For my personal Bible reading time, I have been reading Hosea. Hosea was a prophet during a time when God's people had lost focus of everything that mattered in life and death. They were increasingly becoming self-absorbed, treating others as objects and pushing relationship with God farther and farther to the unimportant margins of their lives. The situation was desperate and God was willing to take extreme measures. He told a preacher named Hosea to marry a well-know prostitute named Gomer.
Think about that a man of the cloth marrying a prostitute..not a used-to-be- prostitute, but a presently-is-prostitute! Do you think Hosea felt comfortable with that? Do you that he did not have some friends and family say, "Are you out of your mind?"
It was no small request, but Hosea did it. He married the prostitute and had children with her. Why? Because God had a point to make and he knew it would take something drastic to get his people's attention. So, he had Hosea the preacher marry Gomer prostitute to help his people see that they had been unfaithful. They had been acting like a whore, sleeping with false gods and marrying the culture's way of self-indulgence. Through Hosea and Gomer the people would receive a message that they could not miss.
I read that story and I thought, "What if God had asked me to do that? When we started Living Hope, I was single? Would I have been willing to marry a prostitute to help others know God's love?" That would be crazy!
You know what? Sometimes God is crazy! So crazy is he for his creation to live in a life-changing, loving, healing, freeing relationship with him now and forever that he is not above having preachers marry prostitutes and asking his own son to die for the sins of others. God is crazy in love with you and he will do what ever it takes to get you and me to recognize that.
Once I recognize and receive God's love for me, he then expects...commands me to do whatever it takes to help others I know come to know Him. He has not asked me or you to marry a prostitute, but he does ask us to do some crazy things at times. Crazy things like giving God credit even though it would be easier to say, "I was lucky." Telling a hurting co-worker that you will pray for him or her instead of just telling him or her that you are sorry for their struggle. Going out of your way to help someone in need before they even ask. God is crazy and he will ask us to be crazy too, when it comes to doing whatever it takes to help people know him.
For instance, what if God said cancel Sunday morning services and have church at the pool! That would be crazy! I know...so let's do it and see what God can do when his people are willing to try something crazy!
Pray with me for our church at the pool on Sunday, July 5, 7:30 PM at the Miamisburg pool. I have 7 people I am inviting. I do not know if they will come or not, but I will only find out if I invite them. And what if...as crazy as this seems...what if they do come and what if...as crazy as this sounds...A pool is where he or she finds just how crazy in love God is with them...then I would say, "Crazy is worth it!"
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
"Fix"
My drive to work each day is always a good time for me to listen. Today the cool, refreshing breeze pouring in my open windows seemed to help me to be better prepared to listen than usual. If it is OK, I think I will share with you what I heard on this morning's drive...
The thought popped in my mind that I have what some would call a "Melancholy personality." Among other positive and negative traits about such a personality, is that I tend to be more naturally prone to discouragement. Once that thought about myself came to mind, I prayed, "God, why do I have to be so prone to discouragement? Why does it have to be such a fight on some days?" Then I was just quiet and drove on...no reply seemed to come and finding myself uncomfortable with the silence, I flipped on the radio. I did not pay any attention to the music, but continued to think about this personality defect. Suddenly, one phrase of one verse of the Bible came to mind...loud and clear it came..."Fix your eyes on Jesus."
I recalled the context of those words. They come from Hebrews 12. The book of Hebrews was written to a church on the verge of being overcome by discouragement. They were tired of the persecution and the never ending threat of being jailed, humiliated, beaten, having property confiscated and even being killed for their faith. They were to the point where they were seriously starting to wonder whether or not perseverance was possible, let alone worth it.
To this discouraged church the writer of Hebrews replies with a call to courageous faith. In Hebrews 12 (after having reminded them of the heroes of their faith in chapter 11) he calls them to "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy Set before him endured the cross and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Why am I so prone to discouragement? May be it has less to do with my personality as it does with where I fix my eyes. There are a lot of things we can fix our eyes on that will give us reason to lose heart.
Fix your eyes on one's circumstances and often you will find reason to be discouraged. Fix your eyes on other people and they will let you down. Fix your eyes on yourself and...well...no good comes of that. Fix your eyes on your problems and you'll certainly be depressed. Fix your eyes on your past and you may very well become oppressed. Fix your eyes on anything else and eventually discouragement will step up and introduce itself.
But Hebrews 12 steps up and says, "Let us"...that's an invitation and an invitation requires a choice...will I or will I not? It's up to me and its up to you...will we "let"? Let what? "Fix our eyes"...to fix is to set, to stare, to allow all our focus to be...will I let my eyes be fixed on what? Jesus...no vague, ambiguous, Sunday school picture of Jesus, but will I fix my eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of my faith? In what way is Jesus the author and perfecter? The next line fills in the details..."Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men..." Let us fix our yes on Jesus on the cross...he's bleeding, he's hurting, he's struggling for every breath, he's dying, he's dead, he in the tomb, he's fighting all of hell, he's moving, he's doing the impossible, he's breathing, he's living, he's rising, he's reigning...consider him!
"Fix your eyes on Jesus" is my breath prayer today. By God's grace, all day long, I will periodically breathe this prayer and do what it says. As I do, what should I expect? The promise of this verse is what I expect..."so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Any body feel weary? Any body losing heart? "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."
The thought popped in my mind that I have what some would call a "Melancholy personality." Among other positive and negative traits about such a personality, is that I tend to be more naturally prone to discouragement. Once that thought about myself came to mind, I prayed, "God, why do I have to be so prone to discouragement? Why does it have to be such a fight on some days?" Then I was just quiet and drove on...no reply seemed to come and finding myself uncomfortable with the silence, I flipped on the radio. I did not pay any attention to the music, but continued to think about this personality defect. Suddenly, one phrase of one verse of the Bible came to mind...loud and clear it came..."Fix your eyes on Jesus."
I recalled the context of those words. They come from Hebrews 12. The book of Hebrews was written to a church on the verge of being overcome by discouragement. They were tired of the persecution and the never ending threat of being jailed, humiliated, beaten, having property confiscated and even being killed for their faith. They were to the point where they were seriously starting to wonder whether or not perseverance was possible, let alone worth it.
To this discouraged church the writer of Hebrews replies with a call to courageous faith. In Hebrews 12 (after having reminded them of the heroes of their faith in chapter 11) he calls them to "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy Set before him endured the cross and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Why am I so prone to discouragement? May be it has less to do with my personality as it does with where I fix my eyes. There are a lot of things we can fix our eyes on that will give us reason to lose heart.
Fix your eyes on one's circumstances and often you will find reason to be discouraged. Fix your eyes on other people and they will let you down. Fix your eyes on yourself and...well...no good comes of that. Fix your eyes on your problems and you'll certainly be depressed. Fix your eyes on your past and you may very well become oppressed. Fix your eyes on anything else and eventually discouragement will step up and introduce itself.
But Hebrews 12 steps up and says, "Let us"...that's an invitation and an invitation requires a choice...will I or will I not? It's up to me and its up to you...will we "let"? Let what? "Fix our eyes"...to fix is to set, to stare, to allow all our focus to be...will I let my eyes be fixed on what? Jesus...no vague, ambiguous, Sunday school picture of Jesus, but will I fix my eyes on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of my faith? In what way is Jesus the author and perfecter? The next line fills in the details..."Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men..." Let us fix our yes on Jesus on the cross...he's bleeding, he's hurting, he's struggling for every breath, he's dying, he's dead, he in the tomb, he's fighting all of hell, he's moving, he's doing the impossible, he's breathing, he's living, he's rising, he's reigning...consider him!
"Fix your eyes on Jesus" is my breath prayer today. By God's grace, all day long, I will periodically breathe this prayer and do what it says. As I do, what should I expect? The promise of this verse is what I expect..."so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Any body feel weary? Any body losing heart? "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus..."
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
"What would they do for 3?"
Jesus said, "Count on it--there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over 99 good people in no need of rescue" Luke 15:7.
This past Sunday three people made decisions for Christ...this past church year (our church year runs from June-May each year) 86 people entered into a personal relationship with Christ. If all of heaven stops to rejoice over one, think how much wilder the party gets for more!
Everything we do and are inside the church building and outside its walls is about seeing people be found by Jesus and then celebrating like crazy when it happens! Every once in a while I need to be reminded of that. And this past Sunday did just that. Thank you to all of you who dedicated your children and were baptized. God used you and I am still celebrating with you!
This past Sunday three people made decisions for Christ...this past church year (our church year runs from June-May each year) 86 people entered into a personal relationship with Christ. If all of heaven stops to rejoice over one, think how much wilder the party gets for more!
Everything we do and are inside the church building and outside its walls is about seeing people be found by Jesus and then celebrating like crazy when it happens! Every once in a while I need to be reminded of that. And this past Sunday did just that. Thank you to all of you who dedicated your children and were baptized. God used you and I am still celebrating with you!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
"Wake Up"
I do not set my alarm clock, but I am always up on time. I have a human alarm clock named Anna. My three your old daughter wakes up ready to go every morning between 5:30-6 AM. We hear her door open, then the sound of her little running feet and the next thing we know her brown eyes are starring into ours.
On Saturday morning, I say, "Anna can't you go back to sleep?" To which she giggles, certain that I must be joking...after all the sun is up and so we should wake up too! As long as I have Anna, I don't need an alarm clock and as long as we have Jesus, his Light will shine on us no matter how dark it gets!
Ephesians 5:8-14 reads, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
Bible scholars believe that the end of verse 14 was an early church baptism chant. As the person would go into the water they were reminded that we are all asleep in our own selfishness and sin. But because of Jesus' death and resurrection everyone is invited to rise from that death and receive the promise, "and Christ will shine on you". That is rich promise of baptism and of our relationship with Jesus: No matter how dark it gets, you are promised Jesus, the Light, to guide, strengthen and empower you so that you his light in you will put darkness on the run!
It is always humbling for me to think about what baptism meant to the early church. In baptism they were publicly proclaiming their faith in Christ during a time and culture in which people were being killed, imprisoned, having their personal property confiscated and beaten for their faith. And yet, their faith in Christ was more valuable to them than their own well fare, which was demonstrated through baptism. Our faith ancestors truly lived as children of the light.
Of course, we also know that more Followers of Christ died for their faith in the last century than all other centuries combined. As I type these words, a brother or sister in Christ will die simply because they profess Jesus as their God. Baptism for the Church in other parts of the world today is more than symbolic, it is truly an act of full surrender to Jesus.
This Sunday as we gather for our baptism celebration, there will be no hint of fear; no worry for one's welfare. However, the meaning of baptism is no less. In baptism our personal faith is made public. It is drawing the line in the sand and saying before the whole Body of Christ, "The old is buried and through Christ a whole new creation exists." Through the act of baptism God's grace of assurance is given to us as we are minded that as long as we live for him, his light will shine on us. And the Bible says when one person turns from self to Jesus all of heaven parties.
This Sunday come ready to celebrate...come prepared to praise...come expecting God to shine on us and make himself known and be ready to wake up to something new from God. Please join me in praying and expecting for this Sunday!
On Saturday morning, I say, "Anna can't you go back to sleep?" To which she giggles, certain that I must be joking...after all the sun is up and so we should wake up too! As long as I have Anna, I don't need an alarm clock and as long as we have Jesus, his Light will shine on us no matter how dark it gets!
Ephesians 5:8-14 reads, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
Bible scholars believe that the end of verse 14 was an early church baptism chant. As the person would go into the water they were reminded that we are all asleep in our own selfishness and sin. But because of Jesus' death and resurrection everyone is invited to rise from that death and receive the promise, "and Christ will shine on you". That is rich promise of baptism and of our relationship with Jesus: No matter how dark it gets, you are promised Jesus, the Light, to guide, strengthen and empower you so that you his light in you will put darkness on the run!
It is always humbling for me to think about what baptism meant to the early church. In baptism they were publicly proclaiming their faith in Christ during a time and culture in which people were being killed, imprisoned, having their personal property confiscated and beaten for their faith. And yet, their faith in Christ was more valuable to them than their own well fare, which was demonstrated through baptism. Our faith ancestors truly lived as children of the light.
Of course, we also know that more Followers of Christ died for their faith in the last century than all other centuries combined. As I type these words, a brother or sister in Christ will die simply because they profess Jesus as their God. Baptism for the Church in other parts of the world today is more than symbolic, it is truly an act of full surrender to Jesus.
This Sunday as we gather for our baptism celebration, there will be no hint of fear; no worry for one's welfare. However, the meaning of baptism is no less. In baptism our personal faith is made public. It is drawing the line in the sand and saying before the whole Body of Christ, "The old is buried and through Christ a whole new creation exists." Through the act of baptism God's grace of assurance is given to us as we are minded that as long as we live for him, his light will shine on us. And the Bible says when one person turns from self to Jesus all of heaven parties.
This Sunday come ready to celebrate...come prepared to praise...come expecting God to shine on us and make himself known and be ready to wake up to something new from God. Please join me in praying and expecting for this Sunday!
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