I recently finished reading Church Zero: Raising 1st Century Churches of the the Ashes of the 21st Century Church by Peyton Jones. I was blessed and challenged by it. Perhaps there might be some who may be a bit put off by the large amount of pop culture references, but the substance is scripturally sound and thought provoking. It encouraged me to seek God's direction and stay the course. It caused me to examine myself and the ministry of the fellowship I am part of. It also was another confirmation concerning things God has already been saying: we cannot just keep "doing church" as we have seen traditionally modeled, but must embrace the scriptural model revealed in the book of Acts. Jones emphasises the need for kingdom expansion through church planting, not building empires that become insular and hungry for more people so we can afford better toys.
There was one time when our "modern" worship services were cutting edge, proactive according to the leading of the Spirit. For the last thirty years or so I have observed, not a whole lot has changed. Well, things have changed - but perhaps not always for the better. We know so much, but we trust God little. Once the machine of ministry is rolling, we can be snagged between jagged gears which catch men and women, painfully chew them up, and spit them out. The church tends to "cherry pick" those who serve, rather than training and encouraging all people to do the work of the ministry beyond the walls of a church. There is more to Christian service than chores around a building: it is the building up of one another in love through fellowship, pressing forward towards Christ in faith.
Having worked with children, youth, and adults during seasons of ministry, I can relate to many of the things Peyton Jones says. What is particularly troubling (in a good way!) is it challenges the model that passes for youth groups and even church these days. I found several passages almost haunting, as they dripped with raw truth. Jones writes, "As E. Stanley Jones explained, The very setup of the ordinary church tends to produce the anonymous. The congregation is supposed to be silent and receptive, and the pastor is supposed to be outgoing and aggressive. That produces by its very makeup the spectator and the participant. By its very makeup it produces the recessive, the ingrown, the non-contributive, and the parasite. Men and women who during the weeks are molders of opinion, directors of large concerns, directors of destinies are expected to be putty on Sunday, and are supposed to like it. The have little responsibility, hence make little response, except, perhaps, "I enjoyed your sermon." They have little to do, hence thy do little." (Church Zero, Kindle, highlight on page 199, Loc. 2383-86)
Following Jesus Christ is not a spectator activity. To be honest, I suspect many Christians are more emotionally involved with their children's sport's teams, a TV show, or a novel than with Jesus Christ! I do not say these things to criticise the church, but as a part of the church I know that at times it has been and still can be true in me! Oh, that we would learn to love and follow Christ! That we would lead others to Him! This may mean we need to change our methods, but Jesus is still our means and end. A flaw of church today is the tendency to be reactionary. In seeking to be progressive by implementing a program or strategising with plans that have worked for others, it remains a reactionary response. The only way the church can ever be progressive or effective for the kingdom of God is to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
God is working and moving in the church today. He is stretching hearts and shattering paradigms. He will break forth with power and might when we choose to repent, inquire of God, and faithfully obey His commands. In due season we shall reap, if we faint not. We must be willing to follow Christ standing on His Word alone. Even if no one follow us, may we follow Christ. Where He goes, we must follow!
12 May 2013
When Overwhelmed
With God, all things are possible. It may be often quoted, but this truth is seldom believed. There are many people in scripture who certainly believed in God's existence, had a living relationship with Him, and yet had doubts. Moses, one of the great fathers of faith, had moments of doubt like all of us. Even those with genuine faith have a great need for their faith to be renewed and strengthened, growing upon the foundation of God's Word and His faithfulness.
After God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, the people complained because they didn't have meat to eat. They suffered from the common malady of a "selective memory." While they toiled in Egypt under heavy burdens and an oppressive regime, they cried out for deliverance. But when God delivered them, they only remembered the fresh vegetables and meats that were available to them after a brutal day's work. Their ungrateful hearts and covetousness angered both God and Moses. After hearing the complaints of the people, Moses brought his complaint before God. He said to God in essence, "If this is how it's going to be, kill me now!" In His grace, God promised to provide His people with meat. He would not only give them meat for a meal or a day, but meat with such abundance that they would become sick of it - every meal, every day for a month!
Moses was gobsmacked. In the middle of a desert, where would this bountiful supply of meat come from? Numbers 11:21-23 reads, "And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?" 23 And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD'S arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not." At that time there were over a million people in total. Because Moses focused on the great magnitude of the need, doubt crept into his heart. He could not imagine such a source of food readily available in the desert. But God corrected the fault of Moses. Instead of focusing on the greatness of the need or the scarcity of meat, Moses was to look to God as His source. God said, "Have I suddenly become weak and pathetic? Wait and see if I can and will do what I say."
God was true to His word. He caused a wind to blow quail into the camp of the Israelites a meter deep, and the ridiculously plentiful quail stretched for a day's journey in every direction outside the camp. We too can fall into the trap of being overwhelmed by the needs all around us and wonder if God is not overwhelmed too! We believe in God and His Word, but we doubt that He is willing or able to do anything about our needs. When our big problems make God appear small, we have lost proper perspective. David wrote in Psalm 61:1-2, "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Notice that David did not say, "If my heart is overwhelmed" but "when." It is not a case of if you are overwhelmed, but it is only a matter of when. When we are overwhelmed, let us turn to God in faith. Let us not be ashamed to admit our unbelief to Him. He is faithful and with our own eyes we will see His provision and salvation.
After God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, the people complained because they didn't have meat to eat. They suffered from the common malady of a "selective memory." While they toiled in Egypt under heavy burdens and an oppressive regime, they cried out for deliverance. But when God delivered them, they only remembered the fresh vegetables and meats that were available to them after a brutal day's work. Their ungrateful hearts and covetousness angered both God and Moses. After hearing the complaints of the people, Moses brought his complaint before God. He said to God in essence, "If this is how it's going to be, kill me now!" In His grace, God promised to provide His people with meat. He would not only give them meat for a meal or a day, but meat with such abundance that they would become sick of it - every meal, every day for a month!
Moses was gobsmacked. In the middle of a desert, where would this bountiful supply of meat come from? Numbers 11:21-23 reads, "And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.' 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?" 23 And the LORD said to Moses, "Has the LORD'S arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not." At that time there were over a million people in total. Because Moses focused on the great magnitude of the need, doubt crept into his heart. He could not imagine such a source of food readily available in the desert. But God corrected the fault of Moses. Instead of focusing on the greatness of the need or the scarcity of meat, Moses was to look to God as His source. God said, "Have I suddenly become weak and pathetic? Wait and see if I can and will do what I say."
God was true to His word. He caused a wind to blow quail into the camp of the Israelites a meter deep, and the ridiculously plentiful quail stretched for a day's journey in every direction outside the camp. We too can fall into the trap of being overwhelmed by the needs all around us and wonder if God is not overwhelmed too! We believe in God and His Word, but we doubt that He is willing or able to do anything about our needs. When our big problems make God appear small, we have lost proper perspective. David wrote in Psalm 61:1-2, "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Notice that David did not say, "If my heart is overwhelmed" but "when." It is not a case of if you are overwhelmed, but it is only a matter of when. When we are overwhelmed, let us turn to God in faith. Let us not be ashamed to admit our unbelief to Him. He is faithful and with our own eyes we will see His provision and salvation.
11 May 2013
Treating God like an Idol
This morning at Calvary Chapel Sydney we finished 2 Samuel 5 during the morning service. One of the points which impacted me was how after God defeated the Philistines who encamped in the valley, those who fled left their idols behind. Their false gods were exposed as the feeble nothings they truly were. The Philistines brought their idols to the field of battle, thinking that by their presence they would gain the victory. In the end, the idols left behind were gathered by David's men and burned.
Two times in the chapter, God fought for His people Israel and defeated the Philistines. The key to their victory was that David first sought the LORD for guidance and walked in obedience to His commands long before the fight was enjoined. There were two battles fought against the same enemy in the same valley, yet God directed David with two very different courses of action. The first time God told David to go up against them directly to fight, and the second time he was to stealthily wait in front of a grove of trees. When he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, he was to attack immediately, for God went before His people to smite the Philistines.
The theme which weighed heavily upon my heart was the fact that David sought counsel of God before he went into battle. Sometimes we treat God like the Philistines treated their idols. We attempt to bring God along into our daily activities and plans, thinking that if we find ourselves in trouble He will deliver us. That is exactly what Hophni and Phinehas tried to do with the Ark of the Covenant. Instead of inquiring of the LORD for direction before going into battle, they brought the Ark thinking by virtue of its presence they would have victory. They perished on the field of battle, and the Ark was taken by the Philistines! As Christians, we have the living presence of God dwelling within us but can treat God like an idol that cannot think, speak, listen, or answer. We don't bother to seek or inquire of Him, so He allows us to stumble in the dark. If we choose this way of dealing with adversity or trouble, we should not expect a better outcome than the beaten Philistines.
When we are attacked or troubled, our first course of action is to take refuge in the stronghold that is Jesus Christ. David was speaking from personal experience when he penned Psalm 18:2: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." David sought guidance from God before he responded, and he was obedient to do what God commanded. God's Word contains the answers to questions we have not yet asked! He speaks, guides, instructs, and keeps us. God is the One who gives us the victory. God has provided the Way: may we walk therein!
Two times in the chapter, God fought for His people Israel and defeated the Philistines. The key to their victory was that David first sought the LORD for guidance and walked in obedience to His commands long before the fight was enjoined. There were two battles fought against the same enemy in the same valley, yet God directed David with two very different courses of action. The first time God told David to go up against them directly to fight, and the second time he was to stealthily wait in front of a grove of trees. When he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, he was to attack immediately, for God went before His people to smite the Philistines.
The theme which weighed heavily upon my heart was the fact that David sought counsel of God before he went into battle. Sometimes we treat God like the Philistines treated their idols. We attempt to bring God along into our daily activities and plans, thinking that if we find ourselves in trouble He will deliver us. That is exactly what Hophni and Phinehas tried to do with the Ark of the Covenant. Instead of inquiring of the LORD for direction before going into battle, they brought the Ark thinking by virtue of its presence they would have victory. They perished on the field of battle, and the Ark was taken by the Philistines! As Christians, we have the living presence of God dwelling within us but can treat God like an idol that cannot think, speak, listen, or answer. We don't bother to seek or inquire of Him, so He allows us to stumble in the dark. If we choose this way of dealing with adversity or trouble, we should not expect a better outcome than the beaten Philistines.
When we are attacked or troubled, our first course of action is to take refuge in the stronghold that is Jesus Christ. David was speaking from personal experience when he penned Psalm 18:2: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." David sought guidance from God before he responded, and he was obedient to do what God commanded. God's Word contains the answers to questions we have not yet asked! He speaks, guides, instructs, and keeps us. God is the One who gives us the victory. God has provided the Way: may we walk therein!
07 May 2013
Hands of Love
Last night I read in James, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations..." Falling isn't a joyful experience. Skinned knees, broken bones, torn clothes, and embarrassment can all be effects of a fall. Yet this is the very first exhortation James gives in his epistle: "Count it all joy when you fall." In context, James is not speaking of a literal fall or being overtaken by sin. He is talking about times in our lives when we experience difficult trials. The trial itself may not be joyful, but in Christ we can respond with pure joy knowing that God is working for our good and His glory through it. James 1:2-4 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
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knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
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But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." When our faith is tested, patience is produced. It is God's way of bringing us to completion.
Sometimes we experience pain and discomfort because of our wandering, even like a wayward, stubborn sheep. In ancient times, if a young sheep was prone to wander the shepherd would carefully break a leg of that sheep. He would carry the sheep wherever he went and a close bond would form. Even after the leg healed and the sheep could run away, it would freely choose to remain near the shepherd. From the perspective of the sheep, a broken leg was a painful trial. But somehow, through the continuous gentle care of the shepherd, the sheep knew that staying with the shepherd was the place of safety. When we wander, the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ may discipline us sharply. The purpose of this is to keep us closer to Him in the future. That is why David wrote after his sin with Bathsheba in Psalm 51:6-8, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice."
Did you catch that last verse? "Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice." Broken bones rejoicing! A loving father disciplines his children, and God disciplines those He loves. He allows trials, difficulties, and even chastens us so we might mature in faith. When we recognise the love behind those hands which can hurt, even the bones which are broken rejoice. No one curses a surgeon for cutting through skin to reach the malignant tumor that will cause certain death. The surgeon that successfully operates is counted as a hero, not a villain! Job understood the goodness of God though he found his life bitter. He said in Job 13:15, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him." By the end of the book of Job, he had changed. He still trusted God no matter what, even at the cost of his own life. But his suffering taught him the folly of justifying himself before the holy, All-Powerful God. As long as we walk upon this earth, even the most righteous require refinement.
May we have this heart of trust and faith in the God who loves us and sent Jesus Christ as Saviour. Whether we find ourselves fallen in a trial or being chastened by a God, never allow you pain to blind you from the loving God who wounds and heals. God proclaims in Deuteronomy 32:39, "Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand." No one can snatch us out of those loving hands, hands pierced with crude Roman nails. Abide there, believer. May the joy of the LORD be your strength!
Sometimes we experience pain and discomfort because of our wandering, even like a wayward, stubborn sheep. In ancient times, if a young sheep was prone to wander the shepherd would carefully break a leg of that sheep. He would carry the sheep wherever he went and a close bond would form. Even after the leg healed and the sheep could run away, it would freely choose to remain near the shepherd. From the perspective of the sheep, a broken leg was a painful trial. But somehow, through the continuous gentle care of the shepherd, the sheep knew that staying with the shepherd was the place of safety. When we wander, the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ may discipline us sharply. The purpose of this is to keep us closer to Him in the future. That is why David wrote after his sin with Bathsheba in Psalm 51:6-8, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice."
Did you catch that last verse? "Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice." Broken bones rejoicing! A loving father disciplines his children, and God disciplines those He loves. He allows trials, difficulties, and even chastens us so we might mature in faith. When we recognise the love behind those hands which can hurt, even the bones which are broken rejoice. No one curses a surgeon for cutting through skin to reach the malignant tumor that will cause certain death. The surgeon that successfully operates is counted as a hero, not a villain! Job understood the goodness of God though he found his life bitter. He said in Job 13:15, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him." By the end of the book of Job, he had changed. He still trusted God no matter what, even at the cost of his own life. But his suffering taught him the folly of justifying himself before the holy, All-Powerful God. As long as we walk upon this earth, even the most righteous require refinement.
May we have this heart of trust and faith in the God who loves us and sent Jesus Christ as Saviour. Whether we find ourselves fallen in a trial or being chastened by a God, never allow you pain to blind you from the loving God who wounds and heals. God proclaims in Deuteronomy 32:39, "Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand." No one can snatch us out of those loving hands, hands pierced with crude Roman nails. Abide there, believer. May the joy of the LORD be your strength!
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