I’d like to tell you about a concept I call “ministry intersections.” What is a ministry intersection? A ministry intersection is one of those unplanned moments that happen to each one of us every day when our lives intersect with the life of somebody else – someone who has a “felt” need. A “felt” need is… a need that they feel! It might be a simple as a need for gasoline for their car, a jump start for a dead battery, or a piece of wire to hold down a part on their broken grill. It could be that their “felt” need is just a longing for an encouraging word or a smile from a friendly face or maybe they could really use an oatmeal cookie and a listening ear because they‘ve had a hard day. Sometimes it’s hidden behind a brave mask but the need is “felt” just the same: terrible loneliness, grief, loss, depression, guilt or shame. There is also a second need which they may not even know that they have, but this second need is the real need that every human being has - the need for Jesus… and they have just intersected with someone who knows Jesus! Ministry happens at the point where the life of a person with a felt need intersects with the life of a believer who is willing to help meet that need and share the good news of Jesus – it happens at the crossroads of Church St. and World Ave.
As Christians, we need to develop an “intersection” mindset. We run right through them every day and we don’t even know we were in one! That’s because we are so focused on “what we had planned” for today and not on what God wants to do with us today. Intersections are almost always not what we had planned, they are interruptions of what we had planned and as such we tend to view them as negatives – not opportunities. Typically, we don’t see them at all. We don’t see the man at the gas station with a flat tire, or the kid with scraped knee, or the lady in the hospital elevator who is crying, and if we do, we think, “it’s none of my business,” or “I don’t have time,” or “she’ll think I’m weird.” Usually, even though we don’t mean to be, we are the first two guys who passed by the wounded traveler in the Good Samaritan tale. What if we just made it a habit to smile and say, “How are you?” I know, I know … people would tell us all their woes; about their sick cat and Aunt Sarah’s operation and we’d never get anything done and we’d wind up being taken advantage of and short on time and money. Yes, that happens sometimes. But sometimes you get to do what Jesus did, what Paul did, what Philip did… letting a ministry intersection interrupt our day and receiving in return the privilege of sharing the gospel, showing them the love of Jesus, meeting their felt need and their real need. That’s what happens at ministry intersections!
“We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2Cor. 5:20) Could you become a person who is ready, willing and able to both help meet the “felt” need of others and share the gospel. How? “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.” (1Peter3:15) Here are some practical pointers. TRY THESE!
1. Smile! “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones!” (Prov. 15:30) Remember – we are Christ’s ambassadors! If you go around with a sour look all the time, you may have to be prepared to give and answer for why you seem to have NO hope!
2. Give a gift! “A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.“ (Prov. 18:16) It doesn’t have to cost more than a pack of gum - it truly is the thought that counts!
3. Lend a hand! “But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. (Luke 10:33-34) Offering help gives us credibility to speak. Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
Here’s some handy “conversation starters” when finding yourself at a ministry intersection:
“Hello! How are you today? How’s it going? Do you live around here? Where is your home? Where did you grow up? Tell me about… your book, your tee-shirt, your child, etc. Are you okay? Is everything alright? Can I help? Can I pray for you? Where do you go to church?” Try asking questions like these - you’ll be amazed at how much people appreciate the simple fact that you want to hear anything at all about them.
It’s okay to go looking for “intersections” but it’s more effective if you just open your eyes and see all the intersections that are already (super) naturally happening all around you!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Power of Words
The Bible tells us that “life and death lie within the power of the tongue!” Words have the capacity to build up or tear down. James refers to the tongue as a small spark that can create a huge deadly forest fire, and he used that illustration long before the advent of the internet, e-mail and Facebook! These new electronic megaphones give our words even greater power and extend their shelf-life into infinity! Jesus tells us that our words will either condemn us or vindicate us, and that we will all give “an account for every careless word!” and Paul encourages us to not let any “unwholesome words come out of our mouths but only that which is useful for the building up of the body.”
Quite a lot of Biblical ink is dedicated to telling us what kind of talk is to be avoided and what kind of talk is to be embraced. Idle chatter, gossip, foolish quarrels, arguments about trivial matters and minor doctrines, lies, anger, wrath, malice, hate, evil-speaking, dissentions, factions, filthy language from our lips, course jokes, and stirring up dissension among the brothers, are all listed as the kinds of word we are to avoid like the plague that they are! I am particularly struck by God’s inclusion of “stirring up dissension” as one of the 7 things He utterly detests! (Prov. 6:16-19) “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Yet even with all these warnings, it is so easy for each and every one of us to lend our tongue to unrighteousness and allow the devil to use our words in his scheme to “divide and conquer.” James tells us that the tongue is the hardest of all things to control! And most of us don’t need James to tell us! We know it by experience. Blessings and curses come from the same mouth, and we have all been on both sides of that equation. We have all given and received both blessings and curses and we know feelings of their corresponding joy or pain.
The Bible also gives us clear direction on what kind of words ought to fill our mouths: praise, prayer, praying at all times with all kinds of prayers, words of encouragement, thanksgiving, words that build-up/edify, good, kind, true, pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy words, speaking to ourselves with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, spurring one another to love and good deeds, being ready to give a reason for why we have hope and sharing the good news of the gospel with all.
So let’s all take a little inventory. How am I using this, my most powerful of tools/weapons – my words? We can’t control them, but God can…. He will control to the extent that we surrender.
Quite a lot of Biblical ink is dedicated to telling us what kind of talk is to be avoided and what kind of talk is to be embraced. Idle chatter, gossip, foolish quarrels, arguments about trivial matters and minor doctrines, lies, anger, wrath, malice, hate, evil-speaking, dissentions, factions, filthy language from our lips, course jokes, and stirring up dissension among the brothers, are all listed as the kinds of word we are to avoid like the plague that they are! I am particularly struck by God’s inclusion of “stirring up dissension” as one of the 7 things He utterly detests! (Prov. 6:16-19) “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Yet even with all these warnings, it is so easy for each and every one of us to lend our tongue to unrighteousness and allow the devil to use our words in his scheme to “divide and conquer.” James tells us that the tongue is the hardest of all things to control! And most of us don’t need James to tell us! We know it by experience. Blessings and curses come from the same mouth, and we have all been on both sides of that equation. We have all given and received both blessings and curses and we know feelings of their corresponding joy or pain.
The Bible also gives us clear direction on what kind of words ought to fill our mouths: praise, prayer, praying at all times with all kinds of prayers, words of encouragement, thanksgiving, words that build-up/edify, good, kind, true, pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy words, speaking to ourselves with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, spurring one another to love and good deeds, being ready to give a reason for why we have hope and sharing the good news of the gospel with all.
So let’s all take a little inventory. How am I using this, my most powerful of tools/weapons – my words? We can’t control them, but God can…. He will control to the extent that we surrender.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Iran’s Gaza Gambit
Two weeks after the Israeli raid on a predominantly Turkish flotilla to Gaza became an international incident, Iran has announced that it will send its own flotilla to the blockaded territory. Unlike Turkey, which had formerly been one of Israel's most important allies, Iran has always been openly hostile toward Israel. The “plight” of Palestinians has long been a useful justification for the leadership in Tehran, which seeks to provoke Israel and increase Iranian influence among Arabs. Some worry Iran could send a naval escort with the aid ships, thus raising the possibility of violence. So what can we expect to result? The talking heads of world-wide media are expressing various opinions:
The French Press Agency reports that the U.S. is worried about Iranian action, "The United States on Monday questioned the Iranian Red Crescent's decision to send aid ships to Gaza, saying Tehran's intentions toward the Palestinian territory were not 'benign.' ... The Iranian Red Crescent announced Monday it would send three ships with humanitarian aid to Gaza, in the latest bid to break the blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory by Iran's arch foe Israel."
On the other hand, Newsweek's Mark Hosenball dissents, "U.S and European officials seem surprisingly relaxed about news that Iran is sending its own seaborne challenge to Israel’s Gaza blockade. ... despite concern that the Iranians are sending the ship in a deliberate attempt to provoke the Israelis and worsen already severe tensions in the area, European and U.S. officials say Tehran actually seems to have dialed back some of its rhetoric and threats for the moment."
Does Iran really want a violent confrontation, or just attention? The Christian Science Monitor's Scott Peterson writes, "Analysts say that Iran’s reaction – including Ahmadinejad’s repeated reminders that the Islamic Republic has championed the Palestinian cause since the 1979 Islamic revolution – is designed to recapture from Turkey part of its self-declared role as the regional bastion of militant resistance that fights for the oppressed. ... If Iran were to send such a flotilla, it would likely steal the limelight back from the Turks only in the event of a similar confrontation." Iran analyst Ali Nourizadeh tells Voice of America, "I think the whole matter is just a propaganda game. Iran knows that the Israelis would not allow them to get close to Israeli territory and even the Egyptians would not welcome them, and that the Iranian parliamentarians have to obtain visas to go to Egypt and I do not think the Egyptians would welcome such a delegation. Iran lost the propaganda game to Turkey and they now just want to show that they are there."
While there may be some wisdom to be gleaned from these media men, here’s what I think: (after all, this is “The View From Here…not the view from there!) The prophet Ezekiel revealed thousands of years ago, that following Magog's (Turkey’s) leadership, we will soon see "Persia (Iran), Cush (Sudan) and Put (Libya) … all with shields and helmets" (Ezekiel 38:5). By itself, Turkey, who launched this blockade-running game, is a formidable and powerful nation, but what will Israel and the western world do when, as the Bible predicts, Turkey leads a military coalition that includes Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan and several other nations as well against Israel? The options then will be quite limited, to say the least. But with whatever option He chooses, Jesus is ultimately going to defend Israel. Hopefully, the U.S. will be on the right side of that battle. I would suggest our best response is to start praying. (1 Peter 4:7)
Sources:
Bracing for Iran Mark Hosenball, Newsweek;
Empty Rhetoric Ali Nourizadeh, Voice of America;
They Want Conflict Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor ;
Not So Benign The Editors, Agence France-Presse ;
Should We Be Worried About Iran's Gaza-Bound Flotilla? Max Fisher, Atlantic Wire
The Emerging “Strong Horse” of the Islamic World, Joel Richardson, WND
The French Press Agency reports that the U.S. is worried about Iranian action, "The United States on Monday questioned the Iranian Red Crescent's decision to send aid ships to Gaza, saying Tehran's intentions toward the Palestinian territory were not 'benign.' ... The Iranian Red Crescent announced Monday it would send three ships with humanitarian aid to Gaza, in the latest bid to break the blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory by Iran's arch foe Israel."
On the other hand, Newsweek's Mark Hosenball dissents, "U.S and European officials seem surprisingly relaxed about news that Iran is sending its own seaborne challenge to Israel’s Gaza blockade. ... despite concern that the Iranians are sending the ship in a deliberate attempt to provoke the Israelis and worsen already severe tensions in the area, European and U.S. officials say Tehran actually seems to have dialed back some of its rhetoric and threats for the moment."
Does Iran really want a violent confrontation, or just attention? The Christian Science Monitor's Scott Peterson writes, "Analysts say that Iran’s reaction – including Ahmadinejad’s repeated reminders that the Islamic Republic has championed the Palestinian cause since the 1979 Islamic revolution – is designed to recapture from Turkey part of its self-declared role as the regional bastion of militant resistance that fights for the oppressed. ... If Iran were to send such a flotilla, it would likely steal the limelight back from the Turks only in the event of a similar confrontation." Iran analyst Ali Nourizadeh tells Voice of America, "I think the whole matter is just a propaganda game. Iran knows that the Israelis would not allow them to get close to Israeli territory and even the Egyptians would not welcome them, and that the Iranian parliamentarians have to obtain visas to go to Egypt and I do not think the Egyptians would welcome such a delegation. Iran lost the propaganda game to Turkey and they now just want to show that they are there."
While there may be some wisdom to be gleaned from these media men, here’s what I think: (after all, this is “The View From Here…not the view from there!) The prophet Ezekiel revealed thousands of years ago, that following Magog's (Turkey’s) leadership, we will soon see "Persia (Iran), Cush (Sudan) and Put (Libya) … all with shields and helmets" (Ezekiel 38:5). By itself, Turkey, who launched this blockade-running game, is a formidable and powerful nation, but what will Israel and the western world do when, as the Bible predicts, Turkey leads a military coalition that includes Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan and several other nations as well against Israel? The options then will be quite limited, to say the least. But with whatever option He chooses, Jesus is ultimately going to defend Israel. Hopefully, the U.S. will be on the right side of that battle. I would suggest our best response is to start praying. (1 Peter 4:7)
Sources:
Bracing for Iran Mark Hosenball, Newsweek;
Empty Rhetoric Ali Nourizadeh, Voice of America;
They Want Conflict Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor ;
Not So Benign The Editors, Agence France-Presse ;
Should We Be Worried About Iran's Gaza-Bound Flotilla? Max Fisher, Atlantic Wire
The Emerging “Strong Horse” of the Islamic World, Joel Richardson, WND
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tick… Tick... Tick…
The attempt this week by nine Turkish-flagged cargo ships to run the Israeli blockade off the coast of Gaza has become the focus of international attention and may rapidly become the “incident” which will be used to justify the next war on Israel. If you only listened to the so-called “news-reports“ spun out by the main-stream media wire services and networks, you would come to the intended conclusion that Israel is the aggressor, bullying and violently confronting the peace-loving “activists” who were only trying to bring humanitarian aid to the poor downtrodden Palestinians in Gaza. But what really happened here? Why is there a blockade of Gaza in the first place? Why did Israel board those ships? And what is the real agenda behind this incident?
Gaza, one of two Palestinian-run territories within Israel itself, is under the control of Hamas, a terrorist organization whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. From Gaza, over 7000 katusha rockets have been launched into Israel. (Chew on that for a moment!) Imagine if terrorists within Cuba and under their government’s protection had launched over 7000 buzz bombs on Florida. Would we not place a blockade around Cuba to prevent missiles and other deadly arms from arriving there? (I seem to remember something like that in the history books?) The Israeli blockade of Gaza has been in effect for three years! Everybody knows that if you are on a ship headed for Gaza, you must stop and be inspected by the Israeli navy for weapons. This was no secret to the IHH-funded ships. IHH, the “Islamic charity” based in Turkey that sponsored this maritime operation, has been branded by the US government as a “front” for terror. This nice sounding “relief” organization even has a “dove of peace” displayed in their logo, but they are, in fact, channeling contributions to terrorists. Read about them here:
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e105.htm .
What happened last week is not the “ugly-Israel” picture being painted by the media - an image which is now being used to lather up hatred of Israel in the UN and around the globe -it was a very calculated provocation by IHH. The “relief” ships would not stop when ordered so they were boarded by Israeli navy seals armed primarily with PAINT BALL GUNS. (You can verify this by watching the video!) As soon as the Israelis boarded the ship they were attacked with iron pipes and knives. Several of the Israelis were seriously beaten and stabbed, one was thrown overboard. Eventually a gun battle ensued in which nine “activists” were killed and three Israeli commandos were seriously wounded. What is not being reported, is that prior to this action both Israel and Egypt offered to take the cargo from these ships directly to Gaza. If the sole intention of the IHH was humanitarian relief it certainly would have accepted these offers -if not from the hand of the hated Jew at least from an Islamic brother!
So what is really behind this and why is it happening now? In the fall of 2007 I wrote three columns about the rise of Islamic radicals to power in Turkey through the election of AKP party candidates to the offices of President and Prime Minster and an AKP majority to parliament. Turkey, once considered a “moderate” Islamic nation, a NATO ally and a nation whose secular government was aligned more closely with Europe and the west, has undergone a dramatic transformation which is now almost complete. Turkey has abandoned a century of secular democratic rule to become in practice an Islamic state, even though its constitution still says otherwise – America take note! Turkey has moved away from the west and become aligned with Iran and Syria, two of its radical Islamic neighbors. This blockade running operation, while not done with Turkish navy ships, was done with at the very least, tacit approval by the Turkish government. And what about the timing? I believe this provocation has been planned for a long time, but they were waiting for one big thing….Iranian nuclear capability! We have allowed Iran to get the bomb and now we will have to pay the piper. Or should I say, Israel will.
This is not going to quietly go away. In fact, at this writing, IHH has another six ships waiting to try it again, only this time the whole world will be watching. Time will tell if this is the next big thing on the prophetic horizon. But one thing is sure, the clock is ticking….and midnight is very close.
Gaza, one of two Palestinian-run territories within Israel itself, is under the control of Hamas, a terrorist organization whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. From Gaza, over 7000 katusha rockets have been launched into Israel. (Chew on that for a moment!) Imagine if terrorists within Cuba and under their government’s protection had launched over 7000 buzz bombs on Florida. Would we not place a blockade around Cuba to prevent missiles and other deadly arms from arriving there? (I seem to remember something like that in the history books?) The Israeli blockade of Gaza has been in effect for three years! Everybody knows that if you are on a ship headed for Gaza, you must stop and be inspected by the Israeli navy for weapons. This was no secret to the IHH-funded ships. IHH, the “Islamic charity” based in Turkey that sponsored this maritime operation, has been branded by the US government as a “front” for terror. This nice sounding “relief” organization even has a “dove of peace” displayed in their logo, but they are, in fact, channeling contributions to terrorists. Read about them here:
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e105.htm .
What happened last week is not the “ugly-Israel” picture being painted by the media - an image which is now being used to lather up hatred of Israel in the UN and around the globe -it was a very calculated provocation by IHH. The “relief” ships would not stop when ordered so they were boarded by Israeli navy seals armed primarily with PAINT BALL GUNS. (You can verify this by watching the video!) As soon as the Israelis boarded the ship they were attacked with iron pipes and knives. Several of the Israelis were seriously beaten and stabbed, one was thrown overboard. Eventually a gun battle ensued in which nine “activists” were killed and three Israeli commandos were seriously wounded. What is not being reported, is that prior to this action both Israel and Egypt offered to take the cargo from these ships directly to Gaza. If the sole intention of the IHH was humanitarian relief it certainly would have accepted these offers -if not from the hand of the hated Jew at least from an Islamic brother!
So what is really behind this and why is it happening now? In the fall of 2007 I wrote three columns about the rise of Islamic radicals to power in Turkey through the election of AKP party candidates to the offices of President and Prime Minster and an AKP majority to parliament. Turkey, once considered a “moderate” Islamic nation, a NATO ally and a nation whose secular government was aligned more closely with Europe and the west, has undergone a dramatic transformation which is now almost complete. Turkey has abandoned a century of secular democratic rule to become in practice an Islamic state, even though its constitution still says otherwise – America take note! Turkey has moved away from the west and become aligned with Iran and Syria, two of its radical Islamic neighbors. This blockade running operation, while not done with Turkish navy ships, was done with at the very least, tacit approval by the Turkish government. And what about the timing? I believe this provocation has been planned for a long time, but they were waiting for one big thing….Iranian nuclear capability! We have allowed Iran to get the bomb and now we will have to pay the piper. Or should I say, Israel will.
This is not going to quietly go away. In fact, at this writing, IHH has another six ships waiting to try it again, only this time the whole world will be watching. Time will tell if this is the next big thing on the prophetic horizon. But one thing is sure, the clock is ticking….and midnight is very close.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Demolition Derby
Many of you who drive up and down Mechanicsville Turnpike each day probably noticed the demolition last week of a stately old two-story brick house that stood on the property right next to the church. Perhaps you had a certain amount of nostalgia or sentiment as that elegant piece of the past was removed to make way for the future “progress” of another new self-storage unit complex. We all have too much stuff. Maybe you thought as I did, “It’s a shame to see a house that seems so nice, even beautiful, to have to be destroyed.” Now, I’m not one for chaining myself to a tree to prevent bulldozing. In fact I am a pretty ardent capitalist! Personal property is just that- property that belongs to its owner- and he can use it however he feels best! Still, it seemed kind of wasteful to bring down a historic house - one that had stood like a sentinel along “the pike” for so many years. At least it did… until I got a look inside.
You see, when the heavy equipment began to bring the house down, the outer walls collapsed revealing what lay inside. The interior of the house was trashed! Vandals and squatters had destroyed things inside, spray-painting vile and obscene words on the walls. One upstairs interior wall bore a twelve foot wide graffiti-scrawled mural which depicted a man throwing a cross into a trash can. Beneath this was written an angry caption: “NO GOD!” I am not sure if this meant, “There is no God!” or if it was a voice of rebellion directed at God speaking a furiously negative answer to God’s offer of salvation: “No, God!” Either way, it was a slap in the face to a God who gave His Son to us. The image of the cross being thrown away will stay with me for a long time, causing me to ponder many things.
I first began to chew on the old saw: “You can’t judge a book, (house or man) by its cover.” I do not really know what is going on inside the house next door or the man standing beside me. What came next were lots of scriptures that seemed to apply, so here’s a short sermon preached by a house that was pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside:
(1 Sam. 16:7) “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
(Ephesians 5:11-13) “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible.”
(John 3:19-2) “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
(Matthew 12:35-37) “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
(Luke 6:43-45) "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
(Hebrews 4:13) “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
( 2 Corinthians 5:10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
And finally,
(Proverbs 4:23) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Amen.
You see, when the heavy equipment began to bring the house down, the outer walls collapsed revealing what lay inside. The interior of the house was trashed! Vandals and squatters had destroyed things inside, spray-painting vile and obscene words on the walls. One upstairs interior wall bore a twelve foot wide graffiti-scrawled mural which depicted a man throwing a cross into a trash can. Beneath this was written an angry caption: “NO GOD!” I am not sure if this meant, “There is no God!” or if it was a voice of rebellion directed at God speaking a furiously negative answer to God’s offer of salvation: “No, God!” Either way, it was a slap in the face to a God who gave His Son to us. The image of the cross being thrown away will stay with me for a long time, causing me to ponder many things.
I first began to chew on the old saw: “You can’t judge a book, (house or man) by its cover.” I do not really know what is going on inside the house next door or the man standing beside me. What came next were lots of scriptures that seemed to apply, so here’s a short sermon preached by a house that was pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside:
(1 Sam. 16:7) “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
(Ephesians 5:11-13) “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible.”
(John 3:19-2) “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
(Matthew 12:35-37) “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
(Luke 6:43-45) "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
(Hebrews 4:13) “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
( 2 Corinthians 5:10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
And finally,
(Proverbs 4:23) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Amen.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Walking the Vale
I lost a good friend Monday morning at 4:11. He got his “early release” pass from school down here on earth and went home victoriously to be with Jesus after a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. You know, you can learn a lot about living by spending time with those who are dying. They have no time for the trivial, meaningless stuff that clutters up life for those of who are still denying our mortality. They are past the delusion that keeps the rest of us from thinking or talking about the big ugly bully that hides just behind all fears… death. Words have more meaning when they flow from a man who knows they might be his last. This man used his final quota of words to bless and not curse. He could have been bitter, angry, and selfish, and the world would have said, “He has a right to be!” but he wasn’t. He was gracious, thankful and kind. He said “I love you” to his friends and family – probably a whole lot more than he ever did before. He told his friends about his faith – a faith that grew and deepened right up until that faith became sight – a faith that did not disappoint him but ushered him into the glorious hope that awaits all those who believe.
You see, he had found a treasure near the end of his road- a pearl of great price. He came to understand that he had a Heavenly Father who loved Him, a Father who sent His Son to die for him. He learned that through faith he could be adopted into God’s family and that the Son who died and rose again was now his big brother who has already whipped that ugly bully named Death. When we grasp that truth, there is nothing to fear. The real truth is, I didn’t lose a friend, we’re just going to be separated for a little while. King David said it this way about the death of his infant son, “He shall not return to me, but I shall go to him.” Many years later when King David faced his own death, he spoke these words to his son Solomon who would soon be King himself: “I am about to go the way of all flesh.” No denial there. Deep down we all know it’s true. Every living thing dies. Wrapped up in the very definition of life is the expectation of death. Ernest Hemmingway wrote: “Every true story ends in death.”
Old Ernest was almost right. Every true story ends in death….every true story that is - except one! And it is in that one true story that ends in life that we place our hope! Jesus conquered death. He raised Jarius’ daughter and the widow’s son. He called Lazarus from the tomb. And at the end of His earthly story there is an EMPTY tomb. He died and rose again! “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1Cor. 15:20-23, 42-44, 51-58)
You see, he had found a treasure near the end of his road- a pearl of great price. He came to understand that he had a Heavenly Father who loved Him, a Father who sent His Son to die for him. He learned that through faith he could be adopted into God’s family and that the Son who died and rose again was now his big brother who has already whipped that ugly bully named Death. When we grasp that truth, there is nothing to fear. The real truth is, I didn’t lose a friend, we’re just going to be separated for a little while. King David said it this way about the death of his infant son, “He shall not return to me, but I shall go to him.” Many years later when King David faced his own death, he spoke these words to his son Solomon who would soon be King himself: “I am about to go the way of all flesh.” No denial there. Deep down we all know it’s true. Every living thing dies. Wrapped up in the very definition of life is the expectation of death. Ernest Hemmingway wrote: “Every true story ends in death.”
Old Ernest was almost right. Every true story ends in death….every true story that is - except one! And it is in that one true story that ends in life that we place our hope! Jesus conquered death. He raised Jarius’ daughter and the widow’s son. He called Lazarus from the tomb. And at the end of His earthly story there is an EMPTY tomb. He died and rose again! “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1Cor. 15:20-23, 42-44, 51-58)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Monarch Stories
I want give you a “follow-up update” on an article I wrote in March in which I told you about the possibility that the Jewish Sanhedrin might sacrifice a Passover lamb on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Several of you have e-mailed me wanting to know my sources for that article and whether or not the sacrifice actually took place. The main source for much of my information came from the March edition of “Prophecy in the News” magazine. I checked the validity of the information in that magazine and found several confirming articles about the Korban Pesach event in secular Israeli newspapers such as the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz. From what I can glean from Israeli news sources to date, the sacrifice did not take place. A lawsuit was filed seeking to bar the Sanhedrin from carrying it out and a judge granted an injunction on the day of the event preventing it on the basis of “security concerns.” I appreciate all of you who have keenly been following this story and have shown such interest! Even though it did not happen, the very fact that it almost did, illustrates just how close we are to meeting our coming King!
Each spring in our daycare, our kids get a chance to be eyewitnesses to a miracle. Our director purchases “butterfly kits” – jars filled with tiny fuzzy worms… with worm food included! The children (and their parents!) become fascinated, waiting and watching each day as the tiny little caterpillars rapidly grow, attach themselves to the ceiling of their enclosure, seal themselves into a cocoon coffin and, after many days, finally emerge, miraculously transformed into beautiful butterflies! The word biologists use to describe this process is “metamorphosis.” That is also the word Paul used to describe and encourage a change that needs to take place in us. “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed (from the Greek: “Metamorpho”) by the renewing of your mind!” (Romans 12:2)
Jesus was the first – he died and was placed in a tomb (cocoon) then, on the third day, He rose again with a new glorified body never to die again! Because he died and rose again, someday we will literally have a “caterpillar to butterfly” metamorphosis! Those who believe, even though we may lie dead in the dust of the earth, when the trumpet call of God sounds we will break forth from our cocoon graves and go from being “worm food” to butterfly-like flight - meeting Him in the air in the twinkling of an eye!
But that change is not the one Paul was referring to. We will indeed someday have a literal physical metamorphosis at the last trump, but the change Paul was talking about was one that is spiritual not physical –a change that comes from embracing our new identity in Christ. “If any man is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed and the new has come!” (2Cor. 5:17) This inside-out transformation begins at salvation and deepens as we “offer our bodies as living sacrifices.” In other words, when we yield completely to Christ, “dying to self.” See the cocoon? When we yield to Him and allow our mind to be renewed by the living word of God, we “put off the old man and put on the new man which is being made in the image of Christ!” (Eph. 4:22-24) See the butterfly? This transformation just as spectacular and no less miraculous than the metamorphosis that our little caterpillar friends are experiencing right now under the wide-eyed scrutiny of preschoolers witnessing God’s hand in action!
Now, what would you say about a butterfly who chose to live a caterpillar existence? Never spreading his beautiful wings, never taking flight to soar and smell the roses, he just continued to live like a caterpillar crawling around with the worms. I’d say that butterfly was allowing the world, his peers, his circumstances and his old identity to mold, shape and conform him into the old pattern. Many Christians do the same. Behavior flows from identity; we act like who we believe we are. So, who do you believe you are? Are you a saint? Are you a holy one? Are you chosen and dearly loved, forgiven, transformed, enabled, competent… more than a conqueror? The Bible says you are all that and much more in Christ!” Are you living out of your new “butterfly” identity or is your behavior flowing from your old “caterpillar” one? I suppose sometimes even butterflies feel like they are still ugly caterpillars, but their feelings are not the reality. The reality is: they have been changed forever…and so have we! So, regardless of how we feel, let’s quit worming around and spread those beautiful wings that Jesus paid so much to give us!
Each spring in our daycare, our kids get a chance to be eyewitnesses to a miracle. Our director purchases “butterfly kits” – jars filled with tiny fuzzy worms… with worm food included! The children (and their parents!) become fascinated, waiting and watching each day as the tiny little caterpillars rapidly grow, attach themselves to the ceiling of their enclosure, seal themselves into a cocoon coffin and, after many days, finally emerge, miraculously transformed into beautiful butterflies! The word biologists use to describe this process is “metamorphosis.” That is also the word Paul used to describe and encourage a change that needs to take place in us. “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed (from the Greek: “Metamorpho”) by the renewing of your mind!” (Romans 12:2)
Jesus was the first – he died and was placed in a tomb (cocoon) then, on the third day, He rose again with a new glorified body never to die again! Because he died and rose again, someday we will literally have a “caterpillar to butterfly” metamorphosis! Those who believe, even though we may lie dead in the dust of the earth, when the trumpet call of God sounds we will break forth from our cocoon graves and go from being “worm food” to butterfly-like flight - meeting Him in the air in the twinkling of an eye!
But that change is not the one Paul was referring to. We will indeed someday have a literal physical metamorphosis at the last trump, but the change Paul was talking about was one that is spiritual not physical –a change that comes from embracing our new identity in Christ. “If any man is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed and the new has come!” (2Cor. 5:17) This inside-out transformation begins at salvation and deepens as we “offer our bodies as living sacrifices.” In other words, when we yield completely to Christ, “dying to self.” See the cocoon? When we yield to Him and allow our mind to be renewed by the living word of God, we “put off the old man and put on the new man which is being made in the image of Christ!” (Eph. 4:22-24) See the butterfly? This transformation just as spectacular and no less miraculous than the metamorphosis that our little caterpillar friends are experiencing right now under the wide-eyed scrutiny of preschoolers witnessing God’s hand in action!
Now, what would you say about a butterfly who chose to live a caterpillar existence? Never spreading his beautiful wings, never taking flight to soar and smell the roses, he just continued to live like a caterpillar crawling around with the worms. I’d say that butterfly was allowing the world, his peers, his circumstances and his old identity to mold, shape and conform him into the old pattern. Many Christians do the same. Behavior flows from identity; we act like who we believe we are. So, who do you believe you are? Are you a saint? Are you a holy one? Are you chosen and dearly loved, forgiven, transformed, enabled, competent… more than a conqueror? The Bible says you are all that and much more in Christ!” Are you living out of your new “butterfly” identity or is your behavior flowing from your old “caterpillar” one? I suppose sometimes even butterflies feel like they are still ugly caterpillars, but their feelings are not the reality. The reality is: they have been changed forever…and so have we! So, regardless of how we feel, let’s quit worming around and spread those beautiful wings that Jesus paid so much to give us!
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