The Today Series: December 2007 Archives

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

I remember, on one occasion, conducting a funeral of a man I didn’t know. Reading his obituary, I was quite disturbed. It essentially said that he was born, lived, and died. There was nothing to distinguish his personhood, to identify his purpose on earth, or to assess his victories or defeats. While I’m quite sure there was much more that could have been said, we had nothing more with which we could send him to his grave. His life seemed to correspond with the lament of Job, “My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart” (Job 17:11).

For reasons of His own, God gives narrow windows of opportunity, which, when they are not taken advantage of, will close. These are God’s divine moments. As individuals we are given these moments and they are given us in the Kingdom. Speaking of such times, Paul said:

“Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:14-17).

“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan” (Jeremiah 12:5)?

Paul urged: “let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). There are times when all of us feel that the work is too hard, the people that we serve fail to properly appreciate us, or the way is too long. To entertain such feelings is to slip into a morass of in which, even if one wanted to extract himself, the more he struggles the deeper he sinks.

After nearly half-century of ministry in which I have been in over a thousand churches, I have just about seen it all. Space would not permit even a brief description of both the successes and the failures I have seen.

More significantly and for our purposes here, I am concerned about those that are locked into a static condition; those that are on high-center and never rising above mediocrity in their existence. Although I have known some that didn’t want to be different from what they were, content to remain in a comfortable and static mode, most desire a more potent and successful existence.

“And God heard their [cries], and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24).

The old spiritual goes something like this, “Don’t you hear the children cryin’, cryin’ Lord?” I am in a large number of churches each year and in contact with a significant number of people. I sometimes wonder if I am looking at and listening to the same people as others who seem to be oblivious to the conditions that exist. Wherever I go I see and hear people speak of their pain. People are hurting!

“And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions’” (Daniel 6:20)?

The life of obedient faith is fraught with risk taking. Each risk provides its own peril, and each peril provokes its own crisis.

I’m sure that Dr. Seuss didn’t have in mind the scenario as it currently stands with his character he named “the Grinch .” However, the idea contained in the book characterizes precisely what is happening today.

Over the years I have studiously avoided talking politics in this series. I have felt that politics are an indicator of a greater problem rather than the problem itself. When moral, ethical, and spiritual issues are properly resolved in a culture, the prevailing symptoms of dysfunction in that culture are resolved.

Paul, in his writings, gave glimpses of some of the problems in the early church. He lamented Demas who deserted the cause. He rebuked the disorder at Corinth, and in his letter to Titus, commanded the establishment of elders that “those things might be put to order that are lacking” (Titus 1:5). (In other words, straighten out the mess!)

"But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden" (Galatians 6:4-5). "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

A very dominant force in any of us is the need for approval. Whether it is overt or hidden, it is a life long pursuit for each of us. The need for approval is sought from our earliest years and is continued for a lifetime.

When I was in my battle to restore my outer shell (my body), my youngest daughter and I walked about two miles a day (which was quite an achievement for me at that stage). One thing she is insisted on was that we take time to stretch before we started, at mid-point, and at the end of our walk.

I personally believe we are on the threshold of the mightiest moving of God since Pentecost. I also believe that the church as we know it will not be left as we know it. All of our sophistication, achievements and polish will be as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals when that happens. Thus, if we are to be the church that God requires, we must learn what it is to stretch in the Spirit!

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11).

God does not intend for us to share with others every thing that He reveals to us. There are times that He gives us messages that are personal in nature, requiring us to ponder them in our own hearts as did Mary after the angel appeared to her: “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). There are other times He gives a “word” that can be abundantly shared with others.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

We should be well aware that we, as the church, are locked in a great end time struggle with the powers of darkness that will not cease until Jesus comes. The enemy is fighting a war that he has already lost using every vicious tactic that he can throw at us in his attempt to thwart and discourage us.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

The very mention of spiritual warfare can give the believer a sense of weakness and despair. This is largely the result of Hollywood’s versions and our own built in feelings of intimidation. Make no mistake, the powers of darkness are real. They work constantly to destroy every believer as well as the Kingdom of God. Even though they know the futility of attacking the Kingdom, they know our vulnerability and attack the Kingdom through attacking us

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

Life is an ongoing battle. The enemy lurks at every hand searching out those whom he may devour. As Peter said: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8). It’s no secret that his favorite enemies are faithful followers of Jesus Christ. He has come as a thief to steal, kill, and to destroy.

"God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:6, 10).

Humility is a very allusive attitude of mind and spirit. When one thinks he has it, he doesn't. Humility is the product of abject brokenness and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. It comes when one truly rejects any self-glory, any personal rights not granted by the cross, and all self-sufficiency.

“And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).

Today you are victorious in Christ because of His victory. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psalm 133:1).

A primary component of, and absolute essential in, our war against the powers of darkness is unity. As I said in an earlier edition, Satan's first line attack against us in every level of Christendom is to produce division: in the individual, the home, the church and the Christian community. His strategy is to divide and conquer.

“I Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).

Paul wrote these words with great urgency of spirit. He was continuously concerned for the unity of the body of Christ and often voiced his concerns.

Much of the chaos we perceive to be in our lives is just that: perception. This is not to discount the painful adversities of life but to offer a different perspective.

The pain we experience frequently results from the way we view the circumstances with which life confronts us. Granted, much of the time we can’t change our circumstances but we can change our viewpoint of them. Often, a change of viewpoint will cause them to be less threatening or, in some cases, precipitate a change in the circumstances themselves.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all (feelings of) unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Guilt feelings can have a real crippling affect on a believer. One’s inner freedom is significantly affected by the presence of such feelings.

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us" (Hebrews 12:1).

I've never met a person who did not fight battles with wrong attitudes and behavior at one time or the other. We are aware of the inner battles that the Apostle Paul fought. He said: "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do" (Romans 7:19). If Paul struggled with such issues, then who are we to protest our innocence?

The older generation of believers (the one before me!) used to speak of one having a "besetting sin." None of us would like to admit to such frailty but more often than we would like to admit, it is true. We tend to categorize sin in determining how bad it is--as if some sin is bad and some is better, when actually the scripture asserts that when we break the least of the commandments, we are guilty of them all!

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect [mature in Godliness], thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

Consistency in Christian living is to some degree problematic for many. Most of us identify with Paul when he said: "for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not" (Romans 7:18). We live in a day when moral and Christian values are largely neglected or glossed over. I have thought quite often how even the most profligate of my generation would have been shocked at what is considered to be a matter of general acceptance today.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

Fear has many forms. One of the most common of which is anxiety. In fact, according to authorities, it is the most common mental health problem they treat. Many of us would agree that it is a personal reoccurring problem. Although it may vary in context, subject, intensity and duration most of us have experienced anxiety at some period of our life.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13) “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Peter and John answered and said unto them, ‘Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’” (Acts 4:18-20).

Crystallized in these words by Peter and John is the essence of a life’s message, i.e., “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” While it is obvious that their reference included the things seen and heard with the natural senses, their message was much more urgent, compelling, and far-reaching than one motivated by human rationale and philosophic ideals. Their message was a God-given message, seen in the spirit, that caused them to rise above all human limitations as well as the threatening of their Jewish opposition.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18).

The second phase of the development of a God-given Ministry is the development of the ministry itself. After God raises up a faithful and obedient person and gives him a servant’s heart, He begins the process of placing that person in people-situations that ultimately gives him a vision of ministry, equips him for that ministry, and establishes the mustard-seed beginning of that ministry.

In a review the life of the Apostle Paul, we could isolate several key points that made him the man of God that he was. Question: did God select a man who had the personality characteristics for the role He had for him or did He call the man and develop in him the characteristics that He knew were needed? It would seem consistent to believe that He did a combination of the above. Knowing the makeup of Paul’s personality as opposed to the natural qualifications that He wanted to be inherently present in the man selected, He chose Paul because of them rather than in spite of them.

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:1-2).

In our text, we need to focus on three particulars emphasized in that verse: • Paul, the servant • Called to be an Apostle • The Gospel of God

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:1-2).

As I indicated in yesterday’s message, every born again believer is called to serve in a ministry that is tailored particularly for him. Our Father determines when, how, and where each will serve. God-given ministries are not left up to human preference but rather were ordained before the foundation of the world based on parameters established by the Father regardless of the nature of the ministry. Consequently, some are called to positions with great stature and effectiveness while others are called to serve quietly in roles that are more obscure or unnoticed.

“But before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins; hospitable one to another, without murmuring; each according as he has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the various grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:8-10 DRB).

Every believer is a part of the larger Body of Christ and, as such, is called to be an effective servant of Christ in and through that body. To the extent one embodies the visions, values, and virtues of Christ, he can and should be worthy of representing Christ as a minister.

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1).

We learned early in our walk that more than anything else, the Father wants us to pray and, in order to pray, we must learn to pray. While we would have preferred that learning to have been conducted in a nice classroom type atmosphere, we soon found that it occurred mostly in the classroom of desperation.