Resolute in God

As the New Year begins, many people make resolutions on changes they will make in their lives.  I believe if you have the constitution and willpower to actually keep your resolutions, it's likely you do not need to make them!  With how most people live, instead of saying you have made a "New Year's resolution," you might as well say "I wish."  There is a lot we all wish we could change about ourselves.  Trouble is, it takes a new calender year to inspire us to work for one change we desire or know we need.  And when the resolution has no impact except guilt because we haven't done our part, we sigh, shrug our shoulders and say to ourselves, "There's always next year..."  The devil would love for us to wait a year between efforts at change for the better.

Last night I had an interesting conversation about New Year's resolutions.  People were discussing how the New Year is a great opportunity for personal reflection upon the last year.  This is a very healthy response which should not be reserved for one day out of the year!  We must see our deficiencies before we will aim higher.  We can be very content in our failing, not even holding ourselves accountable for falling short of our low expectations!

The thing we must understand about changing ourselves is that we cannot do it!  It takes help from without to change within.  Why do you think support groups are so key for those recovering from substance abuse?  The trouble is the support group can become a substitute for the substance:  remove the support group and often the substance resumes the previous hold.  I am convinced that God is the only one who can truly change a person.  He changes our attitudes, hearts, desires, the way we think, and the things we desire to think about!  Our God has the capacity to transform us into a new creation.  There is no need for us to wait a year for this change:  He can do it in an instant when we ask humbly according to His perfect will.

I'm sure David did not wait years between his prayer in Psalm 139:23-24:  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; [24] And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  It is good for us to always be continually reviewing our conduct and attitudes.  But the LORD is the one who searches our hearts.  He finds things to change that we didn't even know were there.  The great thing is instead of heaping upon ourselves condemnation, we receive grace, mercy, and communion with God.  Instead of making resolutions trusting an arm of flesh, let us cry out to the One who is steadfast and immovable, all-powerful and wise.  If there is any good change to be made in us God must be the Author and Finisher.  When God begins a good work He is faithful to complete it every time.

Give All to God

A great temptation we will face as believers is to keep what should be given to God for ourselves.  A perfect example of this is found in Acts chapter 5 when Ananias and Sapphira kept back part of the price of the land.  Under the guise of bringing the full purchase price, Ananias laid a part of the total price at the feet of the apostles.  Acts 5:3-5 reads, "But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? [4] While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." [5] Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things."

God has granted all people talents and resources.  As followers of Christ we have the privilege of being led by the Holy Spirit.  Ananias was not influenced by God to give but by Satan.  There are any number of reasons why he lied and gave part instead of all, but none of those reasons make it right.  He paid for his sin with his life and great fear fell upon the people who heard of this.  Today as I was working wrapping duct, the phrase kept ringing in my head:  "While it remained, was it not your own?"  God has given us stewardship of earthly things for a little while.  The earth will pass away.  We have control over what we buy, sell, how we give, and what we keep for ourselves.  How we conduct ourselves will bring consequences to our lives, good or bad.

I wonder:  if Ananias could do it over again, would he give all to God or keep all for himself?  There is no middle ground.  As Gladys Aylward says, "God does not need our bits and pieces."  He wants all of us.  It is the lie of Satan for us to think it is o.k. to pretend to give all the glory to God but keep a little to stroke our egos.  It is not right to cast our burdens upon Christ but reserve a few to justify worrying or feeling sorry for ourselves.  Jesus did not give part of Himself on the cross.  I believe it is impossible for us to give all to God.  But what is impossible for us is possible with God, for all things are possible for them who believe.

Being a steward of the mysteries of the Gospel is a daunting, sober responsibility.  Let him who think he stands take heed lest he fall.  As the song says my heart shouts, "I surrender all...all to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all."  LORD, please make that a reality.  I cannot do this thing.  I am no better than Ananias.  I renounce all the times I have kept back part for myself when I should have given all.  I praise you for Your faithfulness, O God, for you are able to accomplish what concerns me today and always.

Give to the Giver

God intends we use every gift, talent, and ability He graciously gives us.  Our heavenly Father never intends the gifts He gives to be restricted to us.  When we receive a Christmas gift or a birthday present the understanding is, "This is for me."  When we receive any gift from God we are responsible to first give that gift right back to Him for Him to use through us.  This will directly benefit others through the edification of the Body of Christ and glorify God.  What God gives us really isn't for us in the end.  It is for Him!

When I read the Bible and God speaks clearly to my heart, it's not like a "Mission Impossible" message that is for my eyes only and will self-destruct after five seconds.  Now I have a responsibility and duty to share with others.  Think about the example of giving God has shown us.  God had an only begotten Son who He sent to be the Savior of the world.  He didn't keep Jesus to Himself.  He created the world, the oceans, all the living creatures, and kept nothing for Himself.  The twenty-four elders in Rev. 4:11 say to God, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."  God created all things but He did not reserve the world's riches, beauty, or splendor for angels only.  God allows the rain to fall on the just and unjust alike.

Think about something you have received from God.  Have you been given it back to God so He can share it with the world through you so He might be glorified?  Take love, for instance.  God has loved us with an everlasting love.  It is a tangible love we can revel in and enjoy forever.  But you were never intended to be the end of that everlasting love:  God's will is His love would be revealed not just to us, but through us.  If we are the end of any gift of God it is a gift falling short of God's purpose for that gift.  Salvation is precious and an unspeakable blessing, but it must be passed on to others through the preaching of the Gospel.  Grace and mercy are wonderful gifts but if they remain buried in the ground like the servant's talent it does us and the world no good.

What God gives and you receive give right back to Him.  Jesus had the power to heal but did not limit His miraculous ability to family and friends only.  He has the power to save but chose not to save Himself so we all could be saved by His shed blood.  Allow God to challenge you.  When He comes might He say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of the LORD."  Only those who have entered into that joy on earth will enter into eternal joy.  Have you made your Savior joyous today?

Children, our Heritage

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. [4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. [5] Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate."   Psalm 127:3-5

As God does not slumber or sleep, neither does the enemy of our souls.  Satan is actively seeking to pervert the straight ways of the LORD.  He will not stop his assault upon our children.  Men like Karl Marx know that the way to turn a nation is to indoctrinate the youth through media, subversion of morality, the denial of God and the absolute truth of scripture, and the fracturing of the God-ordained family.  God ordained marriage as a union between one man and one woman and this is under fire today even in kindergarten classrooms.  Children are a heritage from the LORD, but many are convinced that killing a child in the womb through abortion is not crime but convenience.  Satan would like nothing more than to twist and dull the arrows in our quiver so our spiritual warfare will be in vain.

The devil has a lot more time than I do.  He does not expect immediate results and does not seek them.  The longer he can operate unnoticed, the more pronounced the perversion will be in the end.  As tares grow together with the wheat after planting, the damage he does through deceit and lies will be more evident in seasons to come.  Children of God, it is high time that we allow the Holy Spirit to mobilize us to action in teaching our children according to God's truth.  Satan wants to strip us of the godly heritage our children are intended to be for Him and future generations of people on the earth.  No means or method is off-limits for Satan as he schemes and plots the destruction of God and the righteous truth He stands for.  He targets especially those who are young, impressionable, and hold the hope of the future.

Can Satan win?  Not in the end.  It doesn't mean we won't lose good men and women to his devices.  The devil is so proud he believes victory will be his and is dangerous beyond belief.  As a pastor I have seen the collatoral damage caused by enemy attacks.  When the bombs start falling it's not only those in uniform who can die.  More than soldiers are affected in warfare:  families are torn apart, civilians wounded and killed, and infrastructure is destroyed.  Satan has taken aim at our children through music, television, and the internet which are loaded with the potential to decay and rot morality with atomic force.  As parents we must be willing to stand up for godliness and righteousness and call sin what it is:  sin.

Solomon writes "... they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate."  These straight arrows raised up as godly seed of righteousness will not be ashamed of the truth.    Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."  We should never be ashamed of what has the power to bring salvation to all people.  Notice the righteous children "speak with their enemies in the gate."  From this we learn many things:

• The children of righteousness recognize their enemies.  This is only possible through the wisdom and truth that springs through the Holy Spirit, a person whose eyes have been opened by Jesus Christ.
• The children of righteousness guard the gate.  Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."  It is a wise man who guards himself from the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
• Wise children will not abandon the wisdom of their righteous forefathers.  The gate of the city in Bible times would be the place where the elders and people of authority sat.  We are blessed with many forefathers of faith:  Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Jesus Himself.  There are many who have been blessed with godly parents.  I would rather a child be born without limbs than being born into a family that hates God and seeks to turn the hearts of children against Him.  Even in this, however, God receives much glory when He redeems and saves by His grace, mercy, and love!
  
• These righteous children speak with the authority of Jesus Christ.  God tells us the perfect words to say at the right moment.  Titus 2:11-15 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, [12] teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, [13] looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. [15] Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you."
• The enemy remains the enemy, and the enemy is kept outside.  The devil would love our children to lower themselves to embracing his standards.  Deut. 6:4-7 says:  "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! [5] You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. [6] "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

  I have been blessed with two children of whom I am steward for a while.  I will answer to God for the way I have raised them, how I have taught them of God and His statutes, and how I encouraged, nurtured, disciplined, and trained them.  I pray that they are sharpened straight arrows in my quiver, sent by God to do His will, and will not miss the mark.  My children are precious to me, but they are even treasured greater by my Father in heaven for His love is infinite.  Use me to sharpen them Father, and hone them to a sharp point looking toward the day when they are shot out from me they might bring you glory.

A Great Heritage

Isaiah 54:1-17
    "Sing, O barren,
    You who have not borne!
    Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,
    You who have not labored with child!
    For more are the children of the desolate
    Than the children of the married woman," says the Lord.
    [2] "Enlarge the place of your tent,
    And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;
    Do not spare;
    Lengthen your cords,
    And strengthen your stakes.
    [3] For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
    And your descendants will inherit the nations,
    And make the desolate cities inhabited.

    [4] "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
    Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
    For you will forget the shame of your youth,
    And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
    [5] For your Maker is your husband,
    The Lord of hosts is His name;
    And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
    He is called the God of the whole earth.
    [6] For the Lord has called you
    Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,
    Like a youthful wife when you were refused,"
    Says your God.
    [7] "For a mere moment I have forsaken you,
    But with great mercies I will gather you.
    [8] With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
    But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"
    Says the Lord, your Redeemer.

    [9] "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
    For as I have sworn
    That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
    So have I sworn
    That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
    [10] For the mountains shall depart
    And the hills be removed,
    But My kindness shall not depart from you,
    Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,"
    Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

    [11] "O you afflicted one,
    Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
    Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,
    And lay your foundations with sapphires.
    [12] I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
    Your gates of crystal,
    And all your walls of precious stones.
    [13] All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
    And great shall be the peace of your children.
    [14] In righteousness you shall be established;
    You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
    And from terror, for it shall not come near you.
    [15] Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.
    Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.

    [16] "Behold, I have created the blacksmith
    Who blows the coals in the fire,
    Who brings forth an instrument for his work;
    And I have created the spoiler to destroy.
    [17] No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
    And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
    You shall condemn.
    This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
    And their righteousness is from Me,"
    Says the Lord."

Look to Yourselves

This morning I read 2 John during my quiet time with the LORD.  2 John 1:8 caught my attention:  "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."  Things that grab my attention usually make me think.  Hebrews 12:3 says we are to look unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.  These verses are not contradictory but complimentary.  Looking unto Jesus ought to be our primary concern and focus, since He is our Savior and Light of the World.  We ought not to be self-focused, but there is a healthy need for thorough self-examination.  We are called to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  We need to take heed to ourselves for the purpose of seeing whether we are in the faith or not, if we are abiding in Christ, and remaining obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading.

What struck me in this verse is the possibility of working for something and losing the full reward.  It is God who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  We have salvation through the free gift of Jesus Christ and His shed blood, who alone can reconcile a man dead in His sins with God and breathe the breath of life into his soul.  The scripture talks about people who enter heaven "as by fire," people who have narrowly escaped hell.  Eternal life, though a great reward, is their own reward.  I wrote in my notebook this morning:  "Our Savior comes quickly, and His reward is with Him.  It is possible to enter heaven without great reward, and only a fool would aspire to such a heavenly entry.  We are rewarded for the glory of God.  Is it not wise to glorify God now so we may glorify Him even more in heaven, His reward being a testimony not of our greatness but of His?"

Pastor Dale said this morning the Bible reveals God asks for three things of people:  glory, praise, and thanks.  God is worthy of these things and is willing to receive them from sinners once opposed to Him, people like me.  How wonderful it is that the more we receive from God the more glory we can give to God.  Those who have been forgiven much love much.  Those who have much of worldly glory often become thankless, arrogant, and proud.  May it not be true of those who have received much from God!  My mind went immediately to Micah 6:8:  "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  When we do what is right God will receive the glory, praise, and thanks of his people and those who are not yet His people.  How many times did people see the wondrous works of Christ and give God the glory?  We have been created unto good works that people may see them and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

May we look to Jesus and look unto ourselves.  There is a song that goes, "Search me O God, and know my heart.  See if there be anything at all that might keep me from hearing you, keep me from knowing you, keep me from loving you, O LORD."  We could add to it, "See if there be anything at all that might keep me from glorifying you, keep me from praising you, keep me from thanking you."  Let us be receivers of God's full reward and givers of the love that Christ has ushered into our hearts.

The God who Establishes

Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established."  When we surrender our lives to God's control He guides us in conduct and thought.  The Christian walk is not the avoidance of sin but the active doing of good.  When we are doing good we will not be sinning.  There is no neutral position.

One of the things God emphatically showed me during my trip to Australia was the need to have my family established.  To do that I personally must be established by Christ upon His Word and walk in accordance to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.  It is God's work, but I must be willing to allow God to work in me before He can work through me.  For a ministry to be successful in your home country or the foreign mission field, the family structure must not only be intact, but established.

Before I left for OZ, a large potted tree at Calvary Chapel El Cajon tipped over.  The pot stayed firm to the ground but the tree fell over, lifting the muddy root ball out of the pot.  Because there was a lot of dirt in the roots it did not immediately go into shock and it was decided we would attempt to transplant the tree.  One of the brothers remarked that the tree was possibly a picture of me and my family, being transplanted from one location to another.  The tree lives to this day and has fresh green leaves, though it hasn't grown much new wood.

It occurred to me that when a tree is transplanted, it will droop a little bit and go into shock.  You would not expect a transplanted tree to instantly start producing fruit or growing new boughs.  It should be expected that leaves would fall, a few branches would die and need to be pruned, and it would need to be staked to keep winds from knocking it over.  It is a similar picture to a family moving to minister in a foreign country.  It would be unrealistic to expect immediate fruit from such a venture, and there would need to be a support system in place to enable the tree to stand firm.

I am so blessed to have a supportive home church and care team with loving people who are enthusiastic in their prayers and encouragemnent.  This support system will be crucial in America but also in Australia.  It is the LORD who will establish us.  Life is more than food, clothing, and houses:  life is found only in Jesus Christ.  Without Him providing the life, all I could provide is religion powered by the flesh.  Less than one horsepower won't move you fast or far, and a work of the flesh is abominable in God's sight - as if we could do HIS work on our own!

Remember to commit your works to the LORD and your thoughts will be established.  Should cares and worry crowd out praise and worship of our Savior?  The church in Australia is largely like that fallen tree still in the pot.  It is not standing upright and is not established wholly upon the Word of God.  The condition of the church is Christ's responsibility and every Christian has a work to do in the church to edify, exhort, and strengthen that Body with the strength every joint supplies.  Do you realize God has a great work for you to do?  This work will take many forms.  Stay faithful and be content where you are.  Right where God has you is the place He will receive the most glory.  It is not reserved for some distant place or some other season or time:  it is right now because today is the day of salvation.

Father Appreciation

This Sunday I caught some of the Broncos/Colts football game.  The game was played in Indianapolis and the dome stadium was packed with fans wearing blue and white.  In a losing effort, Brandon Marshall had a record-setting game during which he caught 21 passes and scored two touchdowns.  After his first touchdown, Brandon gave the touchdown ball to a Bronco fan in the stands wearing a bright orange #15 Marshall jersey.  It was moving to see the appreciation of the woman who received the prize ball, clearly overcome with emotion.  I am no Bronco fan but I thought it was a classy and gracious thing to do.

The thought struck me:  see how excited people can be over a piece of inflated leather with letters stamped on it.  Am I as outwardly thankful and appreciative as the fan who received the touchdown ball with the gifts my Heavenly Father has given to me?  Am I overcome with emotion as I consider eternal salvation, joy, love, and forgiveness freely given by my flawless Savior to a flawed man like me?  That football will catch fire when a flame is put to it.  It can be lost, stolen, deflated, cut, cracked, scuffed, and scratched.  But what our great God and Savior has given us by His grace cannot be compared with a football.

Brandon Marshall singled out a fan wearing his team jersey, but Jesus singled me out and offered me the gift of salvation when I was an enemy of His.  God does not want fans but friends.  He wants people who receive His gifts as a little child on Christmas or like a grown woman on the sidelines whose dream of somehow owning a Brandon Marshall touchdown ball has just come true.  My appreciation of God ought to be great and obvious to all.  I ought to be moved with emotion when I consider what my Savior has done for me, and God forgive these often dry eyes! 

The word "appreciation" is interesting because it speaks not only of gratitude and thankfulness.  It also entails the "act of estimating the quality and value of things."  Another meaning of appreciation is "an increase in the value of something."  Is your appreciation of God appreciating?  May we value the love, grace, and mercy of God and appreciate who God is and the wonderful things He has done.

To be Constrained

I went out this evening to a neighborhood church to hear a man who has been faithful for many years in God's service, Bill Wilson.  He has been in full-time ministry for 42 years, 30 of which in a rough area in New York city.  He runs the largest Sunday School in the world and is still going strong.  With 160 full-time staff and many volunteers, his ministry not only buses in thousands of children every week to Sunday School, but visits the 22,000 kids who attend Metro Ministries every week outside of church.  This post really isn't about Bill at all but something that he said.

He preached out of 2 Cor. 5:14 tonight:  "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead..."  Most of the message centered out of the word "constraineth," which has three meanings of equal relevance and strength:  1) to be forced to do something, 2) to be kept away from something, 3) and to be kept in something.  Unlike words which predominately mean one thing, all three of these definitions apply with equality.

It is the love of Christ that constrains us to do good, for He has paid a debt for us that He did not owe and we could not pay.  Now our lives are to be lived for Him, seeing as we will eternally owe Christ for what He has done for us.  Because of Christ's love, He was constrained to obey His Father and go to the cross, willingly laying down His life for ours.  His great love forced Him to do what willpower alone could not.  Because of Christ's love He kept Himself from sin.  He did not seek to do evil and never entertained wicked thoughts.  As a husband remains pure for his bride, so Christ kept Himself pure from all evil.  Finally, Jesus remained in His love.  It did not ebb and flow on the tides of emotion or based upon the merits of people.  He was constrained to remain faithful, righteous, just, gracious, merciful, forgiving, and true.

Scripture is clear that the life of a Christian should stand in stark contrast to those in the world who have not the Spirit of the Living God within them.  If anyone should ask you why you forgive when wronged, it ought to be the love of Christ that constrains you.  The love of Christ keeps us from seeking after sin.  It is the love of Jesus that forces us to do what is right with His gentle still small voice, for we have been given all things according to His grace and mercy.  Does God "force" us to do anything?  No:  but He constrains us.  How could we with a clear conscience refuse to forgive when Christ has forgiven us?  How can we withhold good from whom it is due when we have been unjustly saved by the sacrifice of God's only Son for us wretched sinners?  If guilt or church peer-pressure constrains you, then perhaps you don't know Jesus at all as you should.  We abide in Christ because of His love for us.  It is Christ's love that constrains us.  Do you know that kind of love?  You can - only through Jesus!

The First Noel

The old saying goes, "You learn something new every day."  I suppose there is the potential that you could learn something new on a daily basis, but it is likely we learn many new things every day.  Yesterday the song "The First Noel" was stuck in my head and I wondered:  what does Noel mean?  I looked it up and found out that "Noel" means "Christmas."  Maybe you didn't know that either.  Now there's one new thing you've learned today.  Congradulations!

There's a part in the song which speaks about the wise men bringing gifts and says they "offered there in His presence their gold and myrrh and frankincense."  A thought sprung to my mind as I sang:  if I had gold, would I give it to Jesus?  Would I travel far to give what is precious to me?  Jesus never asked for gold.  Seated now at the right hand of the Father Jesus has no physical needs or financial shortfalls.  He says in His Word, "If you love me, keep my commandments."  Jesus desires that all people would trust in Him and obey His Word.  If we obey Him it is evidence that we love Him.  It is written in 1 John 2:5:  "But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."

In a day when preaching of grace seems to trump obedience (though they are not in contrast or conflict with one another), let us not neglect to do good and give.  We are justified by grace through faith, but this is not where the road of sanctification ends:  it is the beginning of new life!  It is by God's grace that we can be obedient to God's Word, having long been alienated from God by our sin.  Now that we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus we have peace with God and can follow Christ in obedience.  We have been created by God unto good works, that people may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven.  We do not do good to receive recognition or accolades from men or even God, but joyfully out of the perfect love God has placed in our hearts.

May this Noel be a continuation of the First Noel.  May we give ourselves fully to our Savior.  It is not gold or precious spices that He desires:  it is me and you and all who have been created in the image of God.  Let us give ourselves, for there is nothing else only we can give.

The "Waiting Game" isn't a Game

This evening I was blessed to share with those in attendance at Calvary Chapel El Cajon about my recent trip to Australia.  The hardest part was trying to compact two months to a manageable size and convey a little of the culture and spiritual make-up of Australia.  Towards the end of sharing time I spoke about waiting for God to reveal the next step.  For a lot of us, waiting is synonymous with inaction or boredom.  If we are waiting in a grocery store line we feel hindered from our purpose of buying items.  A line at Disneyland prevents us from enjoying the ride immediately.  Whenever Laura and I would take the high school group to Six-Flags Magic Mountain, we would often come up with games to play to pass the time.  Most of those games were more annoying than just standing silently for hours!

We often see waiting on the LORD at the same way:  annoying and bothersome, our goals and plans remaining incomplete until God moves.  This is not what God desires!  Like in most instances, we have it all wrong.  Waiting upon God does not mean doing nothing.  God has given us talents He desires we invest for His glory right here, right now.  I am convinced God has called me to Australia yet I do not have a visa to permanently reside there or work.  That does not mean that I should be idle until that time!  If my Savior should return and I have to settle my debts with Him, what could I say about burying my talent in the ground?  My dad always says, "Make hay when the sun shines."  When we have opportunity, we should fully use each opportunity for God's glory according to His will.  Jesus said it this way in John 9:4:  "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."  Waiting isn't a game or an excuse for sloth.  We are to be focused on our Savior as He leads the way.  Who can say which day will be your last?

Waiting upon the LORD is a privilege.  He graciously gives us wisdom, guidance, and strength for the day.  Remember, the night is coming when no one can work - those are the words of Jesus.  A day was coming when He would no longer walk the earth because of His bodily ascension into heaven.  Jesus had a limited time of physical ministry on the earth (though we are empowered by Christ through the Holy Spirit) and the same goes for us.  I knew that I had a limited amount of time in Australia because I had a round-trip ticket.  We are all born into sin with a one way ticket to hell and we don't know the date or time it must be used.  But when we are born again through faith in Christ, Jesus rips up that ticket to hell and grants us a ticket to heaven - again, we don't know the day or the hour when it will be required at our hands.

Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the LORD.  Let us be active in our reliance and waiting upon God.  There can be no such thing as a bored Christian.  It is not burdensome to wait for Him, for all He does is perfect in His time.  

Near Miss?

I do not believe there is such a thing as a near miss with God.  From our vantage point things may appear to be close calls, but nothing sneaks past the God of heaven.  Have you ever lost your grip on something breakable but caught it before it hit the ground?  Perhaps your eyes grew big as you breathed a sight of relief, knowing that irreversible damage would have been done.  God's grip never slips.  Nothing outsmarts Him, overpowers Him, or catches Him off guard.

Southern California is in the middle of the first winter storm of the season.  Rain has been falling lightly but steadily all day, and the wind has been blowing strong from the west.  As we sat in the house, above the sound of raindrops there was a sudden crash that seemed to hit the house.  Running to see what happened, to my surprise I saw my parent's 90 foot pine tree lying across the back yard.  It had been uprooted by the strong winds, and crushed a wooden gate and wheelbarrow flat.  The tree wrenched some of the handrail off the balcony and splintered wood on the corner.  But that's not even bad news considering what could have happened.  God's good whether He allows a tree to hit the house or miss the house completely, but we praised God for His grace and protection.

God allows the rain to fall on the just and unjust, and He allows trees to fall onto houses and next to them!  "Absolutely amazing," my dad said with a wide grin.  "To fall into an area that size, what a small window.  Phenomenal!"  We are counting our blessings and thank God for not only protecting the people, but the property.  But was this a close call?  I think not.  That tree laid down exactly where it was supposed to.

In life we face greater disasters than falling trees or rainy weather.  The wreckage caused by sin is greater than the heaps of twisted metal on Southern California freeways during a rain storm.  Divorce, abuse, violence toward children born and unborn, drunkenness, addictions, hatred, pride, greed, and selfishness have done catastrophic damage.  Precious people created in God's image are doomed to hell by their own rebellion and disobedience, ignorant of the price owed for their transgressions.  Jesus died for the sins of the world that we might have life through faith in Him.  All have sinned.  We are not at risk, but await certain destruction apart from God, adding daily to our guilt.

But praise be to God, who has averted the disastrous end that certainly awaits all who have sinned through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  Death no longer looms over the heads of Christians because Christ has paid the penalty we owe.  We need not try to cheat death or "thank our lucky stars" over near misses because we are free from fear, dread, destruction, and death.

I cannot say it better than Psalm 91:1-7:  "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. [2] I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." [3] Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. [4] He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. [5] You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, [6] nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. [7] A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you."

This is the heritage of the saints.  God takes no chances with the souls entrusted to Him.  Rejoice in your Redeemer and Savior!

The Guidance of God

"...and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, [16] as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. [17] You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; [18] but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

2 Peter 3:15-18

During my morning reading, I came across this passage.  It dovetailed beautifully into the second lesson I delivered this morning in the High School group at Calvary Chapel El Cajon.  Peter was speaking concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ and how we ought to conduct ourselves while He tarries.  At the end of the epistle Peter affirms the truth of what Paul had written in his letters, though some was difficult to understand.  Some "untaught and unstable people" had twisted the scripture to their own destruction with the rest of inspired Biblical truth.  We ought not to be caught up in this wicked practice which disgraces the name of Christ and leads many to death.  Instead of being driven by every wind of doctrine, we are to rest firmly upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit in our interpretation of the scripture.

My recent tour of fellowships throughout Australia revealed one major theme:  instability.  Of the churches I visited of different denominations that theme was repeated again and again.  Instead of building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, many are building upon the doctrines of men and demons.  Being a Calvary Chapel ordianed pastor, I believe that Calvary presents well-rounded, solid Biblical doctrine translated into American culture.  I would say that I am in agreement with the Calvary Distinctives.  But I do not believe that the Calvary Distinctives are intended to be the model for church planting and leadership.  Even one step away from the foundation of Christ and scripture is too far.  Anything that threatens building upon the foundation of Christ must be avoided at all costs.  Jesus is the Head of His body.  He does not need superficial and paralyzed arms of human wisdom we would attach to His church.

There is no magic formula or pattern for the formation of God's church.  It is God's work according to His perfect will!  It would be better to throw out every book ever written (though many are good and helpful) if they deter us from THE Book, the Bible.  Divinely inspired men write many books outside of the cannon of scripture, but they are not God's Word and ought not to be treated as holy ground.  In today's lesson, we read about Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter 8.  When asked by Philip if he understood the words of Isaiah the eunuch wisely replied, "How can I unless someone guides me?"  We cannot understand the words of scipture with our natural mind because God's word is spiritually discerned.  The wisdom of God is foolishness to the natural man.

We Christians often find ourselves with a need for explanation and too often are willing to consult with an arm of flesh rather than the Author Himself.  Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come and guide us in all truth, as it is written in John 16:13:  "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."  If a child asks for food, his parent would not give him a poisonous snake or scorpion.  Jesus said that if we, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will our Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? (Luke 11:13)

The stability of any structure, including the church, is directly tied to the foundation.  If the Calvary Distinctives are the foundation of your church, the church will be unhealthy and weak if it manages to survive at all.  But if Jesus Christ is your Cornerstone, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.  Let us be as the Ethiopian eunuch who realized his need of help in understanding the scriptures and believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Instead of twisting the scripture, let us seek the understanding granted by God Himself.  He is the One who not only prevents our destruction but allows us to serve and glorify Him on earth.

A gift from God

Working at Calvary Chapel El Cajon changed my perspective concerning my paycheck.  I had worked in construction for several insulation shops over nine years time and was always paid weekly.  The primary difference was not that I was paid every two weeks (or fortnightly, as we would say in OZ) at Calvary, but the source of the income:  tithes and offerings.  Speaking for myself, when I worked for an hourly wage there was a sense I had worked to earn money.  As a pastor, my salary was paid through God's provision through the obedience and generosity of His people.  This caused me to be very careful with the way I spent money, realizing people had given that money towards God's work.

Now I have come full-circle back to being paid weekly in constuction, but my perspective has changed yet again.  I had the most incredible sensation of thankfulness and indebtedness to God for His miraculous provision as I opened my paycheck for the first two days back in the trade.  It struck me like never before that the paycheck I held in my hands was a gift from God.  As such it must be used for His work and His purposes.  A steward is responsible to take charge of what he has been given, for he must answer for how he has handled his master's resources.  I don't think I'm saying anything you don't know.  But it may be something you haven't realized.  There's a difference!

When you hold a check in your hands, even if it is a "reimbursement," do you breathe out thanks to your Heavenly Father for that gift from Him?  Are you determined to use it all for God's glory and His work?  I am not saying every cent of your income should be used to support missionaries or church building projects.  We have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.  But do you recognize everything you possess is God's and He simply allows you to use it for a while?  If we see our money as earnings or our "just due," perhaps we will feel more entitled to use it according to our whims and not God's will.

What a treasure we have in our God!  He has given us life and everything we call our own.  Have you thanked God today?  He is the Giver who keeps on giving:  not to the end that we would keep all for ourselves, but that we might be as generous as He is for His glory and praise. 

Irrevocable Standard

While driving home from work today, sport radio stations were covering the Tiger Wood's adultery scandal from every angle.  A talk-show host began thinking by talking (and I quote to the best of my recollection):  "Who really is surprised by infidelity these days?  Maybe we should rethink the whole idea of marriage as a society.  Half of the marriages fail, so maybe we shouldn't teach our kids that you need to be married at a certain stage.  Maybe marriage doesn't work.  I dunno."  I have learned that if I don't know, my mouth should stay shut.  I am not surprised by infidelity.  But to suggest that marriage should be "re-thought" as if the problem is the institution of marriage by God, that is where I firmly stand in opposition.

Consider the logic:  because many marriages fail due to infidelity, we should do away with marriage.  Because the standard of monogomous marriage is so often broken, as a society let us remove the standard.  From a worldly perspective, perhaps this makes twisted sense.  But as a follower of Jesus Christ who believes that no society or government can rethink or redefine the institution of marriage between one man and one woman as God has ordained, it is a foolish and ignorant view.  This is the equivalent of saying, "Because Americans are lousy at geography, maybe we should rethink maps.  Throw out all the maps, and then we won't have to know where anything is.  Think of all the geography classes that would not be taught, saving taxpayers millions."  We could burn every map in the world, but our actions do not change the alignment of continents and countries on the globe.  No, we must maintain and promote the standards God has decreed.  No matter what we think about God's precepts, they will stand and endure.

We live in a culture where standards are compromised because of feelings.  Take a kid bowling and lanes are outfitted with bumpers so a child never has to feel the sting of disappointment from a gutter-ball.  In tee-ball outs and run totals are not kept (mostly to keep the parents from taking it too seriously!) so no one feels bad because of losing.  Where there is no loser there is no winner.  Abolishing marriage is not a reasonable solution.  Marriage is a good thing that has been tainted by imperfect people.  No one is required to be married, and those who are married are not required to be divorced.   Sin is the problem, not marriage.  But we love to blame other people or even God to shirk the responsibility He will certainly hold us accountable for on the Day of Judgment.  Using the talk-show host's logic, let's just rethink God and forget the Bible so we won't be held accountable.  My friends, this "logic" may sound appealing until the horrible moment we are brought before the Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life, the Maker of all things.  How will our betraying thoughts serve us then?

No scientist or person with a moderately functional brain can deny the order in the universe, from a single cell to the alignment of heavenly bodies.  Where people differ is how it began, or Who is responsible.  We trust that with ever beat of our heart, oxygenated blood will flow through all of our bodies and return to the heart with the next beat.  God designed that.  We recognize deformity in the human body because there is uniformity in human anatomy.  God designed the heavens, and He who placed limits on the oceans designed marriage.  We are flawed and cannot meet God's standard of perfection.  Through Jesus, when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins.  A broken heart can be healed, and a broken marriage can be restored.  Only God can do these things.

God's laws are not in our power to change.  No amount of us thinking changes reality.  Jesus said, "Which of you by worrying can add 18 inches to your height?"  By thinking I cannot enable my hair to change from brown to blonde!  Everything that God has done is good.  Let us walk according to His ways, for in doing so we will glorify Him.

Laying the Foundation

I've been reading a biography of Winston Churchill, an amazing man who understood the meaning of courage, duty, and adversity.  He led Great Britain through World War II and is among the greatest Prime Ministers ever.  When he was made Prime Minister of England, Winston Churchill said in his address to the House of Commons, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."  Churchill did not see himself as a great man, but a man who was destined by God to do great things.  There have been few modern leaders more influential to a nation than Winston Churchill.  We are short on true leaders these days.  There are few who are willing to use their blood, toil, tears, and sweat for the good of others and the glory of God.

I'm enjoying working with my hands again.  I wake up around 4:50am and brave the morning chill, arriving at my current job site at 6am.  I've been wrapping duct the last couple of days, some off a 10' ladder and a scissor lift.  The work itself is exactly as I remember it being, and in a way I feel like I never left.  I hadn't wrapped a duct in over seven years!  But as familiar as the trade is to me, there is something very different this time around.  I am not simply working to provide for my family or advance in a company.  I am a preacher/pastor, and now I am a preacher who insulates.  I am insulating because God opened a door to work, and all this is working towards a working visa in Australia.

This is the desire that God has put in my heart:  I offer my blood, toil, tears, and sweat for the glory of God in Australia.  In the words of Paul, I will gladly spend and be spent for the Australian people (2 Cor. 12:15).  I have not been invited by any to do this, but I have been called by God to do so.  Every day I affirm my commitment as I toil and sweat covered in fiberglass and dust for a higher purpose than just to fill my belly with food and provide shelter for my family.  The cuts on my hands and the soreness of my body is not for my own benefit, but for the glory of God.

After the LORD destroyed Jericho, Joshua 6:26 relates, "Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates."  Many years later, a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho.  1 Kings 16:34 says, "In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun."  Re-building Jericho came at a personal cost for Hiel, his oldest and youngest son.  In my situation this would be a grave cost indeed!

My prayer is that God would be gracious to allow me the privilege of laying a foundation of solid Bible teaching and faithful longevity in ministry in Australia.  No cost is too high in following Jesus Christ.  I am not perfect in my pursuit of Christ, but I want to be better.  How amazing that I could be a tool in the hand of The Master Craftsman, by whom all things have been created and sustained!  I am not worthy that He would place His hand upon me for any profit.  May Jesus Christ be glorified in Australia and to the ends of the earth!  Lay the foundation of Christ in Australia, Father, and use me as your mortar, brick, or trowel!