Reflections On the Journey

Psalm 62:5-8,
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

My journey with the Lord has taken many twists and turns over the years. I've learned many lessons and relearned many more. As I reflect upon these things, one of the greatest lessons that I have learned (and continue to learn) is that of rest. Of all the "disciplines" that we hear about in the Christian faith, rarely do we hear people talking about rest. I'm discovering that there is great power and great peace that comes from fully trusting in the Lord.

Rest is all about trust. It's trusting the Lord for salvation. Trusting the Lord for provision. Trusting the Lord for protection. And quite honestly, trusting the Lord for everything. Jesus promised those who were weary and heavy laden that if they would come to Him - He would give them rest. It would do each of us some good to live in it.

Listen to the words of the psalmist. Hear how he has come to know the faithfulness of the Lord. Even though he is going through great difficulty, he is reminding himself and others to place their confidence in God. When you and I learn what can be accomplished through rest then we will find God to be the refuge that the Word of God declares.

Have you ever wondered how Jesus could sleep in a storm while all the disciples were panicking? It's called rest.
Why were the disciples so concerned about Jesus feeding the 5,000 while He was fully confident? It's called rest.
How is it possible to endure the beatings and suffering of the Cross and still forgive those who are putting you through such pain? It's called rest.
You see, Jesus' confidence wasn't in the weather, His own provision, or His own deliverance. He fully trusted God. Therefore, He was able to enter into every situation confident in what God could do and had the clarity of mind to hear the voice of God.

That my friends is what each of us need to claim for ourselves. When we learn to rest in the Lord, we will have full assurance as well. It will keep us from over-thinking a situation. It will keep us from struggling to hear His voice. We will discover that God doesn't stop speaking, doesn't stop moving, and doesn't stop working on our behalf. We will be able to move from hope - to faith - to sight simply by learning to rest in Him. It's crucial that we learn this lesson.

In the book of Acts we read about Peter and John going through some persecution after the lame man was healed. Upon returning to the other disciples, they gather in a house to pray. Not once do you hear them complaining. You will not read about their anxiety. They simply asked that the Lord would look upon the threats and grant them boldness to continue in all the Lord was leading. Think they learned something from their Master? Think the indwelling Holy Spirit provided some confidence in the midst of difficulty? Think they found God to be faithful and reliable in their lives? I believe so. And their example of resting in the Lord serves as a wonderful reminder to me that God has got this covered.

Resting in the Lord doesn't mean that I stop working for Him. It doesn't mean that I do not labor. It means that in the midst of what I'm doing that I am assured of His ability over mine. I don't have to make things happen. I don't have to figure out all the solutions. I don't have to get God (or myself) out of a jam. I can take a deep breath, pray a simple prayer, and release myself from the burden. I can say with David, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul."

If there is some encouragement I can bring to you it would be this: Stop Striving, Learn to Rest in Him, & Enjoy the Journey.

Risky Faith?

Depending upon whom you talk with on a regular basis, the thoughts that you have about faith may not be any different than what you see in the picture below. Somewhere along the way, the idea of walking in faith has been associated with walking in risk. I guess that really depends upon where we get our definitions.

There's no doubt about it. If I am viewing things from the world's perspective then every act of faith takes risk.
I risk being called a fool.
I risk missing out on what I'm believing God to do.
I risk not having my needs met.
I risk putting my family into an unfavorable situation.
From the world's perspective, faith is a leap into an empty space believing that something is going to happen.

What does faith look like from God's perspective?
Matthew 21:21
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.

John 14:12
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Another verse that talks about the power of faith is found in Romans "For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame'” {10:11}. I find great comfort in the fact that when we believe in Jesus for salvation that we will not but put to shame. Not only that, but when we choose to believe God in other areas of life, we will not be put to shame there either.

It seems to me that when I view faith from God's perspective that living by faith is not risky. Instead, living by faith should be the norm for every follower of Christ. I think if we can get ourselves to understand that living outside of faith requires risk, then more and more people will begin trusting in the nature of God.

As a pastor I am often confronted with the needs of people. I get asked to pray about various situations. Most of them (and I'm not belittling anyone) typically come when someone is facing a crisis. In other words, there are in a place that will require them to live by faith. The question that I have is why isn't this the norm? Should we not always live by faith? Is not faith critical to the quality of life that we enjoy? Truth be told, most people are very self-sufficient. We learn how to take care of ourselves. We work to supply our needs. We make sure there is a roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothes on our body. Whenever a situation comes up that challenges us in these areas, we are forced to look at life differently. What if we lived every day as if we were totally dependent upon God?

I have some good friends in ministry that decided they wanted to live a "Look what the Lord has done" lifestyle. They have set their hearts to trust the Lord for provision in every area of life. Where they would live, what they would drive, and how/where they would do ministry. It's been quite the journey. And while they may not have what everyone else has, they always have everything they need. They also have quite a testimony about how the Lord gave them a new car. Some may call this risky. But they have found God to be faithful.

In the past I have tried to encourage people by saying that when they are facing difficulty that they get to watch God show off. I'm not trying to trivialize what they are going through by any means. I'm simply reminding them that they get to see God work His nature in and through their lives. He is the One who revealed Himself as the Lord Who Provides. He is the One who chose to reveal Himself as the Lord Who Is Present. If I was in a position of having to trust in something other than Him then I would be worried. However, because I know the Lord is faithful and I know that He cares for His children, I am assured of His faithfulness.

One of my favorite quotes from the Psalms says " I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or His children begging for bread" {37:25}. This is the testimony of the Lord. Jesus assured His followers that seeking first the Kingdom of God would not mean they would lack for what they needed. In fact, He made sure that they understood that ALL of those things would be taken care of. The question then becomes who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe the world that says faith is risky business. Or are you going to believe God who says that you can trust Him?

Here's an option for you:
STOP TAKING RISKS AND START TRUSTING GOD!!!

United We Stand - Divided We Fall

Mark 3:25 tells us that "a house divided against itself cannot stand." Therefore, it is crucial that we learn what it means to stand together. I've always loved the old phrase that I used in the title: "United We Stand - Divided We Fall." It reminds us as a nation, a people, and as a Body of believers that unity is critical to our strength.

Paul's words to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 4) should serve as a mantra for every church fellowship. Allow me to break it down in such a way that we can hear his heart. Remember, he's talking about how we walk as those who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light:
WALK WITH ALL HUMILITY
AND GENTLENESS
WITH PATIENCE
BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE
EAGER TO MAINTAIN THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT
IN THE BOND OF PEACE

Many of you know that I am not a fan of denominationalism. This does not mean that I have a problem with denominations per say, it just means that I do not like the mindset that comes with the "ism". Like a lot of other "isms" in the world, denominationalism causes schisms (division) that leads to deception, destruction, and defeat. When it comes to the Body of Christ, we need a mentality like the Three Musketeers: "All for One and One for All."

For centuries now the main glue that has been used to hold church unity together has been theology. Denominations have been established to recognize those who are of the same belief system. In other words, you should be able to go into any particular church of any particular denomination and they will believe the same things. Some denomination will take this a step further and focus in on the practices of the individual churches as well. This means that their particular brand of Christianity will look, sound, and function the same. I understand why these things are in place. They are not inherently evil. Division comes when we are not willing to recognize the legitimacy of another denomination. This is what I term as denominationalism. It's the idea that only one denomination is right and all the others are wrong. It creates a mindset that all those other churches out there are deceiving people. While I'm okay with people being able to find a common ground in their faith, I'm not okay with simply marketing our brand of Christianity.

The question then becomes for us: Can I walk in confidence in what I believe and yet recognize that someone else is a legitimate follower of Christ although we differ on some things? Isn't that what walking in humility is all about. It's recognizing that I don't have it all together and that I don't have the final say in all our beliefs. Doesn't gentleness require that I stop being so aggressive with my faith and learn how to walk in patience with others? Does not "bearing with one another in love" require that I walk alongside a brother/sister in Christ regardless of where they stand? I think it does. In fact, I think the world would be better served if all churches would stop harassing other churches. I think if we could learn what it means to walk in true unity - not a unity that revolves around common doctrines - a unity that knows what it means to be in the bond of peace, we would see such a sweeping revival in our communities that we wouldn't know what to do next.

I realize that some people have a problem with this type of thinking. It's quite different than what we have known. I mean...if we are not connected through doctrine then what would be the basis of our fellowship? I'm glad you asked. Listen to Paul's words that are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The BOND that ties each of us to the unity of the Spirit is not "truth" but peace. What we are to endeavor to do as followers of Christ is to keep the unity of the Spirit IN the bond of peace. What denominationalism has created in us is the mindset that the only bond that keeps us united in the Spirit is our belief system. Could it be that we have missed out on what makes for true unity? I think we have.

The bond of peace is a powerful thing. It's none other than the peace that comes from God. It's a peace that was given to us through the finished work of Christ. It's a peace that not only means peace with God but peace with one another. Therefore, the basis for our unity in the Spirit (in my opinion) should not be whether or not we believe the same things but the relationship that we have in Christ. How are we saved? According to Romans 10:9 says that "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." My plea to the Body of Christ is this: If that is all that is necessary for us to be saved then why isn't that enough for us to base a common fellowship? The unity of the Spirit will be kept in the bond of peace when we learn how to rally around relationships rather than doctrines.

Please hear me out. I'm a pastor so I understand the importance of doctrine. I don't know if we will ever see a time in our lives where believers do not choose their community of faith based upon principles and practices. What I'm after in all of this is that we learn how to live in relationship with those who differ. That we would learn to stop arguing, stop competing, and start walking in love with one another. We also need to stop with the idea that we must win every person who is of a different persuasion than us. Just because people choose to fellowship with other Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, etc. does not mean they are wrong or that they are lost. It typically means that this is how they found Christ or found a genuine expression of the love of God. Let's honor that. Let's walk in humility, gentleness, and patience with them. Let's bear with one another in love. AND let's be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. This is what Paul refers to as "walking in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which we have been called."

A Wise Man Once Said...

A wise man once said, "He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." {Proverbs 25:28} Many modern translations of this verse talk about the need for self-control, but I think there is more to this verse.

Don't misunderstand me. I do believe Solomon is talking about the need to control ourselves. However, when it comes to dealing with the spirit there is much more that we need to understand.

The Hebrew word used for spirit in this verse gives us the image of a rational being. Man, was made a living soul by the breath of God. We are spiritual beings living in a fleshly body. How we express ourselves and function in relationships is all about the spirit man inside of us. Left uncontrolled our spirit can be like a tempest or a whirlwind. On the other hand, when we are willing to control ourselves, our spirit can be soothing, calm, and reassuring. The difference is usually found in whether we respond to a situation or react.

One of the early lessons we had to teach our son was how to gain self-control. We used the simple tool of interlacing his fingers to give him a picture of what self-control looked like. Whenever he wanted to react out of his emotions, we would encourage him to "get control" and immediately he would bring his hands together. Although he is 13 years old now, we continue to remind him of this lesson. Why? Because learning to control ourselves is one of the most vital lessons of life. If Solomon thought it necessary to pass this instruction down to his son, don't you think we should do the same?

Learning how to respond to what life throws our way can make all the difference. I'm often reminded of this when our nation faces tragedy like we saw in Oklahoma this week. Responding to a disaster rather than reacting to it can be crucial as it relates to the rate of recovery. Response is tied directly to thinking rationally. Reaction is normally linked to being in the heat of the moment. So I want you to think with me: Would you rather be a Responder or a Reactor?

While this verse carries the idea of self-control, I want us to look a little deeper. Learning how to control our spirit also requires learning how to persuade it. We cannot allow ourselves to be fooled by emotions. We must not allow the circumstances of life to dictate what goes on inside of us. We have to master the art of being in control emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. Locked within the spirit of man is the nature of God. Tapping into His nature - regardless of everything around me - can bring about some amazing results.

The good news in all of this: You Have a Helper - aka The Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (among many others things) is self-control. When you and I learn what it means to "walk in the Spirit" then self-control will be a natural overflow. We don't have to muster up the strength. We don't have to pick ourselves up by our own boot straps. We simply allow Him to lead the way. Of course, depending upon your faith background, you may have absolutely now idea on how to do this. This is especially true if Christianity has been nothing more than a list of external rules to follow. This is true for many believers. We have lost the understanding of what it means to be spiritual beings. Therefore, everything is rooted in our ability, our determination, and our strength. Where is the grace of God in all of this? It's usually on the back end waiting to forgive us rather than on the front end ready to provide the power we need.

One of the ways that you can prepare yourself to respond is by learning everything you can about your identity in Christ. Knowing who God is for you and who you are in Him is a vital exercise in training your spirit and learning how to respond in the Spirit of Christ. When we do not do these things then that "burst of air" inside of us (our spirit) can become a destructive force. Tied simply to our emotions rather than the Truth of God's Word can lead to actions that will leave us desolate and in danger.

In ancient days, city walls were necessary. They protected the people from the enemies on the outside while trying to ensure that only the right people got inside. Living without self-control is like allowing the enemy to come inside and destroying our lives from the inside out. We have seen this in people who were not willing to give up certain habits, lifestyles, and/or addictions. I have also seen this in people who were unwilling to forgive, give up bitterness/resentment, and were unwilling to live in reconciliation. These things are like a cancerous cell. And when left untreated it brings devastation from within.

Like these ancient cities, you need to surround yourself with the Truth. You need to reinforce your life with your identity in Christ. This is more than just memorizing verses. It's learning how to establish your heart in God. It's living from His viewpoint. It's repenting when your mindset is wrong and renewing your mind in such a way that brings about transformation. It's choosing to live in the Spirit rather than through the emotions.

Don't be fooled into thinking that you don't have a choice in the matter. Never allow the enemy to set the agenda in your life. Decide right now that you will not be a man or a woman who lives without the Spirit's control in your life. Decide how you will respond to the things that come into your life. Discover what is available in the abundant life of Christ. In His nature you can forgive those who hurt you, pray for those who use you, bless those who curse you, and give mercy to those who would bring harm to you. It's all wrapped up in the Divine Nature that is within you called Holy Spirit. He will make sure that you have everything you need for life and godliness. In fact...you already have it.

The Power of Pentecost

This past Sunday we celebrated Pentecost. Pentecost as a Jewish celebration would be celebrated 50 days after the Passover observing the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mt. Sinai. God, in His Divine Providence, chose this day to release His Holy Spirit upon the followers of Christ signifying the sealing of a New Covenant of Grace.

The coming of the Holy Spirit is significant in so many ways. Not only does His coming fulfill the words of Christ, it signifies a new relationship with God. A relationship that is not based upon rules, rituals, and a strict regemine; but a relationship based upon love, grace, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit of God.

According to Scripture the Holy Spirit will:
- Guide us into all truth
- Call to remembrance the words of Christ
- Lead us according to the will of God
- Will Teach us everything we need to know
- Gift us
- Empower us
- Seal us
- Intercede for us

TALK ABOUT A GAME CHANGER!!!

The Holy Spirit will allow us to walk in the same life, same power, same mind, and same ministry of Christ. Jesus came to represent the Father and we get to re-present Christ to the world. In an Old Covenant relationship with God it was all about the rules. In a New Covenant relationship it's all about the relationship.

I want you to consider these truths as we talk about the Power of Pentecost:
~ You have the same Spirit in you that raised Christ from the dead
~ You have the very nature of Christ alive in you (which provides everything you need for life and godliness)
~ The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. You have that!!!
~ The Spirit of God within you prays for you and prays through you
What could you possibly need in your life that is not supplied by/through the Spirit of God in you?

It's time to rejoice. The voice of God is alive and active in your life. The presence of God that will never leave nor forsake you is always with you. The anointing that made Jesus the light of life is the same anointing that dwells within you. It's in you (according to the Bible) as a fountain and as a river. A fountain that you can draw life from and a river that gives life to others.

As a child of God you have been sealed with a promise. That seal is the Holy Spirit.
As a child of God you have the Spirit inside of you that cries out "Abba Father".
As a child of God you are no longer a slave but an heir and a joint-heir with Christ.
All of this made possible by God through the work of redemption and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

What do you do now? You need to develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit. You need to understand how He moves, what He is saying, and how He is leading. You need to recognize what it feels like and looks like. There are so many ways that He can move in and through our lives that we simply cannot map it all. A personal relationship will help take care of those questions. You have the ability and the opportunity to have a real relationship with the Spirit of God. Don't miss out on it.

In the book of Acts we read that the religious leaders took note of the Apostles and recognized that they had been with Jesus. While we could talk about the many aspects of this statement, one thing is for sure: they carried the same Spirit.

I leave you with the words of Jesus: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." {John 4:12}. Why was it significant that Jesus go to the Father? According to Jesus' own words, it was so that He (Holy Spirit) could come. Take a moment every day of your life to thank God for the gift of His Spirit in you. Be amazed at how He moves in your life, and be ready for the greater works that can come through you because He resides in your life. Be Blessed!!!