Every Man Will be Bound

“…Let the will of the Lord be done” Acts 21:12-14

Some may argue that the goal of a martyr is to die. I would argue that the goal of a martyr is to live. In a martyrs case it is their life lived for Christ that often proves itself through their willingness to die for Him. Our focus should not be on dying for Christ, it should be on living for Christ. Let’s look at Paul as an example of this.

Paul knew whatever awaited Him in Jerusalem, be it affliction, imprisonment, death or life, for Him to flee the will of the Lord would have been death, even if it meant saving his life, and to ferociously pursue the will of the Lord would have been life, even if it meant losing his life. For Paul this was not a matter of physical life or death, he had already settled that, “I do not account me life of any value nor as precious to myself” (Acts 20:24a), this was a matter of living out the life the Lord had willed for him, “if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24b).

This becomes really simple when we boil it down to this one application. Is your physical life more important than the will of the Lord? When our focus is on the physical, we are held back by real things, our emotions, wants, desires and fears. When our focus is on saving our life, tending to our physical needs, be it emotional, relational, financial we often get tangled in the cares of this world. When our focus is on the will of the Lord, there is an amazing freedom we find from ourselves and this world as we deny our emotions, our wants and our will.

One might ask, how Paul could have felt free in the will of the Lord when he said himself he was “constrained by the Spirit?” (Acts 20:22). That word constrained literally meaning to be bound in. The Christian life is a paradox. It is a supernatural thing that a man who is bound can have so much freedom. When we think we are free, living our lives as we please, satisfying our desires and meeting our every need we become bound, we become slaves to our passions. In this life you will be bound. Either bound in self, which leads to a deeper bondage, a deeper darkness, or bound in the Spirit, which leads to new found freedom and life.

Let us be like Paul and not like the disciples in our text. For they were persuading Paul to choose the course that would save his life, not the course that would set him free. Paul would not be persuaded and it is interesting to note what eventually happens. “And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said “Let the will of the Lord be done.” Their fight was never against Paul, their fight had always been against the Lords will for Paul. We can be those who fight the will of the Lord, always persuading, or we can be those who give up the fight and cease before the Lord. Every man will be bound. The question today is what are you bound in?

Pastor Watching

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” (Acts 3:12)

Here I see an exhortation for modern day Christianity. This is for the people of the church. The question we need to be asking ourselves is; Why are we staring at our Pastor’s? As if they are the origin for some move of God. At the origin of every move of God is Jesus. At the center of the church is Jesus, but for some that center stage is occupied by another. It’s never been about the man God is using it has always been about God who is using man. Here is where the problem lies.

We are too quick to give credit where it does not belong. He is such a great communicator, he is so relevant, he is so hip, and all of these things may be so, but may they not be counted as why God is using them. This limits our view of God, thinking He is only in the business of using “the charismatic” to accomplish His work. Believer, it is not by their own power or piety that dead men are coming to life, it is by the gospel, the power unto salvation (Romans 1:16). They may share the gospel better than we can, but they don’t have a better gospel than we do.

So let us not wonder, let us not stare. Unless our wondering and staring is at Jesus. For often times the work God does through man is wondrous, it is worthy of a stare, but He is the only one worthy of receiving it. God’s ministers are to be esteemed highly and respected, but may we never forget, they too are but men with a nature just like ours (James 5:17).

Break Every Chain

“…bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound.” (2 Timothy 2:9b)

I wonder how many times I have let the circumstances that bind me, bind the word of God at the same time? We can be bound in all sorts of ways. Paul was physically bound, in chains and in prison. This is a binding that came from the external. What are some of the externals that bind us in this life?

For some this binding is money. Money keeps them down, not only that, it keeps God from being God. We can so easily feel walled and limited by our own resources that we put those same walls up around the word of God. Maybe God is calling you out, but financially you are bound, you see no way for provision. So what happens? We limit, or bind, God from being God. We say now is not a good time, maybe when finances are better, then God can use me. No! “The word of God is not bound.”

For others this binding is in relationships. For those who are single, we can get stuck in our singleness. For those who are married, we can get stuck in our marriage. The single man or women says, if only I were married, then I could move on. The married man or women says, if only I were single, then I could move on. This keeps us from growing. I have seen the binding effect that singleness has on the word of God. Instead of holding onto God’s promises, we slowly let go of them. Leaving us wondering, does He really know what’s best for us? Thoughts of not waiting till marriage can cross our mind, thoughts of not waiting through marriage can as well. Does He really know what’s best for us? Of course He does, but let’s be honest, singleness and marriage can be binding to our view of God's promises.

For some, their binding is not external rather it is internal. This is the man who is imprisoned, or bound by self. This type of binding almost always binds the word of God. The man who looks at himself as worthless, becomes bound by doubt. This keeps him or her from fully believing the word of God. On one hand we read that God says we are valued in His eyes, yet that truth fails to break through our doubts, thus binding the word of God. The man who looks at himself as worth more than he really is, becomes bound by deception. A false sense of self-worth keeps us from seeing our need for the full counsel of God’s word, thus binding the word of God.

So what category do I personally fall into? Outside of the married man, on any given day I am prone to fall into anyone of these categories. The chains Paul found himself bound in could not be avoided, we have no control over lives circumstances. But what we do have control over is not letting them control us, rather letting the word of God control us. Easier said than done, but let’s remember, the word of God breaks every chain, for “the word of God is not bound.”

Living as Kings Kids

“But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” (2 Corinthians 10:12b)

We live in a culture that is in a constant state of comparison. I have to believe that this state has crept into the church. I will now affirm that statement with personal testimony. Knowing that my calling is teaching, I often find myself listening to a sermon for comparison purposes not contextual matters. Usually one of two conclusions are drawn; I could have done a better job or they did a better job than I could have. This invokes one of two emotions, pride or jealously. To that end I reiterate our verse at hand, those who “compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

            On the playing field comparison is a way of life. ESPN knows that’s what the people want, they want to know who the best is. How do we find the best? We put a line down the middle of the screen; player A on the left and player B on the right. This split screen thinking is engrained in how we view one another. We are constantly comparing ourselves to one another. This isn’t healthy and often results in sinful thinking.

             As Christians we are on a different playing field, one where we are all equal at the cross. The cross slays everyman, exposes him for who and what he really is. A sinner, fallen short of the glory of God. When one lives on this playing field pride and jealousy cannot creep in. How often do we take our eyes off of Jesus and fix them onto one another? We need to correct our gaze.

The same cross that slays us also set us free to live as Kings Kids. Comparison is paralyzing, the Cross is freeing. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, unique and beautiful in His eyes. The Cross has affirmed our worth. We have been set free from living in a constant state of comparison, and freed to live as children of the King. You will never become the man or women God created you to be by comparing yourself to others. Stop looking to your neighbor and start looking to your Creator, He has an Ephesians 2:10 designed solely for you, now walk in it!

Not my Mess...Or is it?

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us 

(1 Thessalonians 2:8)

There is a saying out there that goes something like this; “Everyone likes to make babies, but few like to take care of them.” This saying holds true today amongst many evangelical churches, who love making converts but have neglected the very call to make disciples. Paul would write against this kind of “baby-making” Christianity, his very life and ministry stood opposed to this kind of methodology.

We are a culture with more health precautions then ever before, we even have inventions like hand sanitizer so that we can stay clean on the go. Making disciples does not work that way, we cannot run into a dirty situation, share the gospel, then apply our spiritual hand sanitizer and walk away, free from any aftermath the gospel might have just had on its recipient.

If there is one thing I am learning in my short time of being a disciple it is that ministry is messy. Making disciples requires one to get dirty with other peoples problems. It requires a willingness not only to share the gospel of God but also our own selves. To share the gospel and yourself looks like living out the message you just preached. How can we share about a God who so loved the world that He came down and gave of himself, and then not do the same? The gospel is more then a message, it is a life poured out, and those who share it must be willing to pour themselves out on behalf of it.

I believe; help my unbelief

Mark 9:14-29

“I believe; help my unbelief” 

      No doubt a remarkable verse. One might argue this verse as the central theme of our text and perhaps a central focal point of the Christian life. This twofold confession is one that has moved me from reading to meditating. On one hand we have a statement of belief. On the other hand, from the same mouth, in the same sentence, we have a confession of unbelief. I think now is when we are suppose to ask, “is that even possible?” “Can somebody believe and not believe at the same time?” As literal as this confession is, I think it holds deeper meaning for the born again reader. My hope is in a few short paragraphs to unveil some of that meaning.

      The underlying matter in the text at hand is the battle to believe. I have often asked myself; “Am I believing?” and “What does it mean to believe?” As Christians, eternal life is accessed by our believing. There is one link, one way to eternal life, and that is to believe. Believe in what? “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). Believing is a central component to our faith. Maybe the question we must ask ourselves is not; Am I believing?…but How am I believing?

      Here we have the disciples of Jesus, who by now had been following Him for some time. As they would witness miracle after miracle it would be impossible for them not to believe. The problem with this kind of sideline belief is it had created a mentality of spectator rather then a reality of participator. They were quick to defend their faith (vs14), but apparently not able to act on it (vs18). As Jesus came on the scene in verse 14 they were arguing with the scribes. The text does not tell us what they were arguing about so we will leave it at that.

      What I do know is that it is easy to defend the faith when the defense requires nothing of us. It isnt until our belief demands action that true colors begin to shine. It is in the moment we are found "not able" that our unbelief manifests. It says when they saw Jesus they were “greatly amazed and ran up to him.” It is interesting to note how they later came, the text tells us, “privately” to Jesus. Why the change in approach?

      They would watch Jesus heal this boy because of the belief of a dad in the crowd. Not because this man was a disciple or a follower, but because he believed. How did he believe? "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief.’" I see three things in the way this man believed; honor, honesty and humility. This is not  a do these three things and have life message. This is simply an outworking of genuine belief in the life of a man that was desperate for a miracle.

      Honor was shown as “immediately the father of the child cried out.” We honor the Lord in our belief when we hear His word and immediately respond in a manner worthy. Honesty was shown by way of confession, “help my unbelief.” The Lord is looking for us to be honest about where we are so that He can get us where He wants us to be. Humility was shown as he cried out “help.” The problem is not within the confession of unbelief. For doubt will arise. The problem is are we willing to admit the unbelief. In that moment we must be honest and humbly ask Jesus to help us. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

      Believer, what obstacle stands before you and Jesus this day? Fear not, nor be dismayed. The remedy consists of one thing, a simple thing. A thing all men are capable of doing. It is not prejudice to ethnicity nor education. It does not require of you a prerequisite. No title or tool will be necessary, only that you believe. That is the link! You must believe!  That is do you believe? I ask you how are you believing? Have you come before the Lord and honored His word. Believing in it and esteeming it higher then life’s current troubles. Have you been honest about your current condition; Doubt? Worry? Fear? Bitterness? Anger? Pride? Lust? Would you be willing to reach out for a touch today? To cry out to your Savior with a sincere heart…“help!” 

      Let us now remember what the Lord said himself: 

"this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

The Real Deal

Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (ESV)

To be found in human form can in and of itself be an altogether humiliating thing. Now when we think of the birth of Jesus, we think nativity scene. We think glorious things; a glowing child, washed clean, clothed in baby gap with a stylish comb over, laying gracefully in a tempurpedic crib. Before we buy into the pathetic reenactment of our day, lets look to the real happenings of that day via the Scriptures. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manager, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

Last time I checked, when a child comes out of its mothers womb, he is a bloody mess. One must assume this to be true of this day as well. A bloody mess, assumedly cleaned then wrapped in swaddling cloths; which literally just meant strips of cloth. More degrading then this He was laid in a manager. This does not mean a crib for babies rather a crib for eating. Our Savior upon His birth, found in human form, bloody, wrapped in strips of cloth was then to be laid in a feeding trough, a place most commonly known to the foul mouth of an animal. His place of birth did not look like your local neighborhood Macys. Nor was it accompanied with the sweet smell of hot cider and gingerbread cookies, while soothing tunes of “may your days be merry” play in the background. This was the real deal, smelly, dark and musty, the lowest of lows, the place our Savior was born.

This verse in Luke ends in saying there was no place for Him in the inn. This would not only be an underlying theme throughout the rest of His lowly life, but it is the theme of every generation. People want nothing to do with Jesus and therefore have said there is no place for Him in their life. Today we have gone so far as to ban Him from whole countries, our educational systems, our media sources and even the pledge of our own Nation. His birth would mark a humiliating trend that will continue on until the day of his second coming.

Enough of His birth, let us talk a little bit of His death. When I say a little, I mean just that. I am convinced there a parts of the upcoming events we will never grasp. Crowned in thorns, spat upon, mocked, clubbed, beaten, no longer possessing human semblance or form of mankind, it was then He bore His own cross. Now on the subject of the cross. A death more humiliating then most. Hung for all to see though not guilty. The mystery of it all, is though he bore physical pains unbearable to most, he bore the wrath of God. “That is he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

That God would will for His Gospel to be written in human form, to me is that God would will an intimate relationship. For we do not have a lofty High Priest, rather we have a lowly High Priest. One who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, that we may look to Him, a very present help in a time of need.

Sloth? I think Slave!

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (ESV)

I want to pose a question…is the slave who presents himself disobedient even a slave at all? In order to answer this question we have to define a slave in the context of this verse. In the Greek, slave translates into bond slave, or to put it in modern terms “love slave.” It carries the idea of one who has willingly given themselves over to the service of another. With this in mind, we draw a clear divide in the verse at hand. On one hand we have one who has willingly given themselves to the world, and on the other hand we have one who has willingly given themselves to Christ.

I feel like this is a lost art, both in the world and in the church. Few people today have willingly presented themselves to anything. Many grow up following the ways of this world, never asking questions or challenging why we do what we do. Same concept stands true for the Christian of today. We go to church not knowing why we do what we do, but nevertheless we follow the monotony of a 45/45 structure. Forty-five minutes of worship and forty-five minutes of a message, not a minute earlier nor a minute later. This going through the motions has produced, both in the world and in the church, a kind of lifeless breed. Not a slave but rather a sloth, both physically and spiritually.

You see for me, I don’t see it any other way. Although I have not always been a Christian, I have always been all in for what I believed in. For most of my life I presented myself as an obedient slave to my worldly master, drugs and money. That is I willingly pursued these things no matter what the cost. So why wouldn’t I do the same as a Christian? Why wouldn’t I present myself as an obedient slave to my heavenly master? Why wouldn’t I willingly pursue him no matter what the cost?

To answer my initial question…is the slave who presents himself disobedient even a slave at all? My answer to that would be absolutely not. A slave has already decided what it believes and of that belief they are sold out. If I was willing to let drugs control my every waking moment, then so it shall it be with Christ. For the one who is unfamiliar with this lost art form, may it be said of them; “I will spit you out of my mouth.” What good is the belief of a man, if all it creates is a lukewarm man?

We have not been set free to roam in aimless freedom. Rather we have been set free from, that we might be enslaved to. One may say freed from sin and enslaved to righteousness, but another might say freed from death and enslaved to life. What a beautiful thought, to give up my life that I might find life.

The Supernatural Gospel

1 Timothy 6:6-8 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (ESV)

I don’t know that this text would be so real if it had not been for my time in Kenya. It was the last sentence of verse five that irked me to the core as I read it; “imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” Timothy was not telling bed time stories here, rather he was addressing a very real and prominent issue that has plagued most impoverished nations of our day. When I think of the gospel being used as a means for gain I am deeply pained, but what pains me even more is to know that the recipients of that message have been left; “deprived in mind and deprived in truth.”

It began on a Saturday, as we pulled into our first kids club in Kenya. At the first sight of the kids I was overwhelmed, yet eagerly awaiting the start of what could be an eternal relationship. Or so I thought. It didn’t take long before I realized these kids had a very different agenda in mind; they wanted what we had, be it candy or money…but they weren’t looking for a relationship. I was deeply bothered by this and found myself before the Lord wondering how this could be? It didn’t take more then a few weeks of being in Kenya to realize we were riding on the wake of those who had brought a gutted gospel message. Those previously who had come with the gospel had come with goods and not with Jesus. They promised a better life through natural possessions and not through supernatural peace.

As I mentioned day one we were approached by all of the children asking us for candy, sweets and money (no joke). Money and sweets we did not bring them, but in those six months we brought them what we had, the gospel of Jesus Christ. What I am about to share next is nothing short of the supernatural power of the gospel working in and through broken lives. By the end of our six months we were to be approached by these same kids, who no longer were calling us for candy but rather calling us by our names. We would then be greeted with a piece of candy by one of these little ones, who most likely spent their only allowance for the week on this candy that they might gift it to us in sign of appreciation for the friendship.

It took awhile for us to brake down the misconceptions of the prosperity gospel so prevalent throughout impoverished nations today. The hardest thing was not that I had to believe Jesus was enough for me, but rather to believe He was enough for them. Weekly telling them Jesus was all they needed, when I knew they didn’t have a means to much more, really challenged my own belief in what I claimed to be true. Could He be enough?

I witnessed first hand the destruction of a perverted message, but also Gods blessing on the only Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. Lives were transformed right before my eyes, not by money nor things of the physical. This was a supernatural working of the gospel, being poured out through loving channels for the purpose of meeting human needs. We brought them Jesus and of that it was enough. Our relationships grew far deeper through matters of the spiritual then they ever would have through the physical.

Giving Up or Fueling Up?

Colossians 1:11 may you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy (ESV)

If there was ever a man aside from our Lord that knew where his strength came from it was Paul. A man of prayer and of that a mighty man of strength. Paul was a man with one foot in heaven and one foot on earth. Living in two realms, he endured hardships in both. He was a man with great responsibility, he was looked up to as co-founder and leader of the early church. The more Paul was looked up to the more he found himself looking up. As for the natural man; his eyes are fixed fast on the things of this world, but for the spiritual man his eyes ought to be fixed on the things above. For one looking up might feel like giving up, but for another looking up is fueling up.

We should not be afraid to pause throughout our day and take an extra minute to seek the one with all power. To look up is to abide in the shadow of the almighty, it is there he will deliver us from the snare of the fowler. Fowler literally meaning the bait-layer. The fowler is deceptive and at first glance is good to look at, a second look could be dangerous and a third look guarantees a sure catch. Believer my question to you is where have you been looking?

Paul would pray for the saints and faithful brethren of Colossae in hopes that they too might find all power and all endurance. He knew this was no right of his own, rather he would give thanks to the Father, who alone qualified us to share in this inheritance. We have been delivered from the domain of darkness. No longer should we fear the way of the fowler, for the light has made known his ways. Not only have we been drawn from but we have been drawn to. What a beautiful exchange that has taken place for the one that would surrender his might to the One with all might. We have been transferred into the kingdom of Christ, who can make the things that are not as though they were. Believer no longer settle for anxious toil and depression when ours is the kingdom of peace and joy.

Who but James!

James 3:13-18

What was it that compelled James to write these verses? Surely we can all agree that it was the Holy Spirit. Why James though? Why didn’t God choose another means to deliver this message? God had a specific purpose in using James and I think a deeper look into his life and one would agree in saying, who but James! We see drawn here a clear distinction between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom from above. We would be hard pressed to find a man more experienced in this matter. One could almost conclude that as James was writing this passage he had a specific people group in mind.

What we know about James is that he grew up in a culture infiltrated with Pharisees. This was a popular religious group of his day, that was zealous for their beliefs and went to extremes to make their passion known. They had great power and loved to demonstrate it by Lording their authority over those underneath them. They were well educated and to the natural man appeared to be full of wisdom.

When the Pharisees came into a room they loved to be noticed and make themselves known. They would go to great lengths to impress upon their followers, but there was One who would not be impressed. Rather he would reveal the their true colors and the selfish ambitions of their hearts. This One was Jesus, who they hated with a deep passion. Their jealousy towards Him would result in His death. The Pharisees did not have wisdom from above; rather theirs was earthly, unspiritual and demonic. Where the Pharisees were, disorder and every vile practice was sure to follow.

What we also know about James was that He was the half brother of Jesus. No doubt as he was writing these passage there was One on the forefront of his mind. James was humbled by the ministry of his own brother as he would choose to call himself a bondservant thereof. He witnessed first hand our Lord walking out the wisdom from above. James would be given the nick name “camel knees” because of the amount of time he spent on his knees, undoubtedly seeking out the once so tangible presence of his brother and confessed Lord.

James must have remembered the pureness of his brother, never uttering out a corrupt thought in the midst of a crooked people. The peace that must have radiated off of his brother as he handled all situations with meekness and gentleness. How many times must he have found his brother engaged in open face discussion, always operating in the fullness of mercy. James must have seen the sincerity of Jesus as He would pour out His life on behalf of twelve. James would previously write in chapter 2 on the subject of partiality, and surely our impartial Lord impacted him greatly as James must have watched him reach out to the poor, the crippled and the socially awkward of their day.

One thing we can know for sure about James is that he recognized this wisdom Jesus operated in was not of his own. James had seen enough worldly men to know there was something different about this one. His source must have been from outside of himself. It must have come from above, that is from the Father.

Maybe your like me and you realize you know all to well of the wisdom of this world. We would do well to turn from that evil as James turned from his. There was a day when James would have been ashamed to call Jesus his brother. But today he would say, if you lack in wisdom, come talk with my brother, cause His Father will give generously to all who ask of Him.

Midlife or Spiritual Crisis?

John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (ESV)

I don’t think as Christians we need to do more, we just need to reconsider what we are already doing. Our Christian experience has conformed to our fast paced society; following we walk out of the pew with another thing to add to the to do list. I think it is time for a total makeover for we are in something of a spiritual crisis. We must seek first the kingdom, examining Gods will for this world and our part in it. At first this may require for us to do less and sit more; that is to sit at His feet. Not at the feet of our favorite Christian author, regardless of how anointed he may be, only One holds the words to eternal life (John 6:68). I am talking about a solitude known so well by the saints of old.

We have a daily meeting that should be reserved for a party of four, that is with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That we might enter boldly on behalf of Christ into the throne room of God, that there we would meet with the Spirit of Truth to be lead into all truth. To behold the Saviors love for us is to change that to do list into an already done one. How could it already be done you may ask?

To meet with the Author of the list is far more beneficial then to meet with the task of the list. For it is the Author that breathes life into the mundane. It is the Spirit that comes upon one in power (Acts 1:8) and it is the Father that awakens one to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 6:44), as we go and fulfill the great commission.

Christian have you have found yourself drinking from the wrong well? Whoever drinks of the water that I (Christ) will give him…this is a water made available to all and free to the one who would come and drink. Though it may be freely given its way is one lightly traveled for persecution is a promise (John 15:18). It was on Calvary that His persecution was manifest, but it was there He too died to make intercession on our behalf. There is no other road then the Calvary road. It looks like the road to death but is the only walked, proven and assured road to life. In a denial of self we shall find life in Christ (Mark 8:34-36).

Jesus wants to fill your well to overflowing capacities that you would not be able to contain it. There you have it, Evangelism 101 in its purest form. We need not busy our already busied lives down with another seminar on how to share the Gospel. We must just meet with the Author and Finisher of the Gospel. For then will the water (Word of God), take its natural course within you, becoming like a spring as it flows from off of you, offering eternal life to all that might drink.

Hearing Could be Dangerous

Hebrews 4:10 For whoever has entered into Gods rest has also rested from his works as God did from his (ESV)

    Maybe you're like me and have found yourself wandering in the wilderness. Wandering in the wilderness you ask? This address is for the believer who is hearing the gospel but is not heeding the gospel. The Israelites were wandering through the wilderness in rebellion to the good news because they had hardened their hearts to the message. Awaiting them was the promised land and the sure fulfillment of rest. Don’t forget the wilderness was no friend to its inhabitants, days of rest were few and far between and surely they were longing for it.

    From our far removed view we have all thought how stupid this sounds, why wouldn’t they just listen and receive the blessing? Why didn’t they heed the gospel and take the sure way out? Now lets zoom into a present day scale and ask the same question. Why is it that we are still wandering, only now in our own type of wilderness? You probably don’t live in the desert, but outside your door is a land full of imagination and void of promise. Although it may hold the appearance of a land flowing with milk and honey it is nothing more then a barren wasteland that is never satisfied until it possesses your soul.

    Lets go one step further and say that even in our Christian walk we can wander. Remember the Israelites had been freed from Egypt (the world) and at one time accepted the good news of this deliverance. It was only that this message “did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened” (Hebrews 4:2). They heard but did not believe, and today I am asking Christian have you heard the gospel and stopped believing it?

    To the one who believes, hold fast while the promise remains (4:1). You have been set free from your works, and given the hope of eternal life to rest in. No longer do you need to busy yourself with a righteousness of your own. Rather you are to respond to the gospel by striving to enter the rest that is yours in Christ Jesus (4:9-11). For the one who rejects the gospel they will toil in their self righteous works and find no relief from their anxieties.

    What can you do to compensate the Lord for His blessings? “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12-14). When we accept the atoning work of Christ on the cross, we make a conscious choice to die to self. In that death we agree that forgiveness is not based on our own merit but on His. For it is for freedom that we have been set free, that we might make Christ know in the midst of the masses, to the glory and honor of His name.

A Story that Will Change your Life

    We live in a culture that is lost and seeking to fill a void. We feel an emptiness inside and will go to whatever lengths we can to fill that emptiness. Be it money, drugs or sex we must have it…and we must have more! Perhaps you have found yourself at a crossroads. There was a man named Saul who found himself worn out after days of searching (1 Samuel 9:4-5). Searching for what you might ask? Saul was sent on a mission to retrieve his fathers donkeys that had gone missing (1 Samuel 9:3).

    Now it is important to note that this word donkey, in the original language came from a word meaning; perpetual, constant or ever-flowing. Isn’t it true that the world tasks us with a constant search of that which is lost. Earthly tasks are never ending, as soon as we have completed one the need for another arises. Same be it with the success of this world. When we have sacrificed to achieve some great task, upon completion we receive a new found desire for something bigger or better. The world has tasked us with the constant pursuit for more. Where does one find rest from all of this?

    We too like Saul must have found ourselves tired of searching and thinking to give up. But to where shall we go, for if Saul were to return home he would still be without donkey. It is in these times of desperation we are apt to give up no longer able to search out the way on our own. But it was also in this time Saul sought the One who never grows tired, who always knows the way, who is faithful to provide and sure to give rest. It was in this time Saul turned to the Lord and found what he had been looking for (1 Samuel 9:20). Not only was he given assurance that the donkeys were found, he received a meal (1 Samuel 9:24), a place to rest (1 Samuel 9:25), and sure instruction on the way he should continue (1 Samuel 9:26-27).

    The same is true of any man who would turn now to the Lord. The desire for money, drugs and sex will be satisfied and fulfilled upon turning to the Lord. For what you thought you were looking for will be found in the person of Jesus Christ. It is there you will find a meal ready to feast upon, that is His Word. It is there you will find rest, that is an overwhelming peace surpassing all understanding. It is there you will find a guide to lead you on your way. That is the Spirit of Truth, who will lead you into all truth (John 16:13). What is the way, what is the truth you ask? “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.’” (John 14:6).

If you don't have a bible, here is 1 Samuel 9 including the story of Saul

 

9 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. ² Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

³ Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” ⁴ So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
⁵ When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
⁶ But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”
⁷ Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
⁸ The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” ⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)
¹⁰ “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.
¹¹ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”
¹² “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. ¹³ As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”
¹⁴ They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”
¹⁷ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”
¹⁸ Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
¹⁹ “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰ As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”
²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”
²⁴ So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.
²⁵ After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. ²⁶ They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

Which City Will it Be?

1 Samuel 8:4-5 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” (ESV)

    Israel looked at what they did not have and longed for what their neighboring brethren had. Maybe lately you have found yourself longing for that which is not yours. It always seems to be that amidst the many blessings that the Lord pours out in our life Satan finds that one thing we don’t have and cant resist to live without. Do not be deceived for from the beginning of time Satan has been using the same tricks. Wasn’t it in the midst of Eden and all its glory that Satan tempted Eve of the one thing prohibited.
   
    Adam and Eve were lavished with blessings unknown to any man even to this day and still they fell for the flashy things of this world. It was the desires of the flesh, Eve saw that the tree was good for food, the desires of the eyes, the tree was a delight to her eyes, and pride in possessions, it would make her wise (1 John 2:16; Genesis 3:6). It was the Israelites who also fell to the flash of this world. They wanted to be like the other nations and have a king to go out before them and fight their battles (1 Samuel 8:20). The Israelites had once lived in Egypt and although they were slaves surely there were days where the grass looked greener on the other side. No doubt they saw the power of pharaoh, they saw his mighty army and his palace in all its splendor and majesty. I’m sure to a hand full of blisters and a sweat covered brow the glory of pharaoh was a “delight to the eyes.”

    I note one common theme in both the creation story and this latter story of topic. God never forced their decision upon them, He left the door wide open and gave them the will to do as they pleased. With that thought He never left them without instructive insight on the decision they were making. He warned the Israelites the bondage that would come of giving themselves over to the rule of a king (1 Samuel 8:11-18), just as he warned Adam of the death to come if he ate from the tree (Genesis 3:17). Even in light of the consequences at hand, both caved in. Israel refused to obey and demanded for their to be a king over them (8:19), Adam willingly transgressed and ate from the tree (1 Timothy 2:14).

    Of this I would say I am amazed, but I know if faced with the same situation I would have fallen captive. Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city” (1 Samuel 8:22). Today the same offer is laid out before you and I, the choice is ours, which city will you choose? Will it be the world and all of its fleeting pleasures or will it be the land flowing with milk and honey. That is the city of King Jesus who says to all who come they shall never thirst nor hunger (John 6:35).

A Walk to Remember

Amos 3:3 Do two walk together, unless they agreed to meet? (ESV)

    Daily we walk and at times in the company of others. What a beautiful thing it is to walk alongside the one you love. You don’t find yourself wishing to speed ahead for then fellowship would be broke. Rather you yield your speed to that of your partner, that unity might be kept. Walking is an intimate process. The longer we walk with a person the more we get to know about them. As intimate as it may be this is a conditional process, one such that we must find ourselves in action. If I wish to advance my position I must get up and begin walking. It is only when I fail to walk that I don’t get where I need to go. At the same time I find myself walking ahead of others because their pace is not working for me.

    We must view our relationship with the Lord as a walk. We have heard the Christian faith paralleled to a race that we must run, and so it is. But there is another, more intimate process we are familiar with and even shown by example. Enoch holds the testimony of having pleased the Lord (Hebrews 11:5) and for such a noble commendation we ask why? We are only told of Enoch that he “walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). So you mean all he did was walked with the Lord and of that he was found to be pleasing in His sight?

    Yeah that’s exactly what is being said. For it is not all he did, it is everything he did. Daily he walked. It was a process that required great action, initiation and ultimately was the response of the agreement set before him. He came to the Lord in agreement to pace himself accordingly. I know at times that it was a hard pace to endure and at other times it was engaging and full of intimacy. So it is of the saint who says of himself, “I will ‘walk by faith and not by sight’”. It takes a man who has wholeheartedly agreed to walk with the Lord before the day he says “there is nothing on earth I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25).
  
    I long for that day. I like to think of Enoch and the day the Lord snatched him up. 365 years of walking and surely the walks only grew longer and more intimate. As the Lord took Enoch so will he take his church, that is those that are walking with him. The beauty of this is everyone of us knows how to walk. Maybe you realize you have not been walking with the Lord but you want to. Or maybe you have walked away and deliberately settled at your own pace. Jesus has made known Himself, that He is the way to salvation; and has required of us not only that we would come but that we would continue walking in relationship with him. If this is a turning point for you, the Lord has already agreed to meet you and is faithfully awaiting your approach. Wait no more and turn for “the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

To Cold to Stand

Psalm 147:17-18 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out His word, and melts them; He makes His wind blow and the waters flow. (ESV)

    Top of chair one, it’s the first run of the morning; temp reads zero, 50 mph wind gusts with a chill of -16...now that’s flat out cold! Its on these days I have to remind myself of my passion for snowboarding or I would not be able to stand before that kind of weather. A simple remembrance of my passion and the cold is suddenly overtaken by a nice warming sensation. Believer have you found yourself trapped in the storm? Have conditions become so raw and bone chilling it seems as though no man could endure?

    Fear not, for this cold is but as a crumb to our Creator. As the crumb is easily done away with in one motion so shall the cold melt away in a simple sending forth of His word. It is He that makes the wind blow, so it is He who breathes out His Spirit. The soul shall warm and feel a nice breeze of Holy Ghost unction fall down upon the furtherance of His word. This is He who makes the waters flow; and so it shall be of His word through your soul.

    What you have deemed impossible; the Lord, “abundant in power” can make it possible. Know someone that seems so far from the Lord? Like they are lost and in the cold? Perhaps you feel they have fallen so far to go after them would mean to freeze in their wake. This may be true, and they may very well be in a dark and cold place. It is in these cold places heat flexes most its ability. It is in the windy moments we see a power not to be compared with. It is in the depths of the waters we conclude “immeasurable”. So it is true of the addict set free, the weak made strong, and the finite crying “His understanding is beyond measure”.

    My prayer is you would engage the one who executes and find rest from a battle no man can stand against. “Commit your ways to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” (Psalm 37:5).

A Remedy for the Afflicted Soul

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy (ESV)

    Paul found purpose and meaning in life through the ministry of the gospel. He was constantly in prayer (1:2, 3:10); daily making intercession and supplication on behalf of those he had shared the gospel with. Paul did not view this task as a burdensome duty; rather he would say “we were not only ready to share the gospel of God but also our own selves” (2:8). Paul was so affectionate of those he shared the good news with he did not just stop at the giving of the word but went so far as the giving of his own rights; physical, spiritual and emotional.
    I spent six months in Kenya sharing the gospel with a group of teens I got to know and cherish as my own children. As my time with them went on my affections for them grew deeper, longing as Paul longed that they might be found “standing fast in the Lord” (3:8). At times exhorting, encouraging, and charging them as a Father would his children (2:11-12). Other times I found myself taking on a more gentle approach, “like a nursing mother taking care of her own children” (2:7). Even to this day I have found purpose and meaning through the ministry of the gospel to these children. Remembering them in my prayers and eagerly awaiting an encouraging report (3:6). I am a blessed man, and have time and time again received those reports of their longing to see us once again.
    It is upon the receiving of these reports I can share in the quotations of Paul, “for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith” (3:7). My desire is that you would see the purpose and comfort to be found within the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are His ambassadors and have been entrusted with the task of allowing Christ to make his appeal of reconciliation through us. To this day few have known affliction and suffering like Paul has known, and yet it was in the laying down of his rights in these times that he found the most joy. In times of suffering our nature tells us to seek out all the help we can find for ourselves. But Paul would say in these times seek out the needs of others and see how you can help them, for there is found the best remedy, therapy and counseling for the afflicted soul.

Summit Bound

Psalm 119:75 I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me (ESV)

    Felt stranded and alone lately? Have you lost heart and become cast down? Wonder why the Lord allows affliction to befall upon his beloved? Have you been heading for the summit only to realize none but you have made it? I have spent most of my growing years on the mountain being that I am an avid snowboarder. In those years I have witnessed some of the most epic storms and yet been graced with some of the most beautiful calms. Days when I could not see my own hand in front of me and days when I could see as far as my eye would let me. There are no rules when it comes to predicting mountain weather, anything goes. One minute the sun can be shining and the next minute you can be caught up in a storm closing in.

    The higher up the mountain you go, the more keen your senses become to the reality of your position. Conditions worsen and the weather is often harsher at higher elevations. The summit is the place that takes on the most grueling weather. Some times for days it does not let up, whereas lower down on the mountain you can find calm from the storm. A true minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ is nothing short of summit bound. He has been called to ascend to heights few others will know. The higher he goes the harder it will be to continue on. He can be assured of finding himself lonely as others turn back for calmer conditions. No doubt this same overwhelming sense of loneliness flooded our Savior in the garden of Gethsemane when He came back from prayer to find His most beloved disciples sleeping on the job (Mark 14:32-42). In that moment He realized His comfort came from the Father alone. Like David, He had learned how to “strengthen himself in the Lord” (1 Samuel 30:6). We should not look to vain things for our strength in the time of need, rather we must learn as Jesus did to cry out “Abba, Father.”

    The view from the summit is also the best. Although many days the visibility is next to none, when the storm does let up there’s no better place to see more clearly then at the summit. This is also true of the Minister. He will encounter storms unknown to most. It is in these storms his senses will also grow stronger then the average man. He will have to stand on the rock even when he has lost all sight of it. If he is going to make it, he must learn to navigate upon the rock by faith and not by the sight of it.

    Now if you have ever spent a season on the mountain you also know there are times of inversion. This means at some point you ascend above the cloud level and gain back all visibility. When lower down the mountain the people are stranded in a white out you can see for miles at the summit. Now the Shepherd can lead his blinded sheep for he has survived the most grueling of whiteouts known to the mountain. When the people have become cast down and have lost all hope of making it out alive; the Minister has vision to get them through. All the while sympathizing and having compassion on their condition.

    I also grew up on a river and have spent many years observing the flow of the water. When summer comes and the snow begins to melt the rivers are rushing with water. Although the water is much to cold to get in, there is an abundance of it. This season is quick to shift; as the snow begins to melt away the water calms down and warms up a little bit. It is now suitable for swimming and freely flowing for the people to enjoy. As a minister it is easy to start off strong and seem untouchable. But the ones who stop half way up the mountain will soon melt off and be no more. This man is not fit for the ministry. You cant sow in preservation and expect to reap in the benefits of sacrifice. To the sorrow of his people his journey will be short-lived.

    The people need a well seasoned Minister, one who has spent time on the summit of the mountain. Who in the late of summer still has enough snow to supply the riverbeds with fresh water. It is these Ministers, who have endured the storm that buried them, and now their storehouses are overflowing for business. They are not stingy in there dividing of the word, but with great diligence they pour out their souls on behalf of the needy. Rather then preserving their flesh they offer themselves as a living sacrifice for their people. It is their duty and privilege to exhaust their lives for Jesus. It is the man who can say with confidence,"I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me," that is fit for the building up of the saints.

Man Up

    I was reading Psalm 119 this morning and came across verse 18, my prayer then became; “Lord, open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Little did I know what I was asking for, but sure enough He was faithful to quickly answer that prayer. I then continued my morning reading in the book of Habakkuk and what I began to read was nothing short of wondrous. Its important to remember that the Prophets of old were not popular by any means. Often they were threatened, mocked and persecuted for the message they delivered. It was a message contrary to culture and generally did not go over well with the people. Now I say this because when you ask the Lord to see as He sees, your going to receive a similar message.

    What I saw this morning in Habakkuk was a conversation between a genuine man and the Lord that quickly resulted in change. I love any type of progression in the Scriptures, but today I couldn’t resist writing this one down. The first four verses of Habakkuk look a lot like most face book posts I see today. “So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth.” Word it how you will, but the complaint remains the same, “why isn’t God doing something?” The Lord answers Habakkuk and gives him a glimpse of what is to come, the raising up of a “bitter and hasty nation.” 

    I love Habakkuk for many reasons, but the most pertinent reason is that he is honest and real with God about where he stands. For that I have to give him credit, but what he says next is almost hard to read (I think what’s hard about this next text is it reminded me so much of myself). Habakkuk responds by giving an analysis of Gods answer. He starts off by challenging the Lord, asking if He has forgotten of His own character? And then proceeds to tell the Lord (as if it had slipped His mind) His created and intended purpose for the Chaldeans and the injustice of their present actions. In other words he is saying, Lord what you have just told me about the Chaldeans is not what you meant to say, I think this is what you meant to say.

    Now as if that wasn’t enough, we get a glimpse at how spiritually prideful Habakkuk was. Being that he just gave a logical response to the Lord, one that in his eyes was more accurate and just, he prepares for the next “battle-round.” “I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.” I cant help but laugh at the fallen nature of mankind in this verse. Go ahead throw the first stone, but at the end of the day you and I are no better then Habakkuk. I am actually willing to go to bat for Habakkuk because I can respect his genuine character, at least he is real with the Lord. His gaze was fixed upon himself. As we often find ourselves doing, he was already contemplating his next response before he received a reply. Not only that, but he talked of exalting himself to higher ground, as if by doing so he possessed the ability in his own strength to level himself with the Lord and see as He see’s. He placed himself on the same ball field as the Lord and that will never be true of mankind, even though the world screams equality.

    The Lord answered Habakkuk and gave him a little behind the scenes look at what was really going on. What I love about progression in the scriptures is that the change we see is nothing short of wondrous. Habakkuk’s response this time is what brought me to the point of this writing in the first place. If you want to see the justice of the Lord in the midst of this twisted generation, man up like Habakkuk and ask Him to show you. For he is both Righteous and Just. “God will not be mocked.” When He shows you, He will also instill in you a reverential fear of Him, that you might also say, “in wrath remember mercy.” Don’t forget the might of the Lord, how in a moment, in the blink of an eye, He can do as He wills; “The sun and the moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear.”

    If you are bold enough as Habakkuk, to take your complaints of the lack of justice before the Lord, be prepared to be shaken. “I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me.” Habakkuk was anything short of shaken up by this interaction with the Lord, but he also came out seeing as the Lord sees. He knew where his strength came from. He now knew the only one who could take him to the high places. He now knew that “the righteous shall live by his faith.” Fruit or no fruit, his trust was in the Lord, who knows all and sees all and is in control of all. One thing he knew, he was saved from eternal damnation and in that would he rejoice.

    The name Habakkuk means “embrace”; to seize eagerly; to lay hold on; to receive or take that which is offered. This book is a beautiful illustration of what it looks like to embrace a relationship with the Living God. Habakkuk knew he had a right to relationship with the Lord and he fully embraced that right. The Spirit and the Bride say come to all who thirst and receive the water of life without price (Revelation 22:17). Come freely! Habakkuk came freely, his only requirement was to come and of that command he fulfilled. Not only did he come, he embraced this invitation with passion and affection. When is the last time you got intimate with the Lord. Go and embrace him, for their he will answer you.