Today I planted some seeds in our small garden in the back yard. I planted some chili peppers and tomatoes in pursuit of some delicious fresh salsa. As I poured the seeds into my palm from the tiny packet, I looked from the tiny seeds to the picture of a huge tomato on the envelope. The pale, dry seeds were extremely tiny, yet the package said to plant them almost a full meter apart! It is phenomenal that one miniscule seed in the proper environment will certainly sprout into a large bush and bear much fruit. Amazing!
Planting the seeds was very simple. I felt no pressure whatsoever, because the growth of the plant and its fruitfulness does not depend on my ability. They will either grow or they won't. If there is not growth I will plant more! I carefully dropped seeds into a slight depression, covered it with soil, and pressed it firmly. In mere minutes I had sown, watered, and now the waiting begins! I was reminded of a passage of scripture, Psalm 126:6: "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." This is a great verse which illustrates well the heart of evangelism. For the love of God and His everlasting glory, we are to humbly, meekly, and obediently sow seed in the hearts of any who will receive. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed is the Word of God (the Bible) and the condition of the soil represents the hearts of the hearers. Not all seed that is sown will grow, but some will. God's Word is the seed of finest quality and we can trust it will be fruitful according to God's promises.
I think many people put pressure on themselves when it comes to evangelism. Instead of holding fast to the spiritual perspective that sometimes we sow, water, or harvest in complete reliance upon God, we can make an activity to personally measure our faith and holiness. When the Word is rejected we take it personally. When seeds are sown and nothing seems to have changed, we can become disillusioned and lose heart. As I planted those seeds in boxes filled with clean topsoil, all my confidence was in the seed and the Designer who engineered it: God. It should be exactly the same when I share scripture and my faith with others. Instead of placing my confidence in my words, experience, training, or a tract, I ought to place my faith in God's Word, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate and save.
When the use of God's Word is divorced from evangelism, we should not be surprised when our effort is wasted. It is like turning the earth with a spade but never planting anything! Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour." If we are faithful to share the Word of God as led by the Holy Spirit, God will give the increase. God's Word will always accomplish the purpose for which it is sent, and will never return void. Scatter it liberally! If much fruit can come from a tiny dry seed which satisfies the mouth and stomach temporarily, how much greater is an eternal harvest of souls for the glory of God?
29 August 2011
28 August 2011
Beware of Thieves!
I spent a couple hours this morning digging in the backyard. With spring rapidly approaching (and today it felt like it had arrived full-force!), it was time to start preparing the plot for a small vegetable garden. We aim to plant different varieties of chiles, beetroot, tomatoes, and lettuce to start. As I cleared an area overgrown with grass and weeds by the fence, I found myself having to contend with roots from our neighbor's trees. Several of his trees near the fence apparently have found an abundance of water in my yard. Whenever I found one, I dug up as much as I could and cut it off.
I don't know why, but God often teaches me things as I work in the yard. Lately the lessons have a common thread: the proper use of my time. I consider the roots of my neighbors trees as thieves, intruders on my property. They rob the plants I am trying to cultivate of water and nutrients. They choke out my plants and impede my ability to properly turn the soil and irrigate. They destroy the fence and lift up brick pavers. Under the surface, they deftly grow strong and deep. I have declared war on those thieving roots, and I am not sympathetic to a single one.
Imagine your life as a Christian like a fenced yard. Inside your life, within the boundaries of your relationship with God, the Holy Spirit is cultivating spiritual fruit to bring glory to God. Your thoughts and actions are to be wholly governed by God. But there influences outside the walls of your heart: hobbies, cares, and concerns which vie for our attention. It could be a preoccupation about watching a football game, who was eliminated last night on Survivor, browsing on Facebook, or playing Angry Birds. It could be absolutely anything, and likely nothing in itself that is sin. But these roots are a real threat to our relationship with God. Notice I did not say "can be" a threat. Every one of those roots ARE threats to take our mind off of Christ and onto things of this world.
In my backyard, I have no sympathy for those thieving roots. But God is showing me that in my spiritual life I harbour sympathy for particular time thieves. For example, time at the movies, playing games, and watching sport can rob God of time He desires to spend with me and I should spend with Him. But wait just a moment, you might say. Am I saying there is something wrong with hobbies and recreational activities? Not in themselves. The problem is within us because we are always unbalanced. God and the world are not to be weighed on scales with the false balance of cultural Christianity. I doubt anyone would dispute we give too much thought and time to things we shouldn't. Next to life in Christ, time is one of the great gifts God has given us. Time is easier wasted on the world than invested in godly things.
I am slowly, ever so slowly, coming to grips with how hardcore the lifestyle of a Christian is intended to be. It is evident what I have seen and experienced of Christianity has been more influenced by western culture than it should be. How much time did Jesus spend extolling the virtues of hobbies and recreational activities? How often did He justify anything done solely for personal gratification? I can't think of a single instance! Jesus always went straight for the heart of the matter, the purpose and motivation behind what we do and why we do it. Two men can play rugby: one can play it motivated by pride, because he wants to crush people and win, while the other plays so he might have an opportunity to glorify Jesus Christ through his example. Same activity, different motivation and outcome.
Christ is supposed to be my all in all, but I sorrow to think He has been reduced to some. That is just not good enough. He deserves better. I encourage you to consider this question: what do you spend a lot of your time thinking about? What commands your attention apart from Christ? That is the thing which has roots creeping under the fence, threatening to sap you of spiritual strength and power. One by one as those roots come to your attention, do battle on them. Everything has its place, but we should not be sympathetic towards anything which robs God of time with us and us with Him. Your spiritual walk will be better and stronger for it.
I don't know why, but God often teaches me things as I work in the yard. Lately the lessons have a common thread: the proper use of my time. I consider the roots of my neighbors trees as thieves, intruders on my property. They rob the plants I am trying to cultivate of water and nutrients. They choke out my plants and impede my ability to properly turn the soil and irrigate. They destroy the fence and lift up brick pavers. Under the surface, they deftly grow strong and deep. I have declared war on those thieving roots, and I am not sympathetic to a single one.
Imagine your life as a Christian like a fenced yard. Inside your life, within the boundaries of your relationship with God, the Holy Spirit is cultivating spiritual fruit to bring glory to God. Your thoughts and actions are to be wholly governed by God. But there influences outside the walls of your heart: hobbies, cares, and concerns which vie for our attention. It could be a preoccupation about watching a football game, who was eliminated last night on Survivor, browsing on Facebook, or playing Angry Birds. It could be absolutely anything, and likely nothing in itself that is sin. But these roots are a real threat to our relationship with God. Notice I did not say "can be" a threat. Every one of those roots ARE threats to take our mind off of Christ and onto things of this world.
In my backyard, I have no sympathy for those thieving roots. But God is showing me that in my spiritual life I harbour sympathy for particular time thieves. For example, time at the movies, playing games, and watching sport can rob God of time He desires to spend with me and I should spend with Him. But wait just a moment, you might say. Am I saying there is something wrong with hobbies and recreational activities? Not in themselves. The problem is within us because we are always unbalanced. God and the world are not to be weighed on scales with the false balance of cultural Christianity. I doubt anyone would dispute we give too much thought and time to things we shouldn't. Next to life in Christ, time is one of the great gifts God has given us. Time is easier wasted on the world than invested in godly things.
I am slowly, ever so slowly, coming to grips with how hardcore the lifestyle of a Christian is intended to be. It is evident what I have seen and experienced of Christianity has been more influenced by western culture than it should be. How much time did Jesus spend extolling the virtues of hobbies and recreational activities? How often did He justify anything done solely for personal gratification? I can't think of a single instance! Jesus always went straight for the heart of the matter, the purpose and motivation behind what we do and why we do it. Two men can play rugby: one can play it motivated by pride, because he wants to crush people and win, while the other plays so he might have an opportunity to glorify Jesus Christ through his example. Same activity, different motivation and outcome.
Christ is supposed to be my all in all, but I sorrow to think He has been reduced to some. That is just not good enough. He deserves better. I encourage you to consider this question: what do you spend a lot of your time thinking about? What commands your attention apart from Christ? That is the thing which has roots creeping under the fence, threatening to sap you of spiritual strength and power. One by one as those roots come to your attention, do battle on them. Everything has its place, but we should not be sympathetic towards anything which robs God of time with us and us with Him. Your spiritual walk will be better and stronger for it.
26 August 2011
Use Time Wisely
I read an interesting article about the lack of team chemistry in sports these days due to modern technology. This claim has been substantiated by many coaches at the professional level. It used to be that when the team rode the bus, traveled on planes, or sat around in the dressing rooms, they would be talking with one another. Camaraderie grew between the players as they ate food, told stories, cracked jokes, made fun of each other, or shared in ridiculous antics. A good team became better because players were not just teammates but friends. There was a large overlap between personal life and the playing field.
Where there used to be conversations, now there is silence between people. Everyone has their headphones on or their ear buds in. A little world is created where the programming, playlist, and activities are all controlled by the user. It is all about me. People play mindless games on their mobiles to fill the time, or surf the net on their tablets. Silence means distance, even when you share a seat. Quoting Adrian Dater, the writer for SI.com: "The rise of smartphones, with all their instant-communication and entertainment options, have created insular worlds into which distracted players too often retreat instead of bonding with teammates." The ironic thing is that people are still bored stiff!
It isn't only team sports which have suffered from this unbridled advance of technology: families all over the world face this all too common disaster. Mobile phones used to be used only in case of emergency. But now they operate as a phone, video camera, personal computer, mp3 player, movie theater, television, and gaming system in one. Parents and kids are easily sucked into an alternate reality that literally drains half of your productive waking hours away. Instead of playing board games, everyone sits on the lounge playing their own game, sending text messages, or chatting with friends who are sitting on a lounge somewhere else. Without restraints, life flows in the direction of least resistance. Technology can be very helpful, but without strict limits and guidelines it is dangerous and destructive.
As a pastor my concern is not only with individuals and families, but the state of people's relationship with God. If sports teams are feeling the pinch, if families are becoming virtual strangers in their own homes, how much is addiction to technology robbing God of the close relationships He desires and deserves! Here is a strange thing to consider: instead of a son confiding in his parents, he shares his struggles with a grown man on another continent he has never seen; instead of a daughter spending time with God in prayer, she plays games for hours; instead of spending time with her husband, a wife night after night chats late with people she doesn't even care about or will ever meet. And why don't we spend time studying the scripture, praying, and having close family time? Because we don't have the time. Yeah right. We all have the same amount of time: we must choose to use our time productively doing things which really matter by investing in family and eternity.
I offer this challenge: place limits on how, when, and how often you and your children spend time utilizing technology for personal gratification. You may find it hard to abide by your own rules! If this is the case, consider that you might have a problem that will not go away on its own. Give up things that draw you away from God. Seek the LORD and allow Him to order your day and the use of your time. As parents, let me remind you that you are completely responsible for the actions of your children. Take the reins and hold them firmly. If you child or teen responds with tears and tantrums, you are doing the right thing! Stand fast and stay strong! As John Wesley says, "Never, on any account, give a child anything that it cries for." Take control of your personal lives and your families, for the devil would like nothing more than for us to twiddle our thumbs all the way to our graves.
Where there used to be conversations, now there is silence between people. Everyone has their headphones on or their ear buds in. A little world is created where the programming, playlist, and activities are all controlled by the user. It is all about me. People play mindless games on their mobiles to fill the time, or surf the net on their tablets. Silence means distance, even when you share a seat. Quoting Adrian Dater, the writer for SI.com: "The rise of smartphones, with all their instant-communication and entertainment options, have created insular worlds into which distracted players too often retreat instead of bonding with teammates." The ironic thing is that people are still bored stiff!
It isn't only team sports which have suffered from this unbridled advance of technology: families all over the world face this all too common disaster. Mobile phones used to be used only in case of emergency. But now they operate as a phone, video camera, personal computer, mp3 player, movie theater, television, and gaming system in one. Parents and kids are easily sucked into an alternate reality that literally drains half of your productive waking hours away. Instead of playing board games, everyone sits on the lounge playing their own game, sending text messages, or chatting with friends who are sitting on a lounge somewhere else. Without restraints, life flows in the direction of least resistance. Technology can be very helpful, but without strict limits and guidelines it is dangerous and destructive.
As a pastor my concern is not only with individuals and families, but the state of people's relationship with God. If sports teams are feeling the pinch, if families are becoming virtual strangers in their own homes, how much is addiction to technology robbing God of the close relationships He desires and deserves! Here is a strange thing to consider: instead of a son confiding in his parents, he shares his struggles with a grown man on another continent he has never seen; instead of a daughter spending time with God in prayer, she plays games for hours; instead of spending time with her husband, a wife night after night chats late with people she doesn't even care about or will ever meet. And why don't we spend time studying the scripture, praying, and having close family time? Because we don't have the time. Yeah right. We all have the same amount of time: we must choose to use our time productively doing things which really matter by investing in family and eternity.
I offer this challenge: place limits on how, when, and how often you and your children spend time utilizing technology for personal gratification. You may find it hard to abide by your own rules! If this is the case, consider that you might have a problem that will not go away on its own. Give up things that draw you away from God. Seek the LORD and allow Him to order your day and the use of your time. As parents, let me remind you that you are completely responsible for the actions of your children. Take the reins and hold them firmly. If you child or teen responds with tears and tantrums, you are doing the right thing! Stand fast and stay strong! As John Wesley says, "Never, on any account, give a child anything that it cries for." Take control of your personal lives and your families, for the devil would like nothing more than for us to twiddle our thumbs all the way to our graves.
23 August 2011
In and Upon
Early this morning I walked into my son's shared room to see Abel lying on his back, shivering in bed. The air was chilly and the room dark. Though Abel had thick blankets available for him to use, one had fallen off the bed and the other was at his feet in a ball. His arms clung tightly to the thin flannel sheet as he slept.
My initial reaction was a cross between amusement, annoyance, and compassion. It struck me funny that Abel clung to the thing which offered him least protection against the cold. But if the bed had been completely made with the blanket tucked it could not have slid onto the floor! The boy was cold and needed warmth. The steps which precipitated the shivering was not as important as the cure: lifting the blankets back onto the bed, smoothing out the blanket pile, and Abel laying underneath them.
In Australia, a thick bedspread is often called a "doona." In the States where I was born, a common term is a "comforter." The LORD impressed upon my heart that Abel's condition is not unlike many in the body of Christ in a spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the "Comforter" who will guide us into all truth. His role is to glorify Jesus Christ, teach us of the things of God, and lead us according to God's will. There are many Christians who are shuddering in the cold because they have not embraced the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides gifts to be used for the edification of the Body and the glorification of God. In his sleep, Abel was blind and insensible. He was cold when he could have been warm.
Christ baptized the disciples with the Holy Spirit and fire on the Day of Pentecost, and He baptizes people in like fashion today. Many have kicked the idea of baptism with the Holy Spirit to the side of their Christian experience. Satan has done much to warp perception of this baptism through excess, abuse, and confusion. But the biblical precedent is clear and simple: we receive this baptism through faith in Christ with the asking, even as a child receives a peeled egg from the hand of his father. Eggs are to be ingested, and blankets are to be snuggled under. Praise God for His compassion upon us, that He has not left us in the dark or in the cold! Our heavenly Father has given us the Holy Spirit through Christ's intercession as Jesus says in John 14:16-17: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Jesus affirms in Luke 11:13: "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Let us not be cold or settle for lukewarm, but fanned into a burning flame through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is like oil ignited: when mixed with the Living Water which flows from our hearts the flame is not extinguished but spreads with great intensity! The Holy Spirit is in all who repent and trust in Christ: may He be upon us as well.
My initial reaction was a cross between amusement, annoyance, and compassion. It struck me funny that Abel clung to the thing which offered him least protection against the cold. But if the bed had been completely made with the blanket tucked it could not have slid onto the floor! The boy was cold and needed warmth. The steps which precipitated the shivering was not as important as the cure: lifting the blankets back onto the bed, smoothing out the blanket pile, and Abel laying underneath them.
In Australia, a thick bedspread is often called a "doona." In the States where I was born, a common term is a "comforter." The LORD impressed upon my heart that Abel's condition is not unlike many in the body of Christ in a spiritual sense. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the "Comforter" who will guide us into all truth. His role is to glorify Jesus Christ, teach us of the things of God, and lead us according to God's will. There are many Christians who are shuddering in the cold because they have not embraced the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides gifts to be used for the edification of the Body and the glorification of God. In his sleep, Abel was blind and insensible. He was cold when he could have been warm.
Christ baptized the disciples with the Holy Spirit and fire on the Day of Pentecost, and He baptizes people in like fashion today. Many have kicked the idea of baptism with the Holy Spirit to the side of their Christian experience. Satan has done much to warp perception of this baptism through excess, abuse, and confusion. But the biblical precedent is clear and simple: we receive this baptism through faith in Christ with the asking, even as a child receives a peeled egg from the hand of his father. Eggs are to be ingested, and blankets are to be snuggled under. Praise God for His compassion upon us, that He has not left us in the dark or in the cold! Our heavenly Father has given us the Holy Spirit through Christ's intercession as Jesus says in John 14:16-17: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
Jesus affirms in Luke 11:13: "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" Let us not be cold or settle for lukewarm, but fanned into a burning flame through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is like oil ignited: when mixed with the Living Water which flows from our hearts the flame is not extinguished but spreads with great intensity! The Holy Spirit is in all who repent and trust in Christ: may He be upon us as well.
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