In "The Glory of the Ordinary" (September), Abraham appears--as a man who was called by God but who never, to my knowledge, preached or played any of the roles we normally associate with a religious calling or vocation. On the front end of his life, he most definitely was called by God to a great destiny:
". . . all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:3).
The end of it all was the birth of a nation from which sprung heroes of faith, and unfolding revelation of God --and Jesus. In between this portentous beginning and this awesome result was what would appear to be a pretty ordinary life.
What about Joseph? He, too, was called by God through two dreams he received as a young man. Then the Lord took him by a circuitous route from his home in Canaan to the palace of the Pharoah of Egypt. Having an administrative position in government doesn’t sound religious, but in that capacity, he was able to prepare a haven for the first 70 descendants of Abraham--God's Chosen People--who would otherwise have died of starvation.
And then consider Moses. When he killed the Egyptian who was oppressing a Hebrew slave, he appears to have been sensing that he was to help free his people from their bondage. Forty years later, he received a clear, momentous call from God from the midst of the burning bush. He actually did “preach” during his time as deliverer and leader of the Hebrew nation. But his main day-to-day role was hardly religious. He was food-and-water provider, peacemaker, and travel guide.
What was the difference between Abraham and every other father in the world? Between Joseph and other government officials? Between Moses and other civil rights leaders?
Each one of them was submitted to a God and a purpose that was bigger than their own goals, ambitions, desires, and comfort. They were captivated by a God who honored them by calling them to partner with him and responded with radical obedience and humble persistance. They did things that were not understood by those around them. Abraham left his family behind and headed out with no fixed destination in mind--believing that God would let him know when he had arrived. Moses stood in the face of Pharoah's obstinence, the specter of starvation in the wilderness, the mutinous anxiety and rebellion of his followers--and trusted in God's deliverance and provision.
They were so tuned in to their God that their very natures began to reflect the nature of God. Abraham became the "father of faith" and the "friend of God." Joseph behaved with integrity and diligence in the midst of slavery and imprisonment. In the midst of his own misfortune, he ministered to others perplexed by dreams. He harbored no bitterness toward God because of the manner in which God had brought him to his position of prominence, and he freely forgave his brothers for their crime against him. Moses was privileged to talk to God "face to face." He was willing for God to strike him instead of destroying the nation for their persistent waywardness. He was called "the meekest of men."
Because their eyes were on God, these men did ordinary things in unusual--and extraordinary--ways. They saw the eternal issues in the midst of mundane occupations. They were walking demonstrations to succeeding generations of God's nature and his ways.
What insight has God given you for solving problems in the company for which you work? How many of your neighbors will observe that God answers your prayers and thus be encouraged to approach him with their needs? What simple, God-inspired words will you speak that will change the course of another person's life?
You don't have to become a minster, rabbi, or priest to have a godly impact on the world. Look at the family, the community, the workplace where you are and ask God to show you what he is calling you to do for him in that place. He is needed there!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Boxed in!
Righteousness exalts a nation . . . (Prov. 14:34).
Now we are on the other side of the 2008 presidential election. In view of the fact stated in the proverb above—that it is righteousness—not a president or a platform—that exalts a nation, I doubt that it could be God’s will for us to have a president who promises to oppose some of God’s key principles for society. Not unless he has a great surprise in store for us in the form of the conversion of Barack Obama. However, even before the election, the question in my heart was “How can God give us the godly leaders we’re asking for, knowing that then we will settle back for ANOTHER four years, thinking we’ve done our duty by our nation—not realizing that the slide into ungodliness cannot be contained by better government, but only by bringing lost and deceived souls into the Kingdom?” Could it be that we have put the Lord in a position in which allowing an Obama presidency is the lesser of two threats to the advancement of the Kingdom of God in the United States?
I am reminded of Abraham’s prayer for the sparing of Sodom and Gomorrah. God didn’t answer his spoken petition, but he granted the prayer of his heart; namely, “Lord, spare my nephew and his family.” Could it be that our real prayer—“Lord , restore our land to godliness”—could not be answered without blocking the easy way out, without plunging us into a situation which forces us to abandon complacency and denial, without allowing circumstances which guarantee that we will seek the Lord for radical solutions instead of quick, temporary political fixes?
The radical, most permanent, and far-reaching solution, I believe, will be to concentrate most of our efforts to shining the light of the gospel and the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ wherever we go. We can choose to stop condemning, criticizing, and blaming the ungodly. (After all, what are sinners able to do other than sin?) We can pray for them. We can demonstrate for them the peace and security that are in Christ. We can speak the truth to them boldly, but in love and in the hope that God will grant them understanding and repentance. As we lift Christ up in these ways, enough of the ungodly will be drawn to him that this nation will naturally elect righteous people to rule over us.
We are fortunate that when we were sinners, Christ had mercy on us and came seeking us. That has always been the way that the enemies of the gospel have been won over—by sacrificial, seeking love. Not by force, not by angry rhetoric, but by willingness to show them a better way.
For too long most of us Christians in America have ignored this mandate to seek and save the lost. I greatly fear for us and for our nation if we ignore it much longer. Could it be that God, in his mercy, is boxing us in to wake us up?
Now we are on the other side of the 2008 presidential election. In view of the fact stated in the proverb above—that it is righteousness—not a president or a platform—that exalts a nation, I doubt that it could be God’s will for us to have a president who promises to oppose some of God’s key principles for society. Not unless he has a great surprise in store for us in the form of the conversion of Barack Obama. However, even before the election, the question in my heart was “How can God give us the godly leaders we’re asking for, knowing that then we will settle back for ANOTHER four years, thinking we’ve done our duty by our nation—not realizing that the slide into ungodliness cannot be contained by better government, but only by bringing lost and deceived souls into the Kingdom?” Could it be that we have put the Lord in a position in which allowing an Obama presidency is the lesser of two threats to the advancement of the Kingdom of God in the United States?
I am reminded of Abraham’s prayer for the sparing of Sodom and Gomorrah. God didn’t answer his spoken petition, but he granted the prayer of his heart; namely, “Lord, spare my nephew and his family.” Could it be that our real prayer—“Lord , restore our land to godliness”—could not be answered without blocking the easy way out, without plunging us into a situation which forces us to abandon complacency and denial, without allowing circumstances which guarantee that we will seek the Lord for radical solutions instead of quick, temporary political fixes?
The radical, most permanent, and far-reaching solution, I believe, will be to concentrate most of our efforts to shining the light of the gospel and the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ wherever we go. We can choose to stop condemning, criticizing, and blaming the ungodly. (After all, what are sinners able to do other than sin?) We can pray for them. We can demonstrate for them the peace and security that are in Christ. We can speak the truth to them boldly, but in love and in the hope that God will grant them understanding and repentance. As we lift Christ up in these ways, enough of the ungodly will be drawn to him that this nation will naturally elect righteous people to rule over us.
We are fortunate that when we were sinners, Christ had mercy on us and came seeking us. That has always been the way that the enemies of the gospel have been won over—by sacrificial, seeking love. Not by force, not by angry rhetoric, but by willingness to show them a better way.
For too long most of us Christians in America have ignored this mandate to seek and save the lost. I greatly fear for us and for our nation if we ignore it much longer. Could it be that God, in his mercy, is boxing us in to wake us up?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Christian American citizens
Are there distinctive ways that Christians think and act in social and political situations? Are there eternal issues at stake in this election? Can we know God’s will for us as Christian American citizens? Does it make sense to do politics our way instead of his?
If we make him Lord, the biggest struggle will be with ourselves. I don’t know about you, but as a Christian, I do believe that the Lord’s thoughts are not my thoughts and that his ways are higher than mine. That being the case, I cannot base my political choices on my judgment and preferences alone. I have (reluctantly!) brought my own reactions to the candidates and issues to the Lord: “But, Lord, I don’t trust John McCain to be consistent, self-controlled, and objective.” “But, Lord, why should an election be dominated by one or two issues—like gay marriage and abortion? Surely, it’s more responsible to look at the whole spectrum of issues. There are others that are important in your eyes, aren’t there?”
What I have learned is that the Lord does have a plan for solving the very problems we are concerned about, but he can only implement it when we buy into it. I have learned that the Lord doesn’t leave loose ends. He doesn’t address some problems and ignore others. But his program of problem-solving starts when we begin to cooperate with his strategy.
The following three stories have been part of my learning process in this area.
A widow who was gathering wood to start a fire, prepare one more meal for herself and her son, and then face starvation, was confronted by a hungry prophet who said, “Fix a cake for me first.” She did, and her supply of meal and oil miraculously continued to be replenished to feed all three of them.
E. Stanley Jones, in his youth, was called to be a missionary. His mother was so devastated by the news that she ended up in the hospital. In the train on the way to see her, he said to the Lord, “If you want me to go to the mission field, I will go, but I’m trusting you to do something about my mother’s attitude.” Amazingly, his mother recovered and lived for many years, proud of her son’s commitment to the gospel and supporting him fervently with her prayers.
When my good friend Carol’s children were approaching school age, she and several other mothers began to pray about the formation of a Christian school for their children. Carol’s husband stepped forward to handle most of the business of organizing the school. Since Bruce had to devote so much time to this project and had limited time to devote to his own, this commitment promised to put a strain on his family’s income. However, the Lord prospered him greatly. Without having to advertise, clients came to him. Not only that, the work they requested were large-ticket items. In short, his family enjoyed a higher income than usual!
What did these people have in common? They could have refused to do what the Lord asked them to do, on the basis that it would put their families in jeopardy. That’s what I wanted to do when I said, “But Lord, what about ____ and what about _____?” I wanted him to discuss the issues with me, within my paradigms of what would work and what should happen. I wanted some assurances that all of the details would be taken care of (to my satisfaction) before making the plunge of supporting the issues I felt that God was showing me to support.
By contrast, the widow, E. Stanley Jones, and Bruce and Carol trusted in the Lord and did not lean on their own understanding. They held the kingdom of God as their first allegiance, entrusting the care of their families to the Lord. They believed the Lord when he said that if they would seek first the kingdom of God, he would add to them what their families needed.
The challenge that the Lord has impressed upon me as a Christian in this election season, is two-fold:
· Agree with God’s agenda
· Do politics his way*
How can we know God’s agenda? Even Christians are divided on the issues. That doesn’t mean that we can safely go in either direction; it means that we cannot count on other Christians to lead us in the right direction! We need to search his Word and listen to his Spirit for ourselves. As I have remained open to the Lord and fairly considered the Word, not only has my mind been renewed but my heart has been galvanized with concern for kingdom issues.
This is something that each person has to do for himself. You might want to accept the challenge now to stop and rethink your political position and approach. Or you may want to read on, especially for some important Scriptural references to consider.
God’s Agenda
It is very true that the Bible strongly urges us to help the poor, afflicted, and downtrodden. This would include those who are financially strapped as well as minorities who still, to some degree or other, need a champion. So a Christian might feel obligated to support the candidate who seems most closely aligned himself with these causes. On the other hand, the gay and abortion-rights agenda are large pieces in the puzzle that the voters will put together. These two issues have been downplayed in the campaigns, not because they will not be vigorously by either candidate once he is in office, but because they are so explosive to touch upon during the election season.
There are Christians for whom these two issues are non-issues, because they do not believe that gay marriage or abortion are wrong. Let me present some pertinent Scriptural references and some conclusions to which they have brought me.
Homosexuality
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders . . . will inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor. 6:9 NIV).
" 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. . . Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants (Lev. 18:22, 24-25).’ ”
This is sobering, because the Lord not only calls homosexuality detestable, but says that a whole nation is defiled by such practices and is liable to punishment. Does this seem harsh? Outdated? Judgmental? The Lord does not think the way we do. It behooves us to question our thinking—not his.
If this practice is so unacceptable to the Lord, should we look the other way while children are being taught how normal and beautiful it is? Should we open wide the portals of marriage and family, which the Lord invented, to an interpretation which grieves and insults him?
We are seeing the breaking down of the family already. Is this not because the concept of commitment to spouse, children, and society is being abandoned on a wide scale and being replaced by an interpretation of marriage as being primarily for personal gratification? Gay marriage is an acceleration of that attitude of ignoring God’s purposes for marriage and turning it to purely personal purposes.
Abortion
There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood. . . (Prov. 6:16-17)
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy (Prov. 31:8).
Is a fetus just a blob of tissue? An identical argument was made 100 years ago to justify slavery: “Slaves are not people; they are property.” How shocking that sounds today! So, is a fetus just a blob of tissue, or is it a speechless, helpless unborn child? If it is the latter, we as Christians are obligated by Proverbs 31:8 to plead its cause. It seems pretty clear that we will either defend it or forsake it by how we vote in November.
To me, as a human American citizen, it makes no sense to focus on one or two moral issues—much as I may believe in them—when so much else needs to be fixed, and needs to be fixed immediately. But as a Christian Amerian citizen who believes that the blessing of God is needed more than the cleverness of man, it makes abundant sense to attend to righteous matters first in order to gain God’s blessing. Did this nation become as healthy and wealthy as we are because we are a superior race of people??? Or have we thrived and prospered because “righteousness exalts a nation” and “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”? Then putting God’s principles last is suicidal. On the contrary, mending the fences of godliness and righteousness first is our smartest investment toward healing all that ails us.
*For the second challenge--Do Politics God's Way--please see the September 20 post called "Political Style."
If we make him Lord, the biggest struggle will be with ourselves. I don’t know about you, but as a Christian, I do believe that the Lord’s thoughts are not my thoughts and that his ways are higher than mine. That being the case, I cannot base my political choices on my judgment and preferences alone. I have (reluctantly!) brought my own reactions to the candidates and issues to the Lord: “But, Lord, I don’t trust John McCain to be consistent, self-controlled, and objective.” “But, Lord, why should an election be dominated by one or two issues—like gay marriage and abortion? Surely, it’s more responsible to look at the whole spectrum of issues. There are others that are important in your eyes, aren’t there?”
What I have learned is that the Lord does have a plan for solving the very problems we are concerned about, but he can only implement it when we buy into it. I have learned that the Lord doesn’t leave loose ends. He doesn’t address some problems and ignore others. But his program of problem-solving starts when we begin to cooperate with his strategy.
The following three stories have been part of my learning process in this area.
A widow who was gathering wood to start a fire, prepare one more meal for herself and her son, and then face starvation, was confronted by a hungry prophet who said, “Fix a cake for me first.” She did, and her supply of meal and oil miraculously continued to be replenished to feed all three of them.
E. Stanley Jones, in his youth, was called to be a missionary. His mother was so devastated by the news that she ended up in the hospital. In the train on the way to see her, he said to the Lord, “If you want me to go to the mission field, I will go, but I’m trusting you to do something about my mother’s attitude.” Amazingly, his mother recovered and lived for many years, proud of her son’s commitment to the gospel and supporting him fervently with her prayers.
When my good friend Carol’s children were approaching school age, she and several other mothers began to pray about the formation of a Christian school for their children. Carol’s husband stepped forward to handle most of the business of organizing the school. Since Bruce had to devote so much time to this project and had limited time to devote to his own, this commitment promised to put a strain on his family’s income. However, the Lord prospered him greatly. Without having to advertise, clients came to him. Not only that, the work they requested were large-ticket items. In short, his family enjoyed a higher income than usual!
What did these people have in common? They could have refused to do what the Lord asked them to do, on the basis that it would put their families in jeopardy. That’s what I wanted to do when I said, “But Lord, what about ____ and what about _____?” I wanted him to discuss the issues with me, within my paradigms of what would work and what should happen. I wanted some assurances that all of the details would be taken care of (to my satisfaction) before making the plunge of supporting the issues I felt that God was showing me to support.
By contrast, the widow, E. Stanley Jones, and Bruce and Carol trusted in the Lord and did not lean on their own understanding. They held the kingdom of God as their first allegiance, entrusting the care of their families to the Lord. They believed the Lord when he said that if they would seek first the kingdom of God, he would add to them what their families needed.
The challenge that the Lord has impressed upon me as a Christian in this election season, is two-fold:
· Agree with God’s agenda
· Do politics his way*
How can we know God’s agenda? Even Christians are divided on the issues. That doesn’t mean that we can safely go in either direction; it means that we cannot count on other Christians to lead us in the right direction! We need to search his Word and listen to his Spirit for ourselves. As I have remained open to the Lord and fairly considered the Word, not only has my mind been renewed but my heart has been galvanized with concern for kingdom issues.
This is something that each person has to do for himself. You might want to accept the challenge now to stop and rethink your political position and approach. Or you may want to read on, especially for some important Scriptural references to consider.
God’s Agenda
It is very true that the Bible strongly urges us to help the poor, afflicted, and downtrodden. This would include those who are financially strapped as well as minorities who still, to some degree or other, need a champion. So a Christian might feel obligated to support the candidate who seems most closely aligned himself with these causes. On the other hand, the gay and abortion-rights agenda are large pieces in the puzzle that the voters will put together. These two issues have been downplayed in the campaigns, not because they will not be vigorously by either candidate once he is in office, but because they are so explosive to touch upon during the election season.
There are Christians for whom these two issues are non-issues, because they do not believe that gay marriage or abortion are wrong. Let me present some pertinent Scriptural references and some conclusions to which they have brought me.
Homosexuality
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders . . . will inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor. 6:9 NIV).
" 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable. . . Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants (Lev. 18:22, 24-25).’ ”
This is sobering, because the Lord not only calls homosexuality detestable, but says that a whole nation is defiled by such practices and is liable to punishment. Does this seem harsh? Outdated? Judgmental? The Lord does not think the way we do. It behooves us to question our thinking—not his.
If this practice is so unacceptable to the Lord, should we look the other way while children are being taught how normal and beautiful it is? Should we open wide the portals of marriage and family, which the Lord invented, to an interpretation which grieves and insults him?
We are seeing the breaking down of the family already. Is this not because the concept of commitment to spouse, children, and society is being abandoned on a wide scale and being replaced by an interpretation of marriage as being primarily for personal gratification? Gay marriage is an acceleration of that attitude of ignoring God’s purposes for marriage and turning it to purely personal purposes.
Abortion
There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood. . . (Prov. 6:16-17)
Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy (Prov. 31:8).
Is a fetus just a blob of tissue? An identical argument was made 100 years ago to justify slavery: “Slaves are not people; they are property.” How shocking that sounds today! So, is a fetus just a blob of tissue, or is it a speechless, helpless unborn child? If it is the latter, we as Christians are obligated by Proverbs 31:8 to plead its cause. It seems pretty clear that we will either defend it or forsake it by how we vote in November.
To me, as a human American citizen, it makes no sense to focus on one or two moral issues—much as I may believe in them—when so much else needs to be fixed, and needs to be fixed immediately. But as a Christian Amerian citizen who believes that the blessing of God is needed more than the cleverness of man, it makes abundant sense to attend to righteous matters first in order to gain God’s blessing. Did this nation become as healthy and wealthy as we are because we are a superior race of people??? Or have we thrived and prospered because “righteousness exalts a nation” and “blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord”? Then putting God’s principles last is suicidal. On the contrary, mending the fences of godliness and righteousness first is our smartest investment toward healing all that ails us.
*For the second challenge--Do Politics God's Way--please see the September 20 post called "Political Style."
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The glory of the ordinary
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore (Heb. 11:8-12).
When I was growing up, it was thought that if God called a person, that person would become a preacher or a missionary. Period. Some time ago, it occurred to me that Abraham—mighty Abraham, Father of Faith and Friend of God, was called, but not to anything remotely religious. He moved, at God’s leading, to a land which the Lord then promised to his descendants, and he was given a miracle son. These were spectacular experiences, requiring faith on Abraham’s part, but—having a child, founding a new nation—is this a godly calling?
A clue is given in Genesis 18.
“. . . Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him" (Gen. 18:18-19).
The Lord called to Abram back in the land of Ur because he was a man who—for openers—could hear God. He apparently was a man who would purposefully pass on to his children and grandchildren his reverence for and knowledge of God. His godliness would set the tone for a whole race of people to whom God could reveal himself, and through whom he could then make himself known to the whole world. What an amazing thing—the influence of just being a godly father!
But Abraham did one more very ordinary thing which was far-reaching in its effects. He staked a claim—not literally, but by faith, to a piece of real estate to house the future generations that the Lord promised him.
Almost all of the heroes of the Old and New Testaments, the unfolding of God’s revelation of himself to mankind, the birth of the Messiah himself—all came from the descendants of Abraham. What an awesome influence one can have by simply doing ordinary things like raising a family and providing a dwelling for them.
My father has written a family history called The Legacy of Frances.* The story begins with his great-grandmother, Frances, an Indian girl who was rescued from a massacre and adopted by a compassionate soldier. This family imparted its Christian faith to her, and she in turn passed it on in such a way that among her descendants appear 25 couples who have been pastors and missionaries in 19 states and 9 countries. And that doesn’t begin to count all of her progeny who have impacted their families, churches, and communities as Christians. Such is the far-reaching effect in the Kingdom of God of simply raising a family with godly example and training.
Will I ever be famous? Will you do monumental things? Who knows? But one thing is certain—our everyday acts will play an influential role in furthering or hindering God’s plans for generations to come. Will we fulfill the calling of God on our lives?
________
*See http://www.wlmlbooks.com/id12.html
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore (Heb. 11:8-12).
When I was growing up, it was thought that if God called a person, that person would become a preacher or a missionary. Period. Some time ago, it occurred to me that Abraham—mighty Abraham, Father of Faith and Friend of God, was called, but not to anything remotely religious. He moved, at God’s leading, to a land which the Lord then promised to his descendants, and he was given a miracle son. These were spectacular experiences, requiring faith on Abraham’s part, but—having a child, founding a new nation—is this a godly calling?
A clue is given in Genesis 18.
“. . . Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him" (Gen. 18:18-19).
The Lord called to Abram back in the land of Ur because he was a man who—for openers—could hear God. He apparently was a man who would purposefully pass on to his children and grandchildren his reverence for and knowledge of God. His godliness would set the tone for a whole race of people to whom God could reveal himself, and through whom he could then make himself known to the whole world. What an amazing thing—the influence of just being a godly father!
But Abraham did one more very ordinary thing which was far-reaching in its effects. He staked a claim—not literally, but by faith, to a piece of real estate to house the future generations that the Lord promised him.
Almost all of the heroes of the Old and New Testaments, the unfolding of God’s revelation of himself to mankind, the birth of the Messiah himself—all came from the descendants of Abraham. What an awesome influence one can have by simply doing ordinary things like raising a family and providing a dwelling for them.
My father has written a family history called The Legacy of Frances.* The story begins with his great-grandmother, Frances, an Indian girl who was rescued from a massacre and adopted by a compassionate soldier. This family imparted its Christian faith to her, and she in turn passed it on in such a way that among her descendants appear 25 couples who have been pastors and missionaries in 19 states and 9 countries. And that doesn’t begin to count all of her progeny who have impacted their families, churches, and communities as Christians. Such is the far-reaching effect in the Kingdom of God of simply raising a family with godly example and training.
Will I ever be famous? Will you do monumental things? Who knows? But one thing is certain—our everyday acts will play an influential role in furthering or hindering God’s plans for generations to come. Will we fulfill the calling of God on our lives?
________
*See http://www.wlmlbooks.com/id12.html
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Political Style
Today I'm sharing some thoughts on Christian political action. These are convictions that have been forming over a period of time.
I believe it was four years ago, when President Bush was running for re-election, that an entertainer made a lewd pun out of the name “Bush.” I was appalled to think that the political style of some liberals had sunk that low—not just strong disagreement and mistrust but utterly demeaning the president in a personal way.
A few months ago, an email came to me that seemed at first to be one of those warm, cute ones. It was all about dogs—how intelligent and loyal and wonderful they are in every way. Then came the clincher. It was a picture of a dog lifting his leg to spray an Obama campaign sign.
I believe I know how this picture appeared to most strongly-conservative people—FUNNY! Not mean, or demeaning—just humorous. In response to that, I would like to throw out a scenario. Does anyone you know and care about continue to make poor choices that are ruining his/her life? In your frustration and anxiety for them, do you want to shake them? Sure. But, how would you react if you heard someone utterly trash-talking this loved one? How would you react if someone spit on this person? Or suggested ___’ing on this person? Would it seem funny? Is it funny to ridicule someone because of their ideas?
Increasingly, I am hearing “vote the Bible.” I say amen to that! The Bible states standards by which we should be evaluating issues and candidates. Additionally, though, I see that it also sets the style and tone for our political actions. Here are some examples:
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. . . . But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Pet. 3:9, 15-17).
For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men (1 Pet. 2:15).
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (1 Pet. 2:17).
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:44-45a).
Behaving in a distinctively Christian fashion—that’s what makes us salt and light. We must speak up (and maybe often and loudly) but—in what spirit? Have we given up on whole blocks of people whom God loves and for whom Jesus died? Are we praying fervently for those who we believe are deceived—or just becoming more and more disgusted with them? If we loved more, and prayed more, and respected more, there wouldn’t be so many people whose beliefs are opposed to the gospel and whose practices weaken our society. If we were doing our part of sharing the gospel with our neighbors, this massive departure from God’s principles that we see in our society and in our political scene would not exist. Whatever stands we take (and may they be the Lord’s positions, not just ours), may we take them boldly but from a heart of humility and concern, from a heart that prays and cares for all men—even those with whom we disagree.
I believe it was four years ago, when President Bush was running for re-election, that an entertainer made a lewd pun out of the name “Bush.” I was appalled to think that the political style of some liberals had sunk that low—not just strong disagreement and mistrust but utterly demeaning the president in a personal way.
A few months ago, an email came to me that seemed at first to be one of those warm, cute ones. It was all about dogs—how intelligent and loyal and wonderful they are in every way. Then came the clincher. It was a picture of a dog lifting his leg to spray an Obama campaign sign.
I believe I know how this picture appeared to most strongly-conservative people—FUNNY! Not mean, or demeaning—just humorous. In response to that, I would like to throw out a scenario. Does anyone you know and care about continue to make poor choices that are ruining his/her life? In your frustration and anxiety for them, do you want to shake them? Sure. But, how would you react if you heard someone utterly trash-talking this loved one? How would you react if someone spit on this person? Or suggested ___’ing on this person? Would it seem funny? Is it funny to ridicule someone because of their ideas?
Increasingly, I am hearing “vote the Bible.” I say amen to that! The Bible states standards by which we should be evaluating issues and candidates. Additionally, though, I see that it also sets the style and tone for our political actions. Here are some examples:
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. . . . But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Pet. 3:9, 15-17).
For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men (1 Pet. 2:15).
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (1 Pet. 2:17).
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:44-45a).
Behaving in a distinctively Christian fashion—that’s what makes us salt and light. We must speak up (and maybe often and loudly) but—in what spirit? Have we given up on whole blocks of people whom God loves and for whom Jesus died? Are we praying fervently for those who we believe are deceived—or just becoming more and more disgusted with them? If we loved more, and prayed more, and respected more, there wouldn’t be so many people whose beliefs are opposed to the gospel and whose practices weaken our society. If we were doing our part of sharing the gospel with our neighbors, this massive departure from God’s principles that we see in our society and in our political scene would not exist. Whatever stands we take (and may they be the Lord’s positions, not just ours), may we take them boldly but from a heart of humility and concern, from a heart that prays and cares for all men—even those with whom we disagree.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Losing and finding
Even a cursory reading of Revelations is an eye-opener. The whole tone of it is different from what is commonly heard or even thought of in 21st-century America. The prevalent concept of overcoming, which is very popular in some Christians circles, quotes Rev. 12:11a as a mainstay:
They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony (Rev. 12:11a).
The last part of the verse is usually omitted. It is one of those ideas that just doesn’t compute with most of us (in the US). Here is the verse in its entirety:
They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death (Rev. 12:11).
This is downright puzzling to Christians who have been led to believe that the main reason for believing on Christ is so that life will become better for them. It seems like failure—not overcoming—to believers who are convinced if one has faith, calamity cannot happen to them—or at least not for long.
It seems to me that the dividing point between the popular conception of what an overcoming life is, and the Bible’s portrayal of the overcoming life, is this: What is it that Christians are expected to and equipped to overcome?
· Popular Christianity says that Christians are to overcome all sickness, poverty, unhappiness, discomfort, and the like.
· Biblical Christianity is about overcoming sin, heresy, hardships, and persecution.
· Popular Christianity wants to overcome anything that stands in the way of personal happiness and blessing.
· Biblical Christianity strives to overcome anything that stands in the way of the advancement of the Lord’s kingdom purposes.
Big difference!
In partnering with the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel, the apostle Paul had many unpleasant experiences:
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? (2 Cor. 11:24-29).
Wow! Inconceivable, perhaps, to you or me, but—how about Paul? Did he find that following Jesus was not so cool? Not what he had expected? Actually, what he thought was:
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil. 3:8, 10-11).
Paul thought that following Christ—including the “suffering” and “death”—was so wonderful that he considered everything else worthless.
Perhaps we have—to some degree—lost our way as Christians. We have tuned out Christ’s clear message:
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).
We want to keep our lives the way we want them to be, instead of spending our lives for Christ’s sake. Don’t say “But I’m just an ordinary person. I want to be a light to a few people, but I don’t aspire to be a hero of the faith. I’m not that courageous or self-sacrificing. I’m just not made of the same kind of stuff as Paul.” The early churches weren’t made of it, either. That's why Revelations was written. Those who heeded its message and appropriated God's grace, rose to the occasion—and in the process, they found LIFE and infected others with a hunger to know it as well.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
I Can
The best-known definition of “grace” is undeserved favor. This thought opens the mind's eyes to the oceans of love, mercy, and kindness that have been expressed by God toward mankind. It is the door by which we may enter into a saving relationship with him. But this grace is much more than a willingness to receive us and to pay for our salvation. It is also the divine influence upon the heart to enable one to do the will of God. This is the kind of grace that is spoken of in the greeting or closing of 18 out of 22 epistles to the early churches. "Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ." These people needed the enabling power of grace to walk out their new-found faith in the face of hostility from their ungodly cultures.
An encouraging glimpse of the power of grace is seen in Voyage of the Exiles by Patricia Hickman, the first in a series of novels based on the deportation of English prisoners to Australia to found the first English colony there. Subtly, a story of grace unfolds in the lives of the principle characters. One of the convicts, George Prentice had been arrested as a pickpocket. He had resorted to that lifestyle when the bottom had dropped out of his livelihood. In the extremity of life on a prison ship, and intensely longing to be reunited with his wife and daughter, George tentatively turned to God. When—to his wonderment—his prayers were met with a sense of God’s presence and peace, he continued to speak to God and began to take delight in reading the Bible. Humbly grateful for God’s love and help, George desired to be a better man than he had been—to be strong enough to do what was right even when the odds seemed to be stacked against him. A series of encounters with ruthless elements on board the ship was the crucible in which George grew to be a man of integrity, courage, and forgiveness.
Rachel, a young woman whose life had been marked by misfortune and degradation, was cast into a holding cell in one of the prison ships with Becky, a political prisoner who believed in God. Over time, Rachel became convinced there was something to her companion’s faith and became a believer as well. As the influence of the Word and the Spirit of God grew in her heart, her character and perspectives on life changed. A moment of truth in her new life came during a violent storm. As her cell mates in the bowels of the ship wailed and screamed for God’s help, Rachel’s heart overflowed with thankfulness and joy as she recognized the absence of fear and sense of well-being that God had worked in her.*
By the enablement of the grace of God, George, Rachel, and others on the voyage were becoming heroes of the faith. Perhaps it was the horror of their lives that caused them to avoid the trap of becoming “bless me” babies.** They did not think that their new relationship with God entitled them to nothing but blessings. Instead, they responded humbly to his call upon their hearts to please him and to bless others.
Perhaps experiences such as theirs are what prompted James to make the stunning statement
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James :2-4).
Apparently, it is not being shielded from trouble that brings the greatest joy to the Christian. It is the developing of one’s faith and character to the point of becoming able to meet whatever life brings with love, confidence, and joy.
I want to be like them. I want to “take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). And I CAN, regardless of who I used to be—because GRACE enables me.
___________________
*Patricia Hickman, Voyage of the Exiles (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1995). To learn more, visit http://www.patriciahickman.com/.
**We could not live--or thrive--physically or spiritually without God's blessings. Confidently expecting our Father to abundantly care for us is one of the foundations of our walk with God. It is perhaps part of what Jesus meant when he said that one must be like a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, only a spiritual infant believes that main focus of their relationship with God is "me" or "blessings."
An encouraging glimpse of the power of grace is seen in Voyage of the Exiles by Patricia Hickman, the first in a series of novels based on the deportation of English prisoners to Australia to found the first English colony there. Subtly, a story of grace unfolds in the lives of the principle characters. One of the convicts, George Prentice had been arrested as a pickpocket. He had resorted to that lifestyle when the bottom had dropped out of his livelihood. In the extremity of life on a prison ship, and intensely longing to be reunited with his wife and daughter, George tentatively turned to God. When—to his wonderment—his prayers were met with a sense of God’s presence and peace, he continued to speak to God and began to take delight in reading the Bible. Humbly grateful for God’s love and help, George desired to be a better man than he had been—to be strong enough to do what was right even when the odds seemed to be stacked against him. A series of encounters with ruthless elements on board the ship was the crucible in which George grew to be a man of integrity, courage, and forgiveness.
Rachel, a young woman whose life had been marked by misfortune and degradation, was cast into a holding cell in one of the prison ships with Becky, a political prisoner who believed in God. Over time, Rachel became convinced there was something to her companion’s faith and became a believer as well. As the influence of the Word and the Spirit of God grew in her heart, her character and perspectives on life changed. A moment of truth in her new life came during a violent storm. As her cell mates in the bowels of the ship wailed and screamed for God’s help, Rachel’s heart overflowed with thankfulness and joy as she recognized the absence of fear and sense of well-being that God had worked in her.*
By the enablement of the grace of God, George, Rachel, and others on the voyage were becoming heroes of the faith. Perhaps it was the horror of their lives that caused them to avoid the trap of becoming “bless me” babies.** They did not think that their new relationship with God entitled them to nothing but blessings. Instead, they responded humbly to his call upon their hearts to please him and to bless others.
Perhaps experiences such as theirs are what prompted James to make the stunning statement
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James :2-4).
Apparently, it is not being shielded from trouble that brings the greatest joy to the Christian. It is the developing of one’s faith and character to the point of becoming able to meet whatever life brings with love, confidence, and joy.
I want to be like them. I want to “take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:12). And I CAN, regardless of who I used to be—because GRACE enables me.
___________________
*Patricia Hickman, Voyage of the Exiles (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1995). To learn more, visit http://www.patriciahickman.com/.
**We could not live--or thrive--physically or spiritually without God's blessings. Confidently expecting our Father to abundantly care for us is one of the foundations of our walk with God. It is perhaps part of what Jesus meant when he said that one must be like a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, only a spiritual infant believes that main focus of their relationship with God is "me" or "blessings."
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