June 8, 2012

"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." James 1:6-8

I don't know if you have ever played golf but if you have you know it is a hard game. If you haven't you can take my word for it. But I have noticed it is easier when I can fully commit to a shot. My last round I had one of those days where it seemed like every shot was from an awkward lie or an uncomfortable distance so that I was never quite sure whether to go up a club or down a club. So I really struggled to hit those shots with confidence. When there is the slightest bit of doubt as I hit the shot, it seldom turns out well.

Anytime I stand over a shot with uncertainty in my mind the result is seldom good.

In other words, it is hard to play golf when I have conflicting thoughts about the club selection or the correct distance or what sort of shot I should hit from the lie I have. When I am double-minded my game is unstable and results in double bogeys.

However, when I am facing a shot that has a comfortable distance and a good lie and I know exactly what club to hit, then I can commit to the shot and hit it with confidence and the result is much better.

In the same way, life is more difficult when I am uncommitted. Any time there is doubt or confusion or indecision life gets more difficult. When I doubt God or am not fully convinced about His Word or indecisive in regard to His will, life gets harder.

James, in these verses admonishes believers to be fully convinced about God's goodness and His grace and the truth of His Word. When I am committed to God in these ways, my life gets immediately better.

I want to be a single-minded follower of Christ. I don't want to second-guess Him nor live in confusion or doubt. I want to walk with faith and confidence in my Christian life. That is what commitment is. Commitment is being single-minded and fully convinced God is Who He says He is.

When Jesus was facing the temptations from the Devil in the wilderness, what the devil was after was getting Jesus to doubt the goodness and the holiness of God. He wanted to shake the Lord's confidence in His Father and under mind His faith. In short, the Enemy wanted to offer the Lord a "Plan B" in place of the suffering on the cross.

But the Lord would have nothing of it! He countered each time with truth from the Bible. He affirmed truth in the face of deception. He was committed to "Plan A" completely and exclusively. That is what commitment is!

Is commitment hard for you? Are you struggling with double-mindedness? Do you struggle with doubting God and/or yourself?

"A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways!" Stablilize you heart and you spirit and your mind by fully committing to Christ. Commitment is easier when there is just a Plan A!

June 7, 2012

^"But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." Matthew 5:37

In the midst of some very remarkable times, last night's Wisconsin recall election stands as a noteworthy event.

Governor Scott Walker's victory was by a larger margin than his original election in 2010. The Governor's win sends a message that reverberated through the mid-term 2010 elections and that is - character still counts and leadership matters.

As one who has committed all of my adult life developing and demonstrating both, I am heartened to see Americans in significant numbers still value those virtues in their leaders.

When Scott Walker ran for Governor of Wisconsin two years ago he ran on a very clear platform of reducing the size of government and restore fiscal responsibility. Our fellow citizens in the Dairy State voted him in on those promises. And once elected, he proceeded to keep both of those promises. In so doing, he turned a large state budget deficit into a surplus. He did this without raising taxes and actually lowered property taxes throughout the State.

Why would anyone object to those accomplishments? Only because he had to oppose the collective bargaining agreements with the public sector unions and required union members to contribute nominally to their own pensions and health plans. Perceiving those moves as a direct threat to their power and influence, the union leaders and members protested and obtained enough signatures to attempt a recall of Governor Scott.

Those are the events that led to yesterday's election.

We conservatives feel somewhat vindicated that a politician who actually did what he said he would do and in the ways he promised to do them AND was awarded for it by his citizens! Our hope is other Governors in other states such as Jindal, Louisiana and Kasich in Ohio, Daniels in my home state of Indiana, Governor Christie in New Jersey, and Governor Haley in South Carolina, should be emboldened by this outcome! While each of these aforementioned Governors have shown courageous leadership by implementing conservative reforms, they too, have come under strong opposition by the unions in their states. Seeing their fellow leader fight the fight and come out standing should strengthen their resolve to fight the for the conservative cause.

Oh, that Senators and Congressmen in DC would emulate these courageous Governors who put their political careers on the line to stand for the conservative principals they embrace.

And you, whether you are a leader or not, should take heart that courageous leadership still matters! In your day to day living you are called to stand for what you believe in rather than compromise your own values and damage your character.

Godly people say what they mean, mean what they say, and live like they mean it. When they say, "Yes", you know it is a yes! And when they say, "No" that is exactly what they mean - and they act like it in their behavior and decisions.

Are you a courageous Christian? Do you deliver on your promises and live what you believe? Can you stand true when others actively oppose you?

Will you ask God to help you do that today? His vote is the only one you really need to win!

June 6, 2012

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31

I want to begin this article by wishing my beautiful bride, Barbara, Happy Anniversary - for the 25th time!

Yep! Today is our 25th anniversary! Time REALLY does fly when you are having fun. And we have a ton of fun!

When people meet me and then meet Barbara, they wonder how someone like me was able to end up with someone like her. That is a typical reaction, and honestly, I understand because I wonder the same thing!

Being married to a pastor is not easy.

Becoming an instant mother to three children was not easy.

Moving away from family and adjusting to a new role in a blending family was very difficult.

But Barbara has faced and conquered each and every challenge that arose during those two and one-half decades. And she has done it with grace.

When you take the marriage vows seriously, as we do, and when you hear that verse saying, "two shall become one flesh" you wonder what that means, exactly.

Of course, the physical image of it is pretty clear. And it is good!

But the spiritual and emotional, and even psychological implications of "two becoming one" are more mysterious - and a bit frightening. How do two sinful, strong-willed, selfish, stubborn and scarred people meld into one? Is that really possible?

Indeed, by the grace and mercy of God - IT IS! Through the power, and patience and presence of the Holy Spirit - IT IS!

That is what makes 25 years so amazing! We have become one! We are each better individually because we are together. I see many areas of my life where I have grown because of her. And she can point to a few where I have helped her!

It is pretty amazing that - not unlike God - the one who knows me best loves me most! I look forward to our daily routines. We miss each other during the day and get excited at the thought of coming home and being back together each evening. On Mondays I begin getting excited about our Friday dates!

Quite amazing this "two become one" relationship that God ordained for marriage. In His mystical math "two become one" when they lose themselves in a Third! His marriage math is God + Man + Wife = ONE!

How's your math?

How's your marriage?

June 5, 2012

^“Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:7-15

Like the sheep in Psalm 23 you should be one satisified sheep! I have spent the better part of this week reminding you of how good your Shepherd is! So, if there is still anxiety or discontent stirring in your soul it could be that you are not following Him as well as you should!

May I share a true story to further illustrate the blessings and benefits of following this Shepherd Who is a personal shepherd and a powerful shepherd and a promising shepherd?

Here it is:

In 1972, a shepherd had brought his sheep into a walled-off, enclosed area for the night, and he had just gone to sleep when he heard a commotion. He quickly rushed over to where the sound was coming from and to his horror he discovered that a wolf was in the process of dragging off one of his sheep through a hole in the wall. He was mauling this sheep and blood was flying.

The shepherd quickly began hitting the wolf, and the wolf turned on him and began attacking him. He bit him over and over while the shepherd was striking him with his staff, and finally with one final blow of his staff, he killed the wolf as he himself collapsed into a bloody heap.

He managed to crawl over to the half-dead sheep, and began to bandage its wounds.

He gave it some water, and then took it in his own bloody arms, and shepherd and sheep went to sleep together. The next morning the shepherd was found dead, his body literally draped over the sheep to comfort it and keep it warm. The following day the headline in the Jerusalem paper said, “Sheep Alive, Covered in Shepherd’s Blood.”

That is the testimony of every sheep and lamb who is under the care of the Good Shepherd. Why would you not follow Him closely? Why would you not completely trust a Shepherd like that?

Any other shepherd is a hireling who comes to steal, abuse, or kill the sheep. There is no comparison between the Good Shepherd and any other. There is really no comparison between sheep under the care of the Good Shepherd and those who are not. You can tell the difference by looking! There is a noticeable difference!

As the storm clouds gather and the threats increase and the world becomes significantly more dangerous, you cannot afford to be led or cared for by anyone other than the Good Shepherd because no matter how perilous the times that lay ahead - IF THE LORD IS YOUR SHEPHERD, YOUR FUTURE IS YOUR FRIEND!

Hallelujah!

June 4, 2012

"Then He said to them all: "If anyone would come after me......." Luke 9:23a

I am so encouraged to read the call of Jesus to those who would desire to be disciples!

 

Notice whom He addesses:

"He said to them ALL".

"If anyone will......"

Anyone can be a follower of Jesus Christ. You don't have to be wealthy or well educated or well adjusted. You just have to be willing! Consider this story from Brooklyn Tabernacle, a great church in metropolitan New York City:

Jim Cymbala preaches at a church in the slums of New York. He tells the following story: It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform, pulled down my tie and sat down and draped my feet over the edge. It was a wonderful service with many people coming forward. The counselors were talking with these people. As I was sitting there I looked up the middle aisle, and there in about the third row was a man who looked about fifty, disheveled, filthy. He looked up at me rather sheepishly, as if saying, “Could I talk to you?” We have homeless people coming in all the time, asking for money or whatever. So as I sat there, I said to myself, though I am ashamed of it, “What a way to end a Sunday. I’ve had such a good time, preaching and ministering, and here’s a fellow probably wanting some money for more wine.” He walked up. When he got within about five feet of me, I smelled a horrible smell like I’d never smelled in my life. It was so awful that when he got close, I would inhale by looking away, and then I’d talk to him, and then look away to inhale, because I couldn’t inhale facing him. I asked him, “What’s your name?” “David.” “How long have you been on the street?” “Six years.” “How old are you?” “Thirty-two.” He looked fifty- hair matted; front teeth missing; wino; eyes slightly glazed. “Where did you sleep last night, David?” “Abandoned truck.” I keep in my back pocket a money clip that also holds some credit cards. I fumbled to pick one out thinking; I’ll give him some money. I won’t even get a volunteer. They are all busy talking with others. Usually we don’t give money to people. We take them to get something to eat. I took the money out. David pushed his finger in front of me. He said, “I don’t want your money. I want this Jesus, the One you were talking about, because I’m not going to make it. I’m going to die on the street.” I completely forgot about David, and I started to weep for myself. I was going to give a couple of dollars to someone God had sent to me. See how easy it is? I could make the excuse I was tired. There is no excuse. I was not seeing him the way God sees him. I was not feeling what God feels. But oh, did that change! David just stood there. He didn’t know what was happening. I pleaded with God, “God, forgive me! Forgive me! Please forgive me. I am so sorry to represent You this way. I’m so sorry. Here I am with my message and my points, and You send somebody and I am not ready for it. Oh, God!” Something came over me. Suddenly I started to weep deeper, and David began to weep. He fell against my chest as I was sitting there. He fell against my white shirt and tie, and I put my arms around him, and there we wept on each other. The smell of His person became a beautiful aroma. Here is what I thought the Lord made real to me: If you don’t love this smell, I can’t use you, because this is why I called you where you are. This is what you are about. You are about this smell. Christ changed David’s life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a place to live. We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a handsome man when he came out of the hospital. They detoxed him in 6 days. He spent that Thanksgiving at my house. He also spent Christmas at my house. When we were exchanging presents, he pulled out a little thing and he said, “This is for you.” It was a little white hanky. It was the only thing he could afford. A year later David got up and talked about his conversion to Christ. The minute he took the mic and began to speak, I said, “The man is a preacher.” This past Easter we ordained David. He is an associate minister of a church over in New Jersey. And I was so close to saying, “Here, take this; I’m a busy preacher.” We can get so full of ourselves.

The call to discipleship is to "all" or to "anyone who will". That means even people like David can follow Jesus! Or, people like you and me.

June 3, 2012

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him." Psalm 67

THE TYPE OF WORSHIP GOD REALLY PREFERS IS - LIFE-STYLE WORSHIP……

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? – V. 1 -   “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,”

This Aaronic blessing comes from Nu. 6:24-26 and carries tremendous significance when prayed by a direct descendent of Aaron over an adult Hebrew man. It was seen as a connection with the covenant that God made with Abraham. There was hope attached to this blessing. There was favor attached to this blessing.

When the Psalmist prayed for God to be gracious and to show His favor on him he was essentially praying to enter into an intimate worship experience with God. He is describing what worship ought to be for the one who loves God.

Worship should:

Celebrate God’s Grace and Seek God’s Face.

If this defined worship on that side of the Christ and the Cross, think how much more it should mean to us on this side of Calvary!

Celebrate His Grace

There is a great article that illustrates the concept of grace written by Charles Stanley.

 

“One of my more memorable seminary professors had a practical way of illustrating to his students the concept of grace. At the end of his evangelism course he would distribute the exam with the caution to read it all the way through before beginning to answer it. This caution was written on the exam as well. As we read the test, it became unquestionably clear to each of us that we had not studied nearly enough.


The further we read, the worse it became. About halfway through, audible groans could be heard through out the lecture hall. On the last page, however, was a note that read, "You have a choice. You can either complete the exam as given or sign your name at the bottom and in so doing receive an A for this assignment."


Wow? We sat there stunned. "Was he serious? Just sign it and get an A?" Slowly, the point dawned on us, and one by one we turned in our tests and silently filed out of the room.


When I talked with the professor about it afterward, he shared some of the reactions he had received through the years. Some students began to take the exam without reading it all the way through, and they would sweat it out for the entire two hours of class time before reaching the last page.

Others read the first two pages, became angry, turned the test in blank, and stormed out of the room without signing it. They never realized what was available, and as a result, they lost out totally.

One fellow, however, read the entire test, including the note at the end, but decided to take the exam anyway. He did not want any gifts; he wanted to earn his grade. And he did. He made a C+, but he could easily have had an A.

This story illustrates many people’s reaction to God’s solution to sin. Some people look at God’s standard--moral and ethical perfection--and throw their hands up in surrender. Why even try? they tell themselves. I could never live up to all that stuff

Others are like the student who read the test through and was aware of the professor’s offer but took the test anyway. Unwilling to simply receive God’s gift of forgiveness, they set about to rack up enough points with God to earn it.

But God’s grace truly is like the professor’s offer. It may seem unbelievable, but if we accept it, then, like the stunned students who accepted the professor’s offer, we, too, will discover that, Yes, God’s grace truly is free. All we have to do is accept it.

Seek His Face

What does that mean?

It means the presence of God. It means the pleasure of God.

The Bible says of both Samuel AND Jesus, “They increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.”

It is the smile of God.

WHEN GOD’S PRESENCE IS WELCOME and WHEN HIS PLEASURE IS WANTED YOU ARE A CANDIDATE FOR HIS FAVOR.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? – V. 2 – “that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.”

When you worship gets better YOUR WALK GETS BETTER!

Maturity – if you make a conscious choice everyday to celebrate God’s grace and if you choose each day to seek His face that will keep you from being ruled by your emotions and feelings.

 

Moods – If you are led by intentional and willful choices, you will be less likely to be controlled by your moods because you will be directing your thoughts and emotions.

Mission – If you are grounded in spiritual maturity you will find it easier to focus on the mission of living a life-style of worship that will lead to fulfilling the Great Commission.

WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN IT MAKE? – Vv. 3-7 – “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.”

 

 

JUST AS WORLD-CLASS ATHLETES DRAW PEOPLE TO THE PRODUCTS THEY ENDORSE BECAUSE OF THEIR EXCELLENCE IN WHAT THEY DO – WORLD-CLASS WORSHIP CAN ATTRACT PEOPLE TO FAITH!

ANOTHER NAME FOR WORLD-CLASS WORSHIP – R-E-V-I-V-A-L!

WORLD-CLASS WORSHIP THAT LEADS TO REVIVAL INVOLVES:

Celebrating His Grace And Seeking His Face

Showing His Grace And Favor

Sharing His Grace And Favor

CELEBRATE GOD’S GRACE AND SEEK HIS FACE AS A WAY OF LIFE:

IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

IN YOUR MARRIAGE

 

 

IN YOUR PARENTING

WHEN YOU COME TO WORSHIP

IN YOUR SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

IN YOUR WORKPLACE

June 2, 2012

THINK ABOUT THIS:

History begins with worship and it will end in worship – so what should we be figuring out in the meantime?

It seems to me we should be figuring out how to do worship in a way that pleases God. The problem is that congregations can't seem to figure out the best way to do that and in fact, often spend too much time and energy fighting over what style of worship is best.

While Christians are fighting over hymns or praise songs, choirs or worship teams, or piano and organ over guitars and drums, we have lost touch with the essence of worship.

The 67th Psalm reminds us that the style of worship God prefers and desires is - LIFE-STYLE!  He wants His people to love Him completely and live like it. Worship must be understood as something to be lived every day through thought, word and actions. When a group of people who have been loving God and living worship all week long come together on a Sunday to corporately worship God - that is world-class worship! That worship changes people and change places and changes cultures.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? – V. 1 -   “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,”

When the Psalmist prayed for God to be gracious and to show His favor on him he was essentially praying to enter into an intimate worship experience with God. He is describing what worship ought to be for the one who loves God.

Worship should:

 

 

Celebrate God’s Grace and Seek God’s Face.

If this defined worship on that side of the Christ and the Cross, think how much more it should mean to us on this side of Calvary!

Celebrate His Grace

 

 

Grace is the unlimited and undeserved kindness God extended to you and me when He sent Jesus to offer Himself on the cross so He could take the guilt and penalty of our sins.

As Romans 5:8 declares, "God demonstrated His love for us in this way - while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

 

 

Grace means that when we deserved His judgment for our wretched sins, God put those sins on Christ's account and extended a pardon to each of us. He agreed to die and allow us to live.

We should never get over our amazement over the grace He extended to us. Every morning it should capture us and every day we should  contemplate it and celebrate it. His grace should ignite our spirits daily. It should control our thinking and energize our actions. Grace should be evident in all our attitudes.

God's gracious gift to us redeemed us and it regenerated us and it adopted us into His family. His grace justified us allowing Him to declare us "not guilty"! He brought us into a personal relationship with Him!

Do you celebrate His amazing grace every day? Do you express it in your attitudes and actions daily? Do you extend His grace to others you meet each day? Do you treat them with the graciousness He extended to you?

World-class worship, world-changing worship, is expressed most powerfully through one style of worship - LIFESTYLE - His grace lived out humbly and passionately through your life.