Glossa Water was started on August 31, 2008. I started the blog on what we believed was my dad's birthday, although (as I mentioned in that first blog) the sketchy records of a Depression-era birth in the rural south left us wondering whether anyone knew his real birthdate.
On March 14th of this week my dad passed away. Though I and my family miss him, we are deeply grateful to God for Dad's time on this earth.
I am particularly indebted to Pastor Sam, who back in 2005 instructed me on the value of reconciliation. My parents divorced when I was a very young child, and in my early adulthood I drifted out of Dad's life, but in my mid-life years I was finally able to reconnect with my dad. It was wonderful to get to know Dad as he went into his twilight years, especially the past three or four years.
What will I remember about him? His incredible work ethic. His quick wit and humor. His consistency and transparency as he dealt with the challenges of old age.
The grace of God is indeed amazing. Thank You, Lord, for the gift of reconciliation.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Radical Revelation: A Vision Of Mission.
Dr. Las, in his closing thoughts, said that "we are not called to send missionaries; we are sent out as missionaries."
I wonder what the Bronx will look like, what the world will look like, when every Christian embraces the call to be missional.
Jesus's instructions in Luke 10 are so straightforward. We are sent out as lambs among wolves. And we are empowered to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. And not everyone will welcome us; but for those who do, we can become agents of salvation, deliverance, peace, and healing.
I pray that we will embrace this vision and engage in mission, to the glory of God.
I wonder what the Bronx will look like, what the world will look like, when every Christian embraces the call to be missional.
Jesus's instructions in Luke 10 are so straightforward. We are sent out as lambs among wolves. And we are empowered to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. And not everyone will welcome us; but for those who do, we can become agents of salvation, deliverance, peace, and healing.
I pray that we will embrace this vision and engage in mission, to the glory of God.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Radical Joy: The Ultimate Book Signing.
Luke 10 is a wonderful look into the specifics of Jesus's ministry program. In Luke 10:17 we see that the disciples returned with joy, excited about their opportunity to be a part of real, radical, life-changing ministry.
And Jesus is filled with joy as well! But our Lord makes a critically important statement. This past Sunday, Dr. Las reminded us of the most important reason to be happy: "...rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)
And Pastor Sam underlined this thought. In the introduction to his pastoral prayer, we were reminded that there are people who are involved in powerful ministry, but they themselves have never surrendered their hearts to Jesus. It is a fearful thought to know that, after years of service, some will hear the Lord's rejection (see Matthew chapter 25). We would do well to heed the warning.
Friend, are you a part of this joy-fest?
Lord, thank You for giving us grace to receive Your revelation. Thank You for writing our names in Your book. Thank You for equipping us to do Your work. We are eternally grateful. The LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!
And Jesus is filled with joy as well! But our Lord makes a critically important statement. This past Sunday, Dr. Las reminded us of the most important reason to be happy: "...rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)
And Pastor Sam underlined this thought. In the introduction to his pastoral prayer, we were reminded that there are people who are involved in powerful ministry, but they themselves have never surrendered their hearts to Jesus. It is a fearful thought to know that, after years of service, some will hear the Lord's rejection (see Matthew chapter 25). We would do well to heed the warning.
Friend, are you a part of this joy-fest?
Lord, thank You for giving us grace to receive Your revelation. Thank You for writing our names in Your book. Thank You for equipping us to do Your work. We are eternally grateful. The LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Radical Risk: Lambs Among Wolves.
In reflecting on Luke 10, Dr. Las reminded us of a most radical analogy: The Christian in the world as a lamb among wolves (see Luke 10:3).
What can a lamb do in the face of wolves?
The battle is a lost cause unless we pray. Dr. Las shared, and I paraphrase here, that intercessory prayer is the one tool that can release more workers into the harvest field.
But, although we pray, we must keep in mind the words of Jesus: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few." (Luke 10:2) Dr. Las spoke emphatically about the work of ministry as "too few doing too much", and that reality will not change.
Pastor Sam picked up this thought during his pastoral prayer. He alluded to the passage where Jesus describes His people as "the salt of the earth" (see Matthew 5:13). And, as we know, it doesn't take much salt to transform a meal.
Yes! Let us be few! One lamb, covered in intercessory prayer, can take on a pack of wolves. At the end of the day, the wolves will be ravaged and the lamb will be victorious.
What can a lamb do in the face of wolves?
The battle is a lost cause unless we pray. Dr. Las shared, and I paraphrase here, that intercessory prayer is the one tool that can release more workers into the harvest field.
But, although we pray, we must keep in mind the words of Jesus: "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few." (Luke 10:2) Dr. Las spoke emphatically about the work of ministry as "too few doing too much", and that reality will not change.
Pastor Sam picked up this thought during his pastoral prayer. He alluded to the passage where Jesus describes His people as "the salt of the earth" (see Matthew 5:13). And, as we know, it doesn't take much salt to transform a meal.
Yes! Let us be few! One lamb, covered in intercessory prayer, can take on a pack of wolves. At the end of the day, the wolves will be ravaged and the lamb will be victorious.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Radical Engagement: Get Up And Go.
In Luke chapter 10, as Dr. Las shared with us, we are given a snapshot of Jesus as the ultimate mission leader. There are two terms Dr. Las gave us:
1. Trial Run. This passage is the first account we have of our Lord sending out dozens of people whom He had empowered to do His work in the world. The specificity of the assignment implies that this was the first time these seventy-two disciples had gone on mission "on their own".
2. Training Exercise. These teams of disciples were receiving their first taste of what Christ Himself did as an itinerant minister of the gospel. Rather than the sick and needy of the world coming to the disciples, it was contingent upon the disciples to go out to the places where the need was.
A question for us to reflect on: Are we going out into the towns, or are we waiting for the towns to come to us?
1. Trial Run. This passage is the first account we have of our Lord sending out dozens of people whom He had empowered to do His work in the world. The specificity of the assignment implies that this was the first time these seventy-two disciples had gone on mission "on their own".
2. Training Exercise. These teams of disciples were receiving their first taste of what Christ Himself did as an itinerant minister of the gospel. Rather than the sick and needy of the world coming to the disciples, it was contingent upon the disciples to go out to the places where the need was.
A question for us to reflect on: Are we going out into the towns, or are we waiting for the towns to come to us?
Monday, March 12, 2012
A Las!
This week's blogs will reflect on Sunday's sermon. Our guest speaker, Dr. Las Newman, gave a powerful and challenging message based on Luke 10:1-12 and 17-24.
The passage details the mission of the seventy-two commissioned by Jesus to minister. Dr. Las shared several points related to what he termed "radical calls".
Perhaps it is best to begin with a recap of the scripture today, then over the next few days we'll reflect on the radical calls every true Christian must deal with.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. He replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
(Verses from the UK New International Version)
The passage details the mission of the seventy-two commissioned by Jesus to minister. Dr. Las shared several points related to what he termed "radical calls".
Perhaps it is best to begin with a recap of the scripture today, then over the next few days we'll reflect on the radical calls every true Christian must deal with.
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. He replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no-one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
(Verses from the UK New International Version)
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Fasting As Impassioned Plea
Our Sunday blogs during Lent will focus on the subject of fasting.
"The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them." (Second Samuel 12:15-17).
Perhaps in our more skeptical moments we could say this engagement of fasting was a lost cause from the start. The prophet Nathan had already decreed to David that the child would certainly die (verse 14). But David had a depth of knowledge of the mercy of God which he expressed in this "against-all-odds" fast.
How do we know this? Because David said so. "While the child was still alive I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live.'" (verse 22)
What about you? Are you facing a situation that seems to be a lost cause? In the face of hopelessness, you can still appeal to the mercy of God. Who knows? Perhaps the LORD will show pity.
"The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them." (Second Samuel 12:15-17).
Perhaps in our more skeptical moments we could say this engagement of fasting was a lost cause from the start. The prophet Nathan had already decreed to David that the child would certainly die (verse 14). But David had a depth of knowledge of the mercy of God which he expressed in this "against-all-odds" fast.
How do we know this? Because David said so. "While the child was still alive I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Perhaps the LORD will show pity and the child will live.'" (verse 22)
What about you? Are you facing a situation that seems to be a lost cause? In the face of hopelessness, you can still appeal to the mercy of God. Who knows? Perhaps the LORD will show pity.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Judas, It's 11:59 P.M.
Judas, sadly, never goes away.
Judas Iscariot was a person, but his name is also a metaphor for the presence of evil in the midst of ministry.
So Jesus said to the Twelve, "You don't want to go away too, do you?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God!" Jesus replied, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is the devil?" (Now he said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for Judas, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.) (John 6:67-71)
In our interactions with other believers, every now and then we find that a person has committed themselves to the works of the devil. It is a strange juxtaposition- seeing faithfulness and consistency and results in ministry work, but also seeing an undercurrent of selfishness, greed, or other vices contrary to the heart of God.
What do we do in such cases?
What did Jesus do?
Well, we see that Jesus didn't fire Judas. Up to the bitter end of his life, Judas was counted among the Twelve, Jesus's hand-picked disciples who followed Him for three years. Simon Peter reminds us that Judas was not a "fake" disciple: "For he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry" (see Acts 1:17).
Judas had three years of opportunity to repent and fully commit himself to Jesus. And during that time, Jesus never publicly called out Judas as a problematic ministry partner. What grace was extended by our Lord!
I believe we are called to extend that same grace to fellow believers: not making slanderous judgements, but seeking to teach and instruct them in the ways of the Kingdom of God. Seeking to keep them in community so that there is ample opportunity for repentance.
Judas, we are praying for you. Please turn your heart to the Lord while there is time.
Judas Iscariot was a person, but his name is also a metaphor for the presence of evil in the midst of ministry.
So Jesus said to the Twelve, "You don't want to go away too, do you?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God!" Jesus replied, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is the devil?" (Now he said this about Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for Judas, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.) (John 6:67-71)
In our interactions with other believers, every now and then we find that a person has committed themselves to the works of the devil. It is a strange juxtaposition- seeing faithfulness and consistency and results in ministry work, but also seeing an undercurrent of selfishness, greed, or other vices contrary to the heart of God.
What do we do in such cases?
What did Jesus do?
Well, we see that Jesus didn't fire Judas. Up to the bitter end of his life, Judas was counted among the Twelve, Jesus's hand-picked disciples who followed Him for three years. Simon Peter reminds us that Judas was not a "fake" disciple: "For he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry" (see Acts 1:17).
Judas had three years of opportunity to repent and fully commit himself to Jesus. And during that time, Jesus never publicly called out Judas as a problematic ministry partner. What grace was extended by our Lord!
I believe we are called to extend that same grace to fellow believers: not making slanderous judgements, but seeking to teach and instruct them in the ways of the Kingdom of God. Seeking to keep them in community so that there is ample opportunity for repentance.
Judas, we are praying for you. Please turn your heart to the Lord while there is time.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Really Do The Right Thing.
In reflecting on this past Sunday's sermon, I found my thoughts turning to Old and New Testament passages that give us examples of how dangerous it is to give in to temptation. Today let's consider a conversation between the LORD and Cain.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it." (Genesis 4:6-7)
The LORD first addresses Cain in response to Cain's offering, which was unacceptable to God. And the implication in God's opening statement, "Why are you angry?", is that Cain himself knew the offering was unacceptable. In other words, "Cain, why are you pouting? You really expect Me to accept this? You know better."
God's second statement contained the "how-to": how to be positioned to experience shalom, true peace. "If you do what is right, you will be fine." Implied in the statement is that Cain was aware of what it meant to "do right".
Next, our Lord reiterated the how-to by explaining its opposite: "If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door." Here we see an amazing connection between unacceptable worship and the entrance of sin into the life of the worshipper. Slipshod worship is an entryway for the influence of the demonic.
And fourth, God reveals the plan of the devil and how that plan can be thwarted: "It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it." Acceptable worship is a means of preventing the devil from having inroads into our lives. It gives us the means necessary to avoid being dominated by sin.
Thank You Lord, that You always show Your people the way of escape. Please give us Your grace so that we will not give in to temptation. But, if Your divine will demands that we face temptation, please stay close to us and cause us to experience Your deliverance. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it." (Genesis 4:6-7)
The LORD first addresses Cain in response to Cain's offering, which was unacceptable to God. And the implication in God's opening statement, "Why are you angry?", is that Cain himself knew the offering was unacceptable. In other words, "Cain, why are you pouting? You really expect Me to accept this? You know better."
God's second statement contained the "how-to": how to be positioned to experience shalom, true peace. "If you do what is right, you will be fine." Implied in the statement is that Cain was aware of what it meant to "do right".
Next, our Lord reiterated the how-to by explaining its opposite: "If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door." Here we see an amazing connection between unacceptable worship and the entrance of sin into the life of the worshipper. Slipshod worship is an entryway for the influence of the demonic.
And fourth, God reveals the plan of the devil and how that plan can be thwarted: "It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it." Acceptable worship is a means of preventing the devil from having inroads into our lives. It gives us the means necessary to avoid being dominated by sin.
Thank You Lord, that You always show Your people the way of escape. Please give us Your grace so that we will not give in to temptation. But, if Your divine will demands that we face temptation, please stay close to us and cause us to experience Your deliverance. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Name, Rank, And Serial Number.
But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses's body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgement, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9).
Well, when Pastor Sam spoke on this verse during Sunday's sermon I really listened closely because Jude 1:9 is one of those verses that makes me stop and wonder. (Jude has other verses in that mode, like 1:14 where Jude refers to a prophetic statement made by Enoch.)
Jude, how is it you're saying these profound things?
But here we are focusing on verse 9.
Jude brings up a name and title: Michael, the archangel. The angel who fights and wins in the name of the LORD. I wonder if Michael was the "one angel" sent to destroy thousands of people, as we see in First Chronicles 21 and Isaiah 37. I don't know about those chapters. But we do know Michael gets mentioned by name a couple of times in Daniel chapter 10: "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia" (Daniel 10:13).
Michael, the go-to angel in spiritual warfare.
Michael, described by Pastor Sam as "the angel you DON'T want a visit from".
Michael, who can stand toe-to-toe in a debate with the devil.
But in the face of the argument and the debate over Moses's body, the great archangel does not make a slanderous judgement of the devil. Instead, Michael follows the model set up by God Himself which we read in Zechariah: "The LORD rebuke you!" Friends, the only way we can "win" an argument with the devil is to invoke the name of the LORD and declare God's sovreignty and power over all creation and all situations. It's the LORD's battle, not ours.
"Satan, the LORD rebuke you!"
Well, when Pastor Sam spoke on this verse during Sunday's sermon I really listened closely because Jude 1:9 is one of those verses that makes me stop and wonder. (Jude has other verses in that mode, like 1:14 where Jude refers to a prophetic statement made by Enoch.)
Jude, how is it you're saying these profound things?
But here we are focusing on verse 9.
Jude brings up a name and title: Michael, the archangel. The angel who fights and wins in the name of the LORD. I wonder if Michael was the "one angel" sent to destroy thousands of people, as we see in First Chronicles 21 and Isaiah 37. I don't know about those chapters. But we do know Michael gets mentioned by name a couple of times in Daniel chapter 10: "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia" (Daniel 10:13).
Michael, the go-to angel in spiritual warfare.
Michael, described by Pastor Sam as "the angel you DON'T want a visit from".
Michael, who can stand toe-to-toe in a debate with the devil.
But in the face of the argument and the debate over Moses's body, the great archangel does not make a slanderous judgement of the devil. Instead, Michael follows the model set up by God Himself which we read in Zechariah: "The LORD rebuke you!" Friends, the only way we can "win" an argument with the devil is to invoke the name of the LORD and declare God's sovreignty and power over all creation and all situations. It's the LORD's battle, not ours.
"Satan, the LORD rebuke you!"
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Checking Account.
"Yet even angels, who are much more powerful, do not bring a slanderous judgement against (the unrighteous) before the Lord." (Second Peter 2:11)
In this second letter from Simon Peter, the famed disciple gives us a clue as to how things work in the heavenly realms. We are told that even the angels do not slander the unrighteous. How interesting, the use of this word "slander" in a context where there is clearly unrighteousness going on. Apparently, even if the judgements are true, it is still defined as slander. The implication is that if angels do not make judgements, then human beings should not do so either.
I am reminded of one of Pastor Sam's sermons from a few years ago. In discussing Psalm 50, our pastor gave the illustration of the psalm as a courtroom scene: the people of God were called to assembly, and God judged the people. The problem was that, though their sacrifices were regular and correct, their hearts were filled with malice and slander. And, the condition of the people's hearts made their sacrifices unacceptable. Who made the assessment? God Himself.
On Sunday Pastor Sam gave us a valuable phrase: "We can't manage the devil". On a parallel track, we can also say something like "We can't claim to be Christians and behave like the devil." Slander is never justifiable. Just a few verses down from the Matthew account of Lord's prayer, Jesus teaches that we are not to judge (see Matthew 7:1). May God help us to avoid the devil's trap by not giving in to the temptation to sit in judgement of others.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)
In this second letter from Simon Peter, the famed disciple gives us a clue as to how things work in the heavenly realms. We are told that even the angels do not slander the unrighteous. How interesting, the use of this word "slander" in a context where there is clearly unrighteousness going on. Apparently, even if the judgements are true, it is still defined as slander. The implication is that if angels do not make judgements, then human beings should not do so either.
I am reminded of one of Pastor Sam's sermons from a few years ago. In discussing Psalm 50, our pastor gave the illustration of the psalm as a courtroom scene: the people of God were called to assembly, and God judged the people. The problem was that, though their sacrifices were regular and correct, their hearts were filled with malice and slander. And, the condition of the people's hearts made their sacrifices unacceptable. Who made the assessment? God Himself.
On Sunday Pastor Sam gave us a valuable phrase: "We can't manage the devil". On a parallel track, we can also say something like "We can't claim to be Christians and behave like the devil." Slander is never justifiable. Just a few verses down from the Matthew account of Lord's prayer, Jesus teaches that we are not to judge (see Matthew 7:1). May God help us to avoid the devil's trap by not giving in to the temptation to sit in judgement of others.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Have You Met My Dad?
"The LORD said to Satan, 'May the LORD rebuke you, Satan! May the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn't this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?'" (Zechariah 3:2)
On Sunday Pastor Sam spoke of the power of the name of God. The verse from Zechariah (above) shows that God, in His power, invokes His own name as a rebuke to Satan's accusations of Joshua the priest.
Who is our defender? He is God, past, present, and future. The one who was, is, and is to come! The one who formed the universe and formed you and me. The one who we address as "Our Father". The one who says of Himself, "There is nothing too difficult for Me" (see Jeremiah 32:27).
God alone has the power to rescue us from the grip of sin and temptation that the devil uses to cause us to fail in our faith. It is only right that when we pray, we follow the example that God has set. We pray, invoking the powerful name of our eternal Father, and He steps in on our behalf to defend and rescue us.
Lord, how we thank You for your powerful name. Please help us to remember that You are the one who, as is said in Malachi 3, "rebukes the devourer". We are so grateful for Your covering. Thank You for rescuing us. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
On Sunday Pastor Sam spoke of the power of the name of God. The verse from Zechariah (above) shows that God, in His power, invokes His own name as a rebuke to Satan's accusations of Joshua the priest.
Who is our defender? He is God, past, present, and future. The one who was, is, and is to come! The one who formed the universe and formed you and me. The one who we address as "Our Father". The one who says of Himself, "There is nothing too difficult for Me" (see Jeremiah 32:27).
God alone has the power to rescue us from the grip of sin and temptation that the devil uses to cause us to fail in our faith. It is only right that when we pray, we follow the example that God has set. We pray, invoking the powerful name of our eternal Father, and He steps in on our behalf to defend and rescue us.
Lord, how we thank You for your powerful name. Please help us to remember that You are the one who, as is said in Malachi 3, "rebukes the devourer". We are so grateful for Your covering. Thank You for rescuing us. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.
Monday, March 5, 2012
"Ask and Keep Asking."
In yesterday's sermon, Pastor Sam continued his series on The Lord's Prayer.
"...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one..." (Matthew 6:13)
In the sermon, we were encouraged to petition God: for His direction and guidance, and for His deliverance.
Though there were many interesting things pointed out by Pastor Sam, this week's blogs will focus on Scriptures that warn us of the reality of Satan's attack, and the reality of God's powerful Presence which delivers us from evil.
May I encourage you to meditate on these Scriptures as preparation for the remainder of this weeks blogs:
Zechariah 3:2
Second Peter 2:11
Jude 1:9
Genesis 4:7
John 6:70
"...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one..." (Matthew 6:13)
In the sermon, we were encouraged to petition God: for His direction and guidance, and for His deliverance.
Though there were many interesting things pointed out by Pastor Sam, this week's blogs will focus on Scriptures that warn us of the reality of Satan's attack, and the reality of God's powerful Presence which delivers us from evil.
May I encourage you to meditate on these Scriptures as preparation for the remainder of this weeks blogs:
Zechariah 3:2
Second Peter 2:11
Jude 1:9
Genesis 4:7
John 6:70
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Fasting As Preparation
Our Sunday blogs during Lent will focus on the subject of fasting.
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry." (Matthew 4:1-2).
After Jesus was baptized, He spent more than a month in the wilderness fasting. The temptations that followed his season of fasting were intense.
Temptation 1: Use Your creative power to re-order nature. The scripture tells us that Jesus was hungry, and as God He had the power to order stones to transform themselves into bread.
Temptation 2: Show the world who You really are. The Jewish people had long anticipated the arrival of the Messiah, and a demonstration of power to jump off of buildings without dying would certainly have been a dramatic sign to the people.
Temptation 3: Take a short-cut to regaining what Adam lost. In the fall of man, Adam lost his dominion and Satan took rule of the kingdoms of the world. By worshipping the devil, Jesus could regain those kingdoms without having to go to the cross.
But buried in each of these temptations are lies! The devil offered half-truths designed to trick Jesus out of fulfilling His purpose. The Old Testament prophecies spoke of a Messiah whose earthly life would be marked by rejection, suffering, and death (see Isaiah 53). No easy road, no short-cuts.
The extended season of fasting gave Jesus the spiritual strength He needed to withstand the onslaught of temptations designed to sway Him from the fulfillment of His purpose. Are you a person of purpose? Then fast. Fast for strength, so that the devil will never succeed in turning you from the path God has called you to walk.
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry." (Matthew 4:1-2).
After Jesus was baptized, He spent more than a month in the wilderness fasting. The temptations that followed his season of fasting were intense.
Temptation 1: Use Your creative power to re-order nature. The scripture tells us that Jesus was hungry, and as God He had the power to order stones to transform themselves into bread.
Temptation 2: Show the world who You really are. The Jewish people had long anticipated the arrival of the Messiah, and a demonstration of power to jump off of buildings without dying would certainly have been a dramatic sign to the people.
Temptation 3: Take a short-cut to regaining what Adam lost. In the fall of man, Adam lost his dominion and Satan took rule of the kingdoms of the world. By worshipping the devil, Jesus could regain those kingdoms without having to go to the cross.
But buried in each of these temptations are lies! The devil offered half-truths designed to trick Jesus out of fulfilling His purpose. The Old Testament prophecies spoke of a Messiah whose earthly life would be marked by rejection, suffering, and death (see Isaiah 53). No easy road, no short-cuts.
The extended season of fasting gave Jesus the spiritual strength He needed to withstand the onslaught of temptations designed to sway Him from the fulfillment of His purpose. Are you a person of purpose? Then fast. Fast for strength, so that the devil will never succeed in turning you from the path God has called you to walk.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Vessel. Vassal. Vassel.
Matthew 25 consists of three sections. We have the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (25:1-13), the parable of the talents (25:14-30), and the explanation of the judgement (25:31-46).
One of the scary things about this chapter is that, on the surface, there seems to be no distinction between the faithful and the unfaithful. In the first parable, all the virgins look alike. In the second parable, the master entrusted property to all of his servants. In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus tells us that "all the nations will be assembled before him" (25:31). So we have a scenario where these groups appear unified in position, placement, and purpose.
But then, Jesus comes along and points out certain distinctives that reveal the people who are really His, versus the people who are serving the devil.
For the virgins, the distinctive is not the oil in their lamps, but the extra oil reserves in their jars. The wise virgins have chosen to carry a heavier burden, a chabod, the weight of extra flasks of oil (which alludes to the fullness of the Spirit in their lives). The foolish virgins were content to just get by with whatever was in their lamp. But in the end, those foolish virgins were refused admittance to the Bridegroom's banquet.
For the servants, the distinctive was not their possession of talents, but the manner in which those talents were stewarded. In telling this parable Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom of God does not tolerate cowardice. In fact, the unfaithful steward's action (that is, his lack of action) is interpreted as laziness and wickedness. And in the end, that wicked lazy steward is evicted: thrown into "outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth". He is banished to a place absent of the Light, and his talent is taken away and given to a faithful servant (25:28-30).
In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus says that He will separate the nations into two categories. The separation is based on how the people of the world respond to the poor, the sick, and the disenfranchised. Perhaps the most amazing thing in this passage is that Jesus puts Himself in the center of the issue: "I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did it for me." (25:40).
As Pastor Sam shared on Sunday, and I paraphrase here, the only thing that will make us take risks is an overwhelming love for God. And this love comes from God! It is He who empowers us to love enough to risk bearing the weight of His Presence, to take the risk of investing in His kingdom, and to risk expending the energy necessary to serve the downtrodden of the world.
So here we are, in the twenty-first century, confronted with Matthew 25. And we need to respond.
What will you do, virgin?
What will you do, steward?
What will you do, people of the world?
One of the scary things about this chapter is that, on the surface, there seems to be no distinction between the faithful and the unfaithful. In the first parable, all the virgins look alike. In the second parable, the master entrusted property to all of his servants. In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus tells us that "all the nations will be assembled before him" (25:31). So we have a scenario where these groups appear unified in position, placement, and purpose.
But then, Jesus comes along and points out certain distinctives that reveal the people who are really His, versus the people who are serving the devil.
For the virgins, the distinctive is not the oil in their lamps, but the extra oil reserves in their jars. The wise virgins have chosen to carry a heavier burden, a chabod, the weight of extra flasks of oil (which alludes to the fullness of the Spirit in their lives). The foolish virgins were content to just get by with whatever was in their lamp. But in the end, those foolish virgins were refused admittance to the Bridegroom's banquet.
For the servants, the distinctive was not their possession of talents, but the manner in which those talents were stewarded. In telling this parable Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom of God does not tolerate cowardice. In fact, the unfaithful steward's action (that is, his lack of action) is interpreted as laziness and wickedness. And in the end, that wicked lazy steward is evicted: thrown into "outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth". He is banished to a place absent of the Light, and his talent is taken away and given to a faithful servant (25:28-30).
In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus says that He will separate the nations into two categories. The separation is based on how the people of the world respond to the poor, the sick, and the disenfranchised. Perhaps the most amazing thing in this passage is that Jesus puts Himself in the center of the issue: "I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did it for me." (25:40).
As Pastor Sam shared on Sunday, and I paraphrase here, the only thing that will make us take risks is an overwhelming love for God. And this love comes from God! It is He who empowers us to love enough to risk bearing the weight of His Presence, to take the risk of investing in His kingdom, and to risk expending the energy necessary to serve the downtrodden of the world.
So here we are, in the twenty-first century, confronted with Matthew 25. And we need to respond.
What will you do, virgin?
What will you do, steward?
What will you do, people of the world?
Friday, March 2, 2012
Yes, Sir!
The (steward) who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more. In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. (Matthew 25:16-17)
"Right away."
There are some people in my life who I obey immediately, without question and without backtalk. I am okay with these people having authority over me, because I love them dearly and I trust them unequivocally. They expressed love and trust of me in moments where I was really messed up and unlovable, and I am eternally indebted to them. So when they ask me to do something, and especially when they authorize me to act on their behalf, I do it. No conditions attached.
The faithful stewards' eagerness in their work was an expression of their love and trust of the master who loved and trusted them. Jesus tells this parable as an example of how things work in the kingdom of God: it is a kingdom of love, love expressed in joyful vigorous service to our Lord.
How amazing that God allows us to act on His behalf! We are the body of Christ, and His Spirit has empowered us to do things for the sake of the kingdom of God. In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared two characteristics found in faithful stewards:
Faithful stewards risk everything. In the parable, we see that the faithful stewards did not hold anything back. They worked hard, they took risks, and they received returns on their investments.
Faithful stewards act immediately. They did not second-guess their master's choices. They didn't seek to modify their work assignment. They went out right away and got to work immediately. They made excellent use of the time they had. And when their master returned, they were able to present a positive accounting of how they handled his resources.
How about you? Is your life an expression of faithful stewardship?
"Right away."
There are some people in my life who I obey immediately, without question and without backtalk. I am okay with these people having authority over me, because I love them dearly and I trust them unequivocally. They expressed love and trust of me in moments where I was really messed up and unlovable, and I am eternally indebted to them. So when they ask me to do something, and especially when they authorize me to act on their behalf, I do it. No conditions attached.
The faithful stewards' eagerness in their work was an expression of their love and trust of the master who loved and trusted them. Jesus tells this parable as an example of how things work in the kingdom of God: it is a kingdom of love, love expressed in joyful vigorous service to our Lord.
How amazing that God allows us to act on His behalf! We are the body of Christ, and His Spirit has empowered us to do things for the sake of the kingdom of God. In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared two characteristics found in faithful stewards:
Faithful stewards risk everything. In the parable, we see that the faithful stewards did not hold anything back. They worked hard, they took risks, and they received returns on their investments.
Faithful stewards act immediately. They did not second-guess their master's choices. They didn't seek to modify their work assignment. They went out right away and got to work immediately. They made excellent use of the time they had. And when their master returned, they were able to present a positive accounting of how they handled his resources.
How about you? Is your life an expression of faithful stewardship?
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire.
In this past Sunday's sermon on Matthew 25:14-30, Pastor Sam shared two key points about the unfaithful steward.
Satanic misconception. "Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed," (Matthew 25:24). In other words, the unfaithful steward's disapproval of the master's business plan "justified" his inactivity. Further, the unfaithful steward made a false character assessment of the master. Misrepresentation (of God and God's servants) is a hallmark trait of the activity of Satan, who constantly accuses and lies (see Genesis 3:1-5; Revelation 12:10).
Self-interested motivation. "so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours." (Matthew 25:25). Hiding is an expression of fear (see Genesis 3:10), and Scripture informs us that cowards have no place in the kingdom of God- in fact, cowards lead the list of those destined for eternal punishment (see Revelation 21:8).
Are you afraid to work with what God has entrusted to you? Are you blaming God for your own unwillingness to "work while it is day" (John 9:4)? If so, then seek God for forgiveness. He will change your attitude so that you can become a successful steward of His gifts and graces.
Satanic misconception. "Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed," (Matthew 25:24). In other words, the unfaithful steward's disapproval of the master's business plan "justified" his inactivity. Further, the unfaithful steward made a false character assessment of the master. Misrepresentation (of God and God's servants) is a hallmark trait of the activity of Satan, who constantly accuses and lies (see Genesis 3:1-5; Revelation 12:10).
Self-interested motivation. "so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours." (Matthew 25:25). Hiding is an expression of fear (see Genesis 3:10), and Scripture informs us that cowards have no place in the kingdom of God- in fact, cowards lead the list of those destined for eternal punishment (see Revelation 21:8).
Are you afraid to work with what God has entrusted to you? Are you blaming God for your own unwillingness to "work while it is day" (John 9:4)? If so, then seek God for forgiveness. He will change your attitude so that you can become a successful steward of His gifts and graces.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I Can Handle This.
As we continue reflections on this past Sunday's sermon, let's recall the three components of stewardship seen in the Matthew 25 passage.
Responsibility. God expects us to accomplish the tasks He assigns to us.
For (the kingdom of heaven) is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. -Matthew 25:14
Ability. The Lord has given us the capacity to perform the tasks He has assigned us.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. -Matthew 25:15
Accountability. Though the parable began with the owner leaving for a long journey, eventually a day came where the owner returned.
After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. -Matthew 25:19
Though these things were shared as part of our Stewardship Sunday for the capital campaign, Pastor Sam made it clear that God's expectations regarding our stewardship go beyond mere finances. God has created us to be successful stewards of our bodies, our families, our minds, and our spiritual graces.
I pray that when He calls us to account, we will be able to give Him a good report.
But why do people sometimes miss the mark in their stewardship efforts? Tomorrow we'll have a discussion on what makes a person fail in their stewardship.
Responsibility. God expects us to accomplish the tasks He assigns to us.
For (the kingdom of heaven) is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. -Matthew 25:14
Ability. The Lord has given us the capacity to perform the tasks He has assigned us.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. -Matthew 25:15
Accountability. Though the parable began with the owner leaving for a long journey, eventually a day came where the owner returned.
After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. -Matthew 25:19
Though these things were shared as part of our Stewardship Sunday for the capital campaign, Pastor Sam made it clear that God's expectations regarding our stewardship go beyond mere finances. God has created us to be successful stewards of our bodies, our families, our minds, and our spiritual graces.
I pray that when He calls us to account, we will be able to give Him a good report.
But why do people sometimes miss the mark in their stewardship efforts? Tomorrow we'll have a discussion on what makes a person fail in their stewardship.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
"Distributive" Property.
Today we continue our reflections on the parable of the talents.
The LORD owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (First Corinthians 6:19)
Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase here, that we must have a clear sense of what we own and what we are in charge of. And, the scriptural reality is that we don't own anything. God owns everything.
God has, however, given us the privilege of being stewards of the things He owns.
Matthew 25:14-30 presents a wonderful parable that warns of the consequences of being a poor manager of what God has placed in our custody. Implicit in God's entrusting of these things to us is that God knows we're able to care for what He's loaned us. In other words, He has equipped us to handle the job.
So why do we sometimes fail so miserably in caring for His property, whether it's our bodies, our jobs, or our relationships? Perhaps it is because we don't really understand what it means to be a steward of God's stuff.
Tomorrow we'll look at three components of stewardship: responsibility, ability, and accountability.
The LORD owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (First Corinthians 6:19)
Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase here, that we must have a clear sense of what we own and what we are in charge of. And, the scriptural reality is that we don't own anything. God owns everything.
God has, however, given us the privilege of being stewards of the things He owns.
Matthew 25:14-30 presents a wonderful parable that warns of the consequences of being a poor manager of what God has placed in our custody. Implicit in God's entrusting of these things to us is that God knows we're able to care for what He's loaned us. In other words, He has equipped us to handle the job.
So why do we sometimes fail so miserably in caring for His property, whether it's our bodies, our jobs, or our relationships? Perhaps it is because we don't really understand what it means to be a steward of God's stuff.
Tomorrow we'll look at three components of stewardship: responsibility, ability, and accountability.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sam/ I Am.
This past Sunday we spent some time reflecting on the importance of biblical stewardship.
Pastor Sam spoke as an oracle of God. He focused on four major points:
-Stewardship versus ownership
-Responsibility, Ability, and Accountability
-Failed Stewardship
-Faithful Stewardship
As we go through this week, we'll dissect each of these points.
For today, though, here's a few questions for contemplation:
Do you tithe out of an overwhelming love for God, or do you tithe out of fear?
How have you allocated the financial resources that God has given you?
If the LORD were to return today, would you be prepared to meet Him?
I encourage you to read (or re-read) Matthew 25 today in preparation for this week's blogs.
Blessings and peace to you all.
Pastor Sam spoke as an oracle of God. He focused on four major points:
-Stewardship versus ownership
-Responsibility, Ability, and Accountability
-Failed Stewardship
-Faithful Stewardship
As we go through this week, we'll dissect each of these points.
For today, though, here's a few questions for contemplation:
Do you tithe out of an overwhelming love for God, or do you tithe out of fear?
How have you allocated the financial resources that God has given you?
If the LORD were to return today, would you be prepared to meet Him?
I encourage you to read (or re-read) Matthew 25 today in preparation for this week's blogs.
Blessings and peace to you all.