We Try Harder
“Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them
authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” –
Matthew 10:1
That was the mantra for Hertz Rental Cars years ago – may
still be. It is also the mantra of so
many Christians that I know. Now that I
am born again I must try even harder not to sin. Did you catch the significance
of the verse in Matthew? Jesus gave them the authority to do something they
could not do without His influence. I
think most Christians acknowledge the reality of the Spirit in them – of the
Word being a guide for living – of Jesus being their Savior. But – when it
comes to daily living and the temptation to sin – they look to themselves
thinking “I have to try harder not to sin anymore.”
“No temptation [to sin] has overtaken you except what is
common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
Did you catch that? God provides the way to escape the temptation
– it is not dependent upon your “won’t” power but it is something spiritual –
supernatural. Something beyond the natural.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
– Philippians 4:13
There it is again – I can do what God tells me to do – what the
Spirit leads me to do – What the Word reveals to me – through Christ. This new
life is Spiritual so why do we persist in trying harder instead of “faithing”
harder? Simple – that is our old natures “go to”. The great lie. What lie? “I don’t need God to
be righteous – I can do it myself!” So long as you embrace that thinking and
doing – you will never mature in your faith.
Your light will always be dimmed.
My encouragement – shine bright! Yield to the Spirit – offer yourself as
a living sacrifice every day. (Romans 12:1-2) Walling – living – by the Spirit
is intentional – a daily discipline.
Will you be sinless in this life – I don’t think so – it is not about
living a life of perfection – only Jesus did that – but letting the Spirit of
God and the Word of God conform you into the image of Jesus until the day when
you are perfected – when you meet Jesus face to face.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
Choosing the Best Over the Good
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so
that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:8-10
Does it really matter where you live or what occupation you might pursue? The answer is, it depends. What does it depend upon? It is pretty simple really. It depends upon God’s revealed will for your life. People have grappled over what exactly God’s will is for centuries. Some speak of His permissive will versus His expressed will. What God will allow versus what God has declared. It does not matter if you live in Chicago or Timbuktu (that is a city in Mali by the way). It does not matter if you are a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker. It does not matter unless God has spoken differently. Unless He has said “Go” or He has said “Do”.
So what if He has? What if you don’t go or you don’t do? I guess the answer starts with another question. Why didn’t you go or do? The answer is always , “Because I decided there was something more important to do or somewhere more important to go. Something that was more appealing to me”
“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” – Luke 9:58-62
What those men asked Jesus to allow was reasonable – good, but it was not the best. There will always be a tension between the good and the best when it comes to doing God’s will. Obeying God always requires denying yourself. That requires faith. Confidence in the One who calls and sends. A willingness to do what He says in spite of the wisdom of the world. And what if you choose poorly? You decide to say “No” to God and “Yes” to your own plan? Well, you won’t lose your salvation – but you will miss the best that God has in mind for you. You may not be given another opportunity. Does that really matter to you? Your life will answer that question.
This was brought home to me when we were serving in Mississippi. We were surrounded by destruction and misery day after day. It was not a pleasant place to be. A volunteer asked me, “Do you like being in Mississippi?” A reasonable question. We were there for five years. Very often volunteers would be with us for a few days and by the end were more than ready to go home. Well, I thought about the question and then had a realization – or was it a revelation or maybe it was an epiphany. I answered, “There is nothing better than being in the center of God’s will for my life. Geography has nothing to do with it.” I realized that I was exactly where God wanted me to be. My sense of contentment was not founded on my circumstance or my comfort, but on my obedience to God’s call and will. Pastor Rick Warren said, “God is more concerned about your character than your comfort.” What are you more concerned about? Really. It will be proven out by the choices you make.
Whether you are a missionary or a mom in this life – it is all good but don’t be satisfied with merely the good when God has something better in mind. Pursue the best – to be in the center of God’s will for your life. Fulfill your purpose, the one God has planned for you. It might be to be a light – right where you are or maybe in Timbuktu. Geography doesn’t matter!
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
Does it really matter where you live or what occupation you might pursue? The answer is, it depends. What does it depend upon? It is pretty simple really. It depends upon God’s revealed will for your life. People have grappled over what exactly God’s will is for centuries. Some speak of His permissive will versus His expressed will. What God will allow versus what God has declared. It does not matter if you live in Chicago or Timbuktu (that is a city in Mali by the way). It does not matter if you are a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker. It does not matter unless God has spoken differently. Unless He has said “Go” or He has said “Do”.
So what if He has? What if you don’t go or you don’t do? I guess the answer starts with another question. Why didn’t you go or do? The answer is always , “Because I decided there was something more important to do or somewhere more important to go. Something that was more appealing to me”
“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’ He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’ But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’ Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” – Luke 9:58-62
What those men asked Jesus to allow was reasonable – good, but it was not the best. There will always be a tension between the good and the best when it comes to doing God’s will. Obeying God always requires denying yourself. That requires faith. Confidence in the One who calls and sends. A willingness to do what He says in spite of the wisdom of the world. And what if you choose poorly? You decide to say “No” to God and “Yes” to your own plan? Well, you won’t lose your salvation – but you will miss the best that God has in mind for you. You may not be given another opportunity. Does that really matter to you? Your life will answer that question.
This was brought home to me when we were serving in Mississippi. We were surrounded by destruction and misery day after day. It was not a pleasant place to be. A volunteer asked me, “Do you like being in Mississippi?” A reasonable question. We were there for five years. Very often volunteers would be with us for a few days and by the end were more than ready to go home. Well, I thought about the question and then had a realization – or was it a revelation or maybe it was an epiphany. I answered, “There is nothing better than being in the center of God’s will for my life. Geography has nothing to do with it.” I realized that I was exactly where God wanted me to be. My sense of contentment was not founded on my circumstance or my comfort, but on my obedience to God’s call and will. Pastor Rick Warren said, “God is more concerned about your character than your comfort.” What are you more concerned about? Really. It will be proven out by the choices you make.
Whether you are a missionary or a mom in this life – it is all good but don’t be satisfied with merely the good when God has something better in mind. Pursue the best – to be in the center of God’s will for your life. Fulfill your purpose, the one God has planned for you. It might be to be a light – right where you are or maybe in Timbuktu. Geography doesn’t matter!
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
Having Ears To Hear, Eyes To See And A Heart To Do
“Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or
thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or
naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to
You?” – Matthew 25:37-39
One of the great privileges the Lord has granted us to allow us to enter in to the personal struggles of so many who must contend with the ravages of natural disasters. The trouble they face is so much more than the loss of property – it is the loss of hope – the burden of their circumstance – their vulnerability to all kinds of evil. I hear so many stories about how unscrupulous people would come like wolves in sheep’s clothing and take what little money they had for little to nothing in return – only making their circumstance all the worse. It is so easy to focus on the external – the house or the contents of the house and overlook who occupies the house. I met two new families yesterday and was reminded of why we do what we do. It really has nothing to do with construction. Repairing homes is merely the gate by which we enter into people’s lives for ministry. (The great majority of people the Lord has led us to are widows, single moms, and couples where the husband has some disability.)
I recall speaking to one homeowner about the work we were doing in her home. She was praising us for the transformation in her home. I told her, “It is not the home that is important to us, it is you that is important.” Tears welled up in her eyes and she said, “Of all the people who have come here, not one has told me that before.” Actually I understand that – it is easy to let the damage that is so overwhelming at times dominate those who have come to help. Two days ago I was in another home – an elderly partially disabled woman – whose home was partially repaired and then left wanting. After we finished the assessment and were leaving, I asked the other evaluator – “What do you think that she thinks is the most important thing that needs to be done?” Then I said, “I will answer my own question. She wants a door on her bedroom.” As she talked to us about the problems in her house – problems that she sees every day – she shared her angst over not being able to close her bedroom door. A simple thing. Easy to fix. But impossible for her. Being able to close the door – to have privacy – even if it was only from her dogs. My partner had missed it – but as we talked his face brightened when, suddenly, he saw it.
We can see but not see. We must have spiritual vision as we walk in the Way – a visual sensitivity given to us by the Lord – necessary in order to see what He sees. It is spiritual vision, brought on by compassion for others, enabled by our love of God. I shared this verse several times in the past – but it merits being shared again.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
What is the law of Christ? Love God and love others. (Matthew 22:37-39) Carrying one another’s burdens will cost you something. Not just time – or money – or effort, but it will cost you by placing a heaviness on your soul. You will feel the weight of the burden as you pick it up. Have you ever seen someone struggling as they carried something? Maybe something as simple as groceries and you said, “Here let me help you.” As you took on part of their load you felt the weight of the load. Your willingness to help made their burden lighter for them. That is true in the spiritual context as well. To carry those burdens is a noble calling – an honor really. To see the need you must be ready – spiritually – and willing to let God do a work through you. And then, finally, you must do it – in the name of Jesus.
BTW, my partner is going to install that door!
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
One of the great privileges the Lord has granted us to allow us to enter in to the personal struggles of so many who must contend with the ravages of natural disasters. The trouble they face is so much more than the loss of property – it is the loss of hope – the burden of their circumstance – their vulnerability to all kinds of evil. I hear so many stories about how unscrupulous people would come like wolves in sheep’s clothing and take what little money they had for little to nothing in return – only making their circumstance all the worse. It is so easy to focus on the external – the house or the contents of the house and overlook who occupies the house. I met two new families yesterday and was reminded of why we do what we do. It really has nothing to do with construction. Repairing homes is merely the gate by which we enter into people’s lives for ministry. (The great majority of people the Lord has led us to are widows, single moms, and couples where the husband has some disability.)
I recall speaking to one homeowner about the work we were doing in her home. She was praising us for the transformation in her home. I told her, “It is not the home that is important to us, it is you that is important.” Tears welled up in her eyes and she said, “Of all the people who have come here, not one has told me that before.” Actually I understand that – it is easy to let the damage that is so overwhelming at times dominate those who have come to help. Two days ago I was in another home – an elderly partially disabled woman – whose home was partially repaired and then left wanting. After we finished the assessment and were leaving, I asked the other evaluator – “What do you think that she thinks is the most important thing that needs to be done?” Then I said, “I will answer my own question. She wants a door on her bedroom.” As she talked to us about the problems in her house – problems that she sees every day – she shared her angst over not being able to close her bedroom door. A simple thing. Easy to fix. But impossible for her. Being able to close the door – to have privacy – even if it was only from her dogs. My partner had missed it – but as we talked his face brightened when, suddenly, he saw it.
We can see but not see. We must have spiritual vision as we walk in the Way – a visual sensitivity given to us by the Lord – necessary in order to see what He sees. It is spiritual vision, brought on by compassion for others, enabled by our love of God. I shared this verse several times in the past – but it merits being shared again.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
What is the law of Christ? Love God and love others. (Matthew 22:37-39) Carrying one another’s burdens will cost you something. Not just time – or money – or effort, but it will cost you by placing a heaviness on your soul. You will feel the weight of the burden as you pick it up. Have you ever seen someone struggling as they carried something? Maybe something as simple as groceries and you said, “Here let me help you.” As you took on part of their load you felt the weight of the load. Your willingness to help made their burden lighter for them. That is true in the spiritual context as well. To carry those burdens is a noble calling – an honor really. To see the need you must be ready – spiritually – and willing to let God do a work through you. And then, finally, you must do it – in the name of Jesus.
BTW, my partner is going to install that door!
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
We Serve A Just-In-Time God.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to
Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20
I often quote Dr. Henry Blackaby’s study, “Experiencing God”. I suppose because it has shaped my perspective on my life and the lives of others. Helped me to understand life in its spiritual context. Dr. Blackaby said that there are four ways that God speaks to us by His Spirit; through prayer, His Word, other Believers (the Church) and circumstances. God has been speaking to me about life on earth and its frail nature through the life – circumstances of another Christian. I met this man through an outreach of our Bible class at church. He was a man who was sick and need some help moving furniture. The class leader asked for people in the class to help. I agreed along with some others.
The man has ALS – Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The ALS has progressed to the point he is bound to a wheel chair and a bottle of oxygen. He is clear minded and articulate so that has not been robbed from him at this point. On our second trip to their house, I was able to observe his wife and daughter as they interacted with him. What a heavy load they are carrying. It was then that the Lord spoke and said, in His still small voice, “Help them.” It was not by moving furniture. It was in the capacity of our ministry in which God has shaped us and provisioned us. That was the real reason I was there. They had a goal – finish the dining room in time for Thanksgiving for the family. There were a number of things they could not do in the house – electrical, flooring, drywall – that needed to be done. The contractors they had hired had failed them. The tension wrought by the unfinished work was merely a symptom of the burden the family is carrying – the father – the husband is dying. How could I walk on the other side of the road and pass the family by?
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
I could not do all of the work. I knew how but did not have enough time. Everything had to be done in a week and a half. When I yielded to the Spirit and said “Yes Lord”, God revealed Himself by providing the right people through us. And so we are on track to finish the work by the middle of this week – a full week before Thanksgiving. Not because of me, but because of God. God provides – Jehovah Jireh! There is more work to be done there. I think that perhaps we are not done with this work.
So what about you? Has God been speaking to you in some way. About things that are beyond your ability – God things? A turning point in my life was when I stopped trusting in myself first and trusted God. Like 10 of the 12 spies feeling like grasshoppers as they faced the task that God had put in front of them. Only 2, Joshua and Caleb, saw things from God’s perspective. The other 10 never returned after wandering in the desert for 40 years.
“And those who heard it said, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But He [Jesus] said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’” – Luke 18:26-27
Are you tired of wandering in the desert – a spiritual wasteland – clutching desperately to your ticket to heaven in your hand thinking that is all there is to your new life? Trust God and do what He says – and watch the impossible become possible. Then give Him the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
I often quote Dr. Henry Blackaby’s study, “Experiencing God”. I suppose because it has shaped my perspective on my life and the lives of others. Helped me to understand life in its spiritual context. Dr. Blackaby said that there are four ways that God speaks to us by His Spirit; through prayer, His Word, other Believers (the Church) and circumstances. God has been speaking to me about life on earth and its frail nature through the life – circumstances of another Christian. I met this man through an outreach of our Bible class at church. He was a man who was sick and need some help moving furniture. The class leader asked for people in the class to help. I agreed along with some others.
The man has ALS – Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The ALS has progressed to the point he is bound to a wheel chair and a bottle of oxygen. He is clear minded and articulate so that has not been robbed from him at this point. On our second trip to their house, I was able to observe his wife and daughter as they interacted with him. What a heavy load they are carrying. It was then that the Lord spoke and said, in His still small voice, “Help them.” It was not by moving furniture. It was in the capacity of our ministry in which God has shaped us and provisioned us. That was the real reason I was there. They had a goal – finish the dining room in time for Thanksgiving for the family. There were a number of things they could not do in the house – electrical, flooring, drywall – that needed to be done. The contractors they had hired had failed them. The tension wrought by the unfinished work was merely a symptom of the burden the family is carrying – the father – the husband is dying. How could I walk on the other side of the road and pass the family by?
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
I could not do all of the work. I knew how but did not have enough time. Everything had to be done in a week and a half. When I yielded to the Spirit and said “Yes Lord”, God revealed Himself by providing the right people through us. And so we are on track to finish the work by the middle of this week – a full week before Thanksgiving. Not because of me, but because of God. God provides – Jehovah Jireh! There is more work to be done there. I think that perhaps we are not done with this work.
So what about you? Has God been speaking to you in some way. About things that are beyond your ability – God things? A turning point in my life was when I stopped trusting in myself first and trusted God. Like 10 of the 12 spies feeling like grasshoppers as they faced the task that God had put in front of them. Only 2, Joshua and Caleb, saw things from God’s perspective. The other 10 never returned after wandering in the desert for 40 years.
“And those who heard it said, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But He [Jesus] said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’” – Luke 18:26-27
Are you tired of wandering in the desert – a spiritual wasteland – clutching desperately to your ticket to heaven in your hand thinking that is all there is to your new life? Trust God and do what He says – and watch the impossible become possible. Then give Him the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
The Only Way We Can Be One In The Spirit
“I [Jesus] pray also for those who will believe in me
through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in
me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that
you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may
be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to
complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them
even as you have loved me.” – John 17:20-23
I was asked just yesterday if I had written anything about unity in the Body of Christ. My answer was, “I think so – let me check.” I woke up this morning with that thought on my mind. Not what have I written about unity – I still have to check – but what do I know about unity. Some of you who know me personally, know that Martie and I have bi-racial twin grandchildren. I have watched as they have struggled with ethnic identity. It is not like me – German – Irish – Scottish heritage – the result it a light complexion. For them, with an African-American father and a German – Irish – Scottish – French mother, they are treated differently – Being bi-racial when the races are different in complexion is not the same. When I would go to the store or some other setting with one of them I noticed that if the person we were addressing was white – they would speak to me first. Of the person was of African American decent, then they would address my grandson or granddaughter first. Like the one that was not the same color was not there. I remember showing a picture of the twins to Haitian friend for the first time. They said – “Oh- they are black.” I said – “No – they are my grandchildren!” I repeated that several times before they understood. From my view – like my Father’s view – I look at the heart not the skin – not the bank account – not the house – or the car – or the education – or the accent – it is the heart.
So what about unity? It is the Spirit that brings unity to people who are not the same on the outside. It is a spiritual reality that can only be understood in the context of faith in Jesus and spiritual understanding brought by the inhabitation of the Spirit of God. As Christians we will never see unity in the Body of Christ – in the Church – if we start with the demand that the natural be made right before the spiritual can be realized. That we must be equal naturally in all respects – before we can be right with each other spiritually. That wrongs must be righted through the natural before we can ever hope to be one in Christ. Even as I type those words – I wonder how is it that we have missed that? The answer is simple – really. But it is not acceptable. The answer is more of Jesus and less of me. That it not the outside of the cup that makes it unclean. It is a problem endemic to our sinful nature – the old man.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees [Christians], you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee [Christians]! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” – Matthew 23:25-26
I interjected the work “Christians” after Pharisees because Christians – no matter what they ethnic background or social standing are preoccupied with the outside of the cup. The preconditions of unity must be submission to the Spirit of God – love God then others – obey God and treat others like you want to be treated. Are you thinking it is not that simple. That I have a simplistic view of the problem. I don’t really think so. The answer is simply more of Jesus and less of me. But so long as we persist in identifying ourselves and others in the context of their flesh and status in the world’s economy – well – we will never be one and the world will never see God’s intent of our being one. “Then the world will know that you [Father God] sent me [Jesus the Son] and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
We can’t blame each other for the lack of unity – we can only look in the mirror and point our finger at that person.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 3:3-5
Last note. Don’t expect to be praised by other Christians for your change of heart and desire to see unity in the Body. The source of the problem of disunity is on both sides of the ethnic – social economic fence. But you are responsible for you – not for them. The Bible says that if you know the good to do and don’t do it – that is sin. (James 4:17)
When I preached in churches in Haiti, the first time I would say, “Mwen pa Blan, mwen fre nou”. I am not white – I am your brother. I was speaking from 2 Corinthians 5:17, that I am new in Christ and the old has passed away. And so are they – but I was quite certain that they had never heard that, especially from a “Blan”. I am not certain they all believed it, but I am certain that there were those who saw me with Spiritual eyes as their Brother in Christ and not merely a “walking wallet”.
I spoke to a man at the Promise Keepers Pastors Conference in 1996. I had just joined the staff of Promise Keepers as the state manager for Alabama and Mississippi. He told me that there were not people of color in his county – should he go find someone to be reconciled to. I told him – only if the Lord led him to do that – but the important thing was that he be willing and the Lord would give him opportunity.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
I was asked just yesterday if I had written anything about unity in the Body of Christ. My answer was, “I think so – let me check.” I woke up this morning with that thought on my mind. Not what have I written about unity – I still have to check – but what do I know about unity. Some of you who know me personally, know that Martie and I have bi-racial twin grandchildren. I have watched as they have struggled with ethnic identity. It is not like me – German – Irish – Scottish heritage – the result it a light complexion. For them, with an African-American father and a German – Irish – Scottish – French mother, they are treated differently – Being bi-racial when the races are different in complexion is not the same. When I would go to the store or some other setting with one of them I noticed that if the person we were addressing was white – they would speak to me first. Of the person was of African American decent, then they would address my grandson or granddaughter first. Like the one that was not the same color was not there. I remember showing a picture of the twins to Haitian friend for the first time. They said – “Oh- they are black.” I said – “No – they are my grandchildren!” I repeated that several times before they understood. From my view – like my Father’s view – I look at the heart not the skin – not the bank account – not the house – or the car – or the education – or the accent – it is the heart.
So what about unity? It is the Spirit that brings unity to people who are not the same on the outside. It is a spiritual reality that can only be understood in the context of faith in Jesus and spiritual understanding brought by the inhabitation of the Spirit of God. As Christians we will never see unity in the Body of Christ – in the Church – if we start with the demand that the natural be made right before the spiritual can be realized. That we must be equal naturally in all respects – before we can be right with each other spiritually. That wrongs must be righted through the natural before we can ever hope to be one in Christ. Even as I type those words – I wonder how is it that we have missed that? The answer is simple – really. But it is not acceptable. The answer is more of Jesus and less of me. That it not the outside of the cup that makes it unclean. It is a problem endemic to our sinful nature – the old man.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees [Christians], you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee [Christians]! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” – Matthew 23:25-26
I interjected the work “Christians” after Pharisees because Christians – no matter what they ethnic background or social standing are preoccupied with the outside of the cup. The preconditions of unity must be submission to the Spirit of God – love God then others – obey God and treat others like you want to be treated. Are you thinking it is not that simple. That I have a simplistic view of the problem. I don’t really think so. The answer is simply more of Jesus and less of me. But so long as we persist in identifying ourselves and others in the context of their flesh and status in the world’s economy – well – we will never be one and the world will never see God’s intent of our being one. “Then the world will know that you [Father God] sent me [Jesus the Son] and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
We can’t blame each other for the lack of unity – we can only look in the mirror and point our finger at that person.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 3:3-5
Last note. Don’t expect to be praised by other Christians for your change of heart and desire to see unity in the Body. The source of the problem of disunity is on both sides of the ethnic – social economic fence. But you are responsible for you – not for them. The Bible says that if you know the good to do and don’t do it – that is sin. (James 4:17)
When I preached in churches in Haiti, the first time I would say, “Mwen pa Blan, mwen fre nou”. I am not white – I am your brother. I was speaking from 2 Corinthians 5:17, that I am new in Christ and the old has passed away. And so are they – but I was quite certain that they had never heard that, especially from a “Blan”. I am not certain they all believed it, but I am certain that there were those who saw me with Spiritual eyes as their Brother in Christ and not merely a “walking wallet”.
I spoke to a man at the Promise Keepers Pastors Conference in 1996. I had just joined the staff of Promise Keepers as the state manager for Alabama and Mississippi. He told me that there were not people of color in his county – should he go find someone to be reconciled to. I told him – only if the Lord led him to do that – but the important thing was that he be willing and the Lord would give him opportunity.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
Starting In The Right Place
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
– Mark 1:35
One of the houses we are working on requires the installation of ship-lap siding on one wall. Seems simple enough – find the studs in the wall – put the nails through the siding into the studs – badda bing – badda boom – fini! Well not quite so fast. It seems you must start out in the right place. Do you start at the bottom or do you start at the top? Do you use a full piece or do you cut the first piece down so the first and last piece are the same width? Do you stagger the joints? Lots of questions for something that seems to be so easy. It actually requires a good bit of thought and preparation.
It is the same with our daily Christian living. We should not just plug in the saw and compressor and start doing. Like Jesus, we need to start the day prepared and focused. You don’t have to find a mountain or go into your closet – but we all do need to take pause and consider what must be the first step in starting our day.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27
We must be God-aware every day. Focused on Him and mindful of our calling and purpose and dependence upon the Lord. That starts with being deliberate with how we start our day. So before you crank up that saw up this morning. Think about where you need to start.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
One of the houses we are working on requires the installation of ship-lap siding on one wall. Seems simple enough – find the studs in the wall – put the nails through the siding into the studs – badda bing – badda boom – fini! Well not quite so fast. It seems you must start out in the right place. Do you start at the bottom or do you start at the top? Do you use a full piece or do you cut the first piece down so the first and last piece are the same width? Do you stagger the joints? Lots of questions for something that seems to be so easy. It actually requires a good bit of thought and preparation.
It is the same with our daily Christian living. We should not just plug in the saw and compressor and start doing. Like Jesus, we need to start the day prepared and focused. You don’t have to find a mountain or go into your closet – but we all do need to take pause and consider what must be the first step in starting our day.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27
We must be God-aware every day. Focused on Him and mindful of our calling and purpose and dependence upon the Lord. That starts with being deliberate with how we start our day. So before you crank up that saw up this morning. Think about where you need to start.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
To Know Christ and Make Him Known
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for
the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the
surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost
all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in
him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that
which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the
basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his
resurrection.” – Philippians 3:7-10
The beginning of our faith journey is the moment in time when we confessed our faith in Jesus, that He suffered and died for our sins and God, the Father, raised Him – Jesus, from the dead. That point in time is the first step in a journey that we will live out in our natural life and forever in the presence of our Lord. To know Christ for Who He was, is and ever will be. To embrace our new life and to yield to the Spirit of God and the transformation the Spirit brings as we pursue our relationship with Jesus, our Lord. To know Christ. It should be our primary goal.
“All I once held dear, built my life upon, All this world reveres and wants to own
All I once thought gain, I have counted loss, Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Now my heart's desire is to know You more, To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn, All-surpassing gift of righteousness
Oh to know the power of Your risen life, And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord, So with You to live and never die
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You, There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy, my righteousness, And I love You, Lord” (Graham Kendrick, Knowing You, 1993)
I first heard that song at a Promise Keepers conference in 1994. It speaks clearly to that transformation and the effects it should have on and in my life. Is your faith the most important aspect of your life? Do you want it to be? Or perhaps merely having faith and assurance is enough – it is for many Christians. We must all be on our guard that we don’t become complacent. Of all we do in this life – there is but one thing that has eternal value – our faith in Jesus. But like the TV commercial says “But wait! There’s more!”
“And so it was with me [Paul], brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” – 1 Corinthians 2:1-3
Not only are we to know Christ and grow in that knowledge, but we are to make Him known. Paul journeyed to many places to tell others about Jesus. He built relationships and demonstrated the faith he preached by living it out. Just like Graham Kendrick’s song describes – a life transformed by faith and obedience. Dr. John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Oh how I love the English language and it’s rhythm. Making Christ known among the nations is our mission. Whether it is in our neighborhood, school, work place, market place, or some remote place on this planet – we should be a living advertisement of our faith in Jesus. You don’t have to be in-your-face with your faith to be an effective communicator of you faith – you just need to be devoted to your new life – and be peculiar – an social anomaly – loving God and loving others. You don’t have to always be a silent witness – but your life should shout out who you are in Christ. Old things and devotions and traditions – passing away – all things becoming new. Paul understaood the significance of the message and “trembled” in reverent fear of his calling and the One who called.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
So often I stop at verse 17 when I share it with people, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. To know Christ and to make Him known! That is what our new life is all about.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
The beginning of our faith journey is the moment in time when we confessed our faith in Jesus, that He suffered and died for our sins and God, the Father, raised Him – Jesus, from the dead. That point in time is the first step in a journey that we will live out in our natural life and forever in the presence of our Lord. To know Christ for Who He was, is and ever will be. To embrace our new life and to yield to the Spirit of God and the transformation the Spirit brings as we pursue our relationship with Jesus, our Lord. To know Christ. It should be our primary goal.
“All I once held dear, built my life upon, All this world reveres and wants to own
All I once thought gain, I have counted loss, Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Now my heart's desire is to know You more, To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn, All-surpassing gift of righteousness
Oh to know the power of Your risen life, And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord, So with You to live and never die
Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You, There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best, You're my joy, my righteousness, And I love You, Lord” (Graham Kendrick, Knowing You, 1993)
I first heard that song at a Promise Keepers conference in 1994. It speaks clearly to that transformation and the effects it should have on and in my life. Is your faith the most important aspect of your life? Do you want it to be? Or perhaps merely having faith and assurance is enough – it is for many Christians. We must all be on our guard that we don’t become complacent. Of all we do in this life – there is but one thing that has eternal value – our faith in Jesus. But like the TV commercial says “But wait! There’s more!”
“And so it was with me [Paul], brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.” – 1 Corinthians 2:1-3
Not only are we to know Christ and grow in that knowledge, but we are to make Him known. Paul journeyed to many places to tell others about Jesus. He built relationships and demonstrated the faith he preached by living it out. Just like Graham Kendrick’s song describes – a life transformed by faith and obedience. Dr. John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Oh how I love the English language and it’s rhythm. Making Christ known among the nations is our mission. Whether it is in our neighborhood, school, work place, market place, or some remote place on this planet – we should be a living advertisement of our faith in Jesus. You don’t have to be in-your-face with your faith to be an effective communicator of you faith – you just need to be devoted to your new life – and be peculiar – an social anomaly – loving God and loving others. You don’t have to always be a silent witness – but your life should shout out who you are in Christ. Old things and devotions and traditions – passing away – all things becoming new. Paul understaood the significance of the message and “trembled” in reverent fear of his calling and the One who called.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20
So often I stop at verse 17 when I share it with people, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. To know Christ and to make Him known! That is what our new life is all about.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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