I was having a conversation with someone at a Shed Night recently regarding the vision for the Men’s Shed.  He responded by talking about the time he was involved in ministry and how the most difficult challenge was to come up with something different each time and the amount of time and effort went into setting up and pulling down for each event.  It reminded me of an interview with John Ortberg I once heard on the subject of leadership.  He was asked the question, “How does a leader lead well?”  He responded by referring to a book written by Dallas Willard called Living in the Vision of God.  This is what he said:

“Any great movement of God begins with a vision, only it’s not a vision like anybody talks about these days in leadership circles.  It’s a different thing.  It’s not a vision of what a person or church or movement is going to do.  It’s a vision of how good God is and how fortunate I am to be His child and His friend on earth.  It’s a vision of that which already exists.  It’s a vision of the goodness and reality of God and then out of the energy and goodness of that vision grows a desire to do something good for God.  And then what happens is over time as that thing grows (it could be church, denomination , movement or whatever) people’s focus starts to be on the thing that is growing rather than on the reality of God and the result is that the mission replaces the vision.  Once that happens, then it’s just a matter of time before everything falls apart, because then the question becomes, ‘How do we make the thing bigger?’, ‘How do we make it look better?’  or ‘How do we at least keep it propped up?’  Then the preoccupation becomes numbers, goals, programs.  And then people have to live with stress, exhaustion and competition.  And then they burn out and it all falls apart.”

When I heard this, I thought that it was great advice for anybody contemplating serving God and staying on course.

–John Ortberg, Growing Deeper Series:  How Does a Leader Lead Well?

On the subject of Satan

Satan will use any approach to keep us from experiencing the full measure of God’s riches.  Any error, no matter how small or great will do.  He works through the current world philosophies, through Bible verses taken out of context, through charismatic personalities who “sound” so right and sincere.  No method is overlooked in Satan’s attempt to mislead the chosen of God.

Satan says:  Seek success at any price.

God says:  “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Satan says:  Seek riches at any cost.

God says:  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth . . . But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:19, 20)

Satan says:  Be popular; push ahead.

God says:  “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .  (Matthew 16:24)

Satan says:  If you don’t look after yourself, no one else will.  God helps those who help themselves.

God says:  “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself.”  (Philippians 2:3, 4)

Satan says:  I can’t be happy unless I’m married.

God says:  “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”  (Philippians 4:11)

Satan says:  Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.

God says:  “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4:4)

Satan says:  If it feels good, do it.

God says:  “Not my will, but Thine be done.”  (Luke 22:42)

Satan says:  Everything is relative.

God says:  “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

We could go on, but the point is clear.  We must have a plumbline of Scripture against which we can examine the philosophies, premises, and suggestions that we run into every day.  A carpenter can’t build a house without a plumbline.  If he tries to eyeball it and build it according to what looks good in his own eyes, he will wind up with a crooked house.  He must have a standard that is inviolate.  Regardless of what he feels or how it looks as he’s going along, if he sticks to that plumbline, he will wind up with a straight house.

So it is with life.  We must look at the Word of God as the plumbline by which everything is measured.

–Bob George, Classic Christianity

                               

 

JESUS FREAKS

William never let anyone forget that their main purpose was to reach people with the Gospel.  All other activities of the Army were focused on this.  William and Catherine knew that real help and permanent change only came when the Spirit of God would touch these people’s lives.

–William & Catherine Booth, Salvation Army

It was not long after this that he began distributing passages and chapters of the Bible that he translated into French to any who asked.  So loved was the Word of God among the uneducated, that country people were able to recite entire books of the Bible by heart.  Others even knew the entire New Testament.

–Peter Waldo, Lyons France

Tear me to pieces and rip my soul from my body, but you will never force that detestable word of denial from my mouth.

–Michael Nakashima, Japan - tortured and had boiling water poured on his head and body until he died

Quotes from Jesus Freaks

What is it about these people that is so inspiring?  It’s their obedience to seek first the kingdom of God.  We can see that they were set free from living for trivia.  We can see that the kingdom of God was in their hearts.  They had the right stuff.

An Easter Reflection

See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be lifted up, and shall be very high.  Isaiah 52:13 NRSV

Good Friday:  The Transformative Love of Jesus

What a holy day this is, Good Friday.  But taken on its own, the events of this day feel anything but good.

Jesus, who rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey only five days ago is headed towards the Cross today.  He gave up His life for His friends, most of whom stood aside and silently watched Him go to His death.  The love that Jesus showed inspires me and spurs me to focus on the parts of my life where I live unaffected by God’s love.

On this day, in many churches around the world, coverings are placed over the images of Jesus, including the Crucifix or crosses and any painting of Him.  This is a solemn act that’s intended to direct us towards mourning.   Similarly, there is tradition in many churches to bury the alleluias we sing and say.  Alleluia comes from the Hebrew and means “Praise the Lord.”  Today, think of not saying it as a sort of verbal fast.  When we hear, say and sing it again, two days from now, we will appreciate and mean it all the more.

I have never experienced Christ’s love like a thunderbolt, but I’ve seen and been through a slow process of transfiguration at various times in my life–times when I have been affected by God’s love.  Transformations can come when we live a life with God.  With Him, we “shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.”

–John Sweeney,  Daily Guideposts

Doug Coupland, who wrote Generation X and popularised the term Gen X, also wrote the book called Life After God. . . .  Let me quote from the dustcover of Life After God:

As suburban children we floated at night in swimming pools the temperature of blood, pools the color of earth as seen from outer space.  You are the first generation raised without religion.  What happens if we are raised without religion or belief?  As we grow older the beauty and enchantment of the world tempers our souls.  We are living creatures with strong religious impulses, yet where do these impulses flow in a world of malls, TV, Kraft dinners and jets.  How do we cope with loneliness?  How do we deal with anxiety, the clash of relationships?  How do we reach the quiet, safe layer of our lives?

Coupland tells many such stories in the Book, but on the next to last page he writes this conclusion:

Now–here is my secret:  I tell it to you with openness of heart that I doubt I shall ever achieve again, so I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words.  My secret is that I need God– that I am sick and can no longer make it alone.  I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.

–Patrick Morley, A Man’s Guide to Spiritual Disciplines

To all who read these words, I have a secret also.  Thirty-five years ago I sat in a quiet room and struggled to say yes to a man’s invitation to ask Jesus into my life.  Not because I didn’t want to, I just struggled to find the confidence to be sure that I could make this relationship work, though I did not articulate it in my heart the same way at the time.

I harboured a deep, deep secret like Doug Coupland.  My secret was that I needed God, that I was sick and could no longer make it on my own.  I needed Him to help me give, because I no longer seemed able to give.  I needed God to help me be kind as I no longer seemed capable of kindness, to help me love as I seemed beyond being able to love unconditionally.  In that moment back in 1978 in a quiet room I said yes.

Just after I became a Christian, a good friend said to me, “Now that you have been introduced to Jesus, get to know Him by praying to Him and reading His Word.”  I never forgot that advice, yet I find that in today’s world, many Christian men have given up on reading the Bible.  Why is Bible study so important?

Patrick Morley in his book titled, A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines, says on this subject that we should remember that Scripture has a purpose.  The gospel of John was written by one of Jesus’ disciples–a close friend who knew our Lord personally.  Toward the end of his book, the apostle John explained why his account was selective:  “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  (John 20:30-31)  Patrick states that in 1994 a study revealed that 73% of Americans believed all the miracles in the Bible took place exactly as stated.  But looking at the culture, belief hasn’t changed how people think or behave.  John said he recorded those miracles for a purpose.  He intended for his readers to understand and accept that Jesus is the Messiah–the Saviour–and know that He is God’s Son.  Patrick Morley concludes by asking why that is important.  He says it’s important because belief gives birth to life.  Theologians say that Scriptures are given for our justification and sanctification.  That basically means the Bible exists to bring us to faith (justification or salvation) and to help us become more and more like Christ as we grow in our faith (sanctification, or holiness).

I agree.  I am kidding myself if I believe that I can grow to be more like Jesus and not study the Bible on a regular basis.  The following passage carries a promise for any man who makes regular contact with God’s Word.  “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.”  Psalm 1:1-3

If you have not been reading your Bible, why not plug into a Bible study group today?  I hear that there is a good one starting up for men.  Just contact Gateway Baptist Men’s Network for details.

“For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (RSV)

 

The Spirit of the Season.

It is in the old Christian carols, hymns, and traditions–those which date from the Middles Ages–that we find not only what makes Christmas poetic and soothing and stately, but first and foremost what makes Christmas exciting.  The exciting quality of Christmas rests on an ancient and admitted paradox.  It rests upon the paradox that the power and the centre of the whole universe may be found in some seemingly small matter, that the stars in their courses may move like a moving wheel around the neglected outhouse of an inn.

–G.K. Chesterton

 

I wish all my readers a very merry Christmas and a Christ-centred New Year.  A verse for you this Christmas is Micah 6:8, “He has told you men what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you:  Only to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”