionary John Paton arrived in the New Hebrides in the mid-1800s, he began translating the New Testament and didn’t know how to illustrate the word believe.  One day, when he was leaning on a chair, the concept of trust emerged.  This is how John 3:16 now reads in their Bible, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever throws his whole weight on Him, will not perish but have eternal life.”

Are you ready to do that right now?  Because Jesus is the only way, throw your entire weight on Him before it’s too late.

August 30, 2010

Is the Church Full of Hypocrites?

A couple years ago I watched a news show about used car salesmen.  Armed with hidden cameras, they showed what goes on behind the scenes at some used car lots.  It was incredible.  Some of these salesmen had no problem lying to potential customers.  To hide a terrible knocking sound coming from the engine, one salesman filled the car with extra-heavy oil so that the customer couldn’t hear the loud sounds emanating from under the hood.

The whole used car business has a knock against it—many of us don’t trust what salesmen tell us because we think they’re covering something up.  With apologies to anyone who does this for a living, used car salesmen are notorious for wearing masks.  You never really know if what they’re telling you is true. 

When I was watching this show, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of a story they would find if they installed hidden cameras in the church.  I can see the headlines now…“Christians Who Play Charades” or “Pretenders in the Pews.” It’s difficult to believe Christianity is true when so many of its followers lead such contradictory lives.

People today are looking for authenticity, not pretenders.  We admire those who are real, not those who cover-up their problems.  Churches, like used-car lots, are often maligned by critics who don’t trust much of what we have to say.  We grow tired of people saying one thing and living something that’s completely opposite of what they say they believe.  According to the dictionary, a hypocrite is “a person who pretends to have beliefs or practices which he or she does not actually possess.”  The term itself is from ancient Greek theater, where one actor would often play two parts.  When saying something humorous, he would hold up a mask with a smiling face; when playing a tragic part, he would hold up a mask with a frowning visage.  The word literally means, “One who hides behind a mask.” 

One of the reasons there are hypocrites in the church is because not all church people are Christians. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going into a garage makes you a car.  We have to live with the possibility that what some people perceive as hypocrisy in the church is in fact, the result of mistaken identity.  Some people are no more Christians than I am in the National Guard just because I sometimes play basketball at the Armory. 

But, you ask, why does it appear that so many true Christians are hypocrites?  I think it results from some confusion about what a real Christian is.  I’d like to suggest 3 defining characteristics of real Christians which deal with the present, the past, and the future.

#1—Real Christians Are Forgiven Sinners.  Let’s start with the present.  The first defining characteristic of a true Christian is that they are forgiven sinners.  Perhaps you’ve seen the bumper sticker that reads, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”  The Bible does not say that everyone who believes in Christ is perfect—but it does say that those who surrender their lives to Him will be perfectly forgiven.

There’s a difference between being a sinner and being a hypocrite.  There’s an unspoken assumption that a Christian is someone who doesn’t sin.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In reality, it’s just the opposite.  When I became a Christian, I had to first acknowledge the fact that I’m a sinner.  To look at the church and see sinners—people who fail—is one thing.  To label the church as full of hypocrites is another thing.  The church is not a hall for saints, but a hospital for sinners.

Several years ago, when I was serving on staff at a church in the Chicago area, I had the opportunity to meet Paul Harvey, the nationally recognized radio personality.  As soon as the service was over, I raced down the aisle and introduced myself to him.  I held out my hand and said, “Hi. My name is Brian Bill.  I’m one of the pastors here.”  He said, “Paul Harvey.  Nice to meet you.”  [I was hoping he was going to say, “Good Day”, but he didn’t!]  Not really knowing what to say next, I said, “I listen to your program every day.”  Very perceptively he responded by saying, “Thank you.  That must be pretty difficult with a schedule like yours.”

He then turned and left.  I felt sick.  I had just lied to Paul Harvey—and he knew it!  I didn’t listen to his show every day—maybe once a week, but certainly not every day!  My encounter with a celebrity left me feeling empty and ashamed.  The next day I sat down and wrote him a letter.  Here’s an excerpt: “Dear Mr. Harvey, In my excitement to meet you yesterday I realized that I lied to you.  I mentioned to you that I listened to your program every day—that is not true. I feel I need to ask you to forgive me.  I was wrong.  I was trying to make you think something that was not true.  Please accept my apology.”

Was I being a hypocrite when I lied to Paul Harvey?  Not necessarily.  I was being a sinner.  In fact, seeking his forgiveness helped deter me from being a hypocrite.  If I didn’t own up for my sin before God, and before Mr. Harvey, I would have become a cover-up artist, or a mask wearer.  Let me suggest that the surest way to beat hypocrisy is by recognizing your sinfulness and asking for forgiveness.

Since Christians are not perfect, it follows that churches are full of imperfect people.  When you think about it, the church is the only organization around where a public admission of failure is a requirement for membership.  Church is a place for sinners because we don’t have anything to hide.  We’re sinners who’ve been forgiven by what Jesus did for us on the cross.  There’s no reason to play spiritual charades.

#2—Real Christians Are Not What They Used To Be.  Some of you may look at a Christian and wonder why they behave a certain way.  After all, a real Christian shouldn’t lose his temper on the basketball court, right?  Or, a real Christian shouldn’t struggle with alcohol, right?  Or, a real Christian shouldn’t swear, right? 

While it may be true that some real Christians are still struggling with sin issues, it’s helpful to look at the past.  Some of the people you observe and tag as hypocrites do have a long way to go because they’re in process.  Instead of focusing on how far short they fall now, why not think about how far they’ve come?  Even though I have a long way to go in several areas of my life, I am totally different today than I was many years ago.  I used to have a terrible temper.  I drank a lot.  And I had a foul mouth.  My wife Beth often says, “I’m glad I didn’t know you before you became a Christian because I would never have been interested in you!”

Friends, there’s a lot of people like me in church.  We’re in process—we’re not what we used to be—but we still have a ways to go.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  When you’re troubled by something you see a Christian do, try to remember that they’re not what they used to be.  That’s not meant to be an excuse for sinful behavior—it’s only a reminder to focus on how far they’ve come.

#3—Real Christians Are Becoming What They Will Be.  A real Christian experiences forgiveness of sin and life change.  What God has begun in the lives of believers will be completed in heaven.  That’s why being a Christian gives me hope—God’s not finished with me yet.  I’m in process.  I’m not what I used to be and I’m becoming what I will be.

There’s a discrepancy in all our lives—between what we know is right and the way we’re currently living.  Most all of us seek to present an image of ourselves that is better than we really are.  In that sense, we’re all hypocrites.  As a Christian however, I have some inside information that keeps me from being discouraged with the reality of this incongruity in my life.  I know that God is at work narrowing the gap between what I should be and what I am, between how I should be living and how I am living.  As such, there’s no need for cover-ups.  I can take my mask off.

Having said all that, what about those who are true hypocrites in the church?  Jesus sternly denounced the sin of hypocrisy over 20 times in the Gospels.  In fact, he reserved his harshest criticism for mask wearers.  If you’re bothered by hypocrisy, you have some good company. 

What I find interesting is that while Jesus confronts hypocrites, He never condemns sinners.  John 3:17 says, “The Son did not come into the world to condemn the world, but the save the world through Him.”  Jesus embraces those who own up to their mistakes and moral failures.  We think we need to put on a mask and act religious in order to gain God’s favor.  Jesus says, “Take off the mask.  Be real.  Admit your rebellion.  If you do, I will forgive you.” 

Are you playing spiritual charades?  Stop it right now.  You’re not fooling anyone.  People can see your hypocrisy and they’re turned off by it.  It’s time to come clean, Christian.  It’s time to walk the talk and to live what you say you believe.  The way you live your life is important.  If you’re investigating Christianity, and you see imperfect Christians, I encourage you to not make a decision on the basis of the unfinished product—make your decision on the basis of the person of Christ. 

Are you trying to pretend that you have it all together, when deep inside you know you can’t keep up the act much longer?  The cure for hypocrisy is not to change anything on the outside.  It’s not a matter of doing more things, of trying to get more religious.  That just perpetuates the wearing of masks.  If you want to change, if you want to truly become someone you’ve never been before, the change has to take place on the inside.  I know of only one person who can affect this kind of change.  His name is Jesus Christ.  Stand before Him and admit that you’re a sinner.  When you do, He’ll forgive you and set you on your way to becoming all that He created you to be.

Join the ranks of forgiven sinners.  There’s a greater temptation for hypocrisy if you don’t have a way to deal with the sin in your life.  If you don’t know you’re forgiven, you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to cover your sin up.  Then, when someone follows you around with a video camera, they’ll find something even more newsworthy than a hypocritical used car salesman.  The camera will show someone who has the courage to take off the mask and be real—now that will be a story!  Any takers? 

August 28, 2010

Joyful, Joyful

My new favorite (old) song.

August 28, 2010

Attack of the Aphids

If you’ve spent any time outside the last couple weeks you’ve been under attack by some atrocious aphids, at least that’s what the experts are calling them.  I thought they were gnats but upon closer investigation, they’re actually plant lice.  That’s sounds even worse than gnats.  These prolific reproducers are everywhere, causing havoc and giving people the “heebie-jeebies.”

As I pondered these pesky pests and wondered how they were getting in through the screens in our house, and then dive-bombing into my ears, my mind went to three different passages in the Bible that point to some lessons we can learn from the attack of the aphids.

1.  Small problems can make a big mess.  In any relationship, you are going to have some ruptures.  There will be misunderstandings and misery but much of this can be avoided by giving attention to the small things before they become big problems.  In the Song of Songs, a book in the Bible that has been referred to as a marriage manual; we read these words in 2:15: “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.”  Vineyards were often surrounded by stone walls to keep the animals from destroying the grapes.  But invariably, little cracks and crevices would appear and little foxes would weasel their way in and gnaw on the tender vines.  We don’t know what Mr. and Mrs. Solomon were struggling with but they needed to deal with their diminutive troubles before they became destructive. 

The word “catch” means to “seize” or lay hold of.  We can’t be passive when puny problems arise, hoping they’ll go away on their own.  Observe also that these are “little foxes” and they don’t ruin the thick branches that have been growing for years but the new “vineyards that are in bloom.” 

Most of the things that cause division and distance in a relationship start out as small problems.  In a study called “Social Allergies in Romantic Relationships,” researchers found that “Irritating behavior becomes more irksome over time.”  Marlene Pritchard discovered that there’s a name for this.  It’s called MAD – Minor Annoyance Disorder: “Some of us have MAD marriages that may become bad marriages if we don’t do something about it.”

Are you allowing the little things in life to bug you so much that they’ve now turned into big problems?

2.  If you focus too much on small things you can miss the big things.  Because these aphids have been almost omnipresent, it’s really tough to find a place of refuge.  The other day I noticed that our dog’s water bowl was filled with aphid cadavers and so I threw the water out and started to fill the bowl again. By the time I was done there were about twenty more aphids in it!  I left our dog Charlie outside and ran into the house.  Sorry, Charlie.

Jesus spent quite a bit of time telling some religious hypocrites that they were focused on way too many small things because they majored on the minors.  In the process, they left out the larger things.  Here’s what He said in Matthew 23:24: “You blind guides!  You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”  These self-righteous guys would use a filter to keep the insects out of their water bowls but in the process that would end up ingesting a camel (who says the Bible doesn’t use humor to make a point?).

Some of us are so caught up in the little things that we don’t take the time to ponder the big questions of life.  Questions like, “Am I ready to die?”  “Am I living the way I should?”  “Can God really forgive me for what I’ve done?”

3.  God uses irritations to get our attention.  While the aphids are a huge annoyance, they’ll hopefully go away once it gets colder.  Have you ever stopped to consider that God uses the irritations, troubles and trials of life to get your attention? 

When God sent the 10 plagues on Pharaoh and Egypt, they came one right after another: blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock dying, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the death of the firstborn.  While the aphids are awful, they were nothing like the gnats unleashed in Egypt: “…Gnats came upon men and animals.  All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.” (Exodus 8:17). 

We see a pattern that develops with Pharaoh.  When the plague hits hard, he repents and asks for deliverance, and then his heart becomes hard again.  When the pain is too much to bear, he admits that he’s a sinner and that he will change.  But, when the problem goes away, his repentance evaporates too.  In Exodus 9:34, Moses prays, and God stops the hail.  And then we read these words: “When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.” 

Some of us do this as well.  When things are tough, we come back to church; when things are better we sleep in.  When life is falling apart, we cry out to the Lord for help; when life is good, we forget about Him.  Pharaoh didn’t really repent; he was just doing pain control. 

What has God been doing to get your attention?  Will you turn to Him in faith and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

I don’t know how long the aphids will attack but I sure want to learn what I need to before the approaching ladybugs make us all livid. 

August 27, 2010

Waiting Until the Last Minute

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.

“Reverend,” said the young man, “sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip.”

The minister chuckled, “I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business.”

August 27, 2010

Running on Empty

I really like to work out.  Maybe a better way to say it is that I have an exercise obsession.  Many years ago, I decided to try out the treadmill for the first time.  It didn’t look all that difficult so I jumped on and started walking.  After a few seconds, I got bored with the slow speed so I cranked it up a little faster.  As I was sprinting at gazelle speed I proudly looked around to make sure people could see how fast I was going. It didn’t take long, however, before I got tired.  So what did I do?  I slowed down.  But, as soon as I stopped running, the belt threw my feet into the wall behind me while the rest of my body landed on the treadmill with a thud. 

Do you feel like you’re on an emotional treadmill?  Is your life going faster and faster and you don’t know how to slow it down?  Do you wonder how much longer you can keep up the pace?  Perhaps you’ve been thrown off, and you’re wondering how to get back up.

I want to talk about a man named Elijah.  Even though his story is found in the Bible, it doesn’t mean he had it all together.  In fact, he experienced a wide range of emotions—from ecstatic exhilaration to the depths of despair.  The Bible describes Elijah as a person who was just like us (James 5:17).  Events in his life read like a modern-day case study in burnout (see 1 Kings 19).

Elijah served as a chaplain in his country and demonstrated boldness and courage on several occasions, even at times confronting King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for their behavior.  One day, Jezebel was infuriated and flew into a rage, demanding his immediate execution.  Elijah, who just hours earlier was riding an emotional high, was knocked flat and headed into an emotional tailspin.

Elijah was driven, fatigued, tired, exhausted, weary, burned out, anxious, overloaded, and stressed—can you relate to any of these feelings?  Realizing he needed to burn off some tension, he ran a marathon, found a small tree and collapsed in its shade.  In his ditch of despair, he prayed that he might die.  In this state of utter despondency and dismay, he fell sound asleep.

Like Elijah, you may feel like giving up because you have no more to give.  It’s important to realize that burnout is really a reversible ailment.  The key is to begin immediate action to undo it.  Elijah was given four prescriptions that have great application to our own lives.

The first prescription may surprise you.  Instead of telling him to suck it up and snap out of it, God knew that the most important medicine Elijah needed at that point was rest.  Elijah had collapsed under the tree and fallen asleep in utter exhaustion.  The Bible says that God then sent an angel to him who said, “Get up and eat.”  When he looked around, he found some fresh bread and some water.  He ate all the bread and downed the water and went back to sleep.  After allowing him to sleep some more, the divine messenger returned and told him to get up again and eat some more food.  Our bodies were designed to need rest.  You can either wait until you’re totally maxed out like Elijah was and collapse in total exhaustion, or, you can take the healthier approach and begin to incorporate rest into your life. 

Prescription #1 is to get some rest.  Prescription #2 is to Rediscover God.  When we’re emotionally strung out, it’s easy to think that everyone is against us.  When we no longer have emotional margins, God seems distant.

After resting, God instructed Elijah to travel to a mountain about 500 miles away (he must have been in great shape!).  Once he arrived, he went into a cave and spent the night.  God then addressed him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  After giving an answer that still revealed his shaky emotional state, God decided that Elijah needed to rediscover the Divine and told him to come out of the cave and stand on the mountain because God Himself was about to pass by him.

Just then, a sudden, violent, rushing wind swept across the ridges.  It roared through the canyons and over the top of the mountain.  Stones and boulders came loose and crashed into each other.  But the Bible says that God was not in the wind.  Then an eerie earthquake ripped through the entire area causing gigantic rockslides and cracks everywhere.  But, God didn’t reveal Himself in the earthquake either.  Then there was a furious fire that consumed everything in its path.  But God wasn’t in the fire either.

And then, it happened.  When the wind was gone, when the earth stopped trembling, and when the fire died out, there was utter stillness on top of the mountain.  And, in the intensity of the awesome silence came a whisper—it was the voice of God.  When Elijah heard the soft voice he got out of his cave of self-pity.  The events on the mountain were the catalyst that brought him back into connection with God.

You see, like us, Elijah needed to rediscover God.  He needed to learn that God was with him when things were going good and that God was with him when things were tough.  God doesn’t always keep us from going through difficult times but He does promise to walk through them with us.  Hearing God’s whisper reminded Elijah that God was still in control of all the circumstances.

If you want to rediscover God, it’s important to emotionally downshift.  We need to remove some of the noise and clutter from our lives.  God is hard to hear when we’re so inundated with other things.  We have to be quiet enough to hear him.

Now that Elijah is rested and has rediscovered God, he’s given a third prescription—a reassignment to serve others.  Are you involved in the lives of people to such an extent that you’re able to meet their needs?  Are you making a difference by using your God-given abilities and gifts to strengthen others?  If you want to increase your emotional energy, then take your eyes off yourself and your problems and develop an “others orientation.”  You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel.

After prescribing rest so that we can rediscover God, we then receive a reassignment to serve people.  This final prescription has to do with relationships.  Elijah was alone and isolated in his despair.  Even though he was rested and had rediscovered God, he was still alienated from others.  God then provided him with a genuine friend and companion named Elisha.

God has designed all of us with an innate need for relationships.  Just as God led Elijah to a friend, so too, His desire is for you to cultivate some authentic relationships with others.  Interestingly, as we take Prescription #3 seriously and work at putting the needs of others first, we’ll lay the groundwork for some good friendships.  After all, no one wants to be friends with someone who is selfish and egocentric.

Let me make an observation.  Some people are running on empty because of some fractured friendships.  Broken relationships are a razor across the artery of the spirit.  If you’re experiencing some conflict right now in your relationships, do what it takes to make them right.  True reconciliation is one of the most powerful of all human interactions.

God reversed Elijah’s emotional burnout by meeting his basic needs.  He needed rest and nourishment, so God provided sleep and food.  He needed a fresh understanding of who God is, so God revealed Himself by gently whispering to him.  He needed a proper perspective of himself—a sense of self-worth—so God assigned him a task he could handle.  And, finally, Elijah needed some close relationships with others, so God provided a friend for him.

Let’s face it.  Most of us are tired.  We’re burned out and saturated.  We’re running like mad on the treadmill of life.  But God wants us to slow down.  He wants us to find life.  He wants us to find peace.  And He wants us to find rest. 

August 26, 2010

Evangelism Method

Rebecca Cox, our missionary to Spain, talked about this method this past weekend.  Check it out.  It’s quite effective.

August 26, 2010

Breaking the Bonds of Bitterness

In 1930, The Chicago Examiner ran a strange story about a man named Harry Havens, who went to bed and stayed there for seven years, with a blindfold over his eyes, because he was angry at his wife.  He was the kind of husband who liked to help around the house, and one day his wife scolded him for the way he did the dishes.  This made Harry so angry that he said, “All right, if that’s the way you feel, I’m going to bed.  I’m going to stay there for the rest of my life and I don’t want to see you ever again.”  He stayed in bed with a blindfold around his eyes for seven years.  The article concludes by saying that he got up when the bed started to feel uncomfortable.

Are you blinded by any bitterness in your life today?  Do you have any unresolved anger toward your spouse, your kids, your parents, your boss, or a friend?  The Bible makes clear that we must do whatever it takes to not let a root of bitterness grow in the soil of our souls: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).  When bitterness is allowed to breed, it will always lead to an offspring of antagonism that hurts those around you while destroying yourself in the process.  Actually, it hurts you more than anyone else.  It’s like swallowing a bottle of poison and then waiting for the other person to die.

People typically respond to conflict in one of three ways.  Some try to escape it (peace-faking); others go into attack mode (peace-breaking); while a few try to implement true reconciliation (peace-making).  Since Jesus pronounces a blessing upon the “peacemakers,” we must strive to respond to conflict biblically (see Matthew 5:9).  If we don’t, a bitter plant will put down its ugly roots in our lives. 

If bitterness has put you to bed and has led you to a place you don’t want to be, let me suggest some ways for you to get back on your feet again.  First, confess your sins to God about the ways you have wronged Him and others (see 1 John 1:9).  Second, own up to your part of the conflict by getting the log out of your eye (see Luke 6:42).  Third, cherish how much God has forgiven you in Christ (see Colossians 3:13).  Fourth, actively forgive those who have wronged you by setting them free of ever having to pay you back (see Ephesians 4:32).  Fifth, trust in God’s justice (see Romans 12:19).  It has been said that when we hold a grudge, we end up slighting the Judge. 

If you’re feeling bitter today about something that was said to you, or done to you, remember that Jesus paid the price for all those wrongs, as well as all the sins you’ve committed.  That’s why the gospel is called Good News.  Put your faith and trust in Jesus as your Forgiver and determine to follow Him as your Leader. 

Don’t allow your hurts to turn into hate.  You can become bitter or better.  The choice is up to you.  Claim the promise of James 3:18: “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”  That’s better than staying in the uncomfortable bed of bitterness.

August 25, 2010

Evil and Suffering—Good Perspective

How can God allow suffering and evil in the world? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

August 25, 2010

Peter Principles

One of my goals growing up was to get all four of my sisters to cry at the same time. This was actually quite challenging but I’ll never forget what happened one evening when I finally accomplished my goal.

We were driving in our car on a Friday night heading to our grandparents’ house. I decided that this was a good time to launch my attack. I pinched Cathy, pulled Jean’s hair, insulted Mary, and threatened Beth. As I sat there with a big grin on my face while they cried, my dad, who is normally a soft-spoken man, said, “All right. That’s it.” He then pulled over to the side of the road, slammed on the brakes and commanded, “Get out. We’ll pick you up on Sunday.” I couldn’t believe it! I had finally accomplished my aspiration and here I was standing on the gravel shoulder on a deserted country road in Wisconsin. As I shut the door, my dad pulled away and drove off…

I’ve had some other failures in life. During my senior year when I was the captain of the wrestling team, I got pinned in 18 seconds before the home crowd. More recently, I struggled with learning Spanish when we lived in Mexico and eventually had to move back to the States because of my language ineptitude.

If we’re honest, all of us have experienced some kind of failure. It comes with being alive. If you haven’t failed in a big way yet, it’s probably because you’re still young. The longer we live, the more opportunity we have to fail.

One of the better-known individuals in the Bible is a man named Peter. He was a fisherman by trade and was one of the first to follow Jesus. He was a rough individual and often acted impulsively. He was the first to speak and the first to act. But he didn’t always follow through on his promises. He ended up bailing on Jesus by denying Him three times. He then went outside and wept bitterly. He had failed to do what he had said…and was left by the side of the road.

I wonder if you feel a bit like Peter today. Maybe your marriage is a mess or a close friendship has fractured. Perhaps you’ve been fired from your job or your business is a bust. Maybe your kids haven’t turned out like you wanted them to. Could it be that you feel like a failure because you haven’t met the expectations of others, or of yourself?

After Jesus is put to death, the disciples are afraid and go into hiding—they’re not sure what’s going to happen to them now. Some of them may even have thought that Jesus had failed them. Three days later on Easter Sunday, Jesus rises from the dead and begins appearing to many people. I love what the angel said to the women who had come to the empty tomb in Mark 16:7: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’” The angel wanted Peter to get the news that Jesus was now alive. This customized message was designed especially for Peter to hear. He could have a second chance if he wanted it.

But Peter is still bummed out so he decides to go fishing with his buddies. Maybe if he does something he’s good at, he’ll begin to feel better. They fish all night and catch nothing. Peter’s now in a free-fall down the slippery slope of failure. He can’t even catch a carp! Early that morning a man on shore asks them how the fishing went. They shout to him and tell him that they struck out. This man tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat and then they will find some fish. When they followed through with his suggestion, they caught so many fish that they couldn’t even pull in the net. It was at that point that the disciples recognized that this man was Jesus. Jesus was alive—he hadn’t failed them! Peter, true to his impulsive nature, jumped into the water and swam for shore. After having breakfast on the beach, Jesus and Peter have a conversation.

It is through this chat that Peter is restored. His past failure is forgiven and forgotten as he three times tells Jesus that He loves Him—making up for his three previous denials. Jesus then turns to Peter and says, “Follow me” (John 21:19).

We can learn at least three things from Peter. The first Peter Principle is this: Failure does not have to be final. Peter had messed up by failing big time. He felt awful. He could have just given up—but he didn’t. He hung in there. After striking out in one of the biggest games of his life, Peter was not afraid to go back up to the plate.

Just because you’ve struck out a few times in your life doesn’t mean that you’re washed up. Even the great Babe Ruth struck out almost twice as many times as he hit a home run.

If you’re willing to keep swinging, you’re going to eventually get a hit. On the other hand, if you take yourself out of the game, you might not strike out, but you’ll never get to first base either.

The second Peter Principle is that failure can be fruitful. If you were to study the life of Peter, you would discover that his failure had a positive effect on his life. Before striking out, he was reckless, brash, and abrupt. After determining to follow Jesus, Peter was a changed man. He became more tenderhearted, humbled by his obvious failure. He went on to become one of the leaders in the early church and wrote two letters that eventually became part of the Bible.

This is not to say that Peter never failed again. He did, and so will you. What Peter had now was the courage to go on, to risk failure because he knew that he would still be loved and accepted by God. Peter knew that failure would not disqualify him in the game of life. God could and would still use him.

This leads to the third principle: God gives us freedom to fail. You don’t have to try to be perfect because God knows you’re not. In fact, He expects more failure from you than you expect from yourself. God knows you’re going to fail—and is not surprised when you do. This is very freeing because He still loves us and cares for us. His acceptance is not based upon our performance.

The problem for many of us is that we think we have to be perfect for God to accept us. Deep down we feel like if we mess up, He won’t want anything to do with us. Nothing could be further from the truth according to Titus 3:5: “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”

Several years ago, Beth and I decided to sign one of our daughters up for ice skating lessons. On the first day of class, the teacher spent the entire time teaching the shaky skaters only two things—how to fall down, and how to get up. Her teacher knew that if you ice skate; you’re going to fall. And, once you fall, you need to get back up.

There’s a life application here. God knows you’re going to fall and you’re going to fail. Life is like an ice skating rink sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with falling—as long as you get up again. I suspect that some of you have fallen but don’t want to get back up. Maybe you’re so embarrassed by your failure that you simply don’t want to risk another one.

I can remember one guy in the class. It seemed like he fell over 100 times in 45 minutes. He’d come sliding across the ice, his arms flailing and would land right on his rear end. It never seemed to bother him. He just got right back up and tried it again. He looked like a yo-yo. He’d go a couple feet and fall, get up and fall, get up and fall. The scary thing was that this guy had some speed—and he didn’t fall all that gracefully. Others were a bit more cautious; they took little steps so that they wouldn’t crash too quickly. Eventually they wiped out as well.

God knows you’re going to experience failure. He wants you to get back up and try it again. Don’t be so set on being successful. It’s OK to fail. And besides, if at first you don’t succeed, you’ll have a lot more friends. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, or how bad you’ve messed things up. In fact, He died as our substitute precisely because of our sinfulness.

By the way, my dad returned and picked me up that day! I was only left on the side of the road for about five minutes because my sisters pleaded with him to come back for me. When I got in the car, my father asked me just one question, “Are you going to follow what I say?” The real question Jesus asks each of us is not, “Are you going to fail?” The main thing Jesus wants to know is, “Will you follow me?”

August 24, 2010

God is Already There

While most of us live in the present, some of us are fearful of the future and others of us are piled by the past. I’m thankful that God is an ever-present help in trouble today, and I’m also glad that He has the future covered. I recently read an article called, “The God of My Future Problems.” The author begins by defining God’s “prevenient grace.” This literally means the grace that goes before. In every situation of life God is already at work before I get there. He is working creatively, strategically and redemptively for my good and His glory in order to accomplish His purposes.

While I am struggling with the problems of today, God is at work providing solutions for the things I’m going to face tomorrow. He’s working in situations right now that I haven’t even faced yet. He’s preparing them for me and me for them. Or to say it another way: “While I’m living in Tuesday, He’s already in Thursday.” Are you worried about next week? Chill out. He’s already there. How about next year? Don’t sweat it. He’s got it covered. Since God is already in the future, you can trust Him today and put your hope in Him for tomorrow, even if trials come your way (and they will).

It would be enough if God simply walked with you through the events of life. But He does much more than that. He goes ahead of you, clearing the way, arranging the details of life, so that when you get there, you can have confidence that God has already been there before you. Knowing that God holds the future in His hands provides me with comfort today. I’m also thankful that God forgives the failures of my past. This helps me to live free from the shadow of shame and the crippling grief of guilt.

Friend, the only way to be filled with any hope for your future, the only way to experience forgiveness for your past, and the only way to have purpose in the present, is to place your faith in the one who died to make it all happen. It’s as simple as believing and receiving. Are you ready to believe that Jesus paid the price for your sins? If so, then receive Him as your Savior and Lord right now (John 1:12). When you do, you will be freed from the past, you will have purpose in the present, and you’ll be filled with hope for the future.

August 23, 2010

A Helpful Answer

How can God be loving yet send people to hell? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

August 23, 2010

Finding the Heart to Go On

About fifteen years ago, when we were preparing to become missionaries in Mexico, our family participated in a three-week orientation. On several occasions, we were purposely placed in stressful situations to see how we would respond.

One particular morning, we were divided into small groups. We were give a few minutes to read some instructions and were told that we couldn’t talk to anyone. We were given a deck of cards and our instructions said that the “Ace” card was low. The dealer passed out the cards and we played a couple rounds. The leader then told us to stop and for all the winners of each table to move to the next highest table. The losers had to move to the next lowest table.

Here’s where it got interesting. Totally unknown to us, each of the tables were given different instructions when the game began. As people shifted to the various tables, they assumed that everyone was playing by the same rules. But, instead of “Ace” being low, it might be high. Since we couldn’t talk to each other, we had to use hand signals to communicate what we thought the rules should be.

I remember thinking that I had won a particular hand, and, as I started reaching for the pile of cards, a woman grabbed the pile from me. I shook my head, held up the “Ace” card, and pointed my thumb down to indicate that the “Ace” was low. She pointed at the same card and put her thumb up. I then glared at her, shook my head vigorously and pointed my thumb down. When that didn’t work, I grabbed the table and shook it. She just stared at me and dealt the next hand. Actually, it was a good thing we couldn’t talk—I think it kept me from calling her a name!

As the game progressed, we could feel the tension rise in the room. Two guys almost hit each other (can you believe we were training to become missionaries?) Many looked confused. Others kind of slumped in their chairs, feeling discouraged. It didn’t take long for all of us to lose heart. It’s hard to keep playing when your partners have checked out.

Life is a lot like that, isn’t it? It’s tough to keep playing when those around us lose heart. It’s even harder when we feel like giving up. If things don’t seem fair, or they seem too difficult, most of us will fold the hand we’ve been dealt.

You don’t have to check out of life when you’re discouraged. God wants to help you find the heart to go on. There’s a story in the Bible about a group of 12 leaders, representatives of the 12 tribes of Israel, who were given some pretty clear instructions (see Numbers 13). Instead of receiving conflicting directions, like we did, they were all told the same thing. Their job was to cross the border and check out the land that God had promised to give them.

When they returned, all the people gathered to hear their report. Expectations were high. They started by saying, “The land is incredible!” They then described all the fruit they saw and gave some to Moses to sample. But they weren’t finished: “But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large…” It’s as if they were saying, “Sure, the food is great, but there are way too many problems. The people are stronger than we are and the cities are impenetrable. We can’t do this. Everything looks good, but…”

Discouragement had set in and their negative report took the wind out of everyone’s sails. Does that sound like you or someone you know? Is your fear of the future paralyzing you in the present? Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like giving up? Are you ready to fold?

Now, you need to know that God had already promised to give this land to the Israelites. He had made it clear from the very beginning of their trip that He would lead them to the Land of Promise. However, when faced with a few obstacles, the leaders, who should have been courageous, wanted to walk away from the table. That is, all of them except two—Joshua and Caleb. In the middle of this negative report, Caleb declared, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it!” He was certain that they could take the land because God had already promised that it was theirs for the taking.

Friend, if you want to find the heart to go on, then focus on God’s promises, not the problems around you. The majority focused on the obstacles and ended up discouraging each other. Even after hearing Caleb’s courage and trust in God, they responded by saying, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread a bad report. “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw giants there. We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

These men had developed a grasshopper complex. As they continued to focus on the obstacles ahead of them, their problems grew in magnitude. In their original report, they talked about seeing some tall men—now they describe them as giants. Tragically, their view of God went south as well. Their obstacles are now bigger than they are, and in their minds, their problems are even larger than God is. The grasshopper complex had paralyzed their purposes and filleted their faith.

Because of the bad report that these 10 leaders circulated among the people, the entire nation was forced to wander in the desert for 40 years. They were so close to entering the Promised Land, but their bad attitudes kept them out. I wonder how many times my negative attitudes have short-circuited what God wants to do in my life? I’m sure my path has been rerouted on occasion because I didn’t follow God’s plan for that day.

God can give each of us the strength we need if we will just follow Him. At the end of 40 years, Joshua succeeded Moses as the leader. God encourages Joshua by saying, “I will go before you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged” (Joshua 1:9).

Because he chose to follow and to focus on the promise, not the problems, Joshua was able to experience all those things that the previous generation missed out on. If you long for the heart to go on, and you want to cultivate a positive attitude in the process, then focus on God’s promise, not the problems around you as you follow His plan for today. That way, even if the rules change, you can stay in the game.

August 21, 2010

God is My Banner (Jehovah Nissi)

The name we are focusing on today is Jehovah Nissi, which means, “God is my Banner.”  Some of you may wonder why we’ve camped in the Old Testament for so long.  I’ve even heard someone say that we’ve been spending too much time in the first part of the Bible.  Let me address that concern.  We’ve tackled this topic for at least four reasons.

• We all need to get to know God better.  By learning His names, we’ll be able to call upon Him.  According to Psalm 75:1, “His name is near.”
• The entire Bible is inspired by God.  We need to remember that according to 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
• Jesus fulfills the Old Testament.  Jesus said in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Each name of God has its fulfillment in Christ.
• The Old Testament stories serve as “examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did…and were written down as warnings for us…” (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11).  Romans 15:4 also elevates the importance of the Old Testament: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”  Ray Stedman writes: “The Old Testament is really the richest commentary ever written on the New Testament.  If you are…beginning to fail and your heart finds itself in the grasp of doubt, then turn to the record of God at work in the Old Testament.”

In order to understand and appreciate Jehovah Nissi, let’s look at how this name was first used.  Two days ago when we studied Jehovah Rapha, we learned in Exodus 15 that the people of Israel went from praising to protesting.  They sang and then they got sour because they didn’t have any water.  When they finally found some water, it was bitter, but when Moses threw a piece of wood into it, it became better.  In chapter 16, the Israelites commence their complaining again, this time because they are hungry.  Showing His grace and teaching them that He provides for their daily needs, God rained down bread from heaven each morning and for their evening meal he provided barbequed quail.

When we come to chapter 17, the people are on the move, and when they get to Rephidim, they become thirsty again.  True to form, the Israelites immediately lash out at Moses one more time in verse 2: “So they quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’”  Then they start grumbling in verse 4 and accuse Moses of bringing them into the desert to kill them.  Friend, if you find yourself grumbling and complaining, it could be a sign that some sourness has infected your spiritual life.  Someone has said, “Christians are like cars – when they begin to knock, there’s something wrong inside.”  Ken Hemphill, who has written a wonderful book called, “The Names of God,” offers this perspective: “When we fail to see God’s hand in our daily affairs and to trust Him for our daily provision, we begin to fret and complain about our difficult circumstances” (Page 108).

Moses is exasperated and so he cries out to the Lord: “What am I to do with these people?  They are almost ready to stone me.”  God then instructs Moses to take some of the elders and go ahead of the people.  When he comes to the rock at Horeb, he was to strike it with his rod, or staff.  When he hit the rock, water flowed out of it.  According to verse 7, this place was called Massah and Meribah, which are names that mean testing and quarreling.  They were putting God to the test by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”  In essence they doubted Jehovah Shammah, the God who is there; and Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides.

The Significance of the Staff

I have to pause here to make a point that I don’t want you to miss.  The rod in Moses’ hand has special significance.  In Exodus 4:2-4, God told Moses to throw the staff on the ground, and when he did, it became a snake.  Moses ran away from it but God told him to pick it up by the tail.  When he did, it turned back into a staff.  This was a teachable moment for Moses as we read in verse 5: “This is so that you may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.” 

From then on, whenever Moses held up his staff, he was reminded of God’s powerful presence.  Later Moses used this staff to send plagues upon the Egyptians, and it was with the staff that he struck the sea and a clear path appeared for the Israelites.  When they were safely on the other side, Moses stretched out his hand holding the staff and the waters returned, wiping out the Egyptians.  And now this same staff was used to strike the rock.

This staff was not a magic wand but instead represented the holy hand and awesome arm of Yahweh, their covenant-keeping God.  This was God’s way of showing them that He was with them and that He was going to do battle for them when their backs were up against the wall.  Now, stay with me on this.  God’s people were complaining and quarreling and rebelling.  I’m sure that Moses wanted to take his staff and smack the belly-achers, but instead he was told to hit the rock.  In one sense we could say that the people deserved to be hit by the rod of God, as we all do.  Because we are sinners, we deserve the judgment that comes from the mighty arm of the Almighty.  But instead of hitting them, God provided a substitute, and the rock was hit instead.

Let’s go back to 1 Corinthians 10:4: “…for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”  In other words, God was saying to Moses, “Take that staff and instead of striking them, strike the Savior for their sins.”  That gives me spiritual Goosebumps!  Way back in Exodus God is giving us a picture of the need for a substitionary sacrifice.  Jesus took the blows that are rightfully ours, absorbing the full force of God’s judgment.  Now, keep the significance of the staff in your mind as we come to the second half of chapter 17.

The Attack of the Amalekites

Verse 8 describes the dilemma that God’s people are about to face.  They’ve been thirsty and hungry but now an enemy is ready to ambush them.  While they are at Rephidim, getting refreshed, the Amalekites attack.  The Amalekites were the descendants of Esau, and were the enemies of God and of God’s people.  As we go through this encounter, it may help to view the Amalekites as representing the sin within our hearts and the evil one who continuously comes after us.  When Moses sees that his people are about to be pummeled, he calls out to Joshua in verse 9: “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.  Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”  Joshua made a careful, well-thought out choice to find the best men he could locate while Moses was up on the mountain.  The people were to do what the Psalmist did in Psalm 121:1-2: “I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

This is a paradigm shift for God’s people.  Up until now, God fought all their battles for them.  The problem with this is that they became passive and then became complainers when God didn’t do things exactly they way they wanted.  Now, they are told to be proactive and fight their enemies.  The danger here is that they will have to remember that they cannot do anything in their own strength.  They are to be proactive and not passive, yet they are to remember that God is their power.  The same is true for us. We can’t just sit back and do nothing, nor can we do everything, but we must do something. 

As we rely on His strength, taking steps of courage, He alone gets the glory and our faith in Him will grow.  Instead of just being observers of God’s work, now they were being asked to be participants in God’s work.  Oliver Cromwell, who fought for England over 300 years ago, had no military training but was very successful.  He often pointed to the fact that God enabled him to win his battles.  He is known to have said to his troops, “Trust in Providence and keep your powder dry.”  We must do what we can but must always trust in God.

Picture the scene.  Up to two million Israelites are trying to quench their thirst and now the Amalekites attack.  Those in the front of the group are whetting their whistle and those in the back are very vulnerable.  The Amalekites have gone out of their way to come after God’s people, because Rephidim isn’t even close to where they live.  The Amalekites want to take them out before they head to the land of Canaan.  Satan does the same to us.  He comes after us when we least expect him, and he’ll go out of his way to knock us out, or knock us off stride.  We know from Deuteronomy 25:17-18 that the Amalekites attacked when God’s people were at their weakest point: “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt.  When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind…”

While Joshua is leading the battle below, Moses, Aaron and Hur are battling above them, at the top of a hill.  Look at Exodus 17:11: “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” With the rod of God in his hand, Moses visibly demonstrated that it was the power of God fighting for them that gave them strength.  As his hands are held in a posture of praise and adoration, the troops could trust that God was with them.  The staff symbolized how God had come through for them before and He would do so again.  It was the pledge of His presence. 

When they looked to the mighty arm of Jehovah, they experienced victory, but when Moses got tired and started to drop his hands, the Amalekites made advances.  Here’s the principle.  They were to fight with all their might, but they were to never take their eyes off Jehovah.  They were God’s soldiers, fighting under His command.  In verse 12, Aaron and Hur help Moses when he got tired.  They found him a stone to sit on and then propped up his hands so they remained steady until sunset.  As a result, verse 13 tells us that Joshua overcame the Amalekites.  In verse 14, Moses is told to write everything down and to make sure Joshua hears about it.  This word “hears” literally means “to put in the ear.”  The King James Version captures the idea: “Rehearse it in the ears of Joshua.” 

The rod of God became the focal point for God’s people as they fought.  Opposing armies would often fly a flag on a pole at their front lines to rally the troops.  I remember seeing how prominent the different flags were during the Revolutionary War reenactments when we visited Williamsburg.  When the flag moved, the troops moved.  And when the flag fluttered in the wind, the soldiers took courage.  Flags give hope and they also bring the army together with a sense of unity. 

In Old Testament times, people often did not have actual cloth flags but would just use a pole, or a staff as their banner, although Numbers 2:2 states that “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family.”  Just like every country today has a flag, so too, the 12 tribes of Israel used banners to identify and rally the troops. 

I’m part Irish so I wore green on Thursday and I’m also part Polish so I wore two different colored socks today.  All of our states even have flags.  The flag has no power itself, but it signifies that the soldiers who are fighting have behind them one whose power and resources are at their disposal.  When believers gather under the banner of God, we are saying that we have God’s power and resources available to us.

After the victory was won by the Israelites over the Amalekites, Exodus 17:15 says that “Moses built an altar and called it THE LORD IS MY BANNER.” [Jehovah Nissi]  Moses recognized that the battle was won only because they fought under the Lord’s banner.  Look at verse 16: “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD.” When the Lord’s banner is lifted up, we will be victorious.

Psalm 20:5: “We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.  May the LORD grant all your requests.”
Psalm 60:4: “But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.”
Song of Songs 2:4: “He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.”

Principles to Apply

I see at least four truths that we can learn from the name Jehovah Nissi. 

1.  Victory isn’t always quick but it should be the norm for every believer.  Some of us have struggled for years with certain sins.  Just like the Israelites had to battle all day against the Amalekites, so too, we often have to tackle trials and temptations for a long time before we begin to see victory.  Having said that, some of us have given up, or given in, because we don’t think we can ever experience freedom.  The Bible is clear that we are victors because of what Christ has done for us.  Claim the truth of Romans 8:37: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”  One commentator says that we are “hyper-conquerors.”  Psalm 60:12: “With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.”  1 John 5:4: “For everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

2.  We must intercede in prayer and proceed in obedience.  Moses provided intercession on the mountain and God provided intervention in the valley.  We must work hard and pray hard.  Someone put it this way: “Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended upon you.”  1 Timothy 6:12 reminds us that we are to be active participants: “Fight the good fight of the faith” and Proverbs 21:31 provides the other half: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.”

3.  We need friends who will battle with us and pray for us.  You have been designed to be in community with others because life is way too difficult to do by yourself.  If you’re not in a small group, make plans to join one.  If your teenager is not coming to Student Impact, do what you can to encourage them to come.  That reminds me of the story told about a Christian who had stopped attended church services.  After a few months the pastor decided to visit him.  It was a chilly evening, and the pastor found his parishioner at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for the pastor’s visit, the member welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.  The minister made himself at home, but said nothing.  After several minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth, all alone.  Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

His host watched all of this in quiet contemplation.  As the one, lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and its fire was no more.  Soon, it was cold and dead.  Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.  The minister glanced at his watch, slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember, and placed it back in the middle of the fire.  Immediately, it began to glow once more, with all the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.  As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, “I’ll be back in church Sunday.”

We need each other’s support because many of us are carrying burdens that are too heavy to bear alone.  Moses needed the strength of others in order to pray.  The troops needed each other to battle.  As you look around, is there someone who needs you to help lift their tired arms?  Do you need help reigniting your prayer life?  If you’re losing ground to the enemy, it may be because you’ve stopped praying. 

4.  Focus on memorials to help you remember.  When God defeated the Amalekites, the first thing Moses did was write down what happened in a book.  This is an important principle.  If you don’t keep a journal, you may want to begin recording God’s work in your life.  Next, he built an altar.  He did this as a memorial, so he and his people would never forget.  I can think of four memorials that are designed to jog our memory today.

• Palm Sunday.  We remember that Jesus came into Jerusalem and was met by a throng who praised Him with branches.  Matthew 21:8 tells us “…others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.”  This was a common way to welcome a victorious King when he would return from battle.  These palm branches were also a symbol of joy and victory and were placed on graves as a sign of eternal life.  Since they often grew out in the desert near water, palm trees were a sign that life-giving activity was near.  By laying palm branches on the road, the people were signifying that Jesus was the victorious King who gives eternal life to those out wandering in the desert of life.

• The Cross.  One of the most famous banners in the Old Testament is found in Numbers 21.  Once again the people are complaining and grumbling but this time they face another danger when poisonous snakes begin to bite them and they start to die.  After confessing their sin to Moses, the Lord told Moses to make a “fiery serpent” and put it on a pole.  Whoever looked at this “banner” would live.  Jesus picks up on this picture in John 3 when Nicodemus begins to ask questions about how to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus tells him that he must be “born again” and then in order to drive home the point, Jesus references this event in verses 14-15: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  Jesus is Jehovah Nissi, the banner of salvation.  He was lifted up on a piece of wood on a hill, bringing victory over sin and Satan, and those who look to Him will be saved.

Colossians 2:15 is a wonderful picture of Christ’s triumphant victory: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”  The word for “disarmed” is literally “stripped,” as in stripping a defeated enemy of armor on the battlefield.  The powers and authorities of this evil world stripped Christ of his clothing and popularity, made a public spectacle of him on the cross, and thought they had triumphed over him by putting Him to death.  Little did they know that the victory actually belonged to Jesus.  We’ll celebrate that on Easter Sunday!  Friends, evil no longer has any power over you because Christ has stripped Satan’s weapons and he is now disarmed. 

The cultural background to this verse is rich with meaning.  When the Romans went off to fight their enemies, after winning the war, they would bind their vanquished foes together by the hands and march them single file back to Rome where they would have a huge celebration.  Thousands of Romans would line the streets to watch this “public spectacle.”  At the front of the parade would be the conquering General.  Following him would be those soldiers who had acted heroically in battle.  The rest of the army would follow.  And then at the rear of the procession would be all those who had been conquered.  As they would march past the crowds, the people would jeer at them, cast insults, and even throw things.  You didn’t want to be the main attraction at one of these pubic spectacles! 

Jesus has turned those who thought they were captors into captives, displaying them in His victory celebration.  We don’t have to succumb to sin or fear Satan.  Jesus is our banner and He has triumphed at the cross.  1 Corinthians 15:54-57: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

• Communion.  One reason we are told to celebrate the Lord’s Supper is so we will never forget what Jesus has done for us.  It’s a time to remember. 

• Baptism.  Another symbol that helps us remember is the ordinance of Baptism.  As individuals are lowered into the water, they are symbolizing the death of Christ, and as they come up out of the water, they are proclaiming that Christ is alive.  Call the church office if you’re ready to take the plunge.

Let me ask you a question.  Whose flag are you flying today?  Are you rallied around Jehovah Nissi or are you flying the flag of “me?”  I don’t know what you are going through or who your Amalek is, but God will give you the victory if you look to Him.  But only if you will wave the white flag of surrender.  Atlanta courthouse shooting suspect Brian Nichols finally surrendered after the woman he took hostage read the Bible to him and a chapter from the Purpose Driven Life book.  He literally waved a white flag to indicate that he was ready to give up.  Are you ready to surrender to the Savior right now?

When Jesus is lifted up, when His banner is over us, there can are no rivals to His throne.  I received an email this week that shows the victory that Jesus has won over the hearts of people all around the world.  (I removed the gentleman’s name for his protection but have left the grammar the way it is):

“hello brian bill
i am…from pakistan
i came to a website and read your sermon on the john 1:1
as i read it i feel some thing changing my heart and when i read what max lucado wrote about the cave i think in my life i was in that cave and your sermon was the voice and my life has changed i am amuslim when i make comparison with islamic teachings i found what you wrote the perfect and jesus the right way i want to believe in jesus  
can you please send me some books to read about jesus more and more
please give me reply”

When this Muslim man figured out who Jesus was, and that He is raised up as a banner, his life changed.  Jesus Nissi is the right way, and the only way.  His banner over you is love.  Are you ready to be changed?  Will you surrender to Him and follow His flag for the rest of your life?

I’d like to close by reading something called, “The Christian’s Horizon.”

What do I see as I look back?
Millions of mercies along life’s track;
God’s love shining where all was black;
That’s what I see looking back.

What do I see as I look within?
A heart by my Savior redeemed from sin;
A hope, through His grace, heaven’s joys to win;
That’s what I see, looking to Him.

What do I see looking forth today?
Blessings granted before I pray;
A sheltering arm, a guiding ray,
That’s what I see, looking at today.

What do I see as I look on?
Burdens lifted and trials gone;
A light at every, surpassing dawn;
That’s what I see, looking on.

What do I see as I look above?
God’s own banner, whose name is love;
Love unspeakable, wonderful love;
That’s what I see when I look above.

August 20, 2010

God of Power (Jehovah Sabaoth)

I have never served in the service or gone off to war but I certainly got into skirmishes with my sisters when I was growing up!  I celebrated a birthday milestone recently and my siblings sent me cards that show the war is not over.  Let me read three of them to you. 

Happy Birthday to a brother who was always there to take me by the hand…and then bend my wrist backward until my fingers touched my arm.  [Mary added: “Its okay, I’m over it now!”]

Even when someone irritates…you, you can still love them.  Brothers teach us that.

Brother, celebrate your birthday like you’re a kid again.  In your room.  No supper.  No TV.  Just sitting and thinking about what you’ve done.  [Jean added: “Explain this one to your girls.”  Our girls asked me about this but I can’t remember a specific situation, because I was put in isolation all the time!]

Actually, one of my sisters sent me a nice card that was very meaningful.  When I was telling one of my other sisters on the phone that my youngest sister sent me “a card from the heart,” she immediately said, “Don’t let it go to your head…It’s probably because she couldn’t find the other kind!”

It strikes me that a number of you have served in the armed forces, or have a family member serving right now.  Thank you for your service to our country, and to those who have family members serving, thank you for your sacrifice. 

I’ve been reading a book called, “A Table in the Presence” by Carey Cash, a chaplain for the U.S. Marines.  In this dramatic account, his Battalion experienced God’s presence and power in an amazing way during the war in Iraq.  When they were up against the wall, God came through for them time and time again.  Listen to what he writes: “During the long weeks in the Kuwaiti desert, we had often talked about God’s protection and had prayed for it in every service.  We had asked God for courage and quiet resolve in the face of the enemy…for six weeks, many of us had looked to God for grace and help in our time of need, and God had graciously responded.  He had calmed our fears, breathed hope and confidence into our souls, and readied us for the fight” (W Publishing, 2004, Page 54).

The name of God that we are studying today is Jehovah Sabaoth, which at its root, refers to a captain or general who commands a mighty army.  It’s used over 270 times in the Bible.  By the way, the King James translates this name as “LORD of Hosts” while the NIV uses “LORD Almighty.”  We’ve already described the name Jehovah as the self-existent one who is personal, present, powerful, and the ultimate promise-keeper.  The word Sabaoth can refer to one of four large groups, or a large quantity of hosts:

• A huge congregation
• An immense army
• Celestial bodies – stars (see Isaiah 34:4)
• Innumerable angelic beings (see Luke 2:13)

The Lord Almighty has all the hosts of heaven ready to do His work.  Psalm 24:10 asks the question: “Who is he, this King of glory?  The LORD Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth] — he is the King of glory.”  God is the king and commander over every army, both spiritual and earthly, and He mobilizes them to accomplish His purposes.  Amos 4:13 describes this name of God in greater detail: “He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth—the LORD God Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth] is his name.” When we truly understand this name for God we will never view Him the same again.  He has unlimited power, unbridled might and untarnished glory.  He is impossible to describe and incredible to imagine.

Charles Spurgeon once preached: “The Lord of Hosts…is on our side as our August Ally; woe unto those who fight against Him, for they shall flee like smoke before the wind when He gives the word to scatter them.”  The name Jehovah Sabaoth is used when God’s people are in deep weeds, or as my friend Ray likes to say, “When you’re hip-deep in alligators and there’s no way to drain the swamp.”  Kay Arthur refers to this as God’s name for man’s extremity.  We could say it this way: God goes to battle when our backs are up against the wall.  Chaplain Carey Cash captures this idea when he quotes a prayer from a grandmother in Mississippi.  She prayed three things for our troops as they moved across Iraq (Page 68).

1. Confusion among the generals of Saddam’s army.
2. Salvation for many.
3. Legions of warring angels with drawn swords to go before you as you make your approach.

That last request is directly related to the name Jehovah Sabaoth.  The Holy One is the commander of the hosts of heaven.  We’re going to look at four biblical illustrations this morning to help us get a better picture of this name, and to help us learn to call Him by this name when we are at the end our ropes.  We affirm that the battle belongs to the Lord.  He goes to battle when our backs are against the wall.

1.  When you feel oppressed (1 Samuel 1:11).  The first instance of Jehovah Sabaoth is found in 1 Samuel 1:3, where we read that Elkanah, who was married to Hannah and Peninnah, went up from his town every year to “worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth] at Shiloh.”  This shows us something about this man’s devout spirituality.  When the whole culture was headed south spiritually, Elkanah swam against the tide of apathy, and took his family to worship.  I believe one of the reasons he went to the Lord of Hosts for help was because his two wives were battling each other.  Peninnah had children but Hannah was barren and bothered by the whole ordeal.  In that culture barrenness was thought to be a sign of God’s displeasure.

Verse 6 describes the character and personality of Penninah: “…her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.”  She couldn’t just be thankful that she had children but felt the need to needle and harass Hannah.  The word “provoke” literally means, “To cause her thunder.”  She’s trying to get Hannah to blow her top!  The word “irritate” refers to being stirred up inwardly.  Verse 7 says that Peninnah provoked Hannah so much that she wept and would not eat.  Have you ever been so sad that you couldn’t even eat?

Hannah’s back was up against the wall and she needed God to do battle for her.  She was bitter and broken and took her requests to Jehovah Sabaoth.  In verse 11, she makes a vow saying, “O LORD Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth], if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life…” She needed God to unleash the armies of heaven because she was at the end of her rope.  And God heard her request and gave her a son named Samuel.  Incidentally, one reason I think God answered her prayer is because this mother knew that Israel needed a godly man like Samuel and she was willing to give him back to the Lord for His purposes and plans.  She had the right motives and God honored that.

Are you oppressed by someone right now or maybe depressed about a situation like Hannah was?  If so, call out to Jehovah Sabaoth.  God goes to battle when our backs are against the wall.

2.  When you feel overwhelmed (1 Samuel 17:45).  God also unleashes the armies of heaven when we are overwhelmed, when the problems in front of us seem so huge and so big that we want to run the other way.  Please turn in your Bible to 1 Samuel 17 where we read the account of David and Goliath.  We don’t have time to dig into the depths of this amazing passage so I’ll just skim over the surface.  The Philistines were the arch enemies of Israel and had gathered for war in the Valley of Elah (show slide) to take on God’s people.  The Philistines had a champion named Goliath who was two feet taller than Shaquille O’Neal.  He was decked out in body armor that weighed 125 pounds and was armed with a javelin, a spear and a shield bearer.  This mammoth of a man challenged the Israelites to a smackdown fight as he belched out blasphemies against God.

David’s job was to take some bread and some cheese (he must have been from Wisconsin) to the commander of the unit and to also check on how his older brothers were doing.  When David was there he heard Goliath shout his usual defiance.  This taunting had been going on twice a day for forty days.  Each time the Israelites heard his voice, “they all ran away from him in great fear” (verse 24).  This reminds me of an “Adventures in Odyssey” episode that our family has listened to several times.  The setting is a snowball fight that broke out over some warm chocolate chip cookies.  Alex, the commander of this ragtag army asks a question to the younger and smaller squad, “Are we warriors or are we wimps?”  To which they reply in a very high voice, “We are wimps, sir!” That’s precisely how the Israelites were acting.  They should have been warriors but they were wimps.

David then asked the question that should have been asked long ago in verse 26: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  David’s older brother became enraged and basically told David to go back to his cheese curds and shepherding.  But then Saul, the King of Israel, heard about David’s courageous candor and sent for him. In verse 32, David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”  Saul tries to dismiss David’s bravado but David reminds Saul how he had killed a lion and a bear.  He had been up against the wall before and had seen God go to battle for him.  Notice verse 37: “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  Saul then told David to go for it and tried to give him his armor, but since it didn’t fit, David discarded it.  He picked up what he was used to – his staff, his slingshot, and then found five smooth stones and went off in search of the giant.

When Goliath came closer to David and saw that he was just a boy, he despised him and said in verse 43: “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?”  After teasing him, he called out a curse on David and declared that he would feed him to the birds and the beasts.  I love David’s response in verse 45.  Listen carefully for the name Jehovah Sabaoth: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, [Jehovah Sabaoth] the God of the armies [Sabaoth] of Israel, whom you have defied.” David then describes in great detail what he will do to Goliath and declares in verse 47: “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

In David’s eyes, God was the giant and Goliath was just a goon.  God’s powerful presence was more real to David than Goliath was to the wimpy warriors.  He was so confident in Jehovah Sabaoth as the commander of the armies of heaven that the Bible says that “he ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.”  And with one stone from his sling, he slayed the giant.  That reminds me of Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.”

Here are seven principles from this encounter that will help us when we feel overwhelmed.

• It’s inevitable that we will face giants like anxiety, fear, doubt, animosity, intimidating people and enemies. 
• Measure the giants you face against the greatness of God, not yourself.  To David, the giant was an opportunity to know God better, not an obstacle to his faith.
• Don’t try to fight the giants with someone else’s solution.  Saul’s armor didn’t help David.  Look to God alone for your armor.
• Don’t run away from your problems; instead ask Jehovah Sabaoth to go to battle for you.
• Verbalize your confidence in God.  Say it out loud.  It will help the words become real for you.
• Remember who you are.  David had just been anointed by Samuel in the previous chapter and therefore knew his position and his purpose.  Do you? 
• Remember who God is.  He is the Commander of the awesome armies of heaven and will go to battle for believers who reach out to Him in faith.

God goes to battle when our backs are against the wall.  And He unleashes his holy host when we feel oppressed and overwhelmed.  He also goes to war when we feel outnumbered.

3.  When you feel outnumbered (2 Kings 6:16-17).  Have you ever felt stuck?  When you sense that you can’t fight or flee from your problems, when you feel alone against a multitude of people or problems, it’s easy to want to give up.  Turn in your Bible to 2 Kings 6 where we read of an unforgettable encounter.  The prophet Elisha, not to be confused with Elijah, had managed to enrage the King of Aram.  When this king determined that Elisha was in a town called Dothan, he mobilized his army, complete with horses and chariots to surround the city and set up an ambush to annihilate Elisha.

When Elisha’s servant got up early the next morning to pick up the paper, he looked up and saw a mighty army encircling the city.  He panicked and woke Elisha up, exclaiming in verse 15: “O my lord, what shall we do?”  This servant had some vision problems.  His physical eyes worked fine but he was in need of some spiritual spectacles.  He saw the danger but couldn’t see the deliverance.  In verse 16, Elisha says, “Don’t be afraid…Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  I picture the servant looking around and wondering what Elisha was talking about. 

When words alone couldn’t calm his quaking heart, verse 17 tells us that Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”  The servant’s fear had filleted his faith and so God had to give him spiritual eyes to see the invisible infantry: “Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” Chariots are symbols of God’s power (Psalm 68:17) and “chariots of fire” communicate the dreadful and destructive power of God to incinerate His enemies.  The servant thought he and Elisha were greatly outnumbered but in actuality, the armies of the Almighty God were arrayed against the enemy.  Friend, never forget that when you are standing next to Jehovah Sabaoth, you are in the majority, no matter what is against you.

Allow the truth of Romans 8:31 to comfort you when you feel outnumbered: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  We need spiritual eyes to see that the spirit world is more real than this world.  One of most unusual fish God created is a fish called “Four Eyes,” which makes its home in Central and South America.  His large, bulging eyes are so situated on his head that he can spend his time cruising along the water with only the upper half of each eye above the surface.  The upper and lower parts of each eye have separate corneas and retinas.  The top half has a water lens, which amounts to a set of bifocals, giving him the ability to see in both the upper and lower world.  Each eye is divided into an aerial and an aquatic part, enabling him to see what’s in the world above and in the water below.  This fish is very hard to catch because it can see fisherman and birds coming from above and predators from below (www.answersingenesis.org).

That’s the kind of discerning vision we should have as Christians.  We need to have our eyes fixed around us; at the same time, we should always be looking up to see the spiritual battle that is taking place, as Paul said in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  The commander of the armies of heaven has mobilized the angelic host to do battle in the heavenly realms.  Because of that, we can echo the words of David in Psalm 3:6: “I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.”

4.  When you feel impoverished (Haggai 1:4-11).  The final passage I’d like to draw your attention to is found in the first chapter of the Book of Haggai.  God’s people have returned from captivity and they’re excited to be back in the Promiseland.  But instead of putting God first, they are busy building up their own lives.  God is not happy with this.  Look at verse 4: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”  God’s temple has been ignored and God’s holy name profaned by the way they are living.

In verses 5-6, God refers to himself by the name Jehovah Sabaoth: “Now this is what the LORD Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth] says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but have harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.  You put on clothes, but are not warm.  You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” God is saying that because the people have not put Him first, they are impoverished.  In verse 7, He refers to himself as Jehovah Sabaoth again and tells them to get to work on His house.  In verse 9, Jehovah Sabaoth says that He has dashed their expectations and blown away what they have held on to so tightly.  Why?  “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.” 

Friend, the God of the angel armies will go to battle for you when your back is up against the wall, when you’re feeling oppressed, overwhelmed and outnumbered.  But he will also marshal his troops against us if we are not putting Him first in our lives.  He does this because He loves us.  He does this to get our attention.  He does this for His glory and for our ultimate good.  If it seems like what you’ve been chasing has just vaporized before your eyes, if you make money only to find it flowing through holes in your pocket, if you feel like you never have enough, the Lord Almighty may be knocking out the props in your life to get your attention.  And until you admit that you are impoverished apart from Him, things will not get better.

Surrendering to the Commander

Allow me to come back to the book, “A Table in the Presence.”  When Chaplain Carey Cash first met a young marine named Jeff Guthrie, he was without purpose and direction.  He had been through some very difficult years and had turned into a complainer.  Having been estranged from his family for over eight years, he tried everything he could do to be happy.  Now he was in the Marines and was reeling from a very close call when his life could have ended.  This tough guy was on the verge of tears, and sitting down on the grass in front of Guthrie, the Chaplain asked what was wrong.

“Sir…I’m, I’m just so sorry,” he said, tears welling up in his tired eyes.  The Chaplain had no idea what he was talking about and so he asked, “Sorry for what, Guthrie?”  The young Marine replied, “It’s just what I’ve done in my life.  All I can think about is that I’ve just been through the worst experience of my life, and yet, God protected me through it all.  But why did He do it?  How could He do it after all the things—the bad things—I’ve done?  I don’t know what else to say, what else to feel.  I’m just so sorry.”

The chaplain describes the scene for the reader: “By now the tears are streaming down his face.  Guthrie’s fellow Marines, all twenty of them who are seated around the same ramp, stopped everything.  They were listening intently, watching everything.  He and I could feel their gaze, but it didn’t matter.  He was overcome…He had just come through the most frightening experience of his life and perhaps one of the single worst firefights of the entire war.  Like many others, he was uninjured, unscathed, and unharmed.  And the only thing he could think about was his sinfulness…I was looking into the face of a man who, for the first time in life, was truly encountering the power of God.  ‘Jeff,’ I said gently.  ‘Do you realize that God sent his Son, Jesus, for no other purpose than for forgiving all those things you or I have ever done wrong in life?”

The Chaplain and Jeff Guthrie then bowed in prayer as this Marine surrendered His life to the Commander of the Armies of Heaven and received the gift of forgiveness and the assurance of eternal life.  Twenty watching Marines stared in disbelief as Lance Corporal Jeff Guthrie asked the Lord Jesus to come into his life, right on the lawn of Saddam Hussein’s Presidential Palace.  The next morning was Palm Sunday.  In Saddam Hussein’s palace, in the courtroom of one of the century’s most notorious villains, Jeff Guthrie was baptized.  Carey Cash writes: “There before our eyes, the courts of evil had become nothing less than the courts of the Lord.  A place that had been known for the presence of darkness and treachery had become a place of the presence of God…If God can deliver an isolated, cut-off battalion of U.S. Marines surrounded by enemies in the belly of the beast, can He not deliver us from the enemies that assail us in our daily lives?”

God goes to battle when your back is up against the wall.  The Commander of the Hosts of Heaven wants you to call on His Name – Jehovah Sabaoth – when you are:

• Oppressed
• Overwhelmed
• Outnumbered
• Impoverished

Psalm 84:12 says, “O LORD Almighty [Jehovah Sabaoth], blessed is the man who trusts in you.” Are you ready to trust in Him for the first time?  If so, maybe you’re ready right now to ask Jesus into your life.  About five years ago I was out at Pontiac Christian School to help serve pizza for hot lunch with my friend Dave. We had a great time, even though we were slow and made a mess. When we were done, I sat down at one of the tables to enjoy a big piece of cheese pizza. While I was sitting there, a group of three young students (in the first and second grade class) came up to me and said they wanted to talk to me in private. When the other kids around them heard this, they all came in closer so they could hear. After getting rid of these eavesdroppers, this trio came closer so we could talk. I put down my piece of pizza so I could give them my entire attention. One of them said, “You tell him.” The other girl said, “No, you tell him.” This banter went back and forth for quite awhile. Finally one of them said, “We want to ask Jesus to come into our hearts!”

I smiled and said, “You mean all three of you want to become Christians right now?” They all chimed in and exclaimed, “Yes, right now.” I took them into the secretary’s office and explained the gospel message to them and then all three of them prayed out loud, telling Jesus they were sorry for their sins, and asked Him to come into their lives. When we were finished, two of them were literally jumping up and down.  I told them to make sure and go back to their classroom and tell Mrs. Schappaugh and Miss Litwiller what they had done.  I watched as they skipped down the hallway eager to share the good news (to read more, check out my blog from 3/11/05: www.pontiacbible.org/brian).

If you’re ready, would you pray this prayer with me?  “Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life.  At times I’ve been oppressed, overwhelmed, outnumbered and I am spiritually impoverished   I admit that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself.  I repent of my sins by changing my mind about the way I’ve been living.  I believe and gratefully receive your pardon.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth.  With all my heart I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day.  Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life.  I open my heart to you right now and receive you into my life.  Amen.”

If you’re already a born-again believer and have not followed the Lord in Baptism, please call the church office if you’d like to be added to the list.

August 19, 2010

God the Healer (Jehovah Rapha)

Beth and I were out on a driving date some time ago.  It’s one of our favorite things to do, especially in the winter.  We just get in the car, pick up a couple decafs and talk while we cruise the town.  As we were going down one street, we saw three young women walking to their car.  I slowed down because it was icy and just then, one of them slipped and went down hard on the curb.  I pulled over, got out of the car and went over to them.  By the time I got there, they were in their car and had started to drive down the road.  I flagged them over and asked if they were OK.  The one who had fallen was crying and holding her arm very gingerly.  I told them that my wife was a nurse and asked if she wanted Beth to look at it.  She got out of the car and after giving her some suggestions, Beth told her she might need an X-ray.  As I helped her back into the car, I told her that we would pray for her.  She and her friends said thanks and headed for help.

It strikes me that this individual was in need of three types of healing that cold night.  She certainly needed physical attention.  She needed emotional support because she was sad and afraid.  And I’m assuming that she needed some spiritual help as well.  Maybe you’ve had a fall yourself.  Perhaps you’re dealing with a physical frailty right now and you’re exhausted emotionally.  Or your past hurts are still causing present pain.  And there’s a good chance that you’ve slipped spiritually at some point in your life.  One of my roles as a pastor is to pray with people when they are broken physically, emotionally or spiritually.  If we were to add up the amount of agony and pain represented in our world iit would literally take our breath away. 

Today our focus is on yet another name for God – Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.  This name is first revealed shortly after the Israelites were unshackled from their bondage in Egypt.  They have just passed through the Red Sea on dry ground.  The people are excited to finally be free and so they express their praise in the first part of Exodus 15.  Look at verses 1-3: “I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted.  The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.  The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.  He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.” God is referred to by two of His names (Elohim and Yahweh) in this song of praise that lasts for twenty-one verses.

But then their praising turns into a time of protesting.  In verse 22 we read that Moses led them into the “Desert of Shur.”  “Shur” means a “wall.”  And that’s exactly how they felt.  They had run into a wall of despair instead of a window to blessing.  Some of you feel like you’ve hit a wall.  After wandering in the wilderness for three days, and having no water to drink, the people turn on Moses at a place called Marah, which means “bitterness.”  By the way, this is the name Naomi chose for herself after experiencing incredible pain and disappointment in Ruth 1:20. 

God’s people go from giving praise to grumbling their protests because when they finally find some water, they soon discover that it had a very bitter taste.  Talk about disappointment!  They were probably very excited to locate this refreshment only to have their expectations shattered.  In verse 24, they put Moses on the spot: “What are we to drink?”  The people are angry with God but they take it out on a person.  We do that as well, don’t we?  Someone has said that anger is a magnet in search of metal, and the closest metal was Moses.  We tend to take things out on others when we don’t get what we want when we want it.

The Israelites saw God provide in making a way through the Red Sea but now they’re thirsty.  On top of that, now they have a bitter taste in their mouth.  Some of you may feel that way this morning.  You’ve gone from high expectations to great disappointment to heavy discouragement.

I want you to notice that their gratitude turns to griping when the memory of God’s faithfulness is somehow forgotten, and it only took them three days to land in the ditch of despair.  Bitterness can blind us to the promises of God.  They had forgotten that life in Egypt was terrible even though they ate bitter herbs as part of the Passover to remember the bitterness of slavery (Exodus 12:8).  But now freedom from Egypt has also left them feeling bitter because their expectations are shattered.

Moses does what he should do and cries out to the Lord.  Instead of protesting, he prays.  That’s what hard times can do for us.  When we’re in pain, we must pray.  God answers Moses by showing him a simple piece of wood.  Moses takes the wood and whips it into the water and the water immediately becomes sweet.  God then initiates a test and tells them in verse 26: “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” God is linking their holiness with their health as He declares one more name for Himself: Jehovah Rapha.  In the midst of their bitterness and hurt, God reveals Himself as their healer.

The word Rapha is used some sixty times in the Old Testament and means, “to restore, to heal, or to cure” physically, emotionally and spiritually.  In 1 Kings 18:30, we get a picture of what Rapha means when we read that Elijah “repaired” (Rapha) the altar of Jehovah.  In 2 Kings 2:21, God “heals” (Rapha) the water when Elisha throws salt in the spring.  The word has the idea of restoring something to its original state. 

Sometimes we are in need of healing in all three areas at the same time like David was in Psalm 6:2-3:

Emotional: “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint…”
Physical:  “O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony…”
Spiritual: “My soul is in anguish.  How long, O LORD, how long?”

At other times, one of these areas seems to take precedence as the bitterness that comes from brokenness breaks through.  God reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha when we are in need of…

• Emotional Healing.  Jehovah Rapha heals emotional hurts and broken hearts.  Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” The word “broken” means “to burst, to break into pieces, to crush and to smash.”  Some of you feel that way right now.  Your emotional pain is overwhelming.  Friend, whatever pain you’re carrying around, hand it to the Healer today.  Some of you have incredibly intense hurt that I can’t begin to relate to.  Maybe it’s something that happened when you were younger.  Or perhaps it just happened yesterday.  In the midst of your tears, cry out to Jehovah Rapha and ask Him to put you back together again.  Related to this, relational ruptures can cause emotional pain.  If you’re struggling with a broken relationship, I encourage you to do what you can to make peace as Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” 

• Physical Healing.  Some of you are experiencing a tough time right now as you’re trying to process the pain and discouragement that comes from physical difficulties.  Maybe it’s personal pain or maybe you’re devastated by the news you’ve received about a family member or a friend.  Whatever the case, when our bodies don’t work right, we can end up feeling uptight.  At times like this, we need to ask Jehovah Rapha to do His healing work in our lives.  The Bible is filled with examples of God’s healing touch.  In 2 Kings 20:5-6 we read that Hezekiah became very ill and was about to die.  As a result of intense intercession, he was healed and his life was even extended.  This is really an amazing account: “This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you…I will add fifteen years to your life.”  In the Gospels we see that Jesus spent a surprising amount of time healing people. 

• Spiritual Healing.  This is by far the most important of the three realms of healing.  Jehovah Rapha sees that we are spiritually sick and He provides healing and wholeness through the shed blood of Jesus on the Cross.  Our diagnosis is bad and our prognosis is terminal.  Jeremiah 17:9 records the incurable condition of the human heart: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?”  We are sinners who have been inflicted with the disease of death and destruction and we’re in desperate need of a new heart. 

Early in His ministry, Jesus got up in the synagogue one day and quoted from the Book of Isaiah, “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed” (Luke 4:18).  Once we are set free spiritually, Jesus can break every other bondage we are under, including addictions and deep-seated sin patterns.  While it’s certainly true that Jesus healed a lot of people physically, He is always more interested in curing our sin problem.  Do you remember what Jesus passed along to John the Baptist when he wanted to know if He was really the Messiah?  Listen to these words from Matthew 11:5: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” Evangelism, not physical healing, must always be the main point of our ministry as well.

The pervasiveness of sin in our souls is pictured very vividly in Isaiah 1:5-6: “Why do you persist in rebellion?  Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.  From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness — only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”  Our depravity is total, affecting every part of our lives.  Verse 18 provides the good news, showing the cleansing power of forgiveness: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Passing the Test

When the Israelites were faced with three days of no water, Numbers 15:25 says that God tested them.  Likewise, when we go through tough times emotionally, physically or spiritually, we are really entering a testing time.  There are at least nine principles to keep in mind that will help us pass the test and better understand the healing power of Jehovah Rapha.

1.  Trials and troubles can get us back on track.  I talked to someone recently who told me that his difficulties led him to read the Bible and get close to the Lord.  Another person told me that this past year was extremely difficult but it was actually a blessing because he fully surrendered to Christ as a result of the pain.  That’s exactly what the psalmist said in Psalm 119:67, 71: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word…It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” Beth Moore suggests that we all have “empty places” in our lives as a result of brokenness and dissatisfaction is a “secret abyss” for many of us.  When we’re hurting, we must run to Jehovah Rapha and resist the urge to fill our emptiness with things that will not satisfy.

2.  Sometimes our pain is related to personal sin.  When you’re hurting physically or emotionally, it’s good to do a quick inventory to see if you have any unconfessed sin in your life.  In Psalm 32:3-4, David links his physical pain and his emotional agony to his personal sin: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” This theme is continued in Psalm 38:3, 17-18: “Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin…For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.  I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.” Let me say it again.  Personal sin may be a contributing factor to your illness and therefore should be taken seriously.

3.  Not all illness is directly linked to personal sin.  We can certainly say that all illness ultimately is a result of Adam and Eve’s sin, but we must be careful to not link every problem we have to some sin in our lives.  This was the mistake that Job’s friends made when they kept accusing him of wrongdoing.  In their minds, Job was suffering because he had somehow sinned.  Let’s be careful here.  Some of you beat yourself up mercilessly as you blame yourself for your own pain.  Others of you need to back off and stop giving your perspective on why someone else is suffering.  Jesus addressed this prevalent mindset when he was asked to explain why a certain man was blind.  His disciples wanted to know whether the man had sinned or his parents.  Jesus answered in John 9:3: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

4.  Its OK to go to professionals but go to the Great Physician first.  While there are some people who refuse to get any help because they want to trust God alone for their healing, it’s my understanding that God often works His healing through doctors, other trained professionals, and through medicine.  Remember that the bitter waters at Marah became better only when something was added to them.  God could have made them sweet apart from any other means, but he chose to use the wood.  Likewise God can heal with just a word from His mouth, but He uses other instruments as well.  Having said that, what Asa did in the Old Testament is a warning to us.  When he was sick, he didn’t go to God first but instead went right to the doctor.  This is described in 2 Chronicles 16:12: “Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.” Here’s the point.  Don’t bypass the Great Physician on the way to the doctor’s office.

5.  We need the community of faith.  James 5:14-16 describes what we should do when we are sick.  First of all, call for the Elders of the church and ask for prayer.  Second, confess your sins to others.  Third, pray for each other.  These steps are only possible if you’re plugged into a community of faith.  When you’re hurting, you need the help of others.  But sometimes those around us don’t always know how to help.  Listen to this story called “Comforters” (adapted from Linda Mae Richardson).

When I was diagnosed with a deadly disease…

My first friend came and expressed shock by saying, “I can’t believe you’re sick.  I always thought you were so active and healthy.”  He left and I felt alienated and somehow very different.

My second friend came and brought me information about different treatments and gave me his opinion about what to do.  He left and I felt scared and confused.

My third friend came and tried to answer my “whys?” and told me God may be disciplining me for some sin in my life.  She left and I felt guilty.

My fourth friend came and told me that that if my faith was greater God would heal me.  He left and I felt like my faith must be inadequate.

My fifth friend came and told me to remember that all things work together for good.  She left and I felt angry.

My sixth friend never came at all.  I felt sad and alone.

My seventh friend came and held my hand and said, “I care.  I’m here.  I want to help you through this.”  She left, I felt loved, and I knew everything was going to be OK.

6.  Faith is a force in healing.  Some people mistakenly believe that if we just have enough faith, we can be healed of everything.  At the other end of the spectrum, others think that God does not heal today and so they don’t even pray about their problems.  The proper biblical perspective is this.  Pray earnestly for healing to Jehovah Rapha, and have faith to believe that He can heal you, but be careful about demanding that He answer your prayers according to your will.  We are to pray according to His will.  Joni Eareckson Tada, who is in a wheelchair as a result of a diving accident adds, “God certainly can, and sometimes does, heal people in a miraculous way today.  But the Bible does not teach that He will always heal those who come to him in faith.  He sovereignly reserves the right to heal or not heal as He sees fit” (“A Step Further,” Zondervan, 1978, Page 127).  Tim Hansel writes: “I have prayed hundreds, if not thousands of times for the Lord to heal me…and He finally healed me of the need to be healed.”

Having said that, we need to keep Mark 6:5-6 in mind.  This passage explains the importance of faith to Jesus: “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.  And he was amazed at their lack of faith.”  Faith somehow unleashes the healing power of God.  James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

7.  Sometimes healing takes place in unusual ways.  Tony Campolo tells a story about being in a church where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer.  He prayed boldly for the man’s healing and that next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife.  She said, “You prayed for my husband.  He had cancer.”  Campolo thought when he heard her use the past tense that his cancer had been eradicated!  But then she said, “He died.”  Campolo felt terrible.

But she continued, “Don’t feel bad.  When you saw him he was filled with anger.  He knew he was going to be dead in a short period of time, and he hated God.  He was 58 years old, and he wanted to see his children and grandchildren grow up.  He was angry that this all-powerful God didn’t take away his sickness and heal him. He would lie in bed and curse God.  The more his anger grew towards God, the more miserable he was to everybody around him.  It was an awful thing to be in his presence.”

But the lady told Campolo, “After you prayed for him, a peace had come over him and a joy had come into him.  Tony, the last three days have been the best days of our lives. We’ve sung.  We’ve laughed.  We’ve read Scripture.  We prayed.  Oh, they’ve been wonderful days.  And I called to thank you for laying your hands on him and praying for healing.”  And then she said something incredibly profound.  Tony, she said, “He wasn’t cured, but he was healed.” (Tony Campolo, “Year of Jubilee,” Preaching Today Tape #212).

8.  Don’t be careless about communion.  My sense is that we don’t think enough about the seriousness of this ordinance.  In 1 Corinthians 11:29-30, Paul tells Christians to approach the elements with a sense of awe and to make sure we are living in unity with others.  If we don’t, we’re in danger of actually becoming sick or even dying: “For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”

9.  The Cross of Christ is the source of healing.  The Jehovah who heals in the Old Testament is the Jesus who heals in the New.  Don’t miss the significance behind the wood from a tree providing sweetness to the bitter water.  All of our problems began at a tree in the Garden of Eden and our sin problem is resolved because another piece of wood was used to hold up our Sin Substitute on the Cross.  Isaiah 53:5 says that “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 picks up on this prophecy: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”  Only Jesus can sweeten the bitterness of life.  He is the bondage breaker as Leviticus 26:13 says: “I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.”

Making the Bitter Better

Maybe you’ve fallen recently and it feels like you’ve crashed so quickly you don’t even know what happened.  Whether you’re hurting emotionally, physically or spiritually, turn to Jehovah Rapha right now.  Let’s go back to Exodus 15 for a moment.  After God made the sour waters sweet, He then led the Israelites to a place called Elim.  We read in verse 27 that Elim had twelve springs and seventy palm trees.  God led them to a place of plenty.  Even if we’re not cured we can be healed by Jesus.  He is both the wood and the living water as He said in John 7:37: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”  The only way to go from Marah to Elim is to turn to Jesus, who is Jehovah Rapha.

August 18, 2010

The God Who is There (Jehovah Shammah)

My mind goes back to an experience I had when we served as missionaries in Mexico City.  One day I took the Metro (subway) to the far southern part of the city to teach English to a couple businessmen.  I had to make several transfers to different lines and finally arrived at my stop about an hour and a half later.  When I got off the subway, I walked about ten blocks and suddenly I became aware of how alone I was.  My heart started racing.  I didn’t know anyone around me and I knew I stood out as an American.  I tried not to look lost even though I sort of was.  No one knew where I was, and I started to get afraid.  And then, the Lord reminded me that He was with me.  In a city of 24 million people, I was lonely but not alone because Jehovah Shammah was with me.  This name means, “God is there.”  To help us remember this truth, let’s repeat this phrase together: “God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.”

In the Garden of Eden we read that everything was perfect because the Creator (Elohim) wanted Adam and Eve to live in a place of beauty and comfort as seen in Genesis 2:9: “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.”  As beautiful as the creation was, the real joy was that “God himself walked in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Genesis 3:8).  God’s presence was to be their greatest pleasure.  But because Adam and Eve chose to disobey, the entire human race was plunged into darkness and death.  Thankfully, God continued to reveal Himself and make His presence known.  Genesis 5:22 tells us that Enoch “walked with God 300 years.” 

We’ve learned in this series that El Shaddai also talked with Abraham.  He allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him to teach him the truth that God is always present.  Moses, who doubted God’s presence, had an encounter with the Almighty at the burning bush, and later declared in Exodus 33:15: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Moses wasn’t going to mobilize unless God moved with him.  Yahweh demonstrated His powerful presence to the Israelites while they were in the desert of despair by using two symbols.  By day, a cloud led them, and by night a pillar of fire pronounced His presence.  God was personally and powerfully present with His people at all times and in all places.  Let’s repeat this phrase again: “God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.”

On top of that, the Israelites had a portable tabernacle that symbolized the fact that God was with them.  This tabernacle replaced the tent of meeting that Moses set up (Exodus 33:7-11).  The tabernacle was to be constructed with specific details, that I won’t go into right now, but suffice it to say that according to Exodus 25:8, this was to be the “dwelling place for God.”  This helped the Israelites know that God was present with them.

Now let’s fast forward to the time of King David and look at Psalm 139:7-10: “Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”  This passage establishes one of the Almighty’s attributes referred to as the Omnipresence of God.  Simply stated, this means that God is always wherever He needs to be to do whatever needs to be done.  He’s everywhere present at the same time.  He is there, He is here, and He is everywhere. 

King David was eager to build a permanent place for God but was not allowed to.  Instead, his son Solomon had the privilege of constructing a place for God’s name to dwell.  Using enormous resources, this project took over 7 years to complete.  The temple symbolized the fact that God was there for his people, and yet Solomon recognized that a building could not contain the awesome glory of God in 1 Kings 8:27: “But will God really dwell on earth?  The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you.  How much less this temple I have built!”

Unfortunately, even though they now had the Temple, and the assurance of God’s presence, the people compromised spiritually, and fell away from the Almighty.  In one sense, they were more preoccupied with the place than with the presence of God Himself.  God then brought numerous prophets on the scene to bring them back, but they were often met with resistance.  Finally, because of their disobedience, God mobilized the Babylonians to come and attack Jerusalem, and 400 years after it was constructed, the Temple was destroyed, and the people were deported to what is modern-day Iraq.

With that as a brief background, let’s hit a few highlights from the Book of Ezekiel.  God’s people are living in a foreign land and they wonder whether God has left them completely.  God had warned them repeatedly and now, according to Ezekiel 20:44, He has sent judgment so that, “You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake.”  After coming face-to-face with the glory of God in chapter one, Ezekiel is called in chapter two to give a message to this messed-up people.  He does so with some groaning and with a broken heart as expressed in Ezekiel 21:6: “Therefore groan, son of man!  Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.”

In chapter 33, Ezekiel is appointed as God’s watchman as he pleads with God’s people to turn back to the truth.  Verse 11 provides some comfort and some hope as we gain insight into God’s heart: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.  Turn!  Turn from your evil ways!  Why will you die, O house of Israel?”  God then reveals His desire to restore His people in Ezekiel 36:26-27: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”  In chapter 37, the prophet speaks to a valley filled with dry bones and commands them to live once again.

When we come to the last section of Ezekiel, we read about plans associated with the rebuilding of the Temple.  It had been 14 long years since the Temple had been trampled and the people were no doubt dismayed and discouraged.  Remember that the Temple symbolized God’s presence among His people (see 43:4-5).  Turn now to the last chapter of Ezekiel.  There are a lot of details here, much of which is beyond my understanding, but don’t let this distract you from the promise of God’s presence as found in the very last verse: “And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE.”  This is the name Jehovah Shammah.  Whatever else we can say about this passage, it is essentially a prophecy about the promise of God’s abiding presence.  In their darkest hour they were reminded that [let’s say it together] “God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.”

Where Does God Dwell Now?

I’ll never forget the question that a little boy asked when he came to the Birthday Party for Jesus several years ago.  He came in the doors, looked around, and said, “Where is He?”  That’s a good question.  Where is God today?  We know that He is there and He is here and He is everywhere, but where is He specifically?  Here’s a general principle to keep in mind.  God’s presence is not so much limited to a place as it was in the Old Testament; today, God’s presence is with people.  The Bible describes at least four ways that Jehovah Shammah is present. 

1.  Jehovah Shammah is Jesus.  In John 1:14, we read that “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  The word “dwelling” can be translated “tabernacled” or “templed” among us.  In John 2:19-20, Jesus referred to himself as the “temple” of God.  In fact, this comment enraged His enemies so much that they brought it up at His trial in Matthew 26:61: “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”  God’s presence is no longer restricted to a place but was fully evident in the person of His Son.  That’s why He was referred to as “Immanuel” in Matthew 1:23, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, as “God with us.”  Colossians 1:19 states: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.”

2.  Jehovah Shammah dwells in believers.  When Jesus declared that He was the dwelling place of God, the people were blown away.  This next truth is equally profound.  Those who are born again have become temples of God!  This is the thrust of 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”  God displays His beauty and glory today through believers, and as such, we must treat our bodies carefully and make sure they are dedicated to His purposes.  This is spelled out clearly in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.” The way we live should declare to the world that Jehovah Shammah is present within us.  Or to say it another way, the world will learn about God based upon the way we are living.  That’s a weighty responsibility and a holy charge.

3.  Jehovah Shammah is displayed in the church.  In his book called, “The Church God Blesses,” Jim Cymbala writes: “Even though individual lives are being changed by the power of the gospel, God’s special concern is always focused on local churches that spread his gospel and disciple new converts…Jesus himself wrote seven letters to different local congregations (Revelation 2-3) and was seen walking among them…He has chosen to work here on earth through his church” (Pages 9-10).  We are His temple individually as believers, and the collective church is also His dwelling place. 

As such, we must protect God’s presence and make sure His glory is on display as 2 Corinthians 6:16-17 says: “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.  Therefore come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord.” As the popular song by Casting Crowns asks, “But if we are the body, why aren’t His arms reaching?  Why aren’t his hands healing?  Why aren’t His words teaching?  And if we are the body, why aren’t his feet going?  Why is His love not showing them there is a way?”

4.  Jehovah Shammah is preparing a place for us.  When Jesus announced to His disciples that He was leaving them, He told them that He was getting a place ready for them and then said in John 14:3: “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”  There’s a time coming when we will be in His presence and as John 17:24 says, we will “behold his glory.”  Ezekiel’s prophecy will ultimately be fulfilled when the New Jerusalem is filled with the redeemed.  This scene is breathtaking in its beauty and is described by John in Revelation 21:1-3: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”

To see the ultimate fulfillment of Jehovah Shammah, drop down to the end of this chapter in verses 22-23: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”

Action Steps

1.  Chose to trust Him.  Its one thing to profess that God is always present; it’s another thing to really believe it, especially when we go through tough times.  In the 16th Century a man named “John of the Cross” wrote extensively about what he called the, “dark nights of the soul.”  If you’ve not experienced this yet, chances are you will at some point in your life.  In the Psalms David described his times of despair.  Psalm 10:1: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 69:1-3: “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.  I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.  I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.  My eyes fail, looking for my God.”

In Discipleship Journal, Tom Eisenman points out that God has a three-pronged painful process for us to go through (March/April 2005).  When the nights are dark, God does some divine demolition in our lives by…

• Pruning.  John 15:2: “…Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be more fruitful.
• Refining.  Another process is through fire.  Isaiah 48:10: “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”
• Shaking.  Just as he removed the rebellion from the Israelites through their captivity, so too, God uses stressful situations and circumstances to help us see what is most important.  Hebrews 12:27: “The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

When you go through problems, remember that God is present with you and claim the promise of Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Isaiah 43:2 teaches that whatever we go through, God will be with us: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”  Eisenman concludes by suggesting some ways that we can cooperate with God during these dark times of the soul:

• Honestly express your emotions to God
• Fight the temptation to run away from your distress
• Resist trying harder
• Seek companions
• Release your expectations
• Be patient
• Call to mind God’s faithfulness

I like what Charles Spurgeon once said, “Whatever your difficulties and trials and sorrows, all is well with you if God is your delight, and His presence your joy.”  The name Jehovah Shammah is a reminder that in our darkest hour, God is with us.  When you feel abandoned or afraid, address Him as Jehovah Shammah. 

2.  Live for the Lord right now.  If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are now the place where God dwells.  You are His temple; and therefore you must be clean.  It’s time to come out and be separate.  Recently I read about Brian “Head” Welch, a founding member of the popular hard-core heavy metal band called Korn.  I’ve never listened to this group but I went on “Plugged-In Online” (www.pluggedinonline.com) to find out about them.  I learned that their lyrics focus on hatred, homicide and hopelessness.  Their style is aggressive and their emphasis is immoral.  One reviewer referred to them as having “harsh language and venomous rage.” 

According to the group’s management, Brian Welch “has chosen Jesus Christ as his Savior and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end.”  Brian Welch apparently wrote a letter of resignation to the band’s management, detailing a long list of reasons for leaving the band, including increased moral objections to Korn’s music and videos.  (See my 2/24/05 blog to read more: www.pontiacbible.org/brian).

What about you?  Does your lifestyle demonstrate that God is present in you?  Have you been compromising your commitment?  Pastor Jeff is going to address this tonight as he continues his series with the students based on the early chapters of Revelation.

3.  Don’t Fear the Future.  While most of us live in the present, some of us are fearful of the future and others of us are piled by the past.  I’m thankful that God is an ever-present help for trouble today, and I’m also glad that Jehovah Shammah has the future covered.  I recently read an article called, “The God of My Future Problems.”  The author begins by defining God’s “prevenient grace.”  This literally means the grace that goes before.  In every situation of life God is already at work before I get there.  He is working creatively, strategically and redemptively for my good and His glory in order to accomplish His purposes.

While I am struggling with the problems of today, God is at work providing solutions for the things I’m going to face tomorrow.  He’s working in situations right now that I haven’t even faced yet.  He’s preparing them for me and me for them.  Or to say it another way: “While I’m living in Sunday, He’s already in Tuesday.”  Are you worried about next week?  Chill out.  He’s already there.  How about next year?  Don’t sweat it.  He’s got it covered.  Since God is already in the future, you can trust Him today and put your hope in Him for tomorrow, even if trials come your way (and they will).

It would be enough if God simply walked with us through the events of life.  But He does much more than that.  He goes ahead of us, clearing the way, arranging the details of life, so that when we get there, we can have confidence that God has already been there before us.  Knowing that God holds the future in His hands should provide us with comfort today. 

We have some promises about the presence of God.  Claim these as your own as you call out to Jehovah Shammah in prayer.

Haggai 2:4: “Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD, and work.  For I am with you, declares the LORD Almighty.”

Hebrews 13:5: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. 

Matthew 28:20: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I’d like to close by making ten statements that I’d like you to respond to by saying, “God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you feel alone…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When your boyfriend or girlfriend breaks up with you…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you get bad news from the doctor…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When your child makes bad decisions…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you wonder why you hurt so bad…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you feel like hurting yourself…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you’re tempted to do something wrong…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you make a mistake…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you can’t pay your bills…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

When you’re afraid about the future…
“God is there, He is here, He is everywhere.” 

August 17, 2010

God the Almighty (El Shaddai)

Several years ago I was overwhelmed by an ocean of orange as Beth and I were invited to a Wisconsin/Illinois basketball game.  I was decked out in a red hat with a big white “W” emblazoned on it and wore a Bucky Badger shirt.  As I looked around Assembly Hall I only saw about five others wearing the colors of heaven, and one was my wife!  The worst part of the whole experience wasn’t the ugly orange, or even the looks I got from the other fans, it was hearing a never ending mantra from one end of the stadium to the other.  It would start on one side with the crowd spelling out the word I-L-L.  This was followed by the fans around me shouting back, “So Am I.”  Actually, I think they were trying to say, I-N-I, but it sure sounded like “So Am I.”  I know I felt ill when the Badgers bombed out at the end of the game.

We hear slogans and phrases all the time.  And some of them even sound spiritual. 

• Money is the root of all evil.  Actually, 1 Timothy 6:10 says that the “…Love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…”
• God wants you to be happy.  I hear this one a lot.  It’s often used for justification to get out of something that is right or to start doing something that is wrong.  God never says he wants us to be “happy.”  His heart is for us to be “holy” as stated in 1 Peter 1:15: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”
Note: Someone correctly pointed out after the services that “happy” and “blessed” can mean the same thing.  In that sense, God does want us to be happy, though happiness really comes out of holiness.
• God helps those who help themselves.  This one is quoted a lot and is sometimes even attributed to the Bible.  It’s not only extra-biblical, it’s also unbiblical. In fact, Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD” and Proverbs 28:26 states: “He who trusts in himself is a fool…”

Over time our mantras can become meaningless and our spiritual slogans can leave us feeling empty.  As we come to the sixth name in our series, “What God Goes By,” we will see God as El Shaddai at the moment we realize that we are not happy and when we admit we are helpless.  Let me suggest a phrase to focus on: When we are empty, God is enough!  This is similar to what John Piper often says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

The different names of God are like a multifaceted diamond.  Each one reveals more about His beautiful character and tremendous worth.  As we unpack these names we can’t help but revere Him more devotedly and rejoice in Him more deeply.

Elohim Creator
Adonai Lord
Jehovah Shalom God our Peace
Jehovah Jireh God our Provider
Yahweh God the Covenant Keeper

The first part of this compound name El is the word for God and means “mighty and powerful.”  We see this in Psalm 68:35: “You are awesome, O God [El], in your sanctuary; the God [El] of Israel gives power and strength to his people.”  While there is some difference of opinion regarding the primary meaning of Shaddai, and it is often translated as Almighty because it can also stand for a mighty mountain.  The word actually has a more tender definition.  The root shad is connected to the nurturing relationship a mother has with her infant child and signifies one who “nourishes and satisfies.” 

When the two words are put together, El Shaddai means the “One mighty to nourish and satisfy.”  God pours out His provision because He is all-powerful.  The ancient rabbis referred to Him as the “all-sufficient One.”  The early church made sure this name was right out front in the Apostle’s Creed: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty…”  When we admit our insufficiency, the Almighty is sufficient to meet all our needs.  When we are empty, God is enough!

The Demonstration of El Shaddai

We’re going to look at how three individuals came face-to-face with El Shaddai when they were at the end of their ropes.  All three were empty in some way before they discovered that God alone is enough.

1.  Abraham was burdened (Genesis 17:1).  This name for God is used 48 times in the Old Testament.  The first instance of El Shaddai is found in Genesis 17:1: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]; walk before me and be blameless.’” We’ve dug into Abraham’s life several times during this series so we won’t spend much time on him this morning but I do want to point out that he must have been carrying a pretty heavy burden for quite some time.  God had made several promises to him – of land, descendants, and blessings – and yet, he waited a long time before they came to pass.  When it appeared that God wasn’t going to come through, Abraham even tried to take things into his own hands.  Thirteen years later, God speaks to him again, and this time reveals himself as El Shaddai.

Abraham had given up all hope of having a son with his wife Sarah, but it was at the point of his insufficiency that he discovered the sufficiency of Almighty God.  God is able to do much more than is humanly possible.  This is stated clearly in Genesis 18:14 when God declares: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Jeremiah captures the unlimited power of the Almighty when he writes in Jeremiah 32:17: “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.”  Do you feel burdened today?  Have you been relying upon your own efforts only to sink to your knees or fall on your face?  Have you been struggling with patience?  If so, get to know El Shaddai, and as Abraham was instructed, “Walk before Him” wholeheartedly.  When Abraham realized his emptiness He rejoiced that God was enough, and that literally changed the trajectory of his life.

2.  Naomi was bitter (Ruth 1:20-21).  Abraham was burdened and Naomi was bitter.  We read in Ruth 1:1 that because there was a bad famine in Bethlehem, an Israelite named Elimelech took his wife Naomi and their two sons to live in the country of Moab.  Their two sons married Moabite women, one who was named Orpah, and the other Ruth.  During their stay in Moab, Naomi’s husband died and then about ten years later, both of her sons also die.  As a result, Naomi, Orpah and Ruth are now widows.  Widows in the ancient world had no social status and no economic means to survive.  This would especially be true for Naomi, since she was an Israelite living in a foreign country. 

Naomi tells her two daughters-in-law to leave her and go back home.  Orpah decides to leave but Ruth determines to stay with Naomi.  Both of them then make the long journey back to Bethlehem, where Naomi is recognized by some of the women who ask out loud in verse 19: “Can this be Naomi?”  My guess is that she looked a lot different from the day she left.  Her face was probably weathered, her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were no doubt filled with the pain of losing a husband and two sons.

Notice how Naomi responds to their question in verses 20-21: “’Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them.  ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty [Shaddai] has made my life very bitter.  I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.  Why call me Naomi?  The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty [Shaddai] has brought misfortune upon me.’” The name “Naomi” means pleasant; and “Mara” means bitter.  Naomi recognizes that her problems come from the Lord.  Four times in these two verses she attributes her affliction to the Almighty:

The Almighty has made my life very bitter.
The Lord has brought me back empty.
The Lord has afflicted me.
The Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.

This is similar to another godly woman’s response when she was not able to have children.  In 1 Samuel 1, the phrase: “And the Lord had closed her womb” is repeated twice.  This is one of the hardest lessons we will ever learn.  Our problems are given to us by the Lord Himself.  It is God who is behind the circumstances of life.  We’d rather blame it all on Satan, or on someone else.  But it is God who allows good things and bad things to come into our lives.  God is in charge and as such we should remember Ecclesiastes 7:14: “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.”

Some of you have had to face the bewildering loss of a spouse, a child, or a parent.  I can’t identify with your pain, but God can.  Perhaps you feel like Naomi did when she wanted her name changed to Mara because you feel marred by what has happened to you.  As painful as what you are experiencing is, don’t lose sight of the fact that Naomi’s emptiness eventually allowed her to adore the Almighty.  She was bitter but got better because when she was empty she came to the place of knowing that God is enough!  Naomi was willing to entrust her pain and bitterness to El Shaddai, believing that He would come through for her, even if all her questions remained unanswered.  Somehow God was providentially weaving His purposes through her problems and her pain.

In the midst of her bitterness, she continued to walk with God, even when her two sons married Moabites.  She worshiped the true God when the entire culture bowed to Baal.  She made the most of her situation by teaching Ruth about God.  She had the courage to return to her land and later boldly told Ruth to make a marriage proposal to Boaz.  She launched her matchmaking arrangement but she also knew how to be patient and wait on the Lord as she said in 3:18, “Be patient, my daughter, until we see what happens.” 

She submitted to God’s sovereign plan and eventually had the joy of nurturing a baby boy named Obed, who became the grandfather of King David.  Imagine that scene from Ruth 4:16: “Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap, and cared for him.”  That’s a picture of how El Shaddai can meet us at our point of bitterness and make us better.  He is the powerful God who nourishes and satisfies His children, but not until they admit their emptiness.  It’s when we are empty that we can see that God is enough!

3.  Job was broken.  Sometimes we’re burdened because we think God is not going to come through for us.  Other times we’re bitter because things have not worked out like we want.  On occasion, we’re completely broken because everything has been taken from us.  That’s what happened to Job.  Interestingly, of the 48 occurrence of El Shaddai in the Old Testament, 31 of them are found in the Book of Job.

This book begins very simply but with incredible speed as Job’s brokenness comes about very quickly.  The opening verses serve as an introduction and give us three truths about Job (special thanks to Ray Pritchard for these points).

• He was righteous.  We see this in verse 1: “This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”
• He was rich.  In verse 2-3 we read that “He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants.  He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.”
• He was religious.  In verses 4-5 we discover that Job “sacrificed a burnt offering” for each of his children and we read that this was his “regular custom.”

By the world’s standards, Job was successful and by God’s standards he was a spiritual man.  And then Satan receives God’s permission to put Job to the test.  Job’s brokenness comes as a result of four big bombshells.  First, his livestock is stolen and his servants are killed.  Second, a fire “from God” destroys his sheep.  Third, his camels are confiscated.  The fourth messenger of misfortune follows quickly on the heels of the other three when all of his children are killed.  In the space of a few minutes, Job lost everything that was dear to him.  It was bad and then it got worse and then it got terrible and then it became unbearable.  This all left him broken…and then his health was taken from him as well.  On top of that, he had to listen to the advice of “friends” who were more like enemies to him.

In verses 20-21, Job’s initial response is to weep: “He got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.”  But he also does something else that is not very common.  When faced with all that had happened, Job also worshipped: “Then he fell to the ground in worship…The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” His emptiness caused him to exclaim that God is enough.  In the midst of his pain, he is able to praise God.  He does two things: he weeps and he worships.  But he also does not do something in verse 22: “In all this Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”  He refused to say God was wrong!  What a good corrective for us. 

After leaving chapter one, Job enters another test when he is afflicted with sores and his body begins to break down.  He receives another blow and is broken further when his bride urges him to bail on God in 2:9: “Are you still holding on to your integrity?  Curse God and die!”  Job’s response shows that he understands the character of God when he says, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”

Don’t miss the significance of why the name El Shaddai is used more in the Book of Job than in any other book.  As we have established, when we are most empty, God is most evident.  Maude Royden has said, “When you have nothing left but God, then you become aware that God is enough.”  Let’s do a brief survey of how El Shaddai is referenced several times in the remainder of this book.

• Job 5:17: “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” [El Shaddai] 
• Job 6:4: “The arrows of the Almighty [El Shaddai] are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me.”
• Job 6:14: “A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” [El Shaddai]  Job is doing a “push-back” here, as he wonders why his friends are so tough on him and so quick to judge.  Have you noticed how when someone is down, others tend to pile on?
• In Job 13:3, Job tells his buddies that he is going directly to El Shaddai with his concerns, and that he doesn’t need them to needlessly needle him: “But I desire to speak to the Almighty [El Shaddai]  and to argue my case with God.”
• In Job 22:25, one of his friends seems to finally get it: “Surely you will find delight in the Almighty.” [El Shaddai] 
• Job wants desperately to hear from God and so he cries out in Job 31:35: “Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense-let the Almighty [El Shaddai] answer me.”

Job begged God to answer his questions.  He desperately wanted to know why all these bad things were happening to him.  God answered him, but the answer was not what Job expected.  Instead of giving a direct response, God gave His longest speech in the entire Bible in chapters 38-41.  He asks Job questions like, “Where were you when I established the heavens and the earth?  Can you place the stars in the sky?  Do you give the horse his strength or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?  Will the one who contends with the Almighty [El Shaddai] correct Him?” 

Sometimes we blast away at God when we’re broken.  When we come with that kind of attitude God asks the same question to us that he asked Job in Job 40:8: “Would you condemn me to justify yourself?”  Job, after getting a theology lesson, broke down and said in 42:3, 5: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you…therefore I repent in dust and ashes.”  God is in the business of fixing broken people.  He is enough when we don’t have enough.  El Shaddai is more than adequate when we feel totally inadequate.

Ultimately the only answer God gave to Job was Himself.  It was if El Shaddai said to him, “Job, I am your answer.  Learn who I am.  When you know me, you’ll know how to handle anything.”  Job wasn’t asked to trust a plan but a person—a personal God who is in ultimate control and knows what is best for us.  This has been called the first rule of the Christian life: He is God, and we are not.

The main point of the book of Job is that life is unfair, that bad things do happen.  The one great biblical purpose for trials is to draw you near to God.  The question is not, “Why did this happen to me?”  The deeper question is, “Now that this has happened, will I remain loyal to God?”  The most important battles take place inside of us.  When we’re burdened and bitter and broken, what will we do?

God’s answer to Job is instructive for you and for me.  He basically challenged Job in the only thing he could control: his response.  Blaming God for his brokenness got him nowhere; he needed to decide how he was going to respond.  What was he going to do now?  Was he going to shake his fist at God?  Was he going to get better, or get bitter?  His response was his responsibility.  Likewise, we can’t change our circumstances, but we can change how we respond to them.

Pastor Steve Brown tells about a seminar one of his associate pastors was leading.  During one session, the pastor pointed out that because God is love, no matter how bad things get, Christians should praise Him.  Afterwards, a man came up to him in great agitation. “Dave, I can’t buy what you say about praising God in the midst of evil and hurt.”  Then he went on to say what many people secretly feel, “I do not believe that when you lose someone you love through death, or you have cancer, or you lose your job that you ought to praise God.”  After a moment’s silence, this pastor replied very simply, “What alternative do you propose?”

Our Response

Indeed, what alternatives do we really have?  We can stay burdened and bitter and broken, or we can get better.  Let me suggest three responses that come directly out of the name El Shaddai.

1.  Fall before Him in reverence.  When Abram heard from El Shaddai, Genesis 17:3 indicates that he dove for the dirt: “Abram fell facedown…”  This is also what Ezekiel did when he caught a glimpse of the Almighty in Ezekiel 1:28: “I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” Even when we don’t understand we must still adore Him.  When you feel empty express your praise to Him, even if you don’t feel like it.

2.  Run to Him as your refuge.  El Shaddai is powerful and He is also our protector.  This is spelled out in Psalm 91:1: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” [El Shaddai]  The idea here is that we take up lodging under the wings of El Shaddai.  We don’t just visit once in awhile; we live in the shelter He provides.  When He is our residence, we find both rest and refuge.  When her husband was martyred, Elizabeth Elliot was thinking of this passage when she entitled her book, “In the Shadow of the Almighty.”  What alternatives do you really have?  You can try to escape through alcohol or drugs.  You can reach out and have a relationship with someone.  You can throw yourself into your career.  But you will still be burdened, and bitter and broken.  Stop running away from Him and run to Him right now.

3.  Trust Him as your rewarder.  A time is coming when all wrongs will be made right.  The second highest number of times the name Almighty is used is in the Book of Revelation.  Here’s just one example of what Jesus will do from Revelation 19:15: “Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.”  Larry Crabb suggests that the Book of Revelation helps us to keep believing in Jesus when the evidence makes it difficult.  When your husband neglects you, find your nourishment in El Shaddai.  When you live with unbearable pain, proclaim El Shaddai as your everything.  When you’re all alone and feeling empty, El Shaddai is enough!

Sometimes He allows good dreams to shatter to arouse the better dream of knowing Him.  When we’re burdened and bitter and broken we can finally chose to believe in the sufficiency of El Shaddai.

Are you feeling I-L-L today?  It’s time to give your problems to El Shaddai.  Are you ready to do that right now?

A.W. Tozer once wrote, “Anything God has ever done, He can do now.  Anything God has every done anywhere, He can do here.  Anything God has ever done for anyone, He can do for you.”

August 17, 2010

College Students Today

Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. It is used around the world as the school year begins, as a reminder of the rapidly changing frame of reference for this new generation. It is widely reprinted and the Mindset List Website at http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/ receives more than 300,000 hits annually.

As millions of students head off to college this fall, most will continue to experience the economic anxiety that marked their first two years of life just as it has marked their last two years of high school. Fears of the middle class—including their parents—about retirement and health care have been a part of their lives. Now, however, they can turn to technology and text a friend: “Momdad still worried bout stocks. urs 2? PAW PCM.”

Members of the class of 2013 won’t be surprised when they can charge a latté on their cell phone and curl up in the corner to read a textbook on an electronic screen. The migration of once independent media—radio, TV, videos and CDs—to the computer never has amazed them. They have grown up in a politically correct universe in which multi-culturalism has been a given. It is a world organized around globalization with McDonald’s everywhere on the planet. Carter and Reagan are as distant to them as Truman and Eisenhower were to their parents. Tattoos, once thought “lower class,” are to them quite chic. Everybody knows the news before the evening news comes on.

Thus the class of 2013 heads off to college as tolerant, global and technologically hip…and with another new host of “The Tonight Show.”

Let’s pray for them as they go and figure out how best to help them stay grounded in God’s Word, or to get to know Him for the first time.

Most students entering college for the first time this fall were born in 1991.

1. For these students, Martha Graham, Pan American Airways, Michael Landon, Dr. Seuss, Miles Davis, The Dallas Times Herald, Gene Roddenberry and Freddie Mercury always have been dead.
2. Dan Rostenkowski, Jack Kevorkian and Mike Tyson always have been felons.
3. The Green Giant always has been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables.
4. They never have used a card catalog to find a book.
5. Margaret Thatcher always has been a former prime minister.
6. Salsa always has outsold ketchup.
7. Earvin “Magic” Johnson always has been HIV-positive.
8. Tattoos always have been very chic and highly visible.
9. They have been preparing for the arrival of HDTV all their lives.
10. Rap music always has been mainstream.
11. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream always has been a flavor choice.
12. Someone always has been building something taller than the Willis (née Sears) Tower in Chicago.
13. The KGB never has officially existed.
14. Text always has been hyper.
15. They never saw the “Scud Stud” (but there always have been electromagnetic stud finders.)
16. Babies always have had a Social Security Number.
17. They never have had to “shake down” an oral thermometer.
18. Bungee jumping always has been socially acceptable.
19. They never have understood the meaning of R.S.V.P.
20. American students always have lived anxiously with high-stakes educational testing.
21. Except for the present incumbent, the president never has inhaled.
22. State abbreviations in addresses never have had periods.
23. The European Union always has existed.
24. McDonald’s always has been serving Happy Meals in China.
25. Condoms always have been advertised on television.
26. Cable television systems always have offered telephone service and vice versa.
27. Christopher Columbus always has been getting a bad rap.
28. The American health care system always has been in critical condition.
29. Bobby Cox always has managed the Atlanta Braves.
30. Desperate smokers always have been able to turn to Nicoderm skin patches.
31. There always has been a Cartoon Network.
32. The nation’s key economic indicator always has been the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
33. Their folks always could reach for a Zoloft.
34. They always have been able to read books on an electronic screen.
35. Women always have outnumbered men in college.
36. We always have watched wars, coups and police arrests unfold on television in real time.
37. Amateur radio operators never have needed to know Morse code.
38. Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Lithuania and Estonia always have been independent nations.
39. It’s always been official: President Zachary Taylor did not die of arsenic poisoning.
40. Madonna’s perspective on sex always has been well-documented.
41. Phil Jackson always has been coaching championship basketball.
42. Ozzy Osbourne always has been coming back.
43. Kevin Costner always has been Dancing with Wolves, especially on cable.
44. There always have been flat-screen televisions.
45. They always have eaten Berry Berry Kix.
46. Disney’s Fantasia always has been available on video, and It’s a Wonderful Life has always been on Moscow television.
47. Smokers never have been promoted as an economic force that deserves respect.
48. Elite American colleges never have been able to fix the price of tuition.
49. Nobody has been able to make a deposit in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI).
50. Everyone always has known what the evening news was before the evening news came on.
51. Britney Spears always has been heard on classic rock stations.
52. They never have been “Saved by the Bell.”
53. Someone always has been asking: “Was Iraq worth a war?”
54. Most communities always have had a mega-church.
55. Natalie Cole always has been singing with her father.
56. The status of gays in the military always has been a topic of political debate.
57. Elizabeth Taylor always has reeked of White Diamonds.
58. There always has been a Planet Hollywood.
59. For one reason or another, California’s future always has been in doubt.
60. Agent Starling always has feared the Silence of the Lambs.
61. “Womyn” and “waitperson” always have been in the dictionary.
62. Members of Congress always have had to keep their checkbooks balanced since the closing of the House Bank.
63. There always has been a computer in the Oval Office.
64. CDs never have been sold in cardboard packaging.
65. Avon always has been “calling” in a catalog.
66. NATO always has been looking for a role.
67. Two Koreas always have been members of the UN.
68. Official racial classifications in South Africa always have been outlawed.
69. NBC’s “Today Show” always has been seen on weekends.
70. Vice presidents of the United States always have had real power.
71. Conflict in Northern Ireland always has been slowly winding down.
72. Migration of once independent media such as radio, TV, videos and compact discs to the computer never has amazed them.
73. Nobody ever has responded to “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”
74. Congress never could give itself a mid-term raise.
75. There always has been blue Jell-O.

August 16, 2010

A Prayer for Purity

Last night PBC hosted the 2nd Annual Back2School Prayer night.  It was so moving to participate in prayers for students, teachers, administrators, secretaries, cooks, nurses, bus drivers, school board members, college students and a warfare prayer.  One of the most passionate prayers was led by Darletta Graham, director of the Caring Pregnancy Center.

I asked her for a copy of it and decided to include it here.  Would you pray this prayer right now?

“Lord, we lift up the moral purity and conviction of our young students.  Let them recognize the evil they’re combatting in their school and peer groups.  Remind them that Jesus lives in them and goes wherever they go and sees all they do and hears all they say.  That Jesus empowers them to discern sin.  AS SIN.  Help the students be convicted and disdain the porn and the smut that’s all around them.

Let it shock and sicken them as it saddens you.

Holy Spiirt, will you nudge them to be careful what they’re posting on their Facebook pages and communicating through their text messages?

Remind them of your presence. 

We pray through your sufficient grace that the young guys can guard their eyes from some of the girls’ immodest clothing and that your Christian girls will honor you with their choice of clothes.  Assure them they can find cute outfits that are also modest.

Let these precious students find joy in pleasing you by raising the moral standard—setting clear and communicated boundaries in their dating and or courtship relationships.  Let them find and follow godly models of devoted and happy marriages that are worth emulating.  Let them see value and success in these deep and committed Christian covenants.  Conversely, open their eyes to the pathetic examples of Hollywood’s relationships—on and off the screen!

Help the young girls to see themselves as you see them and strive to be lovely on the inside, not just the outside.  Again, let the Bible be their resource for beauty, not the artificial airbrushed cover girls on the magazine covers.  Please let them see them as fakes!

And lastly, to choose and stay close to other Christians for accountability.  As iron sharpens iron, please help them to edify one another in friendships.  Let peer pressure work in their favor—raising the bar of what is right.  Your standard!

Let righteousness bind them that they can be used to further your kingdom.  Let each be clothed with moral purity.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.”

August 15, 2010

God the Covenant Keeper (Yahweh)

After a break from blogging, we’re ready to pick up our “What God Goes By” series again.

Here are some “Top Ten Lines” that may have been used by Adam when he courted Eve.

10.  You know you’re the only one for me.
9. Do you come here often?
8.  Trust me, this was meant to be!  (I tried this one out on Beth when we   were dating – it didn’t work real well!)
7. Look around, baby.  All the other guys are animals!
6. I already feel like you’re a part of me!
5. Honey, you were made for me!
4. You’re the girl of my dreams! (See Genesis 2:21)
3. I like a woman who doesn’t mind being ribbed!
2.  You’re the apple of my eye!
1. Why don’t you come over to my place and we can name the animals?

As we’ve been learning in this series, a person’s name as used in the Bible is often equivalent to their personality.  For instance, in Hebrew the name Adam gave to Eve can be translated something like, “Wow!”  The meaning behind Moses’ name is “pulled out,” because he was pulled out of the Nile as a baby and would later pull his people out of Egypt. 

A change of name indicated a deliberate and decisive redirection in a person’s life, like when Abram (exalted father) became Abraham (father of a multitude), when Sarai became Sarah (princess of a multitude), when Jacob (deceiver) became Israel (a powerful prince), when Haddassah (myrtle) was renamed Esther (star), and Saul starting going by Paul.  In the Bible to know someone’s name is to really know the person.  Conversely, if you don’t know someone’s name you don’t really know that individual.  We could say that a person was somehow present in his or her name. 

After Adam and Eve were created, God revealed Himself using different names.  Adam had the authority to name the animals but only the Almighty reveals His names to His people for His purposes.  These names help us understand more about God’s personality and His promises.  He is One and yet expresses Himself as Elohim, which means that He is the Creator and Designer of the universe.  He is to be addressed as Adonai because He is Lord and Master of all.  When our problems seem insurmountable, He promises His peace as Jehovah Shalom.  And when we’re finally ready to surrender, we will praise Him as Jehovah Jireh, and discover Him as our Provider.

In the Old Testament, to do something in “someone’s name” or to “call upon” an individual’s name was very serious business.  When the Scripture directs us to call on the name of the Lord, we are inviting God to come right into our situation.  We read in Genesis 4:26 that it didn’t take long in the history of mankind for people to turn to God: “At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.” This is a good spot for us to pause and point out a few things.

• Whenever you see the word LORD in all capital letters, it’s the name Yahweh.
• This name is used over 6,800 times in the Old Testament, three times more than Elohim.
• This name was considered so sacred that when scribes would write it, they would take a bath beforehand and then destroy the pen afterward. 
• The Jewish people held this name in such high honor and immense awe that when they would come to it in their reading, they would not pronounce it.  In fact, it was so revered that it was only said out loud once a year on the Day of Atonement, and then only by the high priest in the most holy place of the Temple. 
• As a way to set this name apart from any other name, when it was written the scribes used four consonants and left out the vowels, so that people would not inadvertently take it in vain: Y_HW_H.  This name is also translated as Jehovah. 

Your God is Too Small

Part of our problem today is that we’ve become too casual with God.  Instead of hesitating to even pronounce His name, we use His name flippantly.  God’s name has become part of our slang and is used more often in swearing than in supplication.  Many curse His name out loud; denigrating Him by making unfair accusations, or by simply thinking too little of Him.  The third commandment, found in Exodus 20:7 is a charge to not take God’s holy name in vain: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD [Yahweh] your God, for the LORD [Yahweh] will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” We are to not treat His name as “empty” or “nothing.”  Literally it means that we are to avoid “attaching to it emptiness.” 

In his classic book called, “Your God is Too Small,” J.B. Phillips writes: “The trouble with many people today is that they have not found a God big enough for modern needs.”  That may be because for many of us, our view of God has not changed much since we were little kids.  Some of the images that we may hold include the following:

• The resident policeman who is just out to bust us for our behavior.
• The grand old man who just winks at our wrong-doing.
• The managing director who controls everything.
• The meek and mild God who is helpless to do anything about our situation.
• Pastor Jeff suggests another common idea: God as the holy vending machine.

In short, Phillips rightly suggests that we have put “God in a box” and our box is pretty small.  We have shrunk Him down so much that our thoughts about Him are nowhere close to what the Bible teaches.  Some of us have made Him in “our image” instead of fully living out what it means to be made in “His image.”  Are you ready to take God out of your box of preconceived ideas?  In order to see the bigness of God, we need to understand more about what He goes by. 

Let’s turn to Exodus 3 where we are introduced to the meaning, the majesty, and the mystery of the name Yahweh.  The other names of God that we have studied so far were revealed to individuals in specific situations or simply stated in Scripture.  This particular name comes straight from God himself, and because it does, we must approach this section with some fear and trembling (as we should with all Scripture).  It’s my prayer that when we’re finished, we will never put God in a box again and we’ll learn that life is not primarily about who we are; but is about who God is.  In other words, He is God and we are not.

Breaking God Out Of Your Box

In order to grasp the greatness of God, we’re going to look at four hammers that will break God out of our boxes.  Moses has been tending his father-in-law’s sheep for about 40 years after killing an Egyptian for the way he had mistreated an Israelite.  God is now getting ready to call Moses to the task of leading the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt, and Moses isn’t too happy about it.

As Moses was moping around on a mountain he looked up and saw a bush that was on fire and did not burn up.  He decided to go over and take a closer look.  When he got to the bush, verse 4 says that God called out, “Moses!  Moses!”  Moses replied, “Here I am.”  God then told him to come no closer and to kick off his sandals because the place where he was standing was “holy ground.”  Moses not only unlaced his sandals; he also covered up his face “because he was afraid to look at God.”  Jack Hayford suggests that Moses probably liked his sandals because they were pretty comfortable.  God is calling him to step out of himself, to leave his comfort zone and get to know what is really important.

1.  Yahweh is Personal (7-10).  The first thing we see about Yahweh is that while He is holy; He is highly personal.  Look at verses 7-8: “The LORD [Yahweh] said, ‘I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.  So I have come down to rescue them…’”  Aren’t you glad that God sees our suffering and is moved by our misery?  As God hears the cries of His people He becomes very concerned about what they are going through.  Moses is no doubt thrilled that God is coming down to rescue them.  He’s probably thinking, “Go for it, God!  Right on!  It’s about time!”  But then he hears God say that He is planning to mobilize Moses for the rescue effort in verse 10: “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

2.  Yahweh is Present (11-14).  God is not only personal, He is also present.  In verse 11,  Moses tries to bail on this assignment, claiming that he is just “a nobody.”  He feels incapable and unworthy.  In the next chapter, Moses tells God that he is not eloquent enough to speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:10).  God responds in verse 12: “I will be with you.”  Moses was mortified by what he was being asked to do but God wanted him to know that He would be with him. 

Then Moses describes the absurdity of this request by conjecturing in verse 13: “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’  Then what shall I tell them?”  Moses is wondering out loud why God’s people would listen to him so he’s asking God to reveal himself in a way that He had never done before.  Moses wants to know God’s name.  The Egyptians had numerous gods, all with names, but what does God go by?  Moses knew God existed but all he knew was that He was the God of his forefathers.  He needed a name, a title, something that would carry some weight with the Israelites and with Pharaoh.

It’s interesting that God doesn’t tie himself down with a name.  All he tells Moses is that He is who He is.  Look at verse 14: “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”  These words can be rendered, “I will be what I will be.”  This name is from the Hebrew verb, “to be” and the four Hebrew consonants form the word Yahweh.  The one who has preexistence is also personally present with us.  He has existed in eternity past and He is present in the present. 

The same God who worked through the patriarchs was speaking to Moses at that very moment.  God delivered in the past and because He is who He is, He will deliver again.  The One who has always been is active right now.  This is fleshed out in Isaiah 43:10-11: “…so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.  Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.  I, even I, am the LORD [Yahweh] and apart from me there is no savior.”

Over thirty years ago, Francis Schaeffer wrote a book with a title that says it all: The God Who Is There.  Everything is dependent upon God.  There is creation and there is the Creator, nothing more.  And the created finds its purpose only in a relationship with the God who is there.  We could turn this into a prayer using these words: “Yahweh, you have always been.  You always are and You will always be because you are the God who is there.  You are who you are.  You are everything and anything I will ever need and I need not look elsewhere.”

3.  Yahweh is Powerful (15-20).  In Exodus 3:15, God declares that He goes by Yahweh: “This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.”  God’s name is personal and present and it is also powerful.  Look at verse 19: “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.” Moses is not being asked go alone in his own power.  He is God’s instrument and God will provide the power to accomplish what needs to be done.

In Exodus 33:18 we see that Moses has the courage to ask for a display of God’s power.  He doesn’t want to worship a God who is too small and so he says: “Now show me your glory.”  Moses will never be the same when Yahweh answers this bold request in verse 19: “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD [Yahweh] in your presence.” Just catching a glimpse of God will change you forever!

4.  Yahweh is a Promise-keeper (6, 15-16).  Three different times in Exodus 3, and once at the end of chapter 2, Yahweh recounts the fact that He is a covenant-keeping God.  Look at 2:24: “God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.”  3:6: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” And verse 15 and verse 16 are identical: “The LORD, [Yahweh] the God of your fathers — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob…” 

Yahweh keeps his promises because he is a covenant keeping God.  The idea of a covenant is an essential teaching of Scripture.  God made a covenant with Noah in Genesis 9, promising that He would never again destroy the whole world with a flood.  In His covenant with Abraham, Yahweh promised to bless his descendants through Isaac (Genesis 12:1-3).  In God’s covenant with David, God declared that one of David’s descendants would be the royal heir to the throne (2 Samuel 7:12).  This was fulfilled when Jesus, who was from the line of David, was born in the city of David. 

Our culture is more familiar with contracts than with covenants.  While there are some similarities, there are at least three differences.  Covenants are:

• Permanent.  A covenant is a permanent arrangement; contracts have an end date.
• Total.  A contract generally involves only one aspect, while a covenant covers a person’s total being.
• Costly.  The word itself provides some additional meaning as it comes from a root word which means, “To cut.”  This sounds strange to us, but when two parties would enter into a covenant, they would pass through an aisle with bodies of slaughtered animals on each side.  The idea behind this is that if any party breaks the covenant they would be in danger of becoming just like the cut up animals.  In Exodus 24:3-8, Moses sprinkled the blood from the animals on the altar and on the people to demonstrate the covenant they had entered with God.

When God makes a covenant, He keeps it.  When He makes a promise, you can count on Him.  Psalm 105:42: “For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham.”  Psalm 119:50: “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” 

The Ultimate Box Breaker

Yahweh is personal, He is present, He is powerful, and He keeps His promises.  When we catch a glimpse of Him our view of Him should enlarge, and our worship of Him should be filled with more reverence and more rejoicing.  If you really want to have your box blasted away, think with me about what Jesus said about Himself.  Jesus took this majestic name of God, and as John Piper states, “Wrapped it in the humility of servanthood, offered Himself as an atonement for our rebellion, and made a way for us to see the glory of God.” 

As we’ve already established, Yahweh was an unpronounceable name for God’s people.  Here’s something very interesting.  The rabbis taught that one of the signs that the Messiah had come would be his ability to pronounce this name.  Jesus not only said this name outloud, He deliberately delineated Himself as the bearer of this name in John 8:58: “Before Abraham was born, I AM.”  And then on eight different occasions, Jesus used this same phrase, “I am” to define who He is and to describe what He came to do.  Those who were paying attention should not have missed the obvious connection when He said: “I AM the…Bread of Life, Light of the World, Gate, Good Shepherd, Way, Vine, Alpha and Omega, Resurrection and the Life.”

Keeping Our Covenants Today

Friends, when we get to know what God goes by, we will revel in how personal He is, we will lean on His presence, we will experience His explosive power, and we can count on His promises.  And when we enter into covenants, He expects us to keep them.  Before I move on, I want to acknowledge the fact that some of you are not married and the topic of marriage brings up pain for you.  Please know that you matter to God whether you are married or not, and if you are single you are not somehow second-class.  Some of you want to be married, and through no fault of your own, you’re not right now.  Others of you may have the gift of singleness and you’ve been slighted by the church.  I apologize to you if I’ve done that, or if our church has treated you poorly just because you’re not married.

Many couples are taking steps to convert their traditional marriage into a covenant marriage, designed to strengthen their bond spiritually and make it more difficult to separate or divorce.  The Covenant Marriage movement lists these key elements, many of which come right out of our study on the names of God (www.covenantmarriage.com):

“We desire for couples to understand the purpose of marriage from God’s perspective; the promise of God to be with them; the power of God to enable them; the peace of God that will sustain them; the protection of God for those who rest in Him; the provisions of God flowing through them to each other; the pleasure God desires for them to experience as a couple; and finally, the perseverance God provides to keep them moving forward.”

Since we’ve established that Yahweh is the covenant-keeping God, I want to encourage those of you who are married to renew your covenant to your spouse and to your God.  Malachi 2:14 refers to marriage as a “covenant” between one man and one woman for life.  If you’re not married, and you’re living with someone who is not your spouse, honor Yahweh by separating until you are ready to make an unconditional covenantal commitment.  I realize that our culture believes differently on this and you may even think that God is just a killjoy.  Remember this.  God wants what is best for you and He has designed marriage to be the place reserved for physical intimacy.  Perhaps you think that it’s cheaper to live together—and it might be in the short term.  But it actually is more costly in other ways.  To follow God’s way always involves a cost, but it’s worth it.

Renewal Time

If you’re married and would like to renew your vows, you could use these words to express your covenant.  Or better yet, contact the church and we’ll help you do this.

Believing that marriage is a covenant intended by God to be a lifelong fruitful relationship between a man and a woman, do you vow to God, to your spouse, and to your church family, to remain steadfast in selfless, unconditional love for her and will you always seek reconciliation in times of trial?  [I do] 

Will you repeat after me?  “I renew my covenant of marriage with you.  I promise always to love you and to completely give myself and all that I have to you.  I pledge to care for you in sickness or in health. I will honor and cherish you all the days of my life, whether our life circumstances are better or worse, richer or poorer. I will strive to live before you a life of faith and trust in Jesus Christ.”

God always keeps His covenant…will we?

August 01, 2010

Blogcation

I will be taking a break from blogging for several days.  In the meantime, check out Pastor Jeff’s blog and www.keepbelieving.com.

August 01, 2010

God Our Provider (Jehovah Jireh)

You may have heard about the guy who fell off a cliff and on his way down he was able to grab onto a tree branch jutting out from the face of the rock.  As he hung there reviewing his options, he started yelling, “Is anyone up there?”  He was surprised to hear a voice say to him, “Yes, this is God.”  The man was greatly relieved, and quickly stuttered, “God, can you save me?”  “Of course I can, responded God.”  The man was really happy now and shouted out, “Great!  What should I do?”  The answer from the Almighty was not what he was expecting: “Let go of the branch.”  After a long period of silence, the man replied faintly, “Is there anyone else up there?”

We’re like that man sometimes, aren’t we?  We want God to help us but we don’t always want to do what He says.  Specifically, we’re not always interested in letting go of those things that we think are holding us up.  It’s tough to release our grip and give control of our lives to God.  We kind of know that God will provide but maybe we’re not really sure He’ll come through for us.  And so we hold on, and wonder if there is someone else who can help us.

We’ve been reminded in this series so far that God goes by the name of Elohim (Creator), Adonai (Lord), and Jehovah Shalom (The God of Peace).  As we learn to call Him what He goes by, our knowledge and awe of the Almighty will grow and our faith will deepen.  This morning our focus is on another name for God.  He is Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider.  We know from the Bible that God loves to meet the needs of His people.  He counts every hair on our heads and he sees the sparrows that fall to the ground.  And because of that, He will take care of us (Matthew 10:29-30).  God provided for Daniel when he was in the den of lions, He came through for David when a piece of tiny gravel wiped out a great giant, he provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness, he met the needs of a widow, and he delivered Gideon from the mighty Midianites.  God loves to come through for His people, but often not until they “let go.”

Perhaps the most moving and heart-wrenching account of God’s provision is found in Genesis 22.  Let me give some background.  Abram was called by God when he was 75 years old from the area that is now Iraq.  In Genesis 12, he is told to leave what he had always known and live in a land that God would later show him.  To let go of all that was familiar to him demonstrated incredible faith.  God then promised him that the entire world would be blessed through his offspring.  But when time passed and Sarah was still not pregnant, Abram took things into his own hands and fathered a child by his wife’s servant.  He compromised then but he was also courageous when he went on a rescue mission to get his nephew Lot back from the bad guys.  Abram demonstrated a lot of positive qualities like appealing with God to not destroy Sodom but we also know that twice he lied about his wife in order to protect her.  Finally, after 25 years of waiting, the son of promise was born to them.  When he and Sarah got the news they both started laughing, and so God gave the boy the name Isaac, which means laughter.
Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude of nations.”  Now the promises of God could be fulfilled through Isaac.  I imagine that the household was filled with laughter and joy.  According to Genesis 21:32-34, Abraham was even experiencing shalom with his neighbors.  But God still had some things he wanted to teach Abraham.

1.  The Promise Tested (1-2).  Look at verse 1: “Some time later God tested Abraham.”  When we finish chapter 21, Isaac is still pretty young.  Now he is about 15-years-old, which means Abraham is around 115.  God is now ready to “test” Abraham.  This word literally means “to test completely through a demonstration of stress” and was often used in the Old Testament of God testing the faith and faithfulness of His people.  In a similar way the “Underwriters Laboratory” tests thousands of products, not to break them, but to demonstrate that they are good and reliable. 

Later, in Deuteronomy 8:2, we read that God led His people into the desert for a specific purpose: “…To humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”  Keep in mind that God does not tempt us as Satan does; He tests us in order to bring out the best.  Someone has said that “temptations often seem logical while trials seem very unreasonable.” Real faith is not believing in spite of the evidence but obeying in spite of the consequences.

Abraham had passed some tests earlier in his life and he had failed some other ones.  He is about to face an extreme exam, the likes of which he had never encountered before.  Don’t miss this obvious point: We are never exempt from the challenge of faith and we are never too old to be used by God.  Sometimes the most trying tests come after years of following God faithfully.  Abraham may have been on cruise control spiritually, but that was all about to change because God wanted to know what was in his heart.  God calls out to him, “Abraham!”  Like a true servant, he spontaneously replies, “Here I am.”

Abraham is ready to hear from God and probably eager to know what God’s message is.  Perhaps God was going to announce another blessing or have him move to another exotic location or get him ready for a big battle.  This is the seventh time that we know God has spoken to him, but this time God is going to demand something out of Abraham that will be extremely costly and exceedingly confusing: “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” 

Notice the four phrases God uses – your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love.  God is making it very clear who he is talking about and He is putting His finger on the fact that Isaac was everything to Abraham.  And that was part of the problem because God alone should be everything to him.  God was saying, “We’ve walked together for many years and now you have the son you’ve longed for.  Tell me, Abraham; is this son more important to you than your relationship with me?”

The three words – take, go, sacrifice – must have taken Abraham’s breath away.  Once again, Abraham is commanded to go somewhere he had never been.  When Abraham had left Ur years earlier, he sacrificed his present security and now God seems to be telling him to sacrifice his future security.  There was no doubt what he was being asked to do.  A burnt offering was a total sacrifice, with the offering being completely consumed by fire and signified the complete dedication of the one making the sacrifice.  There was no way the offering would be walking back from the altar.  Total commitment will always be costly as David said in 2 Samuel 24:24: “I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 

This was Abraham’s opportunity to demonstrate whether He loved the Lord with all his “heart, soul and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).  I want you to notice that God gives no explanation; just an expectation that Abraham would obey this staggering command.  Sometimes we are not given reasons either because God just wants us to faithfully follow Him.  This was costly to Abraham and it was also confusing because “Isaac was the crucial foundation stone for the fulfillment of the promise that Abraham would become the father of many nations” (Hemphill, “Names of God,” Page 81). 

2.  The Preparation Taken (3).  When Abraham received this tough test of faith, he didn’t argue with God and notice that he also didn’t check with others.  Not one word of objection is recorded in the entire text.  Instead, he practiced immediate obedience: “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.  He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.  When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.”  Friends, delay almost always turns into disobedience.  If you know what God wants you to do, and you put it off, then you are not obeying Him.  James 4:17 puts it this way: “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Abraham obeyed immediately and he also made preparations to obey. 

• He got up early
• Saddled his donkey
• Took two servants
• Got Isaac ready
• Cut wood for the offering

As someone has said, “prior preparation prevents poor performance.”  By being prepared Abraham couldn’t get to the mountain and say, “I don’t have any wood, I guess I can’t make the sacrifice.”  In a similar way, we need to be prepared for worship.  That may mean going to bed earlier on Saturday.  That may mean setting your clothes out the night before so you can save time in the morning.  That may mean that you get up earlier and read your Bible and pray so that your heart is ready to receive what God has for you.  You may also want to arrive in the auditorium early and close your eyes for a few minutes (so you don’t do it during the sermon). 

3.  The Persistence Typified (4-6).  When the promise to Abraham was tested, he immediately made some preparations to obey.  What we see next in verses 4-6 is that he was also persistent: “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.  He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there.  We will worship and then we will come back to you.’  Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.”  The journey to Moriah covered about 50 miles and took three days to get there.  Can you imagine what must have been going through Abraham’s mind?

Once again, we see that Abraham was determined to obey God when he told his servants to stay with the donkey.  He didn’t want them to talk him out of what he knew he needed to do.  This is the principle of separation.  Sometimes we need to get away from those who will lead us down the wrong path.  Actually, we should separate ourselves from anything that will draw our attention away from God. 

Abraham has the faith to believe that both he and Isaac will return after they worship!  Notice the pronouns: “We will worship…we will come back.”  In this first instance of the word “worship” in the Bible, we’re brought up short in our weak definition of worship.  At its heart, worship involves a willingness to surrender all to God, holding nothing back.  It is obediently giving God what He wants and trusting Him to provide whatever we need.

Abraham has the assurance that Isaac will return with him.  Think about this.  Abraham is prepared to sacrifice his son, so how can he come back?  Hebrews 11:17-19 fills in the blanks for us: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’  Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”

It didn’t make sense to sacrifice his son but he was prepared to do it because God said so.  God would somehow work it out to maintain his promise to bless the world through Isaac, even if he had to raise him from the dead.  What is stunning about Abraham’s declaration of faith is that in the previous 21 chapters of Genesis, there is no mention of resurrection.  Somehow Abraham knew that God could do this, even though it had not been done before.  Abraham then took the wood and put it on Isaac’s shoulders and like a condemned man he walked to the hill of sacrifice.  Abraham carried the knife that must have become extremely heavy in his hand.  He also brought the hot coals that would be used to start the fire that would cremate his son.

4.  The Profession Testified (7-8).  As Abraham and Isaac walked up the mountain together, “Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, ‘Father?’  ‘Yes, my son?’ Abraham replied.  ‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’” Oh, how these words must have sliced right through a devoted dad’s heart. 
Abraham then answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”  Notice that “God himself” will provide the sacrifice.  The sacrifice will come from Him.  The word “provide” is the word Jireh and has a very rich meaning.  It is translated as “to see” and as “provision.”  God sees beforehand what it is that He will provide.  Abraham knew that God would somehow see to it that everything would work out.  He would be able to worship because God would provide the offering for the sacrifice.

5.  The Presentation Trusted (9-10).  Abraham testified that God would provide and he trusted God enough to continue to obey by presenting his son for sacrifice: “When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.  He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.”
God had a specific place in mind and when Abraham was given the location, he constructed an altar and put the wood on it.  Then he took his son, tied him up and laid him on the altar.  To complete his obedience, “Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” Abraham had every intention of following through on his commitment to completely obey.

6.  The Provision Transacted (11-14).  With the knife hovering in the air, an angel of the Lord calls out, “Abraham!  Abraham!”  Once again, Abraham responds as a servant, “Here I am.”  Then Abraham breathes a huge sigh of relief as he hears these words: “Do not lay a hand on the boy…Do not do anything to him.  Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham had passed the test but he still needed to complete the sacrifice and so God made provision for him in verse 13: “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.  He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.”

God’s timing is incredible, isn’t it?  Some shepherd lost a sheep that day and it somehow wandered over to the exact spot where Abraham could see it.  Notice also that it was caught by its horns, meaning that it was not bloodied or beat up.  This lamb needed to be without imperfection according to Leviticus 22:21: “it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable.”  Abraham went over and got the ram, killed it and lit the fire to complete his worship.  According to Genesis 22:13, Abraham offered this lamb “instead of his son.”  The ram took the place of Isaac; it was a substitute offering.

Abraham passed the test and as a result, he called that place “The Lord will Provide.”  This is the name Jehovah Jireh.  At just the right time, God came through for Abraham.
He is a provider and He always supplies the right thing at the right time and at the right place.  He is never late but He is seldom early and He certainly does not cater to our timetable.  God tests us to grow our faith, to keep us focused, and to make us fruitful.

What Are You Giving Up?

It strikes me that before we can know Jehovah Jireh, before we can experience God as Provider, we must first be willing to obey Him fully.  Maybe you’ve never experienced God’s provision because frankly you don’t think you have any needs. 

If you want God to provide you must be prepared for Him to do so.  We don’t have to fully understand in order to surrender but we do need to fully trust.  It’s like the story I heard of a house on fire.  The little girl was trapped in her upstairs bedroom.  As she leaned out the window, her father, who was on the ground said, “Jump.  I’ll catch you.”  The little girl was afraid and replied, “But, I can’t see you!”  To which the Father shouted, “That’s OK.  I can see you.”  She jumped to safety not because she could see but because she trusted the voice of her father who told her to jump.  She was willing to let go.  And it was in letting go that she was ultimately provided for.

Is there anything you’re holding on to today?  What is your Isaac?  It may be your career. It might be a relationship or a possession.  Perhaps it’s your retirement or your college plans.  Maybe it’s a child or a parent.  It’s time to put it all on the altar.  Shortly after I became a Christian, the Lord prompted me to take a look at how much I loved my motorcycle.  It was beautiful and I took great care of it.  It had a metallic blue gas tank that I kept shined and I even used an old toothbrush to scrub away any hard-to-reach grime.  I thought about my bike all the time.  One day I prayed out loud and said something like this: “Lord, this bike is yours.  If you want me to get rid of it, I will.  If you want me to keep it, I will.  But it now belongs to you.”  Shortly after that I sensed the Lord telling me to sell it so I did.  I was then able to use this money to pay for a summer school class at Moody Bible Institute.

I’m not implying that all of our possessions are bad and we should get rid of them.  But I am saying that if we’re not careful they can end up possessing us.  Whenever we have an “Isaac” that we have lifted up, God will eventually ask that we sacrifice it because He wants us to trust in Him, not in the gifts He has given to us.  Abraham was willing to praise God and give up that which was most important before he saw God’s provision because he was determined to worship the Blesser, not the blessing.  Trust God to provide for your needs.  When you do, you will find Him to be your Jehovah Jireh.  Jesus challenged his followers to not be anxious about what they would eat, or wear, or even where they would live.  If we put Him first, “all these things will be added” to us (Matthew 6:33).  Hudson Taylor was famous for saying, “When God’s work is done in God’s way it will never lack God’s supply.”

Matthew Mead, in his book called, “The Almost Christian Rediscovered,” asks some simple questions: “If Jesus Christ is not worth having, why do you profess Him?  If He is worth having, then why don’t you hold Him tight and draw as close as you can to Him?  If religion is not good, why do you profess it?  If religion is good, why do you not practice it?”  Let’s not be half-hearted, lukewarm believers.  Let’s give our all to the One who gave it all for us.  God never wanted Isaac to be sacrificed physically; He wanted him to be sacrificed in Abraham’s heart.  Abraham was willing to sacrifice a promise and God may be asking you to give up a promise you are holding on to.  When you do, He may take what you give Him, or He may give it back to you.  Either way, He will be your provider and you will have settled the question of who is most important to you. 

After Abraham encountered Jehovah Jireh on Mount Moriah, all of God’s promises were released in his life.  As Ken Hemphill states, “Too many of us are missing the joy of seeing God’s blessings fully released in our lives because we are tenaciously clinging to that which seems most precious.  We argue with God that we can’t possibly put our career or our family on the altar, because it is the only thing that we have of value.  The problem is that we have taken possession of what God gave to us in stewardship…”  (Page 90).

Call out to Jehovah Jireh by name and ask for His provision.  But make sure you have first settled the issue of preeminence.  Who is most significant to you?  Who or what occupies first place in your heart?  It’s only as we sacrifice what is most important that we will discover that God is most important, and then He will provide for us in a profound way.  When you go through a season of testing, remember that Jehovah sees!  When your month outlasts your money, God will provide.  Whey you’re feeling overwhelmed, God will provide.  When you’re troubled, trust in Jehovah Jireh.

I wonder if we have the courage to pray like A.W. Tozer did: “Father, I want to know You, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys.  I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from You the terror of the parting.  I come trembling, but I do come.  Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that You may enter and dwell there without a rival.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen” (“Pursuit of God,” Page 31).

Jesus Jireh

In our closing moments, think with me about the picture behind the picture.

• Isaac carried the wood on his back; Jesus bore the weight of His cross as He walked through the streets of Jerusalem on the way to a hill called Calvary.
• Both Isaac and Jesus were “obedient unto death,” as they quietly submitted to the will of their fathers.
• Both Isaac and Jesus were “bound” in preparation for death.
• Mount Moriah is where the Temple was eventually built.  The very place where the blood of the ram soaked into the wood was where countless offerings of blood were presented in the Temple.  Are you ready for this?  Scholars tell us that Mount Moriah is another name for Calvary, the place where Jesus gave His life for our sins, where his blood stained a wooden cross.
• Abraham and Isaac traveled three days to the mountain where Isaac’s life was eventually spared; Jesus was buried for three days before coming back to life.
• Isaac learned about a substitionary sacrifice when the lamb was killed in his place.  Likewise, Jesus as the perfect “lamb of God” gave his life for us, in our place.
• God’s provision is always nearby.  The ram was in the thicket, close enough for Abraham to see.  According to Psalm 75:1, God’s name is near.  All you have to do is call out to Him.

When Abraham experienced Jehovah Jireh, he made an altar so that he would remember.  We’ve been given something to help us remember that God is the provider as well.  It’s called Communion.  It’s a table of remembrance.  It’s a place where we keep in mind that God has provided and will always provide.  It’s also a time for us to prepare to receive His provision by making sure we have surrendered everything to Him.  Are you ready to let go and let God?

Please close your eyes right now and listen to these two verses from the book of Romans: “…how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).  “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Hudson Taylor had a plaque in his room while he was a missionary in China.  On it were these words: Ebenezer and Jehovah Jireh, which means, “The Lord has helped us” and “The Lord will see to it or provide.”  One looked back and the other looked forward.  One reminded him of God’s faithfulness and the other of God’s provision.

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