God Will Send the Rain

As part of the discipleship course I am leading at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we recently listened to a message by pastor David Guzik titled, "Break Up Your Fallow Ground."  Among the many excellent points held forth by this gifted teacher of the Word of God, the part which stood out to me this time was how we can be resistant to breaking up our own fallow ground.  Ground which has laid "fallow" means it was once cleared and plowed but nothing fruitful or profitable has been sown into the field.  After awhile it hardens and yields only weeds and what grows of itself.  At one point in the message Guzik said our tendency is respond, "God, you break up the fallow ground, and I will prepare the synthetic irrigation system."  The point being made was only God can send the rain of the Holy Spirit, and our call is to examine and deal with our hard hearts according to scripture.

The overarching takeaway from the message is we all have areas of our lives and hearts we must prepare through repentance so God's Word will be increasingly fruitful.  Unless the hard parts of our hearts are humbled before God in brokenness, we will remain unfruitful.  An area of prior usefulness can become dry and devoid of fruit.  Fallow ground only produces weeds because the good seed of God's Word isn't able to penetrate.  Pride, unbelief, sinful choices, and the cares of this world can make the Bible without profit to us.  So often we want God to do for us what only we can do with His help, and we want to sit on the throne of our lives in place of God.  God told His people in Hosea 10:12, "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."

Having received the righteousness of Christ through faith, we ought to live righteously.  It is hard work to break up the fallow ground in the earth, but and even more painful and difficult to break up the fallow ground in our hearts.  We once had hearts softened by God's grace, but over time we can stiffen with pride.  We can pray "God, make me humble!" all we want; we can say "Break up my fallow ground" with sincerity, but the scriptures say to us "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God" (1 Peter 5:6) and "Break up your fallow ground."  God will send the rain early and also the latter rain, and He will cause the seed to grow and be fruitful.  Synthetic irrigation will never do.  It is time to seek the LORD, for God has sought us.  He will send the rain in due time.  We all need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to perform His Word.  God is calling me and you to repentance and brokenness so His Word might be fruitful in and through our lives.

Jesus Found Me

Last evening I began reading Magnificent Obsession:  Why Jesus is Great by David Robertson.  It is a series of letters he wrote in stating why belief in Jesus Christ is a viable, rational faith based upon factual evidence.  In a logical manner, the well-read Robertson expresses thoughts on this critically important and complex subject in a way easily understood.  I am glad God has gifted people who are perfectly suited for intellectual debate and Robertson provides a good mix of theology, practical examples, and thoughtful quotes with a little humour sprinkled in.  So many times Christians make claims or answer questions no one is asking, and this book is a good reminder to actively engage people with different beliefs with a receptive and willing mind.  We can be so focused on trying to hammer scriptural truth into someone else we don't listen.  Robertson listens carefully and then is able to answer succinctly with grace and wisdom.

I once went on an evangelistic outreach to Seattle, Washington with a group of people gathered from all over the States.  It was an opportunity to be challenged and stretched in sharing the Gospel to groups or one-to-one.  There was a real push to spread the Gospel to as many people as possible:  the theory seemed to be the more seed scattered, the more potential fruit.  This impersonal approach didn't work for me.  Speaking for myself, I am more capable and willing to listen to people I don't know when a rapport has developed.  This doesn't need to take a long time, but if I sense a person is giving me a pitch, preoccupied with selling me their product, or is only talking to me because of a "business opportunity," I switch off.  When people are genuine with me and are willing to take time with actual dialogue - a logical exchange of ideas without a subversive agenda - an intellectual conversation is a fun, enjoyable experience for all.

One of the indelible memories I have of the outreach experience was a street preacher who traveled from Minnesota.  I walked past him near a fountain in an open area and there he was, bellowing at the top of his lungs - to no one.  There was not anyone visibly engaged with his words, and a sleepy dog laying nearby gave him more attention than any person.  People walked quickly past him as he said his rehearsed piece.  I will never forget the image:  the passionate man shouting at no one from a small stepladder, totally disengaged from the people he desperately wanted to reach who themselves were desperate to move as far away from him as possible.  I bet the gentleman was a lovely guy.  I would have liked to have talked with him over a meal.  I do not judge the man for doing what he felt was right, but I decided I would not adopt such an impersonal approach.  Jesus spoke to people one-to-one, and He also taught crowds of people who flocked to hear Him.  He spoke to listeners.  It was not volume or intelligence but Christ's love, authority, and the confirmation of the miraculous which attracted people who were interested to hear what He had to say.

In the introduction of the book, Robertson used a neat analogy of how a person seeks God but in reality it is He who finds us.  I could relate to the example because I had experienced it myself.  When I flew into Cambodia, I had no idea what the pastor looked like who was picking up our team at the airport.  I had attached a photo of me in an email, so hopefully the pastor would recognise me!  We walked through a line of people holding signs but I didn't see anything familiar.  Finally we decided to sit down outside the terminal and the pastor found us!  We were looking for him, but he found us.  Robertson writes of meeting strangers at the airport, "You have been looking for them, but they are also looking to reveal themselves to you.  That is what Jesus does.  He is the One we are looking for, and He is the One who is looking for us.  He brings enlightenment - He is after all, the light of the world." (Robertson, David. Magnificent Obsession: Why Jesus Is Great. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 21. Print.)  We are called as Christians to introduce people to Jesus, explain who He is and what He has done, and teach people to follow Him.  Introductions are personal and friendly, and that is how we should introduce people to Jesus.  Jesus found me, and He truly is magnificent!

If you have questions about Jesus Christ or are interested to know more about Him, I would love to correspond with you.  Comment on this post and include an email address (I will not publish!) and I will respond when possible.

Open Your Mouth Wide

During songs of worship after the sermon in church this morning, I reflected upon how drinking and being filled with the Holy Spirit are voluntary.  Suddenly I had the picture in my mind of a gridiron player standing on the sideline and an attendant raising a water bottle.  If the player is thirsty, all he need do is open his mouth and will be given a drink.  It would be rather silly for a thirsty player to keep his mouth shut but open it later to complain of thirst.  I was reminded of God's promise:  "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."  All who are thirsty are invited to come to Christ and drink.  It is not complicated and no ritual is required, but it will take humility which does not come naturally.  Those who admit their dryness, crying out in prayer and opening their mouths in praise of God will receive God's refreshment.  Those who desire the baptism with the Spirit only need open their mouth in faith, and God will make such an overflowing fountain of Living Water.

I decided to look up the passage God prompted me to consider found in Psalm 81:7-10:  "You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah ⁸ Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! ⁹ There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."  God brought the children of Israel out of bondage and gave them safe passage through dry wilderness.  God caused water to flow from the rock in Horeb which Moses later called Meribah.  God tested the faith of His thirsty people and proved His power to them miraculously.  He also tests us today with the filling of the Holy Spirit who is the Living Water Jesus spoke of.  God says, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill you."

I love when God sends me on these unexpected biblical excursions!  Thinking of drink bottles led to "Open your mouth wide..." to a connection in Meribah.  So I went to Exodus 17:3-7 to read the account of Moses and the children of Israel:  "And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" ⁴ So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" ⁵ And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. ⁶ Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"  Moses struck the rock upon which he stood in Horeb at the word of the LORD, and God caused water to flow from it.  Because there was no water where God led them, people doubted if God was with them or not.  The water from the rock proved again God's presence and abundant provision.

Moses struck the rock and water flowed out, and Jesus promised Living Water would flow from those who are born again.  The Holy Spirit has been given without measure to all those who are born again, and the fullness of the Spirit is available to all who open their mouths wide in faith.  It is ironic the waters of Meribah seemed to ease tensions, but the baptism and subsequent fillings with the Holy Spirit can be a point of contention among Christians.  I have no desire to be contentious, and I do not believe Paul was when upon first meeting believers in Ephesus he asked them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2)  Here is the point:  the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person can be known.  If a home is being lived in, there will be evidence.  Lights will be on in the rooms at night.  A car may be parked in the driveway or people will be seen moving around through windows.  If a heart is truly Christ's home, there will be evidence of His presence in that life.  The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives.  Spiritual gifts are also granted by God according to His will.

Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?  You can!  Consider the word of God:  "You called in trouble, and I delivered you...I am the LORD your God...open you mouth wide, and I will fill it."  Those who drank from the rock in Horeb were thirsty again, yet Jesus promised in John 4:14:  "...whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  Jesus bids us to come to Him and drink.  John 7:37-39 says, "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."  Jesus has been glorified, and the Holy Spirit has been given.  This promise is for you, your children, to all who are afar off, as many as our LORD will call.

Casual or On-Call?

Towards the end of school term, Laura seems to pick up casual work at the boy's school.  In Australia "casual" work means you are not under a contract and do not have regularly set hours.  After volunteering for years in the library or uniform shop, sometimes she will receive a call to come in and work for pay.  It seems Laura has become a useful person to call when school staff is sick or on leave.  She is able to slot into many roles on short notice, recently helping out in Food Tech.  Lately it has been about eight hours spread across the week and looks to increase slightly next term.  And should the school call her in to help out, I expect she will by God's grace rise to the challenge!

Being a casual worker in Australia affects pay rate, superannuation, and benefits.  If Laura was a full-time employee at the college, there would be additional security and benefits granted her.  Though Laura is often called into work, she is a casual employee.  I would not compare her situation to a doctor who is "on-call."  Some doctors, for instance, often have a strenuous schedule with regular hours which extend far beyond a typical 35 to 40 hour week.  Many also are "on-call," meaning if there is an emergency they have the responsibility to answer the call and go into work.  People who do casual work and are "on-call" both are called into work:  the casual employee only works when the call comes, and for those on-call workers have regularly scheduled hours which extend beyond full time employment.  The call means extra work on top of full-time!

I wonder:  do we Christians approach life like a casual employee of Jesus or a full-time worker who is on-call?  I have heard people say that pastors are always on-call, but I am convinced all disciples of Christ are full-time ministers and also are on-call - whether or not they are paid by a church for their labours.  I imagine there are some full-time pastors who approach their service to God like a casual employee, and there are certainly parishioners who are full-time disciples and also on-call, joyful to serve God in every capacity who never keep track of their hours.  Isn't this how we ought to be?  If we measure our service only by time, what does that prove?  Inmates in prison count hours and days too.  Those followers of Jesus who serve Him faithfully, joyfully, and continually regardless of their circumstances or recognition bring glory to God.  Every minute on earth we live by God's grace, and how good it is to respond to His grace and goodness by giving ourselves back to Him.  It is service done with the pure motive of  God's love for us, not the logging of hours (or the accumulation of blog posts!) which pleases God.

The widow put in two small mites into the Temple treasury and was deemed by Christ to have given more than the most wealthy contribution because she gave all. That is what we can give:  our all.  Let's be full-time Christians, always glad to respond to the call of Jesus Christ.  Where God calls us He will supply the strength and resources to accomplish His will.  We should be on-call with Jesus not because He needs us but because we need Him - and He's already given all of Himself!  We are going to be with God for eternity, have fellowship with God even now, and the Holy Spirit indwells us today.  Amazing, right?