April 22, 2012

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16

Why are my sins important to anyone else - unless I happen to sin against them? James seems to indicate that my sins could be a problem to you and and yours to me because the church is a body - The Body of Christ!

I guess the first question to ask is, "What is the Church?"

As I mentioned, the church is the Body of Christ, but the name for the Church in Scripture is "eklessia". It literally means "called out". The Church is the Body of the "called out ones".

Called out from what? Called out to what?

Good questions!

Being the Body of Christ you can easily reason that the Church would be called out from sin. Don't you think that is reasonable? So, if you are called out from sin and you continue to sin how does that impact the Body? If I continue to sin or if I sin against you, doesn't that impact the Body?

Being the Body of Christ you can also logically assume that we are called out to God. I mean, who is it that would call us out of the world other than God? So, if the Church is called out from sin and to God, how do you think sin affects that?

Being the Body of Christ we are called together. You are called out and I am called out and together we are the Church. So, if we are called out together how does sin impact that relationship? If I sin against you doesn't that create some stress or tension in our relationship? Of course. And vice versa.

Think about what sin does. Sin separates us from God. How can that be good for the Church that is called out by God for God?

Sin also complicates. Once Adam and Eve sinned their lives got immediately complicated. Sin harms relationships, impairs judgment, stirs up guilt and alienates us from God. How does complicating life enhance the Church? It doesn't!

Just those two problems caused by sin are damaging enough to the Church to make the case that sin needs to be dealt with within the Church if the Church is to fulfill its mission as the Body of Christ called out of the world.

James prescribes drastic action to deal with sin. Confess them to each other and prayer for each other. When you know what my sins are and I know what your sins are then I can pray specifically for God to strengthen you. I can also do something else significant, I can hold you accountable. You can hold me accountable. We will each know how seriously the other is dealing with our sins. Transparency and accountability are effective weapons against sin in the church. If I am intentionally standing against my sin and you are standing with me against my sin, doesn't it make sense that I will be stronger in resisting sin?

Sin prospers in the darkness but whithers in the sunlight (Sonlight) of truth. James says expose it to the light of truth and shine the searchlight of accountability on it and you will be healed! When you are healed and I am healed guess what happens to the Church? Health!

So, why wouldn't you want to do that? There is a direct connection between holiness and church health! The holier a church becomes the healthier it grows. What church wouldn't  want that?

April 21, 2012

 ^"He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:"  Psalm 103:7

Moses was one of the greatest men of God ever to walk the planet. That comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever read the Bible even casually.

If you want to know what to expect from God there is no better case study that Moses. He knew what to expect from God because of how well he knew God!

One of the great themes of this series on what to expect from God is this "your expectations of God will arise from your experience with God." 

I don' think that point is even debatable.

But it does raise the question, "How did Moses experience God?"

His experience with God began from an encounter with God through a burning bush.

Burning bushes were not uncommon in the searing desert heat, but this bush burned - and burned - and burned - and burned - and never was consumed. That caught Moses' attention and when he drew near to investigate it God spoke to him from that bush and placed a call on Moses' life.

From the moment Moses reluctantly accepted God's call he entered into a personal spiritual experience that changed his life and caused his life to change the world!

So, Moses became a mighty man of God because of an initimate personal faith experience with the Living God. That experience began with a personal encounter with God. And out of that personal spiritual experience with God arose his history changing expectations of God in delivering His people and developing them into a nation.

Our 2012 world is in desperate need of godly men and women who know exactly what to expect from a Holy, Loving and Mighty God! But that won't happen without modern day believers who are experiencing God in a powerful personal spiritual relationship. Like Moses, they need to know God's ways and not just His deeds.

But, that level of spiritual experience won't happen without some personal transforming encounters with God! That is the pressing need of our day!

Have you had a life-changing encounter with the Living God through Jesus Christ?

Have you followed that encounter with a personal daily spiritual experience with God through Christ? Are you experiencing His Word daily? Are you aware of His presence daily? Are you walking in obedience daily? Are you hearing His voice through prayer and study of the Word? Is there spiritual fruit produced in your life on a daily basis?

If you cannot honestly answer these questions in the affirmative, are you willing to seek a fresh encounter with God?

April 20, 2012

"When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp."   I Samuel 17:52-53

You learn a lot about yourself and others when confronted by a giant. The great Biblical account of David and Goliath illustrates that.

Of the many lessons to be learned from studying this engaging encounter are the ones we focused on this week about what to expect from God.

In the last two posts we learned that David expected God to demonstrate His giant power when he confronted Goliath. I think you, too, can expect that when you are confronted by a giant circumstance of life that God will bring His power to bare against it.

We also learned to expect that if God allows a giant to confront you He will use it to raise up the giant within you!

For this morning, I want to share the third expectation David had when he faced Goliath and one that you can have as well. You can expect that when God raises up the giant within you He will use that to raise up giants around you!

After David slew the giant with one shot from his sling, the indimidated Israeli army rose up after Goliath went down. The courage and bravery of David infused courage into every disheartened soldier. Across the battlefield fear and panic fell upon the Philistines and they were soundly routed by the Army of God.

David not only killed a giant but he raised up giant-killers! You can expect God to do the same through you if you will stand against your giants in His strength. But that wasn't the end of it! In II Samuel 23 there is a list of 37 mighty men - giant-killers encouraged and inspired by the faith of their King who slew Goliath!

Once again I remind you from this story of David and Goliath that your expectations of God will come out of your experience with God. David had big expectations because he was familiar with a BIG GOD! His God had empowered him to kill a lion and a bear, so he expected God to help him against the giant!

David was one of the greatest kings to ever lead Israel - maybe one of the greatest kings of all time - because he expected God to demonstrate gigantic power through him and he expected God to raise up the giant within him and he expected God to use him to raise up mighty men to defeat the giants who stood opposed to God's people!

What do you expect from God? How do you expect Him to use you? What giants need to fall? Are you raising up any giants? How is your personal experience with Him? Are you winning your private battles?

April 19, 2012

^"David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”  I Samuel 17:32-37

When confronted with a giant you can expect your gigantic God to demonstrate His power to deliver you!

David did and He did! Goliath didn't.

But that is not where the expectations ceased. David expected more from God. He expected that had God confronted him with a giant to raise up the giant that was within him.

As I said in my last post, our expectations of God arise from our experience with Him. So, the greater our experiences with Him the bigger our expectations of Him! That certainly was true of David. Is it true of you?

Once as David was tending his father's sheep a lion attacked the flock and carried off a sheep. Boldly, in the power of God, David pursued the lion, grabbed it by it's mane and killed it! Little shepherd boys don't kill lions. It just doesn't happen - but it did! When the lion confronted him it raised up an inner strength he didn't realize he had!

On another occasion his flock was attacked by a bear. Emboldened by his experience with the lion, David did not hesitate to confront the bear, reclaim the sheep, and slew the bear with his "bare" hands! His experience with the lion raised his expectation against the bear and God did as David expected. Shepherds 1 - Bears 0!

Just as David mentioned to King Saul, what God had raised up in him through the lion and the bear, God would also raise up against the Philistine, Goliath! It was his expectation based upon his experiences!

Here is a lesson for you. Just as God promised in I Corinthians 10:13, "He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able". In otherwords, you can expect that God will not allow you to be confronted by a giant until He has helped you slay a lion and/or a bear. You can expect that He will help you experience some smaller victories before he allows the giant to show up.

So, if you are staring at a giant, you can expect His giant-killing power to rise up within you! You will stand, the giant will fall and He will be glorified!

Experience Him and expect it!

April 18, 2012

"David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”  I Samuel 17:45-47

What should I expect of God? I can show you what David expected. He expected that God put a giant in front of him so he could demonstrate that He is a giant God!

The old saying. "The bigger they are the harder they fall" certainly applies to God. Some powerful enemies have opposed Him and He stands undefeated. According to what I read in the back of the Book, He will remain undefeated for ever!

How did it happen that David looked at Goliath and said, "He is too big to miss, when all the other soldiers were thinking 'he is too big to fight'!"

That is THE big question, isn't it?

Here are a couple of obvious answers from reading this story.

First, David spent his time focusing on God while Saul and his soldiers had been focused on Goliath. It matters where you fix your focus!

David, as a shepherd, spent his days watching sunrises and sunsets and full moons and constellations of stars. His constant focus was on the beauty and grandeur of God! The more you gaze at God, the better He looks!

As for the Army of Israel, they had been subjected to the sights and sounds of a seriously large and loud Philistine warrior. Seeing this imposing enemy while listening daily to his taunts and curses had taken a toll on their faith and taken their focus off God.

Is there a giant hovering over your life? Has it taken a toll on your faith? Have you found yourself more focused on that giant than on God?

Second, David's expectations of God came out of his personal experience with God. All the time he had spent with God in the remote areas where he tended sheep had allowed him to get to know God well. When he was lonely and called upon God, God came. When he was frightened and called upon God, strength and courage came. When a lion attacked his flock, God's power came and enabled him to slay the lion. And when a bear came after his sheep, he was given a godly strength to kill the bear.

Because David had learned to trust God in his private battles, he found it easy to trust God in this public confrontation.

You expectations of God will reveal a lot about your experience with Him. If you are losing in your personal spiritual battles you will have difficulty racheting up your expectations against your giant.

Where do you need to trust Him in your personal battles? Where is the focus of your life?

Giants can fall in your life if God stands tall in your life. David proved it! Will you?

April 17, 2012

"Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”  I Samuel 17:41-44

Sunday I began my new sermon series entitled "HIMpossibility" and subtitled "What Can I Expect From God"?

This whole idea of shaping realistic expectations toward God is a tough one when we have a God Who can do anything, at any time and in any way He chooses but sometimes chooses not to.

So, the way I decided to approach this important subject is to study some of the great heroes of the Bible who saw God do mighty works in their behalf and see what they expected from God.

Let's begin with David versus Goliath and learn what we can.

From my reading, studying and meditation over this story I have identified three expectations David had of his God when he confronted the giant.

David expected that when God confronted him with a giant it was because He wanted to demonstrate His power over giants.

Second, David expected God to use the giant in front of him to raise up the giant in him.

Third, we learn that God uses the giant to raise up the giant is us so we can raise up giants around us.

If you are facing a giant this morning I hope this will bring you some hope and comfort when you realize how you can expect God to use that giant in your life.

No matter whether that giant is a health issue or a financial issue or a relationship issue or an employment issue - regardless of what form the giant has taken, God will use that giant to accomplish one or more of these holy purposes in your life. That should come as a giant relief for you

Over each of these next three days I will probe deeper into each of these great expectations you can have toward your God! But, for now, thank God that on the other side of your giant and the momentary stress or pain he is causing you will be some giant joy and spiritual growth!

April 16, 2012

“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” I Samuel 17:32

Three frogs are sitting on a lily pad. Two of them are thinking about jumping off the pad and into the pond. How many are left?

You are right! Three! Because thinking about jumping is different from jumping! They didn't jump!

Is it harder to fight a giant or to fear a giant?

For forty days or so the soldiers of the army of God had sit and listened to the taunts and rants of this Goliath guy. And every day they heard it and did nothing in response, the harder it became. The longer they stared at him and failed to act, the larger he looked.

There might be a lesson for us! Giants must be faced. The sooner you face your giant the better it will be.

Avoidance is not godly. Problems do not go away because we pretend they don't exist, they only get bigger and badder!

Procrastination doesn't kill giants. Actually, it doesn't kill midgets either!

I remember being bullied on a daily basis by Jim Leslie. Day after day he would pass me in the hallway at school an punch me when I walked by. He would come up behind me and knock the books out from under my arm or talk smack or hit me. I was about 5'6'' and he was about 6'2''. But one day I finally reached the limit of my tolerance and when he hassled me I spun around and punched him in the gut. As I was turning with my hand balled up into a fist I was fully convinced that I would get killed for doing this but I just couldn't take it any longer - if I died I died!

Much to my surprise - and apparently to his as well - he didn't strike back. Instead, he backed away, made a few parting insults and walked away. He never bothered me again! I took a stand and it paid off.

Problems don't solve themselves. Threats don't diminish over time. Giants don't get any smaller. Confrontation never gets easier. So time solves little when you are being threatened or opposed.