DOES GOD WANT US HOLY OR WHOLLY?

There is a catchy new phrase being used among Christians these days that is causing me some concern. “God doesn’t want you happy. He wants you holy.” I will be completely honest with you; this phrase makes me very, very nervous. To be fair, I think I know the message that is intended by this phrase. Furthermore, concerning his desire for us to be holy, I fully agree that God has gone to great lengths to demonstrate just how far he is willing to go in the pursuit of making us, in accordance with the pleasure of his will, a body of holy people – I Peter 2:9,10; Jude :24. However, I’m just very uneasy about the picture of God that is painted with the colors of the first part of this statement.

I could perhaps illustrate my concern by sharing with you the image that I have of Jesus, the man. All of my life I have seen pictures and images of Jesus. Each and every time those images show a very svelte man, and of course he is always shown wearing a white garment. Really? Mary always wears blue and Jesus wears white. Where do we get this stuff? Most of the time, when Jesus is pictured on the Cross, he is portrayed as a wispy, gaunt, almost anorexic physical form.

I would suggest that Jesus was not some slender, willowy man… just stop and think about it. Time and time again, what does the Scripture tell us that Jesus was doing? Eating!! He seemed to be always having breakfast or dinner somewhere. AYCE fish and chips on a hillside. (I know… it doesn’t say chips. But, when I write my version of the Bible, it will include chips.) And again, AYCE fish at a breakfast on the beach. It seems as if each and every story tells of an all you can eat feast! I would suggest that Jesus might have been carrying a few extra pounds. He perhaps could have even had a few extra inches on his waist.

What is my point? Just as I think many have a rather unrealistic image of the man Jesus, I likewise believe that many have a rather grotesque caricature perspective of Jesus, the Son of God. Was Jesus a dour and austere man? Serious and strict? Stern and exacting? Or was he silly and goofy? Capricious and whimsical; using his miraculous power for his own amusement? I would suggest that the answer is: none of the above. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. (You might want to take a look at my blog post: The Funniest Verse in All of the Bible.) I believe Jesus had a great sense of humor, yet I’m certain that he did not sacrifice holiness for the sake of a laugh.

There was a woman in our church many years ago for whom, to be quite honest, I didn’t much care. She was too much. Too much of everything. Too much perfume. Too much hair. Too much gaudy jewelry. Too much of everything. And trust me, (those who know me well will understand) if she was too much for me… she was TOO much. Her earrings were so big that I was waiting to see a bird perched upon them. She had hot glued so many plastic rhinestones on her clothing that she was almost blinding to look at when she stood in the sunlight.

And then it happened… my worst fear… she invited Joni and me to her home for dinner. Oh, no!!! I couldn’t say no, and I was dreading what I would be forced to endure. She was just so obnoxious. However, that night, over dessert and coffee, I heard her story. It was then that I realized how wrong I had been. I left her home that night sorry and repentant for the way that I had so wrongly prejudged her. After that night, she became one of my favorite people.

This woman had grown up in a “God doesn’t want you happy. He wants you holy.” home and Church. The result was a miserable life. For many years after she left home, she likewise left the Church. It wasn’t until many wasted years later, she discovered that God indeed wanted her happy and that holiness had little to do with what she had been taught as a child. It was then that she discovered that Jesus was freedom… happy, glorious, uninhibited, hilarious, rhinestone freedom. Hearing her story changed my life. This woman had learned perhaps the greatest lesson of all. God wanted her wholly!

I would suggest that this phrase should be changed to: “God wants you happy. But even more than that, he wants you wholly.” Is holiness something to which we all should aspire? Yes. Is holiness serious business? Yes. Yet, I am reminded of the old hymn we used to sing: “All to Jesus I surrender, Make me, Savior, wholly Thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that Thou art mine.”

Perhaps the question we must answer is: Does God want us holy or wholly? And don’t suggest to me that they are the same. They are not. I would strongly contend for the position that God wants us happy and wholly, rather than unhappy and holy. God will take me, warts and all, as long as he can have ALL of me… the whole me. The truth is that I cannot by myself give myself holy to him; for, my holiness is only in Christ alone. But, I can give myself wholly to him. Wholly surrendered is within my power to accomplish. Holiness is not.

A STUDY ON PRAYER: NOT FOR THE WEAK

DISCLAIMER: Please be forewarned. What follows is not for the weak. It probably contains some thoughts that might be better kept to oneself. What follows takes you deep inside the mind and spirit of a man that is searching... wanting to know what it is to deeply trust God. It is as if you are being allowed to see into a personal journal. The judgements made and conclusions drawn are not intended to point to anyone other than me... the author. If you decide to go ahead and read it, please take none of it personally, as it is not my intention that you should do so.

It is absurd to ask God to “Bless our day”… or to “Bless us”… or even to “Bless others”... To beseech God for blessings is illogical. Furthermore, to do so only uncovers our lack of understanding of the very nature of God, and betrays our inner lack of confidence in God’s providential care. To ask God to “bless” is to infer that he isn’t blessing us presently or won’t in the future. To ask God to bless us is to suggest that we somehow need to beg God to do something that he would otherwise be reluctant to do. It is not an expression of faith, but a tacit admission of our lack of trust.

God both desires to and has the full resources to bless us. Since we know this to be true, then if we are not blessed, or not going to be, then certainly God has a substantial reason to refrain. And it would be logical to conclude that if the reason to withhold his blessing is great enough to supersede his primary desire, then no amount of prayerful pleading should be expected to change his mind. Furthermore, this line of reasoning would lead us to conclude that we should either humbly accept the circumstances, or we should seek that God would show us how we might be reconciled to the place of his blessing. Which then would lead us to believe that God’s blessing could be obtained through good deeds, which in turn would lead us to reject the doctrine of grace.

To seek God in prayer for understanding concerning the circumstances of our life is a complete waste of time. This too is illogical and only proves our immature spirituality. The bible is very clear that, “His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts.”

Seeking God for understanding is what I like to call “The King Solomon Conundrum”. People that attempt to make sense of life / circumstances fall into the trap of “rating” events… of assigning value to the days of our lives. One day is good; another is bad. One day is happy; the next sad. This is an entirely vain and worthless effort. It is an exercise in futility. One of the wealthiest and wisest men to ever live, King Solomon, who had both the time and the unlimited resources to pursue this “meaning”, failed to discover it. In the end, his conclusion was, “To fear/revere/respect God and keep his commandments… this is the whole duty of man.”

Are you ready for another one? It is completely illogical to ask the Lord to, “Guide and direct us”. To do this is to imply that God is ignoring us; allowing us to stumble along without concern for the perils into which we might blindly fall. Worse yet, it is to suggest that God has the ability to direct our lives, presumably along a safe and enjoyable path, but is somehow self-prohibited from doing so until we ask for his divine direction. It is as if God is our “life” GPS that refuses to work until we turn him on by flipping the prayer switch.

This matter is a simple one. Either God is directing our lives, in which case we reveal our lack of confidence in this truth when we ask for his help, or we just enjoy engaging in silly, meaningless, religious behavior, or God is not directing our lives. If the latter is true, then we must admit that either God lacks the ability to direct our lives, or he is pleased to abandon us to a grand circumstantial lottery, in which some people hit the jackpot at the expense of everyone else.

So how should we pray? How about… wake up in the morning and say, “Amen”. “So be it.” “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” I believe that we should spend zero time concerning ourselves with prayers about circumstances, and all of our prayer time in seeking agreement with God. “Lord, I am grateful. I am a benefactor of your grace. You are my provider. I accept your Lordship… this day is yours. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Thanks for inviting me to the party. Thank you for letting someone like me play along. I ask for nothing save that I can be your adopted child. That is more than enough, and I humbly accept whatever this day may bring, as I fully and completely trust that it has passed through your sovereign love and grace and mercy… it has been met with your providential care… Oh, and one last word Lord. Amen!”

THE MOST DISTURBING VERSE IN ALL OF THE BIBLE

What I’m about to admit to you does not come easy. But… there is a verse in the Bible that is so personally upsetting… so emotionally disturbing… I almost feel like I shouldn’t point it out to you, lest you likewise fall into the same pit of turmoil in which I find myself.

One of the most vast and important teachings ever scribed onto parchment is found in what has been widely known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Found in Matthew’s Gospel are life instructions that even non-Christians regard as wise and relevant, covering a diverse spectrum of issues. However, I will now admit to you that it is herein that I find a most disturbing piece of instruction.

It is a fact that we all worry too much. And why not? Each and everyone one of us is drowning in the daily deluge of worrisome news. The economy… wars… storms… unemployment… health concerns… the list is endless. It is enough to drive even the most optimistic of souls to despair.

So, one has to ask… When Jesus says, “Do not worry… about life… food… clothing”, could it be at all within the realm of possibility that his words are relevant in today’s world? Certainly things were different back then. Life was much less hectic. The crowd to which he spoke didn’t have near the pressures and concerns that we have today. His words cannot possibly be relevant today.

Besides the fact that his words just don’t seem realistic into today’s complex world, I don’t like to eat worms! His comparing the “feeding of birds” to my nutritional needs seems… well… crazy! I don’t eat worms!!! My dietary desires are much more complex than WORMS!!!

The problem with all of this teaching is that we have been led to believe that Matthew 6:25-34 is a lesson on worry. And I am now convinced that this is not the case. Furthermore, to believe that it is a lesson about worrying will only lead one to further frustration and despair. You can trust me on this one; this lesson is NOT about worry. What, then, is it about? Hold on… not so fast… I’ll get there in a minute.

It is the last verse of this lesson… specifically the last few words, that are, IMHO, “The Most Disturbing Verse in the Bible”. Here it is:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Did you see it? The most “arrrrrgggggg” word in the entire Bible!!! It’s right there…

ENOUGH!!!! Do you see it? ENOUGH!!!!! One simple word that makes me want to scream. WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN??? ENOUGH!!! HE IS KIDDING ME?? ENOUGH!!!!!

Let’s look at it again.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has ENOUGH trouble of its own.

And to add insult to injury, it doesn’t say that there will be an “occasional” day with ENOUGH trouble… Oh, no. It says EACH day… each and every day. No reprieve. No respite. No lull. No peace. EACH AND EVERY DAY!!! has ENOUGH!!! trouble.

MY QUESTION IS:

WHO DECIDES? Who decides HOW much is ENOUGH trouble. HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH???? DO I GET A VOTE? If not; why not? NO ONE HAS ASKED ME LATELY, HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? And if they had, I would have told them: “I’VE HAD ENOUGH!!!”

So who is deciding how much is enough? I look at the lives of people in my Church, and I would think that ANYONE with an ounce of compassion would come to the conclusion that some of these folks have HAD ENOUGH!! So… I ask again… What committee is making the “ENOUGH” decisions?

IS THERE AN APPEALS PROCESS? No… really… I’m serious here. I want to know what the process is to file an appeal. To what Appellate Court can I turn? When I look at what some people face, I would conclude that the “ENOUGH” decision maker, if they in fact have the ability to control the “enough” issue, should be charged with abuse of power… with official malfeasance… with criminal malpractice. I WANT TO APPEAL!!!!

You see, when you read Matthew 6:25-34 as a lesson on worry, it makes you want to scream. It makes no sense whatsoever. It only drives one into further worry and despair. However, I would with absolute certainy tell you today that this lesson is not about worry. But rather… It is about…. HERE IT COMES… Don’t miss it… It is about PROVIDENCE. And I don’t mean Rhode Island. It is about a truth that is seldom taught and long forgotten.

In our world of warehouses filled to overflowing with every imaginable appliance, convenience, and contraption…. In our world of Internet shopping, which transports anything and everything… which delivers the world to our front door… we no longer need a Providential God. In a world covered by myriad insurances - car, home, medical, life - who needs God? In a culture where the government steps in and rescues souls from the results of their folly, who needs a Providential God? Every hurricane, every tornado, every attack... all are met with the largess of the government. Everything is covered.

This has not always been the case. Not too many generations ago, people needed God. They understood Providence. Without the Providence of God, they were lost. But, sadly, that may not be true today. Let’s do a little test. Ask any teenager… better yet, any Christian teenager, 15 years or older, to define the word providence. Leave a post / comment below as to what answers you get back.

The only way to properly apply the lesson of Matthew 6:25-34 is to be able to fully answer the, “How much is trouble is enough”, question. And… There is ONLY ONE acceptable answer. And it is: ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT GOD IS PROVIDENT!!!! Enough to know that God can and will meet our every need no matter what that need may be. It is a great comfort to know that the one making the “enough” decision is the same one that will supply what is required to bring us victory in the middle of, over, and through the “enough”.

You do realize that those “Section Summary / Titles” that are written into your Bibles are not “inspired”; right? I would suggest that you go get a pen… right now… go get a pen. Turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 6. If your Bible has an editor / publisher Section Title something similar to “Do Not Worry” at the beginning of this lesson…. I would suggest that you put a line though it. That’s right… mark it out, and replace it with “GOD IS PROVIDENT!!”

Now put your pen away and stop worrying. Go live life to the fullest. God is a Providential God that will always and forever take care of you.

STRAWBERRIES AT CHRISTMAS AND CAMOUFLAGE UNDERWEAR

Red ripe strawberries in December. Camouflage underwear. One of these is unnatural. The other illogical. We live in a world that makes no sense. It is true that I was not there, and as a result I cannot know for certain, but even a casual study of history would suggest that my Grandparents lived in a time that made sense… common sense. Indeed, it was a time of great struggle and hard work, but at least the pieces seemed to fit together. I realize that I am viewing their world through a backward facing prism, and that may present a distorted image… But, when Grandma and Grandpa Richey ate fresh strawberries, it was because it was the season to do so. When they bought something, it had a function, a purpose. It was logical. What they did had meaning. It made common sense to do it.

I have resigned myself to the truth that I will very likely not “change” my world. I have concluded that I am basically just along for the ride. But, the one thing that I can attempt to do is to understand it. Understanding is a fun thing to do. Understanding connects you with others. Understanding keeps the mind alive and fresh. Even King Solomon advised us to, “Get understanding”. However, I will admit that it is getting harder to get.

Some things in our present world are illogical. Camouflage underwear is an example. Why would anyone spend hard earned money on camo undies? Who hunts in their BVD’s? Do deer hunters sit in their deer stands in their underwear? Since camo clothing is meant to conceal the hunter from the prey, if camo underwear is not being worn for that purpose, then why? That is to say, if it is not being worn so that it won’t be seen, it must be being worn for the benefit of who will see it. Who is going to see the camouflage?

The only logical thing that I can think of as a possible reason for camo undies would be that maybe an odd group of hunters sitting around the camp lodge fireplace in their skivvies discussing the day’s hunt would not want to be seen wearing purple and yellow polka dot silk boxers. Camo is, after all, much more “manly”, wouldn’t you agree? It is for this reason that I would never want to be seen purchasing camo underwear. Can you just imagine what is going through the mind of the store clerk… “Oh, you are one of those guys…”

Some things are simply unnatural. A good example: red ripe strawberries in Michigan in December. I have often wondered about the nutritional value of seasonal fruits and veggies. Many times I have suggested that this would be a great Science Fair project. I have read one study that indicates that fresh peaches contain a nutritional substance that is known to prevent skin cancer. Now see, that make sense. It is natural. God puts an ingredient in peaches that would offer, at just the right season, protection to those who would eat them … at the very time when that same person would most likely be spending more time out in the sun. I wish there was a university level study of both the seasonal and geographic connection between locally / seasonally available meats, fruits, and veggies, and the nutritional benefit. I suspect there is more to this than we presently know.

One of my Mother’s house rules, that I very much disliked, was that she would not buy watermelon until Memorial Day. For weeks leading up to that glorious First Watermelon of the Season Day, I would nag Mom to buy a watermelon. We would go to the Kroger Store on North Meridian St. where I would be tortured as I was forced to walk past the mountain of beautiful watermelons. “Why, Mom. Why can’t we get a watermelon?” Her answer was always the same, “The watermelons aren’t good until after Memorial Day.”

It is true that, even on Memorial Day, those melons were being trucked in from some southern State – melons don’t ripen in Indiana until much later in the season – but, I remember the lesson. It was not so much about melons as it was about the seasons.

What do these things have to do with you and me? Well… I enjoy red ripe strawberries at Christmas. I have come to expect to have whatever I want whenever I want it. And that, my friend, is unnatural. I am of a generation that has grown up with a twisted world view. We want and we wait for nothing. We have figured out a way to fool Mother Nature. We do things that are illogical. We expect things that are unnatural.

We expect politicians to do the right thing! We expect OPEC to do what is good for America! We think that our employers exist not to make money, but to provide us with a nice job, a good paycheck, and great benefits. We expect to get mortgages for 120% of the property value, with no money down, a variable rate, and a 5 year balloon payment, and not expect it to someday bite us in the backside. We expect God to take away every difficulty, every sickness, and to provide us with anything and everything we want. We believe in Fairy Tales.

I am really at a point in my life when I want things to be simpler… to make sense. I am really trying to work at this. I am trying to “get understanding”. Just don’t expect me to give up my Christmas strawberries.

THE FUNNIEST VERSE IN ALL OF THE BIBLE

The price of unbelief can be very high… very high indeed. One of the absolute best ROFL places in all of the Scripture can be found in Mark’s Gospel. If you need a good laugh, this is a spot that you should have bookmarked. You need to put a smiley face in the margin. This Scripture just cracks me up. If you ever wondered if Jesus had a sense of humor, you need look no further than Mark 4:39.

The story of Jesus calming the storm has long been a favorite of mine. For a lot of reasons. If you don’t rush the story… if you slow down and take a moment to really examine the human component… This story is rich in detail, in drama, in humanness. And it is dotted with subtle comedy. But no where is that comic relief more clearly demonstrated than in verse 39. You are going to love this.

You know the story. In order to get a break from the massive press of the crowds of people surrounding him, Jesus and his closest friends get in a boat and head out with a small flotilla to “go to the other side” of the 7 mile wide Sea of Galilee. While Jesus is sleeping in the stern quarters, a sudden and severe early evening squall begins to batter the vessel… to the point that it was being nearly swamped by the rouge waves. The many men, some of which we can safely assume were able seamen / sailors / fishermen by trade, woke Jesus with this: “Don’t you care…”

This question is worthy of our interest. Their question, “Don’t you care…”, is a clear indication that they believed that Jesus could save them, but for some reason they questioned his caring enough to do so. I could write an entire article on this alone, but prefer to press on to the “most hilarious” thing Jesus ever did, which teaches us the “price of unbelief”.

Now if I had been Jesus, it is at the point in the story where they wake me up that I would have begun messing with them. I would have slowly gotten up. Stretched a bit. Rubbed my eyes. Gotten a drink. Looked for my lost sandal. I would have taken my sweet time. While the panicked sailors were trying to drag me topside, I would have been…”Hold on… What’s your hurry… I’ll be there in a second…"

Fiiinallllllly…. In verse 39 it is recorded that Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves… Here it comes… are you ready… “BE STILL”. I write this in all caps NOT because I think that Jesus was standing out there on the wet and windy deck screaming at the waves and the wind – it could have just as easily been a barely audible whisper from his lips, but simply to call your attention to specifically what he said. Here is what is recorded were the results of his command: The wind died down and it was completely calm. Did you see it? COMPLETELY!!!! COMPLETELY CALM!!! Don’t you just love it?

What? You missed it? O.K., Vern. What kind of vessel were they in? A boat, you say. I know. It was it boat. But… What kind of boat? Think….. There ya go! A SAILBOAT!!! They didn't have a 250 HP Evinrude strapped to the back of that boat. No sir. It was a SAILBOAT.

Jesus questions their total lack of faith and their fear… and then… (I know the Bible doesn’t say this)… He turns around and heads below to finish his nap… leaving them in the middle of a huge Lake, in a sailboat, with NO WIND!!!!! A small little fleet of sailboats, floating together, now dead in the water!!!

Who has the nerve, after his clear statement of disappointment, after his rebuke, to go back and request, “A little wind, please… a light breeze to fill the sails.” I ain’t gonna ask him. Are you? So, standing there on the deck, looking up at the limp sails, what are they to do? Go dig the oars out of the storage locker… and start rowing. I can't help but wonder how long they stood there staring at the wilted fabric hanging from the mast before they resigned themselves to the unpleasant task that awaited them. Can you see the guy kneeling at the base of the mast begging God for a little wind? Can you imagine the smack being spoken among them?

“Somebody go wake him up again and ask him to help us again.” “Look at the fine mess we’re in now.” “Great! Now we get to spend the next 3 hours rowing.”

Can you imagine the complaints being shouted across the water from boat to boat. “Hey… what’s going on?” “Has anybody got any extra oars?”

What is my point? Sometimes when we are in the middle of a storm, we ask God for divine intervention. And, sometimes he responds. And, sometimes we might have been better served by riding out the storm, trusting him in the gale.

One thing is for sure… the disciples had plenty of time to discuss it, while they spent the rest of the evening rowing to the distant shore. And I sort of imagine Jesus, as he drifted back to sleep, smiling to himself as he thought about the lessons being learned on the deck above him that evening.

THE PARABLE OF THE SINNER

Luke 15 presents 3 parables. That’s what I’ve always been told. The parable of the lost sheep. The parable of the lost coin. And the parable of the lost / prodigal son. Perhaps the most well know of these three is the last: the story of the prodigal son. This particular story is one of the very earliest Bible lessons that I ever learned. A bad son takes his money and squanders it. When he has lost everything and comes home, his brother is angry, and his father throws a party. Indeed much has been repeated again and again about this easily understood and dramatic human story.

However, I would contend that there ARE NOT 3 parables told in Luke 15; but rather, only one. That’s right. Only one. Don’t take my word for it. Just believe what Jesus himself said. In Luke 15:3, it is reported: “Then Jesus told them this parable.” It DOES NOT say, “Jesus told them these (plural) parables”. It then goes on to connect the 3 parts into a single lesson in verse 8 with the word “or”. Again the connection continues in verse 11 with “Jesus continued”. If the Master taught this as a single lesson with 3 parts, then shouldn’t we?

Now… hold on a minute… I know what you’re thinking. “What makes the difference?” Right? I would herein suggest that it makes a very significant difference. If we only focus on a single part of this lesson, we run the risk of completely changing the focus. We run the risk of breaking the story up into even smaller lessons. As a result the completeness of the whole lesson is reduced to some micro-lesson, which in itself may be a worthwhile lesson, but it just doesn’t fully reflect the point that Jesus was trying to make.

This parable (singular) is a parable about a sinner. It is The Parable of the Sinner. I believe that Jesus was completely devoted to sinners. Sinners were “his” people. They were the ones with whom he frequently dined. Again and again he demonstrated his attraction to those normally deemed to be the most “untouchable”. From an adulterous woman to the thieves, he was drawn to the sinner… and many times, they to him. It was typically the righteous religious types that most wanted to avoid him. Sinners, on the other hand, were constantly crossing paths with Jesus. This story is a magnificent story of how Jesus perceived sinners.

Part one, in verses 3-7, tells us about the Priority of One Sinner. Too much of the time, the Church prioritizes ministries based on volume. We believe that sinners can be saved “in bulk”. Our words betray us. “We had a dozen saved at our Church last Sunday morning!” I would argue, “No, you didn’t!” God doesn’t save dozens; He saved individuals. First of all, God alone knows the truth about what happened in your Church last Sunday. The only way that we can be even a little bit certain as to the truth of a person’s salvation is as adequate time has passed to be able to judge a tree by its fruit… and those that were “saved” in your Church last Sunday haven’t had time to produce any fruit. But that is not my point… my point is: People get saved individually; not in groups.

I believe that God is far less impressed with our gatherings of the “99”, than he is when we seek out the lone sinner and introduce him to the Savior. We must be very, very careful with our thoughts and attitudes about how God sees our “99”.

Part two is perhaps my favorite, for it describes the Process for Finding a Sinner. It is quite simply… “get dirty”. However, herein is another great danger; for we must get dirty without becoming contaminated. Notice what the owner of the coin did… she “swept”. And she did so very carefully. The mere idea of sweeping implies getting ourselves among the dirt. And “careful” sweeping even more so. When was the last time you did a thorough “sweep” of every nook and cranny in your home? You most likely found dirt you didn’t even know you had. Yes? So it is with the process for finding sinners. You will most likely find yourself standing in the middle of some dirt that you will be soon wanting to wash off. But… in the dirt is frequently where you find sinners.

Part three is about one thing and one thing only… it is about the Power (necessary) to Save. It is not about forgiveness (well, it is; but it isn’t). It is not about repentance (again, it is; but it isn’t). It is solely about the power of reconciliation to give life to the dead. It is the power of a father’s choice and his love. It is about the miraculous Power of God to Save.

Luke Chapter 15 is a story of how God sees sinners and to what extent he is willing to go to have the opportunity to demonstrate His greatest power of all – II Corinthians 5:17-19.

CALLED TO A "PLACE"

It has occurred to me recently that those of us involved in Christian ministry may have missed a very obvious lesson. And, in doing so, we have miscalculated the true value of that ministry. Again and again the Scripture clearly speaks to this matter, but we have somehow ignored the obvious and as a result have misunderstood "the call" to minister.

Many years ago… in a land far, far away… I was attending a Minister’s Conference. In attendance were several hundred pastors and their spouses. Also attending were missionaries and evangelists, along with District administrators and presbyters. These Conferences were always promoted as a time for ministers to relax and refresh themselves physically as well as spiritually. But… as can be the case with any large organization, what I observed was that it was also a time for showing off… for chest thumping… it was, at least in part, sadly little more than an opportunity for big-boys to see how far they could spit (some of you will understand that I cleaned this up a bit).

I watched over the years as time and time again honors and recognition were bestowed upon those deemed worthy. Ministers would be paraded across the platform… shiny plaques and trophies were given. Applause would be given from those below. But one particular event still to this day haunts my spirit. It really wasn’t an event, as such… it was nothing more than an introduction. And, before I get to the details of this "introduction"... here is the disclaimer... my point has nothing to do with the individual people who were (or were not) being introduced. I have no ill will toward any of the specific players involved... I too have been caught up in this deception and my prayer is this: Forgive us Lord for we know not what we do..."

Introductions are a moment when an otherwise very ordinary person can be lifted up in a manner that really exceeds the truth. If someone is going to be granted access to the dais, all others should be dully notified of the accomplishments that have made this person worthy… ordinary souls should be made to clearly understand that not just anyone can have such a high privilege.

A young and well known pastor was being introduced as a “great” church planter. He was being introduced as someone who “knew” how to grow a church. The problem was that I knew the “rest of the story”. I sat in my seat deeply saddened as I listened to the glowing recitation of the accomplishments of this young pastor. Why? Because the details of this story took place in a city to which I was very familiar… and, I knew there were a lot of details that were being omitted.

I knew that one of the initial “sparks” that lit the momentum of numerical growth came as a result of not a bunch of new converts to the Christian faith, but rather from a “split” (a group of disgruntled Christians) from a Church across town. A numerically small little church on one side of town seemingly overnight exploded with growth. The city was now made curious to see how it was that a tiny little building could suddenly… somehow… become packed. What was all the excitement about? The effect of “one Church’s loss becoming another Church’s gain” cannot be overstated. I dare say that this young pastor’s entire career is connected at least in part to the troubles of a Church in another part of the city, and his just happening to be at the right place at the right time to catch the exodus.

Please do not think that my comments are intended to diminish the hard and faithful work of this young pastor. I clearly understand the sacrifices of him and his family. Likewise, I think I understand that we must also fully acknowledge the larger work and timing of the Lord in bringing revival to a city. I am aware of many that were saved during the period of time in which this young pastor served that Church. To better understand my point... please read on.

I also knew that in attendance at the Conference sat an elderly pastor and his wife who had previously shepherded that little Church in that particular place. I knew this guy… this now forgotten and overlooked minister. He was one of the most faithful and godly men I have ever had the privilege to know. And now, as one minister was being given all of the credit for what had happened in this particular city… the elder minister, who had spent years preaching and praying and believing and helping… and doing all that a pastor can and should do, and yet never seeing any immediate result… this minister wasn’t even being given an honorable mention. No one seemed to know or care.

One man saw the victory in the realness of faith... the other experienced the victory in tangible, countable, reality. But, should either be commended alone? Were both men called to a place (a city), or neither? Or, was one called to a place, and the other just happened to be at the right place at the right time?

It has taken me too long to get to my point but here it is. I believe that in the Church today, we no longer care about the calling to a place. We no longer recognize the significance of what it means to being called to a “place”. We talk about being called to a “people” but seldom do we speak about being called to a “place”. And, therein, I believe is a root of a very ugly weed that flourishes in the Church today.

This person is called to “youth” ministry. That person is called to ministry to the homeless… to the military… to the prisoner… to the elderly. That’s all well and good, but where is the calling to a “place”? A geographical place? A spot on the globe?

When Jesus spoke to the disciples in reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it’s recorded in the first chapter of Acts that he said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Likewise, the Apostle Paul was called to “Macedonia”. Notice that these are all “places”. In fact, does not the most widely memorized verse of Scripture say that, “God so loved the world”? Is not the “world” a place?

Some will argue with me that, since a place is not devoid of people, I am just playing word games. But, I would contend that there is a subtle but very powerful change that comes into our lives and our ministries when we recognize the calling to a “place” as opposed to a “people”. If we are called to a place, then we will be happy to minister to whoever is in that place. They can be rich or poor, trailer park tenants or gated community residents, university degreed or high school drop outs. They can be pimps and pushers or professors and professionals... black or white... white collared or blue... republican or democrat... and here is the important one… many or few! It will not matter, because we are called to a place!

What about the pastor who is called to Podunk Hollow, West Virginia? What about the one who is called to pastor the people of Rusted Bucket, Arizona? I have heard for over 20 years the phrase: “Oh, that city has great potential.” What do we mean by that? What about the unlucky Pastor that is called to a city out in the middle of nowhere? A city with very little “potential”… whatever “potential” is.

I once heard it said that the evangelistic vision of the Methodist Church many years ago was to plant a Church everywhere there was a Post Office. That’s what I’m talking about here. They didn’t first weigh the “potential” of a place. If it had a Post Office, that meant there were souls to be won in that location. It didn’t matter if the cows outnumbered the people. There were people in that place that needed faithful, loving Christian ministry. It didn’t matter that there would never be enough people in that place to form a congregation with enough resources to properly fund a full time pastoral ministry. What mattered was… Would there be a pastor willing to serve faithfully in that place… the place where he was called to go?

When will we (especially we who call ourselves the Assemblies of God) stop evaluating pastoral success by the size of congregations and paychecks? We say that we don’t, but our actions betray us. I’m longing for the day when I go to an Assemblies of God Conference and the keynote speaker pastors a church of 20 people in Boondoggle, Louisiana. I long to hear from someone who has been faithful in the hard places… who has been faithful in the tiny, overlooked speck on the map places… Why have they been faithful? What has kept them going? Because that is where the Lord called them to go. I long to once again hear the song sung, “I’ll go where you what me to go, dear Lord…”

A JEWISH JIHADIST AND CHRISTIAN INFIDELS

In our world today there are those who believe that the killing of infidels is appropriate behavior. They believe that they will be blessed of God if they take the life of those who fall away from the truth. There are those who follow a system of religious law that not only sanctions, but in fact demands that unarmed and defenseless unbelievers be sought out and killed. The followers of this radical theo-political mixture of religious and civil law are called Muslim Jihadists. Jihadists carry out their extreme murderous actions with very little if any rebuke from the more centrist Muslims who follow a less lethal variation of Jihad.

Of course, most western Christians are shocked and repulsed by the actions of Muslim Jihadists. We interpret “honor killings” as barbaric and criminal behavior. We conclude that these armed religious zealots are, at the least criminals, and at the worst soulless animals without consciences. Many have determined that those who, in the name of God, and in obedience to the dictates of their religious faith, kill defenseless infidel men, women and children, have themselves crossed an invisible line beyond which redemption cannot be obtained. Simply put: we have put Jihadists in a class of un-savable people. They cannot be saved and the only logical response is to destroy them.

If we truly believe this, then we must conclude that the Apostle Paul should have been sought out by early Christians and killed… For, Paul (known by the early Church as Saul) was a Jewish Jihadist. With the blessing, sanction, and the written religious/legal authority to do so, Saul was no different than the modern day Jihadists that flew airplanes into the Twin Towers on 9/11. He pursued unarmed and defenseless Christian Infidels, including women and children, and had them killed. Motivated by religious zealotry, Saul was no different that Osama Bin Laden… And yet… The Lord saw fit to knock Saul off his horse onto the hardened dirt of the Damascus Road, and offer to him the gift of redemption… the gift of eternal life!

Was it for crimes that I have done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond decree?
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light…

The early Church was very unwilling at first to accept this new Convert to Christianity. No doubt! Can you imagine what would happen if Osama Bin Laden showed up somewhere claiming to have converted to Christianity!!!??? I will be completely honest with you… I would personally have a lot, and I do mean A LOT!!, of trouble with this. Yet, that is exactly what the early Church was expected to do… Allow a Jewish Jihadist into the fellowship of the Church.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me…

Am I suggesting that if Bin Laden was captured, he should not be prosecuted? Absolutely not! He should be prosecuted and punished… The question is not should Bin Laden be held accountable, but rather, why was Paul not prosecuted for his participation in the murder of Christian Infidels; for, both men are guilty of the same crime.

A POLITICALLY CORRECT MOMENT OF SILENCE

About 10 years ago our Nation took a direct attack on our homeland. In the days that followed that horrible day, we were advised by our President to, “return to normal” as quickly as possible. I remember the shock that I felt when we were told to “take a vacation to Disneyland”. I believed then and continue more so still today to believe that was the worst advice we could have been given.

Yesterday, as I watched the news unfold about the terrible assassination attempt upon U.S. Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords, which left 6 people dead and more than a dozen injured, I was once again shocked, saddened, and even angered by the response of the leaders of our Nation.

Perhaps the worst of all sadness came as I watched one of the most prominent political figures in America stand before the cameras and microphones, and with much drama and posturing, suggest that we all have a “moment of silence”. Moment of Silence???!!!!!??? A MOMENT OF SILENCE!!!! OF POLITICALLY CORRECT MOMENT OF SILENCE!!!!!!!!

I felt outraged. I felt pure contempt for the gutless admonition to “be silent”. If this politician had any courage at all, she would have led us in a loud and desperate prayer to the only God that can save our Nation… to the God of the Christian faith… and to him alone. Not Mohamed… Not Buddha… Not Krishna… But to the Creator God of us all… to the God that the Declaration of Independence declares has bestowed upon us unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

This “moment of silence” was not prompted out of respect for the dead and wounded. It was prompted out of political fear and expediency. Some of you will say that I should not judge the motive of this person’s heart. Perhaps… But, I would point out that they did not suggest that we bow our heads and our heart for a moment of silent prayer… But rather, that we pause for a generic, anemic, impotent moment of silence. In order to not offend the Christ-less constituency… the Muslim, the Atheist, the Humanist demographic that has returned her to Washington time after time… We were asked to participate in a moment of politically correct silence.

Our Nation has entered a new era. Without a serious and sincere return to the Christian Scriptures and the God that inspired and led our Founders to establish a new Nation built upon the Biblical principals of Freedom and Personal Responsibility, we have no hope. But, I am encouraged this day, as I witnessed Christians praying… as I heard their tearful cries… as I watched aged Veterans, with tears in their eyes, pray for a spiritual revival for America… I have hope this day that there may be a way out. Join with other Christians and Pray. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Pray.

I have this morning, and will again, pleaded with those Christians, whom I am so blessed to have the undeserved opportunity to lead, to pray… not silently, not timidly, but boldly and unafraid… Go to the God of Heaven… Go to our Lord and Savior, Jesus… and, in prayer call out, and call out loudly for him to Save our Land. Please… please… be silent no more… Pray as if our Nation, and your Safety, and your Freedom depends upon it… For it does.