"Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain..." - Psalm 48:1
(WARNING: Transparency Alert!!! If you aren't the type of believer who welcomes real people with real stories of a real God Who really saves and changes lives, then stop reading here, and go find another blog. This post will contain some adult situations in an effort to be transparent and to encourage others who may be struggling with their own pasts to find freedom in Christ... Parental guidance suggested. Pharisees need not apply!)
So I was sitting in church orchestra rehearsal last night, playing "Great is the Lord Almighty," (Dennis Jernigan), getting ready for Sunday. As we were playing, I was once again reminded of the lyrics of this great song of testimony:
"When His Children were dying and lost in their sin, MY GOD DIED AND HE ROSE AGAIN!
And I've been rejoicing since He took MY PLACE, and I thank YOU, JESUS, and PRAISE HIS NAME!!!"
A few years ago, while serving in the orchestra at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia, our church choir and orchestra accompanied Dennis Jernigan for a concert during one of our morning worship services. Now, mind you, I have played a lot of music over the years, and I was quite familiar with several of Dennis' worship tunes, but his was just a name on a page of music, like the many other composers' names I read on a weekly basis.... until I heard his story that day.
Dennis was saved from a life of sexual sin -- specifically, homosexuality. He spent several years in homosexual relationships, all while in the church. But then, Dennis came to the end of himself, and began a relationship with Jesus! And God changed his life! He is now married to a heterosexual wife, has several children, and God sings songs to him that he now writes and we as the church of today now sing: You Are My All in All, Great is the Lord Almighty, Who Can Satisfy My Soul, and countless others like them.
As incredible as Dennis' story may be, each of us who belongs to the family of God, every Christ-follower also has a story of our own... One of how a loving God, in His infinite Grace and Mercy has saved us and made us His very own.... And at a time when the church is struggling to be heard in the world, maybe it's time we started getting real with the folks in the pew next to us, and shared our own stories... I mean, how better to re-ignite the flames of faith, than to remind one another of just Who God is and what HE has done in our own lives????
Beth Moore tells the story of when one of her young children was hospitalized with a rota virus, one of her daughter's classmates sent her a homemade card that read, "I thrupt, too!" (Translation: I threw up, too!) I think that there is a desperate need among our congregations for revival, and how better to do that than to become real with one another with what Christ has done in our own lives and to remind us of who we are, who we were before Jesus came in and rocked our worlds, and who we are yet to become???
Yet, I also believe that there is a definite fear among us to share our stories.. There is a fear of judgement among believers... so much so that it would drive the very members of the family of God back into hiding behind the doors of our pasts, and would keep us from being effective servants of the Living God! And there, boys and girls, is the very definition of hypocrisy... We claim to have experienced the grace and merciful favor of the God of the Universe, and yet, we shove our own histories under the rug and will not so much as give credence those who bring their own histories to the forefront!
Truth be told, our pews are filled with sinners every single time we meet! The Bible says, "There is none who is righteous, none, not even one." NEWSFLASH! The girl who sits in the orchestra on the platform week after week and sings the solos has a story, too!!!! And as much as I hate to admit it, my own story's not pretty... And I know that many of my readers are folks who have served side by side with me in churches from days gone by will be reading/hearing this for the very first time. Many of you have heard me sing or play, or are in my Sunday School class... Several of you worked with me in Christian workplaces and will have no clue about the story I am about to tell. I haven't told it because there is a lot of shame involved... and I have had an inherent fear that should I go public with my story that the Church would force my testimony back into hiding... and that I would go right back to the idea of praising God publicly, but keeping the past hidden... and only admitting that there was a past... And I am convinced that is precisely where the enemy wants the Church to be... hidden, cowering in fear of harsh judgement of those who sit with us in the pews week after week... when, in fact, God calls us to be real.
That's what the whole story of the woman at the well is about ... Jesus called out the Samaritan woman when she told Him that she "had no husband..." In John 4, Jesus told her, "You've spoken correctly that you have no husband... when in fact, you've had five husbands, and the one you are now with is not your husband." Jesus basically told her to get real! And we all know the story there. (If you don't go read John 4! Here's a link: http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/john/4.html Ready, set.... GO!)
I can relate to the woman at the well in some ways... You see, I struggled with sexual sin in my early twenties and became pregnant with a child out of wedlock. The father and I intended to marry, but changed our plans after I lost the baby in a miscarriage. (And yes, it was a miscarriage, not an abortion, as rumors would have it.) I started spotting three months into the pregnancy -- all thanks to a tubal pregnancy and no thanks to two back to back eighteen hour shifts at a fast food restaurant in Oxford, MS with no breaks -- and was placed on bed rest, and still lost the baby two days later. I had a DNC for a miscarriage and two weeks later, I was back in the hospital for four days with an infection from the surgery. I was a lost church member, baptized, and actively attending worship, singing wherever God would allow me to sing, and serving in the high places in our denomination! I would finally marry -- legitimately -- to a different man in 1992 (ironically our wedding fell on the ninth anniversary date of my miscarriage -- I was convinced that God was giving me Tony because I had been "good"!) I began to stake my life on my marriage to Tony... Then, horror of horrors, Tony died of cancer in 1998. I was 35. He was 40. After Tony's death, my life pretty much fell apart. I had always really struggled with purpose in life... I guess I always knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I just never had the courage or the confidence that I could go there. So, consequently, I jumped from job to job, was fired from more jobs than I am willing to admit, and really had no substance to my life. Don't get me wrong -- I had all the friends I could ever want, plenty of nice things, a life full of opportunities that others would literally kill for, but I was empty -- lonely, unfulfilled and without direction. I had no money... and I didn't have a job. To make matters worse, I was not easy to live with. I would argue with a fencepost, and had no control over my temper or my tongue. As far as I knew, the universe revolved around me... and if it wasn't already about me, I made it about me. Widowhood only compounded the struggles I had. I felt useless, like I was just taking up space in the universe that was intended for someone else. I struggled financially, and nearly lost my home... So much of my own life's downfall was due to my own making, and I felt I had nowhere to turn! Prayers bounced off the wall because I had absolutely no relationship with the God of the Universe... although I talked about Him quite a bit... I knew all the right things to say, and all the right things to do... but did not KNOW God... until the day I came to the end of myself, and said, "Jesus, I am tired of struggling. I am tired of trying to do and be, and coming up short. I'm tired of me. I need You to be the Boss of Me. I need You to take over my life." My life has changed dramatically since that day! For the past ten years, I have been teaching music in private studio. I remarried in 2001 to a godly guy... I have a beautiful home, great church home, and a purpose within the Body of Christ, and a purpose in life! Life is not perfect, and God is still molding me day by day into His image... But I am not who I was and I am not yet who I will be! I am simply clay in the Hands of the Creator of the Universe... An adopted Child of the King of all Kings, and a joint heir with Christ, nonetheless, and only so because of His infinite love, mercy and grace.
So. There you have it, boys and girls. Now you know why I am in awe of our God. Now you know why I Praise Him so! That's the story of this child who was dying and lost in her sin... And MY GOD DIED AND HE ROSE AGAIN... And I've been rejoicing since HE TOOK MY PLACE... And I thank YOU, JESUS, and PRAISE HIS NAME... singin':
Great is the Lord Almighty, He is Lord, He is God and King
Great is the Lord Almighty, He is God Supreme
Great is the Lord Almighty, He is Lord, He is God and King!
Great is the Lord! Great is the Lord!
So... What's your story??? I dare you to tell it!!! I double-dog dare you to drop your own masks and share your own story -- warts and all -- first to a church that needs to be reminded of Who Our God is... That very action will cause our churches to lift Him up. And dear Christ-followers, I triple-dog dare you to be a people who understand GRACE and to be givers of MERCY... When that begins to take place, the lost world that is dying and headed for hell will sit up and take notice -- not of us, but of JESUS.
After all, isn't it all about Him????
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Habits of this Highly Effective (But Lost) Church Lay Leader: Part 10 - The Heart of (the) Worship(er)
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." - John 4:23 (ESV)
We began our series in October, and as only God could design it, we are now ending this series on the Heart of the Worshiper at Easter! What a better way to end a blog series than by bringing it back around to WHO worship is really all about and why???
I know that this has been a zany journey for us at best, as you've read about my wacky stories. But I hope that you've come away with this thought:
Worship is not about us.
It never has been.
And never should be.
It is about the Holy Son of God.
He was At Creation.
Appointed by the Father.
Sent to earth.
God's Passover Lamb.
Without spot or Blemish.
The Only One Who could fulfill God's requirements.
Came to earth as a baby.
Born in a feed trough in a barn.
Fully God.
Fully Man.
Born with a Purpose...
To save us.
Some of the people followed Him.
Some of the people loved Him.
Some of the people hated Him.
Some cried "Hosanna!"
Then they cried, "Crucify Him."
Fickle they were.
But that was part of the plan.
To Save us.
He was beaten.
Beyond recognition.
Bruised.
Humiliated.
Crowned with Thorns.
Forced to drag a cross through the city.
Then nailed to a tree.
But that, too, was part of the Plan.
To Save us.
He died....
Placed in a borrowed tomb.
It was Sealed
With a large Boulder
And Caesar's personal seal.
And Heavily Guarded
By the Roman Government....
With the threat of death,
Should anyone allow the stone to be removed.
But that didn't stop our God!
It too, was part of His Plan.
To Save Us!
Sometime during the night,
Fingers moved.
Eyes twitched.
Legs swung over the place where He lay.
He sat up.
Feet hit the floor!
He stood.
Removed the burial garments.
Folded them with the carpenter's fold.
And left them lying.
To show that the work was complete.
Jesus was ALIVE.
The Angel of God rolled away the boulder.
And out of the tomb He came!!!
The Work was Complete!
To Save Us.
And when the Heart of the Worshiper realizes Who He is, and What He did, we bow in awe...
That, my friend, is what worship is about.
That, is WHO worship is about!
Not about you.
Not about me.
Never has been.
Just Jesus....
Matt Redmond wrote a beautiful song called, The Heart of Worship. Click on the link below to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZgPPmtZgS4
We began our series in October, and as only God could design it, we are now ending this series on the Heart of the Worshiper at Easter! What a better way to end a blog series than by bringing it back around to WHO worship is really all about and why???
I know that this has been a zany journey for us at best, as you've read about my wacky stories. But I hope that you've come away with this thought:
Worship is not about us.
It never has been.
And never should be.
It is about the Holy Son of God.
He was At Creation.
Appointed by the Father.
Sent to earth.
God's Passover Lamb.
Without spot or Blemish.
The Only One Who could fulfill God's requirements.
Came to earth as a baby.
Born in a feed trough in a barn.
Fully God.
Fully Man.
Born with a Purpose...
To save us.
Some of the people followed Him.
Some of the people loved Him.
Some of the people hated Him.
Some cried "Hosanna!"
Then they cried, "Crucify Him."
Fickle they were.
But that was part of the plan.
To Save us.
He was beaten.
Beyond recognition.
Bruised.
Humiliated.
Crowned with Thorns.
Forced to drag a cross through the city.
Then nailed to a tree.
But that, too, was part of the Plan.
To Save us.
He died....
Placed in a borrowed tomb.
It was Sealed
With a large Boulder
And Caesar's personal seal.
And Heavily Guarded
By the Roman Government....
With the threat of death,
Should anyone allow the stone to be removed.
But that didn't stop our God!
It too, was part of His Plan.
To Save Us!
Sometime during the night,
Fingers moved.
Eyes twitched.
Legs swung over the place where He lay.
He sat up.
Feet hit the floor!
He stood.
Removed the burial garments.
Folded them with the carpenter's fold.
And left them lying.
To show that the work was complete.
Jesus was ALIVE.
The Angel of God rolled away the boulder.
And out of the tomb He came!!!
The Work was Complete!
To Save Us.
And when the Heart of the Worshiper realizes Who He is, and What He did, we bow in awe...
That, my friend, is what worship is about.
That, is WHO worship is about!
Not about you.
Not about me.
Never has been.
Just Jesus....
Matt Redmond wrote a beautiful song called, The Heart of Worship. Click on the link below to hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZgPPmtZgS4
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Habits of this Highly Effective (But Lost) Church Lay Leader: Part 9 - Personal Holier-than-thou-ness: My stuff doesn't stink, but yours sure does!
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." - John 4:23 (ESV)
So.... Where were we???? Ah, yes! We're nearly finished with this series on the heart of the worshiper. (Is it one "p" or two???? I've always thought it to be two "p"s but the ESV says one.... We'll go with their spelling.)
We've all slept since then, so here's a quick review of just some of the things we've discussed... We've talked about things like Absolute Abandonment, Being Real with God and Others, Meeting needs of folks who are different from ourselves... We've talked about making Jesus our treasure first, and then all else will fall into place... And we've talked about numerous other things...
Deep breath. We've got to tackle one of the biggest topics of all this week.... Personal Holiness.
Ok. Before we go any further, allow me to say that this is a topic that doesn't excite me when it comes to writing about it. Why? Because it probably is the one area that trips me up the most! If I go too far with it, I can fall into pride and become extremely judgemental of others. If I don't go far enough with imitating Christ and trying to live the way He wants, I fall into the trap of relying on myself to set my own rules rather than relying on God. Scary thought, huh?
We already know what kinds of consequences those types of attitudes result in. And in either direction, the issue is clear: personal holiness can easily become personal holier-than-thou-ness... And the biggest question is where is the line drawn?
I think what we have to do is ask ourselves some hard questions. Am I trying to impress others more than I desire to please God with the way that I live? Do I talk about the kinds of things that I do for the kingdom publicly, in order to receive praise from others? Do I look for ways that others fail and bring them to their attention more than I consider my own failures? Do I hope that God "looks the other way" when I deliberately fail Him? Do I look for ways to rationalize my own faults and sin? Is my heart still tender toward God, and do I still try to please Him according to His word? Or am I making up my own rules and hoping that will do?
For my own life, prior to having a relationship with Jesus, I was very quick to jump to the judgement of others, while failing to see my own sin in my own life. I thought that as long as I didn't do something really bad, God would look the other way... and that He was okay with me. After all, I was in church, and I was reading the Bible and goodness knows, I was doing all sorts of things in His church! And wasn't that good enough to get me into His kingdom, or certainly within His good graces?? I thought I was the golden child!
Uh, yeah. Right.
Listen, friends. The Bible says that our righteousness to Him is as filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6) None of us has arrived spiritually speaking. We are a fallen people, living in a fallen world. And it's only because of the grace and mercy of Almighty God that any of us even have the ability to stand before Him!
Which brings me to something that has been bugging me. A restored worship pastor friend of mine told me recently that after a moral failure, there were some folks with the attitude that he could never serve in a leadership role in that church again, because "there was a need to protect the bride."
News flash! Jesus said that He would be the One Who would present the Church as a Bride, without spot or blemish. It is not our job as the Church to present the Church without spot or blemish to God. The Church cannot present itself as spotless or without blemish to Christ because it consists of a fallen people and a fallen people cannot represent themselves as spotless or without blemish. Only Jesus can do such a thing, and to think otherwise makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross needless and without merit! (Who needs a Savior, if the Church can save herself???)
Truth factor: Each one of us has scars. Every last one of us has sinned. Every last one of us has failed God in some way. That is not to say that following the moral failure of a leader that we don't have to go through the biblical path for restoring a fallen brother or sister in Christ. But if we, the church, take the attitude that a fallen brother or sister in Christ is now permanently disqualified from serving in leadership forever, even after having been through the process of restoration, then I would submit that no believer would be able to serve in leadership roles! And that's just not biblical. (Don't believe me? Look at the story of King David. The guy slept with another man's wife, tried to cover it up, and then had her husband killed when his plan didn't work out. And yet, after all of that, God still called him a "man after His own heart!")
As a believer, I have no right or standing with God that gives me permission to judge another based on my own ideas of morality. I have no right to stand judgement on any other believer. Period. I only have the right to judge my own behavior based on the Person of Jesus Christ and my own actions based on the truth of His Word. Period. The standards of the Bible are not there to question the hearts of others but to question my own heart! And to see where I line up with God....
What about if we go the other direction? What if we kinda make up our own rules as we go along? The Bible calls this "carnality..." That's when we live only by opting for the flesh, our human nature and fail to live by God's standards. Again, this finds its roots in self-serving attitudes. Often, we don't dive into carnality head first. It usually begins with simple longing, a lack of satisfaction with Christ, and then we search for it with the eyes, then we allow the mind to be engaged. The heart follows suit. And BINGO. We're in the middle of a mess that we had no idea that we created for ourselves!
It's in those times of carnality that we finally willfully defy God, and we only pray that He will turn His head away and let us slide. But nothing escapes His sight! And we know it. So finally we either do one of two things: we return to God, and do things His way, or we begin to make up our own rules to live by.
Sometimes that means that we try to change the rules to suit our own fancy with our own sin. Sometimes it means that we even go so far as to attempt to dismiss the existence of "sin" as a whole from our culture... and then that removes the need for a Savior... We then become spiritual, without being Godly. We become religious without a relationship with the Living God. We search for truth in all but Christ....
But Jesus said, "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free!" (John 8:32)
So, then how do we combat these areas of failure?
First, I think we remember Jesus, and imitate His attitude...
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Ephesians 2:1-11
Second, we need to grow up in our faith in Christ, and find our freedom and our satisfaction in Him. From Colossians 2:
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Finally, I think we can learn to use the scriptures to only judge ourselves, not others.
1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. - Matthew 7:1-6
So.... Where were we???? Ah, yes! We're nearly finished with this series on the heart of the worshiper. (Is it one "p" or two???? I've always thought it to be two "p"s but the ESV says one.... We'll go with their spelling.)
We've all slept since then, so here's a quick review of just some of the things we've discussed... We've talked about things like Absolute Abandonment, Being Real with God and Others, Meeting needs of folks who are different from ourselves... We've talked about making Jesus our treasure first, and then all else will fall into place... And we've talked about numerous other things...
Deep breath. We've got to tackle one of the biggest topics of all this week.... Personal Holiness.
Ok. Before we go any further, allow me to say that this is a topic that doesn't excite me when it comes to writing about it. Why? Because it probably is the one area that trips me up the most! If I go too far with it, I can fall into pride and become extremely judgemental of others. If I don't go far enough with imitating Christ and trying to live the way He wants, I fall into the trap of relying on myself to set my own rules rather than relying on God. Scary thought, huh?
We already know what kinds of consequences those types of attitudes result in. And in either direction, the issue is clear: personal holiness can easily become personal holier-than-thou-ness... And the biggest question is where is the line drawn?
I think what we have to do is ask ourselves some hard questions. Am I trying to impress others more than I desire to please God with the way that I live? Do I talk about the kinds of things that I do for the kingdom publicly, in order to receive praise from others? Do I look for ways that others fail and bring them to their attention more than I consider my own failures? Do I hope that God "looks the other way" when I deliberately fail Him? Do I look for ways to rationalize my own faults and sin? Is my heart still tender toward God, and do I still try to please Him according to His word? Or am I making up my own rules and hoping that will do?
For my own life, prior to having a relationship with Jesus, I was very quick to jump to the judgement of others, while failing to see my own sin in my own life. I thought that as long as I didn't do something really bad, God would look the other way... and that He was okay with me. After all, I was in church, and I was reading the Bible and goodness knows, I was doing all sorts of things in His church! And wasn't that good enough to get me into His kingdom, or certainly within His good graces?? I thought I was the golden child!
Uh, yeah. Right.
Listen, friends. The Bible says that our righteousness to Him is as filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6) None of us has arrived spiritually speaking. We are a fallen people, living in a fallen world. And it's only because of the grace and mercy of Almighty God that any of us even have the ability to stand before Him!
Which brings me to something that has been bugging me. A restored worship pastor friend of mine told me recently that after a moral failure, there were some folks with the attitude that he could never serve in a leadership role in that church again, because "there was a need to protect the bride."
News flash! Jesus said that He would be the One Who would present the Church as a Bride, without spot or blemish. It is not our job as the Church to present the Church without spot or blemish to God. The Church cannot present itself as spotless or without blemish to Christ because it consists of a fallen people and a fallen people cannot represent themselves as spotless or without blemish. Only Jesus can do such a thing, and to think otherwise makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross needless and without merit! (Who needs a Savior, if the Church can save herself???)
Truth factor: Each one of us has scars. Every last one of us has sinned. Every last one of us has failed God in some way. That is not to say that following the moral failure of a leader that we don't have to go through the biblical path for restoring a fallen brother or sister in Christ. But if we, the church, take the attitude that a fallen brother or sister in Christ is now permanently disqualified from serving in leadership forever, even after having been through the process of restoration, then I would submit that no believer would be able to serve in leadership roles! And that's just not biblical. (Don't believe me? Look at the story of King David. The guy slept with another man's wife, tried to cover it up, and then had her husband killed when his plan didn't work out. And yet, after all of that, God still called him a "man after His own heart!")
As a believer, I have no right or standing with God that gives me permission to judge another based on my own ideas of morality. I have no right to stand judgement on any other believer. Period. I only have the right to judge my own behavior based on the Person of Jesus Christ and my own actions based on the truth of His Word. Period. The standards of the Bible are not there to question the hearts of others but to question my own heart! And to see where I line up with God....
What about if we go the other direction? What if we kinda make up our own rules as we go along? The Bible calls this "carnality..." That's when we live only by opting for the flesh, our human nature and fail to live by God's standards. Again, this finds its roots in self-serving attitudes. Often, we don't dive into carnality head first. It usually begins with simple longing, a lack of satisfaction with Christ, and then we search for it with the eyes, then we allow the mind to be engaged. The heart follows suit. And BINGO. We're in the middle of a mess that we had no idea that we created for ourselves!
It's in those times of carnality that we finally willfully defy God, and we only pray that He will turn His head away and let us slide. But nothing escapes His sight! And we know it. So finally we either do one of two things: we return to God, and do things His way, or we begin to make up our own rules to live by.
Sometimes that means that we try to change the rules to suit our own fancy with our own sin. Sometimes it means that we even go so far as to attempt to dismiss the existence of "sin" as a whole from our culture... and then that removes the need for a Savior... We then become spiritual, without being Godly. We become religious without a relationship with the Living God. We search for truth in all but Christ....
But Jesus said, "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free!" (John 8:32)
So, then how do we combat these areas of failure?
First, I think we remember Jesus, and imitate His attitude...
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Ephesians 2:1-11
Second, we need to grow up in our faith in Christ, and find our freedom and our satisfaction in Him. From Colossians 2:
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19 He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. 20 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Finally, I think we can learn to use the scriptures to only judge ourselves, not others.
1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6 "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. - Matthew 7:1-6
Friday, March 19, 2010
I'm Baaaaaaack!!
OK. Contrary to the rumors, I haven't fallen off the planet. I have just been extremely busy for the past month. HH and I took a few days and had a working vacation in Virginia... and since arriving home, I have spent my time playing catch up. There have been concerts, friends who have come into town to visit, and lots of other distractions. I know, it sounds like a lot of excuses, but I'm back now. ;)
The blog series will continue, and I will try to have something up and ready for you to read early next week!
Many thanks to those who have been so faithful to continue to check in during my absence and wondering where I've been!
The blog series will continue, and I will try to have something up and ready for you to read early next week!
Many thanks to those who have been so faithful to continue to check in during my absence and wondering where I've been!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Well Done...
The last time I saw him was in early December. I took a student over to the nursing home where he resided, and we played for the residents there. He was sleeping for most of the time that I was there, but at one point, he looked up, opened his beautiful blue eyes, and looked directly at me. "There are those beautiful steel blue eyes that I love so much!" I said. Then he quickly closed them and went right back into his almost comatose state. I kissed him on the forehead, and patted his forearm. He quickly grabbed my hand. I told him that I loved him and that I wanted to play some Christmas carols. He whispered, "That'd be fine."
Dr. H, as I fondly called him, was my former pastor, a wonderful shepherd and a loving friend.... He buried my Tony and married me to my second husband. Though I wasn't led to Christ by him, his teaching has certainly shaped my life in more ways than I could begin to count. He was an encourager.... my biggest cheerleader after Tony died... and one who loved his flock well above and beyond the call of duty.
And we loved him back.
I think probably my favorite Dr. Hubbard story has to go like this:
We were sitting at dinner, just a few weeks after Tony had died. Crowded around my little breakfast table were five of us.... Dr. H, Mrs. Faye (his beloved bride), my friend, Ron (who led me to Christ later) and his wife, Jean. I had made some supper for us, and had them over to say thanks for all that they had done from the time of Tony's illness until his dying breath. And for dessert, I had decided on Sara Lee pound cake, and fruit. I had bought the whole fruit that had been quick frozen in a bag, thinking this would be fine, and would be easy. (Somehow, I think I managed to miss the domestic gene for females...) Anyhow, the fruit didn't thaw as quickly as I had hoped. Dr. Hubbard was trying to be nice, but he just couldn't fake it. He said, "Bitsy, I nearly broke a tooth!" I quickly apologized... and we all got a laugh about how bad my cooking skills were. (Needless to say, the next time I entertained, I had pizza delivered!)
A little later that night during the dinner conversation, Dr. H looked at me and said, "Bitsy, I believe the roses will bloom again." I had never heard that expression before, and he explained to me what he meant. He was saying that he believed that I would eventually remarry, though at the time, I wasn't so sure.
As it turned out, he was right. When my then fiance' and I had met with he and Mrs. Faye for lunch in order to plan our wedding just a couple of weeks prior to the wedding, Dr. H again found a moment to tell me, "I think the roses are in bloom again." Nearly four years had passed since the night around the dinner table, and soon friends and family would gather in the livingroom of that same little home and my then retired pastor declared two of us as husband and wife in the company of a handful of family and close friends.
Yes, Dr. H, and they are blooming still, now eight years later... but none like the many roses that you have cultivated in our lives, my sweet friend. You were a joy to me and to countless others in your 50 plus years of ministry....
Thank you, Ken Hubbard, for sixteen wonderful years of friendship. You are a gem in His crown!
I love you, and I will miss you sorely. See you on the other side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzhFyNp3Ja8
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Habits of this Highly Effective (But Lost) Christian Lay Leader: Week 7: Treasures
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." - John 4:23 (ESV)
When I started writing this blog, I wanted to be sure that we accomplished (at a bare minimum) two purposes: 1) Encouraging those who are already Christ-followers, and 2) Speaking truth to the non-believer, both in a very real, very personal way.
Hard to believe we've made it to this point, isn't it???? We've been learning about developing a heart that is that of a true worshipper... We're learning to abandon ourselves to God, and allow Him to have complete control of us, and we've talked about developing that loving relationship with God. We've talked about having a servant's heart and loving God and loving others.
Since we've been talking about the heart of the worshipper, I am going to continue in that theme, and I'd like to discuss here the topic of what motivates us to be givers. I am not specifically talking about the giving of money, but let's not dismiss the thought that giving a tithe back to God through the local church is a very large, very practical part of having a giving heart.
Before you go and hit the x button, I should tell you that there is no need to worry. I am not going to ask you for one single penny! This site and the facebook group are provided and maintained at no cost to any of you. If there is one thing I am a firm believer in, it's this: we should never ever have to charge folks to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ!
That's not to say that we (as Christ followers) should not support certain ministries or ministry projects, and most certainly, we should bring our tithes and offerings to our local congregation. Those are things that God commanded. And if it's in the Book, then boy, howdy, I think we'd better do it just the way that the God of the Universe laid out the principles.
God commanded that we give. Throughout the Bible, God commanded that His people be a giving people. You can find references to tithing even as early as the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. And Jesus talked about giving more than He did just about any other subject!
What is it that causes you and I to hold on so tightly to whatever it is that happens to be in our hands???? Why is it that we refuse to be open-handed or open-hearted with our lives???? It's not like we don't have a God Who won't provide for us.
I mean, let's face it... You and I definitely have a Provider in Heaven Who meets our needs... and does so willingly and cheerfully. He's the same God Who:
Fed the Children of Israel with manna from Heaven while they were in the wilderness.
Stretched the oil and flour.
Turned water into wine at a wedding reception because the wine had run out.
Blessed the widow's mite.
Fed Five Thousand with a couple of sardines and a handful of dinner rolls.
Filled the nets of a group of tired, previously unsuccessful fishermen (to the point of breakage) with lots and lots of fish.
Fed Four thousand more.
And He has promised to supply all of your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil.4:19)
And yet, we cringe when we hear someone talk about giving... or get bent out of shape when we are asked to help in some tangible way. What is it about us that causes us to grip the things that are tangible or intangible to the point of having white knuckles???? I can't answer for you... but I can tell you how I felt before I became a Christ-follower. You may have felt the same way or there may be other reasons.
Like you, I had heard the stories of Jesus' miracles and of God's provision over and over again. We've heard all about how God loves a cheerful giver... And I guess that I believed that all those stories were fine for those folks back then. But for the life of me, I never could seem to grasp that the reason God was telling us those stories was that they were testimonies of His faithfulness to all generations.... The story hadn't ended with those folks in the pages of the scriptures! He wanted us to know that He was faithful to them, and He would remain faithful to us... His faithfulness would remain throughout eternity.
But beyond all of those reasons, I failed to understand that God wants us to learn to be givers because it is a real reflection of where our hearts really are... both to Him and to those around us. See, the bottom line is that it never has been about us. If we give with ulterior motives, then we will have a hard time accepting His own gift without strings or ulterior motives. If we hoard or become stingy, then we will not be likely to effectively share His truth with others. If we give out of duty, then our relationship with God will also likely exist out of duty, not love... If we fail to give at all, then it is also likely that we don't trust God in other areas of our life. And I would even be so bold as to say that this is true even where our salvation is concerned. Bottom line? If He isn't Lord of all, then He isn't Lord at all! Period.
So, what changed my heart about giving?
I think a large part of it came when I realized the priceless gift that Jesus gave was for me at the cross... I had already heard over and over how God had set the example... But when I came to the realization that a Holy God,One Who cannot be touched by the impurity of sin became sin for me and I accepted His gift of salvation,I became a part of His family.
When I became a Christ follower, Jesus became my treasure. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." - 2 Corinthians 4:7 I finally understood that I had a personal debt that I owed Him that I could never, ever begin to repay.
You see, it had always been easy for me to believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world... But I had the hardest time accepting that He actually died for my own personal sins..... That it was for all of those stupid, horrible things that I committed (or didn't do) that put Him on that cross! Yep. Those ugly words I said, that gossip that I passed along, the crude, ugly jokes,the lies I told,and the many, many things that I did that broke His heart... Yeah... All of those were placed on my Savior... and He was nailed to a tree at a place called Calvary...
He did it for me...
And He did it for you.
And He did it "just because."
Ever gotten a gift "just because?" I firmly believe those are the best kind of gifts ever! I love getting them, and I love giving them! Those are the gifts that don't come on your birthday... or Christmas... or anniversary... or any other occasion. They are just presents given out of a heart of love. Jesus did the same thing when He gave of Himself for us... It was a gift, "just because."
The prophet Isaiah wrote: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:5-6
The sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross motivates me to be like God in that I want to give my all to Him, because He gave His all to me. Why? Because He gave His life in exchange for my life out of His love for me! It was entirely a gift of love! I can never, ever outgive God... But that doesn't stop me from trying to be like God. God was a giver. I want to be a giver, too!
What should we give?
Let's start with Jesus.
Then, let's give:
Ourselves.
Our love.
Our heart.
Our talents.
Our time.
Our money.
Our expertise.
Our prayers.
To whom shall we give it?
Let's start with Jesus.
Then to:
Our families.
Our church.
Our friends.
Our neighbors.
Our co-workers.
Our acquaintances.
To strangers.
To enemies.
To our allies.
To aliens.
To whomever God places in our paths.
Lovingly.
Willingly.
Cheerfully.
Freely.
Without ulterior motives or expecting anything in return.
Just because....
When I started writing this blog, I wanted to be sure that we accomplished (at a bare minimum) two purposes: 1) Encouraging those who are already Christ-followers, and 2) Speaking truth to the non-believer, both in a very real, very personal way.
Hard to believe we've made it to this point, isn't it???? We've been learning about developing a heart that is that of a true worshipper... We're learning to abandon ourselves to God, and allow Him to have complete control of us, and we've talked about developing that loving relationship with God. We've talked about having a servant's heart and loving God and loving others.
Since we've been talking about the heart of the worshipper, I am going to continue in that theme, and I'd like to discuss here the topic of what motivates us to be givers. I am not specifically talking about the giving of money, but let's not dismiss the thought that giving a tithe back to God through the local church is a very large, very practical part of having a giving heart.
Before you go and hit the x button, I should tell you that there is no need to worry. I am not going to ask you for one single penny! This site and the facebook group are provided and maintained at no cost to any of you. If there is one thing I am a firm believer in, it's this: we should never ever have to charge folks to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ!
That's not to say that we (as Christ followers) should not support certain ministries or ministry projects, and most certainly, we should bring our tithes and offerings to our local congregation. Those are things that God commanded. And if it's in the Book, then boy, howdy, I think we'd better do it just the way that the God of the Universe laid out the principles.
God commanded that we give. Throughout the Bible, God commanded that His people be a giving people. You can find references to tithing even as early as the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. And Jesus talked about giving more than He did just about any other subject!
What is it that causes you and I to hold on so tightly to whatever it is that happens to be in our hands???? Why is it that we refuse to be open-handed or open-hearted with our lives???? It's not like we don't have a God Who won't provide for us.
I mean, let's face it... You and I definitely have a Provider in Heaven Who meets our needs... and does so willingly and cheerfully. He's the same God Who:
Fed the Children of Israel with manna from Heaven while they were in the wilderness.
Stretched the oil and flour.
Turned water into wine at a wedding reception because the wine had run out.
Blessed the widow's mite.
Fed Five Thousand with a couple of sardines and a handful of dinner rolls.
Filled the nets of a group of tired, previously unsuccessful fishermen (to the point of breakage) with lots and lots of fish.
Fed Four thousand more.
And He has promised to supply all of your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil.4:19)
And yet, we cringe when we hear someone talk about giving... or get bent out of shape when we are asked to help in some tangible way. What is it about us that causes us to grip the things that are tangible or intangible to the point of having white knuckles???? I can't answer for you... but I can tell you how I felt before I became a Christ-follower. You may have felt the same way or there may be other reasons.
Like you, I had heard the stories of Jesus' miracles and of God's provision over and over again. We've heard all about how God loves a cheerful giver... And I guess that I believed that all those stories were fine for those folks back then. But for the life of me, I never could seem to grasp that the reason God was telling us those stories was that they were testimonies of His faithfulness to all generations.... The story hadn't ended with those folks in the pages of the scriptures! He wanted us to know that He was faithful to them, and He would remain faithful to us... His faithfulness would remain throughout eternity.
But beyond all of those reasons, I failed to understand that God wants us to learn to be givers because it is a real reflection of where our hearts really are... both to Him and to those around us. See, the bottom line is that it never has been about us. If we give with ulterior motives, then we will have a hard time accepting His own gift without strings or ulterior motives. If we hoard or become stingy, then we will not be likely to effectively share His truth with others. If we give out of duty, then our relationship with God will also likely exist out of duty, not love... If we fail to give at all, then it is also likely that we don't trust God in other areas of our life. And I would even be so bold as to say that this is true even where our salvation is concerned. Bottom line? If He isn't Lord of all, then He isn't Lord at all! Period.
So, what changed my heart about giving?
I think a large part of it came when I realized the priceless gift that Jesus gave was for me at the cross... I had already heard over and over how God had set the example... But when I came to the realization that a Holy God,One Who cannot be touched by the impurity of sin became sin for me and I accepted His gift of salvation,I became a part of His family.
When I became a Christ follower, Jesus became my treasure. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." - 2 Corinthians 4:7 I finally understood that I had a personal debt that I owed Him that I could never, ever begin to repay.
You see, it had always been easy for me to believe that Jesus died for the sins of the world... But I had the hardest time accepting that He actually died for my own personal sins..... That it was for all of those stupid, horrible things that I committed (or didn't do) that put Him on that cross! Yep. Those ugly words I said, that gossip that I passed along, the crude, ugly jokes,the lies I told,and the many, many things that I did that broke His heart... Yeah... All of those were placed on my Savior... and He was nailed to a tree at a place called Calvary...
He did it for me...
And He did it for you.
And He did it "just because."
Ever gotten a gift "just because?" I firmly believe those are the best kind of gifts ever! I love getting them, and I love giving them! Those are the gifts that don't come on your birthday... or Christmas... or anniversary... or any other occasion. They are just presents given out of a heart of love. Jesus did the same thing when He gave of Himself for us... It was a gift, "just because."
The prophet Isaiah wrote: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:5-6
The sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross motivates me to be like God in that I want to give my all to Him, because He gave His all to me. Why? Because He gave His life in exchange for my life out of His love for me! It was entirely a gift of love! I can never, ever outgive God... But that doesn't stop me from trying to be like God. God was a giver. I want to be a giver, too!
What should we give?
Let's start with Jesus.
Then, let's give:
Ourselves.
Our love.
Our heart.
Our talents.
Our time.
Our money.
Our expertise.
Our prayers.
To whom shall we give it?
Let's start with Jesus.
Then to:
Our families.
Our church.
Our friends.
Our neighbors.
Our co-workers.
Our acquaintances.
To strangers.
To enemies.
To our allies.
To aliens.
To whomever God places in our paths.
Lovingly.
Willingly.
Cheerfully.
Freely.
Without ulterior motives or expecting anything in return.
Just because....
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Habits of this Highly Effective (But Lost) Church Lay Leader: Week 6 - Serving: Working up a Sweat
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." - John 4:23 (ESV)
We've made it to the sixth topic of our series on the heart of the worshiper. This series has turned out to take a lot longer than we anticipated, but I think sometimes we don't always see the big picture that God has in mind. So, I am glad that we've been flexible thus far and that you are still with me as I share my zany thoughts from my days prior to becoming a genuine Christ-follower.
To tell you the truth, the idea of talking about serving the Lord is one that makes my head swim.... There are a lot of things we need to address when we talk about service.... Who we serve, What we serve, When we serve, Why we serve, How we serve, How much, and then we need to discuss some of the fallacies of service. We need to discuss our motives for serving. We need to discuss spiritual gifts and how those are used within the body... And if I honestly tried to cover all of this, it would take six months to read one blog post!
Rick Warren has written a fabulous book called, "The Purpose-Driven Life" which addresses serving God. There are similar books out by Dr. David Jeremiah and Max Lucado on the subject as well. If you are looking to go deeper on this topic, those would be great places to start.
For the purposes of this blog, and to keep the continuity of the previous blogs, I am going to share my own experiences relative to serving in the local church body prior to knowing Christ. And then I am going to share what God has taught me as a Christ-follower over the past nearly nine years.
I believe I shared with you last week that I was invited to church by one of my neighborhood friends, who also happened to be a PK. She had invited me to join a youth choir at her church because she knew that I loved music. I think I also told you that particular choir was going on tour to Texas.
I learned right away that service was supposed to be a big part of the Christian life... and I have the physical scars to prove it! The very first time I ever remember going to that church was to go to work at a pancake breakfast in order to earn money for the choir tour. I had not even been to a choir rehearsal yet, but I was already working in the church.
After the pancake breakfast that afternoon, I helped to wash windows along the church nursery wall. This was an outside wall, and beneath us was a paved driveway that led to a carport typed awning (this was in the 70's) for a drop-off point for parents. Now, mind you, I had never even so much as cleaned my room at home or had to clean a bathroom mirror! So this was an entirely new experience for me. But I wanted to earn my way to Texas, and so I climbed up on a rickety step ladder and began to clean those windows! Side by side with my little PK friend, we were working for Jesus. Or something like that.
Okay. Now, I was a very short kid -- always the shortest one in my class and I hadn't gotten all that much taller by the time I reached the seventh grade, and so reaching some of the spots on those windows was a challenge for me. At one point, I gave up and climbed up on the very top of the step ladder. The ladder gave way, the bucket that I had on the shelf fell, and I went backwards! The next thing I knew, I was down on the pavement! I had a gash in the top of my head, and there was fear that I might have had a concussion as well. It wasn't pretty. But I helped earn my way to Texas.... and as far as I could tell at that point in my little warped teenage brain, that was also a step on the journey to earning my way to Heaven as well.
The only problem was that I didn't know how much I needed to do to get into Heaven. So, I continued to do nice things. I tried to make sure that I was at church nearly every Sunday from that day forward (surely God would count that toward getting in) and that I did plenty of good things for him. My resume was filled with all sorts of lay activities in the local church, as well as professional opportunities in churches and para-church organizations or agencies. If I had one of those Sunday School pins to represent each of the things I did over the years, I believe I would have tripped over it!!!!
But those things all became moot point because all of those activities were about me.... and boosting myself in the congregation and getting God to notice....
Here are some of the things I have learned since following Christ about service:
1) I am to serve Him because I belong to Him.... Not because I want to belong to Him. Do you see the difference?
"8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10
2) My service to God is a way of showing others that I do, in fact belong to God.
"22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." - James 1: 22-27
3) My service to God is for the benefit of His kingdom. Therefore, I am to serve humbly and follow Christ's example. It isn't about me.
"1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:1-11
Did you notice what Jesus did? He took the form of a servant... and humbled Himself by being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (v.7) Our example of servanthood comes from Christ Jesus, Himself!
4) God designed and calls each of us to fit into a specific local body of believers to complete the specific mission that God has destined for our churches. We are to use our spiritual gifts, our natural talents and our life experiences to help our local church to reach the lost and to encourage the saints. He did not design anyone for pew warming!
You can find spiritual gift lists in Rom 12:3-8 ; 1 Cor 12-14; Eph 4:7-13 ; and 1 Peter 4:10-11. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then He has given you certain spiritual gifts to be used within the body of Christ. Those came at your salvation. Discover your gift, and use it for His benefit within your local church. If you fail to use your gifts within your local church, your church will not be able to accomplish fully her mission that God has designed for her within your community.
There are many good gift surveys available to help you discover your areas of spiritual giftedness. Your pastor or educational minister could probably help you to find a survey and help you discover your own gifts. I seem to remember that "The Purpose Driven Life" had a good gift assessment survey in the back of the book as well.
5) Don't confuse "spiritual gifts" or natural talents with THE GIFT or THE GIVER! God has given us the GIFT of HIS SON! One of my biggest issues I think was that I often confused the idea of serving with having a relationship with Jesus.
If you are questioning your salvation, the best thing to do is nail it down!
God loves you and has a plan for you:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not persish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
There's a problem - God is holy and we are not.
"There is none righteous, no not one." - Romans 3:10
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23
The penalty for sin is eternal death. .
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23
God made a way for us through Jesus and His death on the cross.
"But God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
All we have to do is ask Him to be the Lord of us. The word "Lord" is probably best translated in today's terms as "Boss." When you ask Jesus to be Lord of you, you are asking HIM to call all of the shots on your life from this point forward. He's in charge 24/7...
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." - Romans 10:9-10
If you have made this decision, the next step will require some courage on your behalf, particularly if you have been in the church for a long time, as I was. You will need to talk with your pastor or another church staff member and tell him of your decision. He will guide you from there as to next steps (believer's baptism and so forth.)
I will be praying for each of you.... as you find your place of service and for some of you who will be nailing down your salvation experience for the first time!
We've made it to the sixth topic of our series on the heart of the worshiper. This series has turned out to take a lot longer than we anticipated, but I think sometimes we don't always see the big picture that God has in mind. So, I am glad that we've been flexible thus far and that you are still with me as I share my zany thoughts from my days prior to becoming a genuine Christ-follower.
To tell you the truth, the idea of talking about serving the Lord is one that makes my head swim.... There are a lot of things we need to address when we talk about service.... Who we serve, What we serve, When we serve, Why we serve, How we serve, How much, and then we need to discuss some of the fallacies of service. We need to discuss our motives for serving. We need to discuss spiritual gifts and how those are used within the body... And if I honestly tried to cover all of this, it would take six months to read one blog post!
Rick Warren has written a fabulous book called, "The Purpose-Driven Life" which addresses serving God. There are similar books out by Dr. David Jeremiah and Max Lucado on the subject as well. If you are looking to go deeper on this topic, those would be great places to start.
For the purposes of this blog, and to keep the continuity of the previous blogs, I am going to share my own experiences relative to serving in the local church body prior to knowing Christ. And then I am going to share what God has taught me as a Christ-follower over the past nearly nine years.
I believe I shared with you last week that I was invited to church by one of my neighborhood friends, who also happened to be a PK. She had invited me to join a youth choir at her church because she knew that I loved music. I think I also told you that particular choir was going on tour to Texas.
I learned right away that service was supposed to be a big part of the Christian life... and I have the physical scars to prove it! The very first time I ever remember going to that church was to go to work at a pancake breakfast in order to earn money for the choir tour. I had not even been to a choir rehearsal yet, but I was already working in the church.
After the pancake breakfast that afternoon, I helped to wash windows along the church nursery wall. This was an outside wall, and beneath us was a paved driveway that led to a carport typed awning (this was in the 70's) for a drop-off point for parents. Now, mind you, I had never even so much as cleaned my room at home or had to clean a bathroom mirror! So this was an entirely new experience for me. But I wanted to earn my way to Texas, and so I climbed up on a rickety step ladder and began to clean those windows! Side by side with my little PK friend, we were working for Jesus. Or something like that.
Okay. Now, I was a very short kid -- always the shortest one in my class and I hadn't gotten all that much taller by the time I reached the seventh grade, and so reaching some of the spots on those windows was a challenge for me. At one point, I gave up and climbed up on the very top of the step ladder. The ladder gave way, the bucket that I had on the shelf fell, and I went backwards! The next thing I knew, I was down on the pavement! I had a gash in the top of my head, and there was fear that I might have had a concussion as well. It wasn't pretty. But I helped earn my way to Texas.... and as far as I could tell at that point in my little warped teenage brain, that was also a step on the journey to earning my way to Heaven as well.
The only problem was that I didn't know how much I needed to do to get into Heaven. So, I continued to do nice things. I tried to make sure that I was at church nearly every Sunday from that day forward (surely God would count that toward getting in) and that I did plenty of good things for him. My resume was filled with all sorts of lay activities in the local church, as well as professional opportunities in churches and para-church organizations or agencies. If I had one of those Sunday School pins to represent each of the things I did over the years, I believe I would have tripped over it!!!!
But those things all became moot point because all of those activities were about me.... and boosting myself in the congregation and getting God to notice....
Here are some of the things I have learned since following Christ about service:
1) I am to serve Him because I belong to Him.... Not because I want to belong to Him. Do you see the difference?
"8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10
2) My service to God is a way of showing others that I do, in fact belong to God.
"22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." - James 1: 22-27
3) My service to God is for the benefit of His kingdom. Therefore, I am to serve humbly and follow Christ's example. It isn't about me.
"1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:1-11
Did you notice what Jesus did? He took the form of a servant... and humbled Himself by being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (v.7) Our example of servanthood comes from Christ Jesus, Himself!
4) God designed and calls each of us to fit into a specific local body of believers to complete the specific mission that God has destined for our churches. We are to use our spiritual gifts, our natural talents and our life experiences to help our local church to reach the lost and to encourage the saints. He did not design anyone for pew warming!
You can find spiritual gift lists in Rom 12:3-8 ; 1 Cor 12-14; Eph 4:7-13 ; and 1 Peter 4:10-11. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then He has given you certain spiritual gifts to be used within the body of Christ. Those came at your salvation. Discover your gift, and use it for His benefit within your local church. If you fail to use your gifts within your local church, your church will not be able to accomplish fully her mission that God has designed for her within your community.
There are many good gift surveys available to help you discover your areas of spiritual giftedness. Your pastor or educational minister could probably help you to find a survey and help you discover your own gifts. I seem to remember that "The Purpose Driven Life" had a good gift assessment survey in the back of the book as well.
5) Don't confuse "spiritual gifts" or natural talents with THE GIFT or THE GIVER! God has given us the GIFT of HIS SON! One of my biggest issues I think was that I often confused the idea of serving with having a relationship with Jesus.
If you are questioning your salvation, the best thing to do is nail it down!
God loves you and has a plan for you:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not persish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
There's a problem - God is holy and we are not.
"There is none righteous, no not one." - Romans 3:10
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23
The penalty for sin is eternal death. .
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23
God made a way for us through Jesus and His death on the cross.
"But God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8
All we have to do is ask Him to be the Lord of us. The word "Lord" is probably best translated in today's terms as "Boss." When you ask Jesus to be Lord of you, you are asking HIM to call all of the shots on your life from this point forward. He's in charge 24/7...
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." - Romans 10:9-10
If you have made this decision, the next step will require some courage on your behalf, particularly if you have been in the church for a long time, as I was. You will need to talk with your pastor or another church staff member and tell him of your decision. He will guide you from there as to next steps (believer's baptism and so forth.)
I will be praying for each of you.... as you find your place of service and for some of you who will be nailing down your salvation experience for the first time!
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