What Will We Hear?

Often, in the Gospels, we hear the words of Jesus: "Anyone who has ears to hear..." I've always found this fascinating. It seems to give off the idea that we can listen to someone but not actually hear them. Hear their heart. Hear the true meaning behind something. Which makes perfect sense considering that many people in Jesus' day didn't actually hear Him.

I'm sure we've all been there. Struggling to believe and/or accept what we are hearing. Questioning whether or not a thought, idea, statement is from God. Then there are those who always talk about things as if God tells them everything. "The Lord told me...." is one of their favorite phrases. He seems to give them advice about everything from where to go to church, what to say in a conversation, to what kind of toothpaste to buy. I'm not doubting their experience. I've just seen how statements like this can be used to manipulate, control, or give off the perception of heightened spirituality. I have no doubt that some have wondered that about some of my statements. While there may have been only a couple of times that I have heard something so clear that it seemed the voice was audible, the reality of my experience is that the Lord tends to speak to my heart.

What I don't want to happen is to create a culture that questions the Lord's ability to speak to us. I honestly believe that He speaks much more than what we actually hear. That our God is a God who loves to communicate with us. Using various methods and means. Speaking through the Bible, the Church, Other people, and the list goes on. In fact, I believe that our Heavenly Father can use just about anything to speak to us. It's the beauty of relationship. He knows that we are sensitive to certain things. His Holy Spirit can move in and through anything or anyone. The question will always be: Do we have ears to hear?

Pay close attention to the lyrics that I'm going to post. I wonder what you will hear.

"Every night I say a prayer in the hope that there's a heaven
But every day I'm more confused as the saints turn into sinners
All the heroes and legends I knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay
And I feel this empty place inside, so afraid that I've lost my faith

Show me the way, show me the way
Take me tonight to the river
And wash my illusions away
Please, show me the way

And as I slowly drift to sleep, for a moment dreams are sacred
I close my eyes and know there's peace in a world so filled with hatred
Then I wake up each morning and turn on the news to find we've so far to go
And I keep on hoping for a sign, so afraid I just won't know

Show me the way, show me the way
Bring me tonight to the mountain
And take my confusion away
And show me the way

And if I see your light, should I believe
Tell me how will I know

Show me the way, show me the way
Take me tonight to the river
And wash my illusions away

Show me the way, show me the way
Give me the strength and the courage
To believe that I'll get there someday
And please show me the way

Every night I say a prayer in the hopes that there's a heaven..."

These lyrics are from a very popular song that was released in the 90's by the group Styx. I may have talked about this song in the past, but I didn't take the time to go through the archives. The interesting thing about songs is that they tend to take on a life of their own. There is the intention of the writer. Then there is the video interpretation. What tends to follow is how the song is then applied to various things.

This song is no different. I have heard and even conveyed different elements surrounding this song. When it was released our nation was involved in the first Gulf War. The song seemed to identify closely with the emotions of the time. Some have even written that the song was linked to one of the personal struggles of a band member who was struggling with homosexuality. Most references point to the fact that Dennis DeYoung was a devout Catholic, and that he wrote this song for his son. A young man who was struggling with faith in "a world so filled with hatred." Regardless of what we take away from all of these interpretations, the reality is that the Lord continues to speak through the integrity of the song. How many of us have asked some of these questions? How many of us have tried to find meaning in the midst of turmoil?

What's my point?
I remember when this song was released. I immediately felt the significance of these lyrics. Over the years my appreciation of the song has grown. And the one thing that the Lord continues to speak to me about through this song has to do with with those first few lines. Where the writer talks about saints turning into sinners, and heroes/legends falling to idols of clay. It clearly communicates the struggle that many people go through when there are so many who fall publicly. How difficult it is for people to grasp the reality of the Gospel when those they believed in seem to fall by the wayside. And yet in the midst of these questions, I hear a man's heart. I feel his sincerity. I know it is the Lord crying out through him.

The point is that if you had never heard this song, and you didn't know who wrote it, that you may have believed it was some kind of religious song. Demonstrating that the Lord can speak through anyone, through any medium, and any time that He chooses. Will we hear Him?

Read through the stories in the Bible and you discover that our faith history is filled with people who heard the Lord and followed.
Noah heard God and began the work of building an ark...
Abraham heard God and left his home in search of a city...
Moses heard God and returned to Egypt to deliver his people...
Joshua heard God and circled a city for seven days...
The list goes on and on.
The truth is, according to what Paul says about the Gospel in Romans, that each of us who have come to believe in Jesus did so because we heard from the Lord. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." We may not have realized it at the time, but our response to the Gospel message came not because of the effectiveness of the preacher but because of the effectiveness of God's voice. The Lord has said that His Word will not return to Him void. It will accomplish what He has sent it out to do. Will we hear Him?

Over the course of the next few days I just want you to tune your ears to Him. Simply say to the Lord that you are willing to hear what He has to say. And as you go throughout your day stay sensitive to every situation, conversation, and opportunity. I believe you will be amazed at how your time in the Bible comes to life. How prayer becomes a time of true intimacy. How easily you hear the Lord through a child. How often you see Him at work around you.

As I close, allow me to share the words of a 5 year old. These are the words of one of the children of our youth pastor. If I didn't tell you all of those facts you would walk away from these words believing they came through a seasoned veteran. Will we have ears to hear?

"When the world comes together, we can feel Him in our hearts.
His heart looks like mine. His heart looks like mine.
When the world loves one another, I can feel Him even more.
I feel Him all around. I see Him in everyone."

Do You Resort To...

Happy Thursday! I apologize for being away from the blog for so long. Rather than offer up excuses, I will just get to the post. Great to have you with me.

Last night we were having a conversation about prayer. It was during this discussion that I was reminded how often we resort to formulas, methods, outlines, steps, superstition, and maybe even a little bit of magic to get what we want. This is especially true when we have been praying for something over an extended period of time. We check our lists, look back over our steps, etc. Trying to find where we may have missed it. All the while, not realizing that we have replaced relationship with ritual. Have you ever considered that we treat pray like a magic incantation?

In Matthew 6, we find that Jesus had a lot to say about prayer. He told His disciples what NOT to do, and then proceeded to teach them a proper way to pray.
DON'T BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES - who love to stand in the synagogue or on the street corner praying loud prayers...
DON'T BE LIKE THE GENTILES - who think they will be heard for their many words (their vain repetitions)...
Instead, when you pray, pray in this manner: "Our Father in heaven..."
Jesus wasn't introducing a method. It's my opinion that He was introducing a relationship. That's right! Prayer is a relationship with your Heavenly Father. It's not a means to an end. It's not a magic formula. And it's definitely not a superstitious gesture. Pray is conversation with God where we communicate our desires and His. Where we enter into an intimate encounter.

I find it so interesting that Jesus treats prayer much different than we do. He says things like: "I know that my Father hears me..." While we say things like: "I wonder if I'm doing this right?"

This doesn't happen in prayer only. We often find ourselves treating other aspects of our faith the same way.
Giving
Worship
Bible Reading
Fasting
And the list goes on.
We continually place ourselves in these situations where we believe God has to get something out of us before He will do anything. Making Him the manipulator. OR...we become the manipulators, thinking we can do something to force God to act on our behalf. This, my friend, is the work of religion in our lives. Not relationship.

As I continued to think about this travesty of faith, I realized how often I have done these things. Every time I reduce my faith to a 12 Step Program. Every moment I spend jumping through the hoops. Every incident of half-hearted devotion to ritual/tradition. I prove myself to be the manipulator - NOT GOD. It's not my Heavenly Father that's demanding - IT'S ME.

God cannot be manipulated. Most of us will agree to this. Yet we continue to hear sermons and read books that assure us of how we can get our prayers answered. We act as though there is just one way to do this thing right. Please hear me out. I'm not against published prayers. I'm not against reciting the "Lord's Prayer." What I am against is not being yourself in prayer, and not sharing from you heart. God has designed each of us uniquely. He knows how we interact with Him. We are encouraged to come "boldly to the throne of grace." And yet so many people act like prayer is a roll of the dice.

In the midst of all of this. Prayer, Bible Reading, Fasting, Giving, Worship, & the rest. Jesus is saying, "Come to me..." He knows how quickly we can turn something as simply as prayer into a formula. He knows that we can get caught up in tradition and ritual. He knows all too well how our structures get in the way, drag us down, and miss out on the beauty of relationship. Being gracious, He comes to us while we are reciting our magic formulas - not because the formula worked - because He sees our hearts. He says, "Neal, in Me you can put those things to rest."

Don't be so quick to abandon relationship. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we even ask. There's no need to fall into some sort of methodology. He knows our heart in other areas as well. He doesn't need to be manipulated. Remember the words of Jesus: "If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Heavenly Father give to those who ask."

Enjoy the Journey!!!

Back to the Basics (sort of)

Over the past few weeks, we have been joining the youth of our church on Wednesday evenings to watch videos from Francis Chan's "Basic" series. Overall it has been a good experience. Allowing us to revisit some fundamental truths of Christian faith and church life.

Notice that I said "overall" it has been a good experience. The reason I made that statement is because I don't know that I agree with anyone wholeheartedly in their approach to faith. We all tend to view things differently. Focus in on different elements. Express ourselves uniquely. Francis Chan is a remarkable individual. There is so much that he has done in ministry that causes me to stop and applaud. And I am a huge fan of his book "Crazy Love." What this series has lacked in "meat", it has made up for in basic application. In fact, at the beginning of our last session what Francis had to say concerning the church caused me to take notice.

So often, when we think about the church, we immediately think about a geographic location. Chan would say that when Jesus thinks about church that He refers to those who:
1) Fear God
2) Follow Him
3) Filled with His Spirit
4) Fellowship with One Another
It's not a bad way to think about the church. That we would be a people who walk in relationship with the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and One Another. That we are more than just a group of people who have decided to attend some meetings or join a particular church. That there is something much deeper to who we are together.

Although he never used the word, you could tell that Chan was very familiar with the word "koinonia." The word that is often translated as fellowship. He made sure to point out that this word means more than gathering in a building/room called a fellowship hall to eat a fellowship meal. It's more than just hanging out or joining together in a fellowship softball game. That "fellowship" is much deeper and denotes a shared life together.

It's this type of fellowship that he spent a lot of time breaking down to its most basic understanding. This type of fellowship that was meant to characterize the church more than anything else. And the unity that would come out of this way of life. Chan believes that it is this unity that was meant to get to the world's attention, and to make the Gospel even more believable. That when the world saw our shared life together, this Jesus thing would make more sense. That through us, Jesus would be seen.

This is one of the reasons that I spend so much time talking about koinonia. Why I believe that the church needs to focus on strengthening its quality among us. To make sure that it goes deeper than just each of us deciding to worship together at a specific address or in a particular building. That the church would be known for her quality of life together. It really is a big deal.

In 1 Corinthians 1:9, Paul doesn't tell the church that they were called to be a part of the First Apostolic Church of Corinth. He makes a much bolder statement: "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." Notice the difference? It goes much deeper than church membership. We are to understand that our fellowship is with the Lord. And that fellowship is seen in one another.

I realize that this can be difficult for someone to grasp. But we must try. We must understand that our fellowship with Bob is fellowship with Jesus. That the way we share life with Sandy is the way in which we share life with Jesus. You can insert any name into the sentence, but the reality is that when we join ourselves to a particular group of people, we are joining in the fellowship of Jesus. Those who have a deep reverence for the Father, who have chosen to follow the Son, are filled with His Holy Spirit, and are learning to do life together. With that being said, when we walk away from these people we are also walking away from Jesus.

I get it. Some people will take offense at that last statement. However, it doesn't make it any less true. That's why leaving a particular fellowship should be difficult. We should really consider who we are walking away from. A difficult concept to grasp in America. Simply because church is more of a consumer product in the states. We tend to look for groups who carry our ideals, our values, our style of worship and ministry. In other words, we look for people who are just like us in what they believe, think, and how they communicate those things. Don't believe me? Think about this statement that I heard the other day: "Christianity started with the Jews where it was a lifestyle. Then it move to Greece where it became philosophy. From there to Rome it became an institution. Onward to Europe it became culture, and then to America where it has become a commodity." When our faith becomes a commodity, it doesn't matter where we practice it or who we practice with. Such is the devaluing of this thing called church.

This way of doing church is foreign to the Bible. The early believers knew nothing like this. There was no driving 30-45 minutes to join a particular fellowship while we passed by 30 others along the way. The church was the group of people who met in their community. This was their lifeline. Their expression of the nature of Christ. These people lived together, worked together, knew each other intimately, and were learning how to do life together. They also didn't have hundreds of thousands of preachers waiting in the wings to come pastor them. They had the apostles, the ones that were being discipled by the apostles, and each other. Radically different. Which is one of the reasons that many of the letters to the early church dealt with discipline issues. These people had to learn how to share life in the Christian sense: forgiving, encouraging, admonishing, teaching, etc. There was nowhere else to go, and no one else to go to.

Our Heavenly Father has called us into the fellowship of His Son. We call it church. This group of people was meant to be more than just a group that we gather with one day a week. They are the visible representation of Jesus to the world and one another. Each of them carrying an aspect of His nature that is incomplete without the other. Learning how to share life together meant that we could function as a Body. And when the Body is fully functioning, that is when the Head (Jesus) is clearly seen.

Please understand that I know it's not always possible to stay connected to the same church. I realize that people move, go through different seasons of life, etc. What I'm trying to point out is that this church shopping plague that has infiltrated the church needs to be remedied. In America we trade church members like little kids used to trade baseball cards. Everybody is looking for a better fit. Trying to find something that works for everybody in the family. Some families go to one church for preaching, another one for youth ministry, and another for something else. We do this rather than investing ourselves into the very fabric of the church. We have become consumers. And the church has to sell a good product.

I could go on and on about this subject. I've seen this way of doing church play out over 20+ years of ministry. In fact, 15 years of doing ministry in the same place with the same people has taught me a lot. There are very few people who are in it for the long haul. Yet the church was meant for so much more. It should be a place where we are challenged in our faith, encouraged to go deeper, and admonished to share our own insights about the life of Christ. Where we can think differently, express different ideas, and genuinely share love for one another. It is a place of learning, of stretching, and following the examples set by those who have been at this way of life much longer than we have. We often forget that the early church was learning so much. They didn't have a Bible. All they had was the witness and guidance of the Apostles along with the Holy Spirit. They were learning what it meant to hear from the Lord and to give expression to it. They were growing by leaps and bounds, and evangelizing the known world. Each group had their own expression. Unique in their culture. Diverse in their gifts. All a part of something so much greater than themselves.

The church. It's not perfect. We have mishandled a lot of things over the past 2,000 years. At times we have forgotten our identity. Allowed ourselves to be used by the world's systems. Turned on ourselves. And been a part of many injustices through the years. But the reality is that we were meant for more. Created to be the visible re-presentation of Jesus to the world. Designed to carry His image and likeness. Brought together to provide a safe haven for those seeking to know the Lord in a real and genuine way. We still have a lot to learn. However, we cannot do the Christian life properly without it. We need other believers. We need relationship with Spirit filled followers of Jesus. We need koinonia.

WHAT IF...
We stopped trying to control everything?
We allowed the Holy Spirit to work freely among us?
We made Jesus the center of attention?
We were less concerned with denomination and more concerned with knowing Him?
We were willing to give ourselves completely to the fellowship?
We loved the church the same way Jesus loved the church?
We humbled ourselves and were willing to be teachable?
We gave space for people to express their faith?
We learned to honor the very life of Jesus in our brothers?
We determined that there was so much more than just "going to church"?
We decided to BE the church?

You Don't Need Rules

Have you ever had a conversation with someone concerning their take on the Christian faith? I'm sure you have. You may not have asked that specific question, but somewhere along the way you have heard someone share their understanding. I have heard people say, "Well...I know you believe in Jesus. And you don't ______________..." It is almost inevitable. So many people see our faith as a great system of rules. And in the process they miss out on the beauty of its expression.

In Romans 13 we read that the one who loves another has fulfilled the law, and that love is the fulfilling of the law. Twice in the span of a few sentences we are reminded of this all important principle of life and faith. If the GREATEST commandment is love to the Lord and Love to our neighbors, and if our love for one another is proof that we really are His disciples; then why don't we spend more time talking about it instead of talking about the rules? Why do the people I talk to rarely, if ever, say that they believe the Christian faith to be centered around belief in Jesus and loving others?

WHY RULES?
When did keeping the rules become the main focus of our faith? If love fulfills the law, then why haven't we done a much better job of conveying this reality? Instead, it seems to me that we say that if you will keep the rules then that will show the world that you really do love God. Notice the difference? We have organized the faith in such a way as to emphasize the rules and minimize the heart. That it really doesn't matter what's going on inside of us, as long as we are able to check off our religious mandates.

Think of it this way:
Do you need rules to love your spouse?
I'm serious! Do you need a list of rules to adequately express your heart for the person you married.
What about your kids? Do you need rules to love them?
This list could go on and on, but the reality is that if we need rules to love then we have missed out on what love truly is.
What love will do is seek to express itself full on behalf of the other. Love does not insist on its own way. Therefore, love doesn't need rules, it simply needs an object of affection to fully give of itself.

WHY LOVE WORKS
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind."
- This is a full expression of love. Nothing is left out. It's not simply a giving of your heart. Not just a few good thoughts. More than just a few acts of kindness. It is a complete abandonment of interests, and a complete giving of ourselves. That we see in our Heavenly Father the worth of all that we have possess. And please note that this is exactly the way that He has given of Himself to us. God is not asking you to do anything that He hasn't done already in Himself.

"Love your neighbor as yourself."
- In a world where people often possess a bad self image, this verse can get a bit confusing. But the reality is that in a healthy state of mind we take care of ourselves. We make sure that we are well fed, that the basic comforts of life are taken care of, and that we do no damage to ourselves. It's this understanding of how we treat ourselves that Jesus carried into another teaching. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." How would you want someone to treat you? Speak to you? Care for you? Love does the same for the other. And yet, love has a way of doing even more for another than we would do for ourselves. It goes above and beyond.

As soon as I put these things out there, people are going to say that this is the "Golden Rule." Let me just say that Jesus didn't call it the golden rule. I think we got that from our Catholic brothers. It also demonstrates how quickly we reduce an incredible principle of life to a checklist of do's and don'ts.

Here's what I believe Jesus is saying (strictly my opinion):
If you want to carry what is in the heart of your Heavenly Father, then love Him and love your neighbor. If you really want to know what it means to be a disciple of mine, then love one another.

It makes perfect sense. Which is why John makes a big deal about the person who says they love God but hates their brother in his letter to the church. Why Paul makes sure we understand that love fulfills the law. Why James would say that the one who seeks to fulfill the "royal law" does so by loving their neighbor.

IN SUMMARY
This is what religion fails to understand. Namely that love does not seek its own way. That love carries us beyond the letter of the law and into a greater reality. That love fulfills any and every law. That love expresses the depth of our faith. And that love is you being conformed to the very image of Christ. Love doesn't need rules, it just needs an object of affection. Once it has obtained that, then it seeks to express itself in a way that will be received by the other. It's a beautiful thing. A way of life that the Holy Spirit is all to ready to guide us into.

Then what does God want me to do?
He wants you to love.
It's not that complicated, and only becomes complicated when we seek to insert our own way into the equation.
When I read through 1 Corinthians 13, I see the true nature of love and its expression. A way of life that has to be learned, no doubt, but a way of life that will take me farther than any rule or commandment every could.
"Love is patient and kind;
love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends."
I honestly believe that if we can get this understanding of love deep into our spirit that the rest will take care of itself. That we will see an expression of the Christian faith that the world has not witnessed in thousands of years. That we will return to the heart of God for the human race. That we will see His kingdom come and His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Enjoy the journey!

It's a BIG DEAL!

The last couple of posts have dealt with the mixed messages that we often hear in church. There are those who seek a balance between grace and the law, love and wrath, mercy and judgement, and/or freedom and requirements. I understand the struggle because I lived it for so many years. Much of what I preached, taught, and wrote about was nothing more than a mixed-grace message. A jockeying back and forth between the Old and New Covenant. It wasn't until I resigned to live a life of grace that I discovered just how distorted the Christian life had become.

Galatians 3:3 sums up perfectly what I am trying to say about living in grace versus trying to live by the law: "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" In essence, what most people seem to believe, live, and teach is that we are saved by grace but kept by the law. Which is drastically different from the message of grace that Paul preached which is summed up in these words: It is grace that saves you, grace that keeps you, and grace that empowers you.

Where we have failed to connect the dots is in what Paul is trying to say to the church in Galatia. You are not made perfect by the flesh. No amount of flesh can validate you, justify you, keep you sanctified, or add anything to the grace of God at work in your life. To try and live this way, according to Paul, is to actually fall from grace. It is to backslide (if you will) into a life of keeping the rules rather than living by the enablement of God. Which sounds better to you?

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you need to get this definition deep down into your spirit. The word GRACE that we read in our bibles is the translation of the Greek word "Charis" - the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues. It really doesn't get much simpler than that. It is our misunderstanding of grace that has kept us living out the mixed messages, struggling to understand the power of God available to us, and fearful that we haven't done enough. The grace of God allows you to rest. To trust. To live in absolute assurance.

How often have we sang the words "Grace greater than all our sin", only to hear something from the pulpit that sounded much different? The struggle is real. The mixed messages are all around us. We've received them from parents, peers, spouses, and pastors. We've experienced them in relationships and even within ourselves. It's maddening. PLEASE HEAR ME OUT: It takes faith to believe that His grace is enough. We call it rest, but we often have to labor to enter into it. Don't sell yourself short. Don't fall into the trap of the mixed-grace message. Believe in the grace of God as fully as the Father believes in it. It's a BIG DEAL!

Remember Romans 3:20, "NO ONE will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law." Learn to live in His grace. It is a life worth living. Shalom!