Saturday, February 26, 2011

Rewired for Strength

 Isaiah 40: 28-31
There is a circuit breaker in our RV home that “pops” if too many appliances are plugged into the wall sockets it supports.  We have to remember that, if we want to make toast, brew coffee, or I need to dry my hair, the floor heater in the living room needs to first be unplugged.  It is apparent that the electrician who wired our 5th wheel according to the manufacturer’s design failed to consider adding another breaker to handle the overload.  The problem is that now the circuit breaker is becoming worn out from being reset and will probably need to be replaced soon.

Sometimes I feel like that circuit breaker.  As I step out in faith for the LORD, my zeal for spreading His Gospel can propel me to add “appliances” to what He is asking me to do.  In essence, I am overloading the circuit that connects me to His power source and determines which direction He desires it go.  At other times, I become so weary over rampant sin, apathy, complacency, or rejection that the current between me and God threatens to become disrupted.  I am apt to become silent and dejected, preferring to leave others to their fate.  I call this an “Oh, well!” moment.  For a Christian commanded by her Master to give His message to the lost, this is not a good position in which to be.

However, there is a vast difference between the weakness of our RV’s electrical grid and that of the One that feeds power to my soul.  When the breaker fails in my RV, there is no reserve power available to support particular locations within it.  It must be manually reset by someone, and there is no guarantee that it will remain in the position necessary to sustain the appliances it is feeding.

In contrast, there is a limitless supply of energy available to draw upon from God when the current to my faith is in jeopardy of “popping” out of service.  The need to have my attitude or thinking reset requires only a word, and the One who is able to do it is readily available if I will only speak it.

Unlike the electrician’s failure to wire our RV adequately, my soul has been rewired for strength by a Master Electrician.  When I dangerously get close to one of those “Oh, well!” moments, He is there to ensure the current of His grace is not disrupted and that it continues to flow to others who are in desperate need of it.

Do you feel a power failure coming on?  It is not for a lack of Divine power that your energy supply is dwindling.  A quick examination of what you are plugged into may be beneficial to why you find yourself needing to reset your breaker.  Always remember that the Power Grid you are on is eternal and is readily available whenever you need it.

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."  ~~ 2Cor. 12:9

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Our Tireless Witness

I know many of you can relate to the discouragement we experience in our witness to the lost members of our family and to our friends.  Their rejection can be heartbreaking.  The Gospel we bring them is often met with stubbornness, an unwillingness to hear it, and a desire to debate you.  It is met with defiance because they want to believe in a god of their own choosing, rather than the True God whom you are introducing to them.  They believe you are exclusive by insisting that there is only One Way, One Truth, and One Life.  They demand that you be inclusive and tolerant for those with different beliefs, doctrines, ideologies, or philosophies that do not line up with the Word of God. 

They refuse to believe in a Jealous God that commands belief in Him, and Him only.  Submission to Him is out of the question; they prefer to maintain their self-reliance, their works, their pride, their arrogance. They seek after mediums, palm readers, and attempt to "channel" the spirits of the dead in vain attempts to soothe their consciences.  Their days are filled with fulfilling selfish wants and desires, chasing after unholy and lustful lifestyles that will only bring them greater pain and drive them farther from Him.  Heeding His call goes unheard.  Yielding to Him is seen as a sign of weakness.  And just when you thought your heart was completely broken over their response, you find that it is able to break even more.  You wonder if there is any hope for them left.

In one of Charles H. Spurgeon's sermons, I once read about a conversation he had with his Christian mother before his conversion.  Apparently, he was a bad boy around the age of 15 who loved the things of the world and involved himself in them to the point that she feared for him and pleaded with him, begging him to consider Christ.  According to Spurgeon, she concluded by telling him that when she was at last in Christ's presence, in her glorified state and watching as He judged unrepentant sinners, she "would have to say amen to his condemnation." 

I have been giving this a lot of thought the last few days, and I must agree with Mrs. Spurgeon's declaration.  The heartbreak she felt over her son's wayward life is the same heartbreak I feel over the unwillingness of those I love when they refuse to consider what I bring them.  However, when I am at last in my Lord's presence, when I am at last freed from my sinful state, I will not weep over those I loved who refused Him in this life and are condemned to an eternity of suffering.  Heaven would not have it.  As Spurgeon's mother said to him, I will also say "amen" to their condemnation.

Before you think I am heartless, let me explain.  Because we will at last be perfected like Jesus Christ in all ways, we will rejoice to see His enemies finally be put to eternal shame and destruction.  Sin that now resides in every atom of our being will be completely and utterly removed from us.  The concept is such an alien one to us at this point in time that we can not conceive what it will be like to be free of sinful thoughts and actions.  But then - ah then! -  it will be fully understood!

When we, His Saints, return with Him to bring an end to evil, we will rejoice because we will better understand the hatred and unbelief the world has had for Him.  We will see sin through God's eyes.  We will look upon them with more disgust than we ever experienced in this life; their sinful wickedness appalling and detestable because it is aimed at our King, our Lord, our Almighty God - the One they denied so vehemently.  He will be our Champion, our great Victor who has conquered His enemies, and we will praise Him for all of eternity for doing so.

I look forward with tremendous anticipation to that day of victory for my King's honor.  But while He tarries, my love for my unbelieving family and friends still whispers within me.  And because of the deep love I have for them, the desire I have for their salvation is even greater still because I understand the implications of eternity without Jesus Christ.  Regardless of the responses we receive from those who have not yet believed in the One Who has done all to secure their salvation, we must continue in our witness.  Jesus commanded it: "...and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8b,  NIV) - and it is our duty to Him to fulfill it.

We must use Jesus' example. Never should we allow rejection to cause us to quit.  Like our Lord did, we must meet the woman at the well in Samaria and the Scribes and Pharisees at the temple.  His Gospel can not be silenced.  No threats of persecution, whether physical or emotional, ever stopped it from spreading across the earth.  Nor will it stop it in our lifetime, or the one after us, even if it comes from family and friends.  Our words must be from His Word, never of our own making.  They must be clear and transparent and never deviating from the Truth of Scripture.  Our testimony must be His testimony; never boasting of ourselves, but of Him.  The work we do must be dictated by Him, never becoming our own, rather pointing out His work.  And the love that we shed abroad upon the hearts of our loved ones must never be lacking the fullness and reflection of the immensity of our Lord's great love for mankind.

 Spurgeon exhorts us with the following:

Do not watch the clouds or consult the wind.  In season and out of season, witness for the Savior.  If it happens that, for Christ sake, and the Gospel's sake, you must endure suffering in any form, do not shrink from it, but rejoice in the honor thus conferred on you, that you are counted worthy to suffer with your Lord.  Rejoice also in this: your suffering, losses, and persecution will be a platform from which you can witness for Christ Jesus even more vigorously, and with greater power.  Study your great Exemplar, and be filled with His Spirit.  Remember that you need much teaching, much upholding, much grace, and much humility, if your witnessing is to be to your Master's glory.

"Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good."  (Eccl 11:6, NASB)

The heartbreak we feel over unyielding hearts can be discouraging, but it must never cause us to faint or turn away.  We must sow; in the morning or the evening, in good times and in bad, never allowing ourselves to become weak over insults or slights.  Nor should it cause us to minimize the Gospel in order that we not offend anyone with a part of its Truth.  Jesus never spared His hearers of the complete and true nature of God, His will, or His purpose.  His descriptive words revealed a loving and kind God, but also a wrathful One Who would ultimately destroy sin forever.  He knows the ones He has chosen, and one or all of our loved ones may be among those He will spare. There will come a time when our work for Him is done and we are able to at last turn our faces away from this sinful world.  But now is not that time.  We must faithfully continue with tireless devotion, drawing upon God's strength and heeding His direction until, at last, all of His children are drawn into the safety of His arms.

So, to my beloved family, to my cherished friends, I will tirelessly continue to witness to you.  I will bring you the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ, and to exalt Him above all of creation and the false things you have embraced.  It may not be something you want to hear, but I am compelled by a Force greater than myself to give it to you.  The decision whether or not to heed the warnings I bring will be your own.  But our Lord will  receive glory and honor, either because of that decision, or in spite of it.

"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."   ( Philippians 2:9-12 NIV)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Armchair Quarterbacks

There is a disturbing trend occurring in the Christian community.  It is more predominant in places such as Facebook and web sites like this blog, where one is free to express opinions without actually physically revealing oneself.  And because those who administer these sites are not face-to-face with another human being, it is much easier to take more license in finger-pointing and blame, especially when it comes to correcting others who are misled.

This forced me to ask a vital question.  Has our great disdain for false teachings from wolves that have slipped in amongst the flock caused our hearts to unknowingly hate and despise those who do not understand?  Have we become prideful over the discernment so preciously given us from the Holy Spirit?  Do we find ourselves casting aspersions on those less taught in God’s Truths, instead of employing the instructions we have been given in Scripture on how we should react or behave?

The world is full of spiritual armchair quarterbacks.  They are smug in their understanding of the rules of the game, and they are quick to throw out the penalty flags when one is broken.  However, they are quite content to remain in their comfortable position of a critic on the sidelines, pointing out the obvious errors of others, than to be an active participant.  Fear of having their self-imposed expertise in spiritual matters exposed keeps them hiding behind the image they have created on the internet.  It is much easier to hand out a 10-yard penalty to another misguided or naïve Christian, or to throw him completely out of the game, than to gently steer him back onto the playing field.

Oswald Chambers once said, “Always remain alert to the fact that where one man has gone back is exactly where anyone may go back…Unguarded strength is double weakness.”

There is danger in thinking you are secure in your faith and immune to mistakes or errors in judgment.  The reality is that each and every one of us, regardless of how we perceive the level of our spirituality, is capable of making them.  We are apt to forget that we are powerless without the Lord’s strength to carry us.  The apostle Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls.”  Pride is the greatest deceiver.  It is also the least recognized character flaw that we see in ourselves.

All that we are taught as Truth can create in us an unhealthy piety that is apt to spill out upon the unlearned or unsaved as arrogance.  When we allow anger or impatience to overrule, the results can divide the body of Christ, or drive away the unrepentant sinner.  Pride and a “haughty spirit” always come before we stumble and fall (Prov. 16:18).  To elevate oneself through a misguided notion that you are wiser than your brothers and sisters could very well cause you to find yourself in the penalty box (1Cor 3:18).  It is there, in the “horror of great darkness” (Gen 15:12) that God gets us alone with Him so that He can instruct as in His ways and direct us towards spiritual maturity.

As we sit under God’s tutelage, His desire is that we see ourselves as nothing more than immature scholars in need of further instruction.  To believe that we have attained all there is to know from Him while we languish here on earth proves that we need to go back to the 50-yard line and start the game over.  We have only just begun to understand the complexities and mysteries of our Creator.  It will take us an eternity to fully comprehend all that He is and all that He has done.  But while we are here, none of us should think ourselves wiser than another.  Nor should we lord over others the small bit of wisdom we have attained.  Until we reach the pinnacle that we are aiming for, until the Lord makes “unto us wisdom” (1Cor 1:30), we will never be “wise unto salvation” (2Tim 3:15) and our testimony or witness will be minimal, at best.

When we are confronted with bad doctrine or false teaching in others, we must use gentleness in our reproach, rather than sound like a zealous fanatic.  The one who has a sincere desire to help fellow Christians stay firmly planted on the foundation of good doctrine and sound Biblical teaching puts them before him, even at the cost of being mistreated. He is able to endure ridicule or rejection because he has placed his trust in God’s strength, not his own.  By employing a humble attitude and a patient tenderness for those who are being misled, he is able to reason with others through the Word of God, thereby pursuing peace and unity in the brotherhood of Christ (Prov. 10:12).

God has bestowed upon His children a unique gift.  One could say that He has graciously placed the ball in our hands.  More importantly, He expects us to follow His playbook.  Each of us has been assigned a position on the field, and we are to work together as a team.  If one member decides to sit out a portion of the game and quarterback from the sidelines, the whole body suffers by having to bear the extra burden of attaining the goal - to bring God glory, honor, and praise through His Son Jesus Christ.

The Lord has effectively placed Himself on the internet; to instruct, to exhort, to draw the lost.  We can be thankful for that because the enemy is also hard at work here.  Satan is patiently lurking behind every word written on Facebook or other websites, waiting for one of us to stumble and to use it to his advantage.  And his methods are deceptive.

There may be times that it is appropriate to use harsher and more forceful words in our dialogues, but patience should always accompany them.  We should never find ourselves in a pious attitude like an armchair quarterback yelling from the sidelines, allowing it to divide us or overpower the love we have for each other and our service to God in assisting a brother or sister who is struggling.  We need to rise up out of the chair and actively become a team member, even if it means waiting for an opportunity on the bench to enter the fray.

As we serve the Lord on the world-wide web, we would do well to remember Paul’s words in Romans 12:

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  (Rom 12:3, 10)

The prize awaiting us for Christ’s victory is in view.  He has already won the game and the trophy is waiting in the end zone.  Now, with love, patience, and gentleness toward our brethren, let us assist each other in reaching that goal.

Additional reading:

Romans 15:1-7
Galatians 6:1-10
1Thessalonians 5:14
1Peter 3:8-10

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Echo of God's Call

The winds carry the Lord’s voice upon the face of the earth; ever-searching for willing ears upon which it may fall.  “Who will go for us?” He whispers, gently.  “Whom shall I send?”

The natural reaction of those who know and love God is to serve Him.  It is the echo of a right relationship with Him; the echo of His call.  His voice reverberates on the mountain tops, in the valleys, and in the deserts below.  Man’s soul, if the Holy Spirit dwells within it, will hear and respond.

“Here am I.  Send me!” Isaiah cried when he heard the Lord’s query (Is 6:8).  Even if he had understood the full impact of God’s request it would not have made his eagerness to serve Him any less.  Isaiah’s heart had been chosen for service long before his ears heard the echo of God’s call that reached out from the hallowed chambers of eternity and into time.  As his eyes beheld the glory of the Lord, his unclean heart was cleansed and made fit for the task that loomed before him.

Love sends out its call with all-encompassing tenderness.  Love responds.  Devotion to the One Who is calling overrides self or fear.  As trust builds, God’s strength is poured out upon the recipient of His request and prepares him for what may come.  The mantle of faith drives the saint to respond with willingness, propelling him forward in service to his Master.

Never for his own sake does the servant respond to the echo of God’s call.  It is for the sake of his King and His honor that the saint answers, “I will go for You!”

Willingly, eagerly, he goes, prepared to do battle for his Lord.  His “unclean lips” are purified by the burning ember plucked from the heavenly altar that burns ever-brightly before God’s throne (Is 6:4-7).  Once cleansed, God secures his soul by adorning His faithful servant with the helmet of salvation, a righteous breastplate, a belt of Truth, and places in his heart the impenetrable shield of faith.  His sandals are shod with nails to help him stand his ground as he wages war with God’s enemies (Eph 6:10-18).

As the saint stands with a multitude of other warriors who have been fitted for service, the Lord stands before them, leading them into battle.  His mighty sword is honed and His banner is lifted high.

The trumpet is sounded.

The battle cry is raised.

God’s voice thunders along the mountain tops, across the deeps, and over the face of the earth.  The echo of His Word is heard throughout all of eternity and His saints march forward in faith to the refrain that reverberates forever in their hearts.