Testing of Faithfulness

I believe God is doing something in the Church. We have to be ready.

Connection Problem. Learning to see and hear Jesus when the world is so loud.

We’ve all had the experience of trying to get a hold of a friend, and after calling, the number is wrong, the number has changed, or when you finally connect, the signal is so weak that you can barely hear what the person is trying to say. This is a great picture of how our relationship with God is. Sometimes there are attempts, but they just end up unsuccessful.

I’ve been meditating on what it means to have fellowship with Christ. Fellowship is such a christian word, and has many uses. If I’m hanging out with my friend, I’m fellowshipping. For some fellowship means singing songs, playing games, or eating together. But you can eat together and not necessarily eat together. Sometimes you can be in the same house, eating at the same time, but not really in the same room, or even looking at each other. I like to use one of my wife’s favorite words in regards to relationship, and that word is connecting. Connecting is an intentional effort to spend time and communicate despite what is going on around you.

As believers it is easy to have problems connecting with Jesus. We gather together to fellowship with Jesus but a lot of times we go to church and we forget that Jesus is there. I mean we see the pastor, we see and hear the worship team, we see the random church guy that we don’t know. Its impossible to know everyone when you have multiple services and the church is large. You just never know who you are going to sit next to. With all of the programming, announcements, and activity it is easy to get lost. Sometimes church can be so distracting. I go to a really big and an awesome church with a lot of activity however distraction is not something that  only occurs at large churches; this problem can happen anywhere.

So how do we see Jesus with all of the activity? How do we see Jesus  sometimes we go through the motions at church. We go through the motions with Jesus.

Is Jesus really always with me? That really depends on us right. Jesus promised he would never leave us or forsake us, but that doesn’t mean that we would not leave or forsake him. I want to stick on this point because the biggest problem that I have and I believe we as christians have is that we are so earthly, that we fail to see Jesus.

Often we fail to recognize Jesus when he is right in front of us because he comes in a form that we don’t expect. In one of the judgements in the book of Matthew,Jesus condemns and rewards his servants based on whether they treated him well. When they ask Jesus, ‘when did we see you?’, he answers, ‘as often as you did it to the least of these you did it unto me’. Jesus underscores that he is always there always watching and expects us to serve those who we see as burdensome or who cause us inconvenience.

Sometimes we have connection problems with Jesus because we are disconnected at church and or home.  We need to be plugged into a local church. God commands us to. There are no lone ranger christians. I know church  can sometimes be trying, and there are people who can be off putting.  This is why church is so important because even in the brokenness, pettiness and sin we find in our church, we still find Jesus is there using it to conform us unto his image. When our wives are nagging or arguing with us, we are supposed to see Jesus. When our husbands as being dry, inconsiderate, indifferent or harsh we are to see Jesus in them. When your children are being rebellious and mouthy we need to see Jesus. It is not that it’s Jesus who is harming you but rather Jesus is calling you to exercise patience, forgiveness, kindness and love to someone who doesn’t appear to deserve it. We need to see people in the divine image even when they don’t see it in themselves.

We are ambassadors of Christ who call forth the divine proclamation of reconciliation and of a new creation. Our message to the world is that “you don’t have to stay broken down and defeated but you can be born again.” If we make it our goal to focus on seeing Jesus in the mundane and unlikely people and places we will find that like those 3D brain teasers Jesus is behind the scenes in more places than we think. When we are conscious of his presence, we are able to enter a deeper worship and fellowship with him and can say,  “I see you Lord. Thank you for your presence.”

Often our connection problems with Jesus come because we are looking at the wrong things. There are sins we need to repent of in order to be connected to God.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[b] sin.

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

We cannot walk in the dark and then pretend to come in the light. We can fool people but we can’t fool God. If we confess our sins, God is able to purify us and connect with us again.

Sometimes in spiritual things we fail to see Jesus. Sometimes we focus on form but not substance, on appearance not on spirit, on noise and not the gentle whisper of the Spirit. Even when reading the Bible, we can miss Jesus. This is what Jesus accused the Jewish leaders of in John 5, reading without seeing Jesus. The same thing can more easily happen with prayer. There are times when I am praying and find my mind scattered and frantic, my body tired and drained. In those times I find it hard to see Jesus. Sometimes we just pray without even trying to hear what the Spirit has to say back to us. This futile process will cause us to miss Christ as well. We must realize that our flesh is in opposition against things of God, and that we must overcome it to see him. Connecting with Jesus is a challenge in subduing our flesh and focusing on the spirit. For where the spirit is there is liberty. There is liberty because the chains of the flesh have been broken and we are able to experience new movement with little restrictions. Here’s a passage in Luke 19 that illustrates this in an interesting way.

2And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

Zacchaeus knew his own physical limitations would limit his ability to see Jesus. He anticipated the obstacles and worked around his limitations so he could get a sight of Jesus. The devil will throw as many obstacles as he can to limit our encounters with Jesus, but when we seek to overcome them and wrestle with the flesh and seek a higher plane it is then that we will hear the master’s voice, Come down for I will dine at your house today. 

Each day I must strive to connect with Jesus. I need to be able to see Jesus as he is passing by.  I must connect with him and check in with him. I should submit my plans and have him give his approval or disapproval. This is the call of the disciple following the master where ever he directs. Where Christ is not present I must seek to bring his presence, not just as a vehicle but as a command post. Remember Gods command to Joshua every where the foot shall go I shall give you possession. We are to lay hold and build the kingdom and announce to all that this belongs to the Lord. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness there of.

Jesus promised us that he would be with us always, which is why he gave us his Spirit. When he commands us to walk in the Spirit he is telling us to be aware, to be focused, to be vigilant in our search for him. There is a great old testament image of this found in Numbers 9. After the Israelites escaped from Pharoah they were led by a  cloud, which represented the presence of God. This is how Moses describes how the children of God moved.

15On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16So it was always: the cloud covered it by day^a and the appearance of fire by night. 17And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18At the command of the LORD the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.

Where is the Spirit leading you? Where is Jesus taking you? He who has ears, let him hear. Keep your eyes on Christ.

Being Born Again is your only Hope

If you have seen the Matrix, you will understand why this picture relates to the message. You need to be born again. Its your only hope.

How I know God is Real

Life in Transition: A short devotion for immigrants, refugees and the unemployed

The world is in chaos. Those of us in the west, especially the states are ignorant of the chaotic effects of wars and fighting that is happening abroad.

No one wants to become a refugee, but there is a moment when a person acknowledges that their best hope of survival, or escape from prison and torture depends on them leaving home in search of a safer place. More recently refugees are likely to be from Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Iraq. Right now  according to the UNHCR there are approximately 11 million people around the world who have fled their countries, and around 4o million people who either have no state to call home, are displaced in their own country, or have fled outside of their country due to violence and threats of physical harm.

Besides this you have millions upon millions of families, men, women who have left their home countries in search of a better means of living.These two groups are different, but they both share a common understanding; the best hope for a better life is to leave their country.

There are many scriptures that speak about being immigrants, and even refugees but the two I want to highlight are these:

Psalms 84:5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage

and

14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:14-16)

Every believer in Christ must acknowledge that they are in a foreign land. There’s an old expression that says this world is not my home, we are just passing through. I love the Psalms 84 verse because it talks about a mindset that we all must have. Our hearts are set on a pilgrimage. We have left everything behind in the hopes of meeting something better. We have our hearts on seeing God, but not just seeing God but on living with God.

What empowers us on this journey is what the Psalmist says in verse five. Blessed are those whose strength is in you. We must hold on to our trust and hope in God. When we understand that God is with us, it empowers us to face the uncertainty, the pain of leaving loved ones and possessions behind, the fatigue, the tired muscles, and tearful and sleepless nights. Draw your strength from God. When you feel you are at your breaking point, realize that God is with you. Peter tells us to cast our burdens on the Lord because he cares for us. God cares for you. You may not know where you are going, but God does. He may not show you everything, but hold on to him, let him take you and carry you step by step.

 

The other idea that this verse communicates is that this life is a journey. We should be prepared to move. The early Patriarchs understood this, because they were nomadic people. Even if they settled down, they had an understanding that they would not be there forever. They were constantly pitching their tents.

Our bodies are our tents, and for many they are wearing down fast. They often are torn, they suffer wear to where they begin breaking down, lose their luster, and get harder and harder to pitch. These bodies are just temporary, so we too should prepare one day to lose them in hopes of better ones.

For those of us in relatively affluent countries we should realize that there are practical elements for us too. Sometimes you lose your job, some family, friends, and even health. This is all part of the journey. We can’t hold on to these things, because their temporal. They don’t last. Yet we know that God has something better prepared for us.

In the event of loss, we should believe that God will provide comfort and blessing in this life, but know with certainty that he has something better for us in the life to come. What I’m saying is that God is a good God, and he often times heals when we are sick, gives us other jobs when we lose them, other homes when our old one’s leave, and a new family when some of our family members pass. There are times when we lose things that God immediately gives us something better or just as good than what we had before. Other times when we leave things behind,  the new place isn’t always as good as the old. Sometimes you have to start at the bottom again, and work your way up. It’s not guaranteed that you will surpass your old condition in this life, but we don’t live for today. We live for tomorrow, for our kids and the next generation. Remember the second temple did not possess the same external glory as the first, but God does promise something better in the life to come.

For believers in your home countries

• Pray for our brothers and sisters who are forced to leave. They are in Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, all over.
• Don’t fear the immigrant, share Jesus with them. Often some of these immigrants are muslim. If you are in a western country share the Love of Christ with them, and the hope that they can know that they can go to Heaven if they trust and believe in Christ.
• Extend hospitality. Invite someone to dinner. Share a meal with them. Share your life.
• Teach them your countries language.
• Volunteer at your local camp.
• Give money to reputable agencies who are providing assistance

To all of you who have left your homes, remember for those in Christ God is preparing you a better home. My prayers are for you, take comfort in God and may he send his angels to comfort you.

 

Walking by Faith pt 1.

What comes to your mind when you hear these scriptures, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” or, “The just shall live by faith.”

I am convinced that in the coming days, and coming years we in the West will need to understand and live this scripture out more than ever.

You see when scripture speaks of faith it is always speaking of putting our faith in the character and nature of God. What do I mean by that?

Biblical faith is not some magic power. Its not a force in itself, but it is a connection a window to the divine. The writer of Hebrews says this in chapter 11 verse 6,  “That without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

So there are two foundational principles that must exist for faith to be genuine. One we must believe that there is a God. Not just any god, but the God of all creation, the God of the Universe, the God who made man in his own image, and is active in the affairs of man. The second is the following; we must believe in the goodness of God. Hebrews mentions this God as a rewarder; not just a rewarder of anyone but of those who diligently seek him.

So God in his nature is a giving God. Think about it. When you see a fruit tree, whom was the tree made for?  Fruit trees are not just made to be looked upon, but for their fruit to be tasted of and enjoyed. God made this earth for us. He wants us to enjoy his creation, but more importantly to enjoy him. God is in his nature good. He is a good God. This is our default position and understanding of God no matter what circumstance or situation we are in. Yes there are things that we may not understand, Yes there will be difficult times, but in your difficult time, whether it be sickness, death, loss, or failure even in those God is there, and God is good. I do want to go back to Hebrews and the last part of verse 6 where it says God rewards those who diligently seek him. You know that eliminates a lot of us, because a lot of times we don’t even seek God. How do I seek God? We seek God through prayer, through fellowship with other believers, through worship, but primarily his Word. Part of believing in the goodness of God means believing that God has left a reliable form of communication for us to be able to trust. That is his Word. We must believe that his Word is true, and that his Word is relevant, and that his Word is for us and to us.

We are living in a time where men see God’s Word as irrelevant, while they see themselves as self-sufficient. We possess all that we need. There is no need for a god, because god is just a figment of our imagination, a crutch for the mentally handicapped, a delusion for the weak. We are full of ourselves, full of our sin, we are the masters of our own destiny and the captains of our own ship. A ship racing to destruction.

The problem is that when things are good, we have no need for a God, and when things are bad we feel as if God does not care, he does not see, he’s not interested, or not powerful enough to change our circumstances.

We are living in days where our idols of wealth are eroding before our eyes. Unemployment is rising, distrust with our government is at an all time high, Despite our advanced medical achievements, many are not able to afford treatment, and despite our education there is an emptiness, a feeling of purposelessness that pervades our lives.

We need God. You see the Christian God is unlike any God in any other religion. This God did not only see the painful effects of sin, of sickness and death. He came and lived as a man, and dwelt among an oppressed people, a victimized nation, who were looking for hope. Not only did he live among the hurt and oppressed, he too was oppressed, he too was betrayed, beaten, talked about, and murdered, though he was innocent. His name was slandered, his just intentions misinterpreted, his love unrequited, and he understands our pain and suffering more that any man in the history of the world. He willingly died on a cross to take the punishment for our sins. The punishment however was not just the physical beating and suffocation from the cross, but the far greater punishment was the wrath, and feeling of separation from his father and judgment for our sins. We will never know what that was like, but if you could imagine the weight of every sin of humanity, to be placed on you, every rape, every murder, every lie, every beating from every slave, from every abused wife, every molestation, he knows it because he took it upon himself. All for his elect.

So whatever you are going through, I want you to stop and realize that Christ knows, he understands he is with you and will reward you as you diligently seek him. You must first put your trust in him and believe. Because for us to walk with God, we must first believe that he is, and that he wants to walk with us as well. He’s already proven himself, its your turn to trust in him.

When God Calls Us Into The Fire

Every Christian should know that the call to follow Christ is a call to death, to pain, to suffering. This is a fundamental but yet elementary truth of the gospel. Just listen to Jesus’ famous call to discipleship found in Luke 9

23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

So if Jesus says these things, and these are elementary truths why are we surprised when we hear reports such as the recent condemning of Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani to death.

For those of you unfamiliar with the case, Pastor Youcef was arrested initially for  apostasy then released but arrested later for protesting against the reading of the Koran in his son’s school. His last arrest for which he is sentenced to death is for charges of apostasy and refusing to renounce Christ. Iran is governed by an Islamist regime so any direct attempts to evangelize are seen as a threat and an attack to the government. Today Pastor Youcef is making headlines around the world because many are condemning the unjust sentencing of death. If executed he will be the first executed in Iran for religious reasons in the last 20 years.

Sentences like these bother us because we feel the world has moved past such barbarous practices. We deceive ourselves because we feel that the hostility that the world has for the gospel has waned. But the powers that are behind the hostility have never left, they are very active. Some of us who are familiar with the culture and practices of Islamic countries may not be so surprised, because what else do you expect from a radical islamic government. Though we are alarmed and pray for our fellow brother in Christ we find some solace and comfort that our beloved country is not so tyrannical.

This case reminded me of a very famous scripture written by the apostle Paul in the 12th chapter of Romans (Amplified )

 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

Pastor Youcef made a decisive decision to refuse to renounce Christ, with a full knowledge that his decision would end in the literal offering of his life. It is very rare to live a half-hearted walk with Christ and when pressed with a life or death choice, choose Christ.

We need to seriously consider the calling of Paul and Christ. Often in situations like this we ask ourselves would I be able to stay faithful to Christ if my life depended on  it, rather than asking ourselves am I living for Christ like my life depends on it? I am far from saying we need to work for our salvation, but I want  to be able to echo Paul where he says

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  (2 Timothy 4:7)

How much are we willing to give up? Am I fighting for His life, running for His life? 

I don’t want my life anymore,  I need the life of Christ inside of me, but I must give up my own.

When I examine my personal faith, and my personal commitment to Christ I can see that there are many things I need to offer upon the altar while I am alive; my comfort, my western idealism, my time, my disobedience and refusal to go when he says go, to speak when he says speak, my pride…. and the list goes on.

We are to be living sacrifices, and noone wants to offer themselves on the fiery altar, it is painful, it is fearful; but it is healing and it is for his glory.

Paul states in the beginning of verse 1, we can only offer ourselves in light of the mercy we have already recieved from God. It is God who invites us, who strengthens us and will keep us as we walk into  and through the fire. He doesn’t ask us to do what he was not willing to do. He passed throught the flames victorious, and beckons us from the other side to come.  So come to him, dedicate yourself to pursuing him, even though we have to walk through the flames.

My prayer is for Pastor Youcef and especially his family and the local church, that the Father will comfort them and provide for them during this time of grief. My prayer is not solely just for them but for all of our persecuted brothers whose lives are at stake for the gospel. In the midst of such attacks let us take the attitude of the early church who reflected on this section of the sermon of the Mount

Blessed arethey which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

We have a reward for  us on the other side of the flames; our reward is Christ and our welcome into his kingdom.  So let us keep praying for our brethren, but more for ourselves, that we might dedicate all of ourselves to God while we are alive because this is our reasonable service.

In Christ.