April 12, 2011

"Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”   Matthew 17:4

Who doesn't enjoy a mountain-top experience?

If I ask how many would like to have to see fresh inspiring personal vision of our Lord and the manifestion of His glory - everyone would sign up! I don't think there is any doubt about that.

Is it realistic to expect a mountain-top experience every Sunday? How about every day?

Why don't we see more of them?

Even the inner circle of disciples only had one of them in their three years of following Jesus?

So, what SHOULD we expect?

While that would be an interesting discussion to have, let me tell you one thing I know from this Biblical account - REVELATION BRINGS RESPONSIBILITY!

The disciples where so excited about what they beheld during Jesus' transfiguration that they wanted to build some shrines and camp out up there! Who can blame them?

But, God Himself, shut that idea down by interrupting Peter in mid-sentence. God is not nearly as interested in happy days on the mountain as is about what happens in human hearts! He wants your worship to reflect in your walk! If your worship doesn't reflect in your witness what good is it?

Old-timers who were dubious about charismatic worship used to say, "I don't care how high you jump but I care about how straight you walk when you hit the ground!" I think that fits in this event!

Let me offer this opinion for your consideration, "We will have more mountain-top experiences when our witness and our walk reflects the passion, power and presence of our worship." Make sense?

Revelation carries with it responsibility. If you want the joy, sign up for the job! If you want to see His glory, live out His story! You can't have the experience His glory if your are willing to be an example of His glory! Mountain-top experiences are not about a thrill up your leg, it is about a transformation of your life!

The reason we are talking about this is not primarily because of what happened on the mountain-top but because what happened after they came down! John, James and Peter took the responsibility of the revelation!

Do you want more thrills on the hills? Live in the power of His Presence in your daily walk and be a witness to His glory! If you want the revelation - take the responsibility!

April 11, 2011

"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus."  Matthew 17:1-8

"After six days" - so what happened six days before this that lead to this supernatural manifestation that is recorded in three of the four Gospels? It is important to get a context for a Bible encounter.

Jesus had begun shaping the vision for His Kingdom and calling them to disicpleship. As they began to understand the enormity of the challenges of their calling, Jesus sensed the fear rising within them. Let me add that if God's call on your life doesn't scare you, you aren't getting it! I find it a bit frightening that He calls us to do God-sized stuff in man-sized bodies. So did the disciples.

The Master, Himself, was facing some scary stuff in the coming days. He would be sold-out, scorned, shackled, spat upon, scourged, stripped naked, and suffer as a sinner on a cross. When facing a fearful future, even Jesus needed a fresh encounted with God. The only cure for human fear is holy fear!

When Jesus invited Peter, James and John to share a mountain-top experience with Him what He was saying was, "Fear this!" As you face the frightening events in your future, you will need a holy fear of Me to help you not be paralyzed by human fears!" Big jobs call for a big Jesus! Jesus was the God/man sent to help men connect with God and channel God's power and love to a needy world. Up until now, they had seen Jesus, the man. Now was the time to reveal Jesus, the Son of God! They needed to behold His glory!

Later, John would record in His Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."  John could testify to the light of God because he had seen it revealed on the mountain! And then later in that same chapter, John writes, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." He could testify to glory of Jesus because he had witnessed it at the transfiguration when Jesus peeled back His humanity to display His holiness!

If the guys who walked with Jesus and who worked with Jesus needed a fresh vision of Him to help them overcome their fears. What about you? Once they understand what Jesus wanted them to do, they needed to understand Who He was! So do you!

Peter, James and John were powerfully used of God after they understood Who He was. Their Godly vision brought Godly victories! From their fresh perspective came fresh power! When they were willing let Him out of their boxes, He was able to be Who He is!

What FredWes needs is a fresh vision of His glory! How about you?

We need that fresh vision of His holy fear to free us from our human fear!

There will be some Godly victories once we catch the Godly vision!

Are you willing to let Him out of your box?

April 10, 2011

"Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good."   Romans 12:21

I am serving as an assistant baseball coach for a junior varsity high school team. Billy Thomas is the head coach. We are trying to convince our kids how important it is to practice well because you rarely play better than you practice. The reason you practice is so you don't have to think in the pressure of a game situation, you just respond in the way you have have practiced.

During the Chicago Bulls run of NBA Championships in the 1990's, there was one game winning shot that was made by Johnny Paxson off a pass from Michael Jordan. When the defense collapsed on "MJ" expecting him to take the last shot, Michael kicked it out to Paxson who drained it. In the postgame interview the announcer asked John Paxson (who was the son of a High School coach and had grown up as a "gym rat") how he felt about making the winning shot. I loved his reply, he said, "I have made that shot a thousand times when I was a kid!"

Under the pressure of a final second shot to win an NBA championship game, John Paxson was able to cooly catch the ball and confidently release it because of the hours of practice he invested while growing up.

How will you respond if you are in the last days and if persecution should come? How can you know that you can stand up under the pressure of rejection, or opposition, or threats, or physical abuse - even torture? Do you fear that? Does that prospect frighten you?

I guess no one knows for sure, but if you are not practicing the right actions, attitudes and behaviors now, you won't have a chance under the pressure of intimidation or persecution. Paul reminded the believers in Rome, who where facing persecution, to always do good. When your righteousness is appreciated - that is great. When it is opposed or when it brings pressure - it is all the same to you. You always act you never react. That is the key to being faithful under adverse circumstances.

Life doesn't really have practice sessions. There are no trial runs - just trials. So, what you do every day counts! What you do in your quiet, private moments alone with God when no one is looking will ultimately be exposed when the "game" is on the line. Your private personal preparations will serve you well if these are the end times and persecution arises.

What are you doing today to prepare your for tomorrow? Especially for a tomorrow of turmoil and trouble. How would you fare then if you were to do the things you now do on a daily basis? What habits need to change? What disciplines need to be added or enhanced in your daily routine? Are you overcoming evil with good each day of your life?

What should you do if the persecution comes? Keep worshipping God daily. Keep walking with God daily. And, keep witnessing daily. Then in the difficult days all you have to do is what you always do! You can act rather than react! Just like John Paxson, when the game is on the line you'll deliver!

April 9, 2011

"Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:1-14

I am really thankful that the disciples asked this question about the signs for the coming of the end times. It's good information! I sense you are curious, too.

Jesus seemed glad that they asked it, too, because He was happy to give them (and us) four signs to look for in our generation. Let's examine those together!

Sign One - Spiritual Crisis, Vv. 4-5

Since the days of Adam the human race has been entrapped in a spiritual crisis.

The world was in a spiritual mess when Jesus showed up. In fact, that is why He came!

Many are bemoaning the sorry state of the Church in the early 21st century. To say the least, it is struggling. With the cultural tide turning decidely anti-Christian, the prospects for inprovement seems bleak.

So, the world in a spiritual crisis is nothing new.

But the real question is, "How is your spiritual life? Are you in crisis? What do you need to do to get right with God?"

Sign Two - Political Crisis, Vv. 6-7a

Politics is really just about how people construct systems and structures to govern themselves. Because everything is essentially spiritual, when there is a spiritual crisis, that will be reflected in how people govern themselves.

Human nature is selfish and self-seeking, so it is human nature to attempt to grab power, position and personal wealth rather than govern purely for the the sake of those they serve. When you get several hundred Congressmen and Senators trying to pad their own bank accounts and personal fame, things can get to crisis status pretty quickly. We are there now!

But the big question is, "What are you going to do about it?" Are you praying regularly for your political leaders? Are you registered to vote? Are you knowledgeable of all the current pokitical issues?

Sign Three - Natural Crisis, Vv. 7b-8

There was another earthquake just yesterday in Japan. There are generally 15,000 to 20,000 earthquakes in a year. It seems the frequency and intensity of those, however, is picking up recently.

Romans 1 talks about how even the earth is groaning under the travails of planet earth. And, Jesus plainly states that things will get much worse before they get better!

Sign Four - Christianity Crisis, Vv. 9-12

As things turn tough in the last days, due in part to the spiritual crisis in conjunction with the political strife and the cataclysmic natural disasters, many will lose heart and give up hope. Even some who have professed faith and walked in righteousness will be deceived and fall away from God and the Church and forsake their faith because of the threats, the pressure and persecution brought against those who stand with Christ.

Jesus predicts that many will fall away from the faith in those terrible times. What about you? Will you stand strong? Can you remain faithful? Are you living for Jesus now? If you can't stand strong in faith right now, you probably won't when things get really tough for believers.

When times get worse, you must get better! You are called to "not be overcome with evil" but to overcome the evil in the world with the goodness and holiness of God. The first thing you must do is to get ready for the last days!

April 8, 2011

"Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."   Matthew 24:1-14

Have you noticed that dire predictions about the future are being issued by politicians, environmentalists, talk-show hosts, sociologists, theologians, economists, movie producers, educators, and bloggers world-wide?

Rarely do these folks agree on anything but all agree that the future does not appear especially bright. There is a prevailing sense of doom permeating our planet. You really only need a casual knowledge of history to know how unregenerate human beings are bent toward self-destruction.

So, whose predictions should we pay attention to? Whose advice should we heed?

You make the call for yourself, but when I plan my future I will get my information from the One Who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Who better to depend for end-time advice than the One Who stands apart from time and sees the whole continuum of history? Afterall, history is HIS STORY!

Also, His track record is perfect! Everything that He has predicted has happened or is in the process of unfolding. What He forecasted to His disciples in this portion of Scripture did, in fact, happen. And the suffering He said would come, happened to Him! While His prophecies are dire like all of the other predictions, His have a happy ending!

So, as you look for someone to believe about the future, trust Him for your predictions! And, oh, by the way. Also trust Him for your protection!

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

April 7, 2011

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."  Matthew 14:6-8

I have known many pregnant women. They all have told me giving birth to a child is incredibly painful. Labor began with rather light and infrequent contractions but escalated to continual and intense pain until the child was delivered. When a child comes into the world the pain gets much worse before it gets better! But, if you want the joy of a child, you have to endure the terrible pain.

Just as there is no painless way to come into this world, there is no painless way to get out of it. You are born in pain and you will die in pain. If you live in fear of pain you will spend your days in anxiety. You must find a joy, a purpose and a power that makes the pain in your life worth the gains it adds to your life.

In the same way, most people I know want to go to Heaven. They look forward to a blissful eternity with Jesus and loved ones in the presence of God. But to get there, they have to die and no one is anxious to do that. Before it can get better it has to get worse.

So, Jesus, when answering the Disciples' questions regarding the end of time, He compared it to childbirth saying that times would get much worse before they get better again. According to the Master, things on earth during the end times, will get very painful before they finally get better due to the Lord's return. No one welcomes the pain or the persecution that must precede the second-coming, but if you want an eternity with Him that is what must happen.

What are you to do?

Turn to the Lord and trust the Lord in the time of your trouble just as King David did!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation— Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.  My heart says of you, “Seek his face! ”Your face, LORD, I will seek.  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."                  Psalm 27 

Things will get worse before they get better, but when you get through the temporary bad you will find the eternal good is worth it! In the meantime, discover that He is worth the pain!

April 6, 2011

"Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”    Matthew 24:1-2

How secure are you today?

How secure are you tomorrow?

How do you know?

When you are facing an uncertain future with ominous storm clouds gathering on the horizon, where do you place your security? How can you be sure that your trust is well placed? What if you discover in the day of trouble that the thing you trusted wasn't trustworthy? Then what?

As Jesus was exiting the Temple with His disciples, they looked at the huge stones that formed its foundation and commented that those stones would surely be a permanent fixture for centuries to come.

They were testifying to their belief in the strength and security of God's house, the symbol of their religion. Shouldn't that be a safe bet?

Jesus rocked their world by stating flatly that those stones and that building would be destroyed in their lifetime. That was something they could not imagine.

This did happen as Jesus said! It was witnessed and recorded in 70 AD when the Roman army grew tired of the rebellion of the Jews and sieged the city and decimated it completely. The only evidence of that old city is what we call the Wailing Wall in present day Jerusalem.


Let’s note that those very same buildings that the disciples thought would be permanent and never changing would be completely destroyed within 40 years in some of these very same disciples with live to see it happen.

This may be a warning to us that we are going to see things in our lifetime that we never thought possible. Things that we thought would stand forever will be dismantled and left in the dust.

These are dangerous days! Storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. Evil is on the rise. Lawlessness is spreading world-wise and is being expressed in riots, and protests and demonstrations and cries for revolution. Our economy is on the brink of collapse as European nations scramble to avoid default.

American is involved in two wars and just committed to another engagement in Lybia with no clear purpose or objective stated. Radical Islam is on the march with a clearly articulated goal of world domination. Their terror agenda is world-wide and effective in intimidating prospective opponents with bombings and beheadings. Should they succeed in their dream of forming a caliphate in stretching from the Gulf Region, through Northern Africa, and into Southern Europe. They would rule the Mediterranean Region with an iron-fist and Sharia law brutally dealing with Jews, Christians or any non-Muslim who refuses to convert. Under their control would be much of the world's oil supply and the means of moving it economically through the Suez Canal sending world oil prices through the roof and crumbling world economies.

Add to this nightmare scenario the probability nuclear weapons would fall into the hands of these zealots.

What are you trusting to help you face these frightening prospects? Are you sure that your trust is well placed? Is your faith founded on a strong and sure and everlasting foundation? Can you confidently rest your future and your eternity on the things you have been trusting?

How can you be sure? What are the unmoveable rocks upon which you place your hope?