Saturday, November 8, 2008

TOTALLY DEPENDENT

Psalm 55:22-Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you. (NIV)

While in Nigeria, we were privileged to meet the Governor of Plateau State, his Excellency Governor Jonah Jang. We arrived at his residence shortly after nine at night and were ushered into a sitting room where we waited for him to arrive. He is a retired 2 Star Air Force General who previously served twice as a military governor before retiring after very nearly 30 years of service to his country. When he served on active duty in the military, he knew ABOUT God, but he did not know God himself. It was only in retirement that he decided to follow Jesus and this changed his life in ways he could not have expected.


Once he entered retirement, Jonah Jang felt that God was calling him to serve his country further as a political leader. He spent much time in prayer asking God to confirm this call even as there were a number of other individuals working to recruit him to run for office. He was interested in the idea of running for political leadership, but was not going to run if it was not God's will. The Lord confirmed this calling to him in many different ways, and so he chose to run for the Governorship in Plateau State and won.

We were amazed that he would see us so late in the evening. Then when we met him, we were all impressed with his gentle and humble spirit. He approaches his office with a servant's attitude, refusing to allow others to call him "Excellency" as there is no Excellency other than God, to whom belongs all titles. We came to serve and to bless him, and he was concerned only for how he could serve us.

The central theme of all of our conversation with Governor Jang was that he was not able to do the work of his office on his own, but that he needed to give the work over to God, who would faithfully equip him for the work he'd been called to do. We all ended our meeting on the floor in prayer for the Governor and the Nation. It was a truly humbling experience for all of us.

How often do we cast our burdens on the Lord and trust for His sustainment? Are we not much more likely to attempt to attack a problem in our own strength when it would be so much easier and more efficient if we were to give it over to God? Why do we persist in doing it ourselves and stumbling, when all He wants is for us to recognize our need for Him and for His help?

I've always had this problem. My Mom called me her "I'd rather do it myself mother" child, as I was fiercely independent. While independence is something we prize as parents and adults, God prizes our recognition that we NEED to depend on Him for our sustainment. It is at that point that we are finally able to experience the fullness of the Christian life and gain the rest that is available to us in Him. What do you need to turn over to God today? Where are you missing the rest He promises and so desperately wants to give? What can you change to get where He wants you to be? Oh, that we could all be like Governor Jang - totally dependent on God!

Copyright 2008 Chris Govekar

LIBERTY

Be careful to see that you never bind a yoke on others that is not placed by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God's view. There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right . . . Jesus said, "Go and make disciples," not make converts to your opinions. Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest

Meditation
Galatians 4:17, 5:6--"Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them . . . For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

There is in my backyard a beautiful maple tree. Each fall its green leaves turn yellow, orange and red. Fall is my favorite season. God reopens His art gallery of magnificent colors for all to see. If only I could keep those maple leaves attached--suspended in their beauty to enjoy all year round. But I cannot. The drab barren arms of a tree bereft of its clothing oscillate over soggy ground. Brown leaves will compost and I am left to ponder the reality that my wishes might seem best but God's plan is far better.

Seasons change and I am reminded again how easy it is to grow fond of sun
and criticize rain, to canonize tradition and tear down what is unfamiliar, to holify religious views and nullify inspiration. Zeal is a fickle creature. For example, if we have grown up singing hymns to the stately organ do those who clap to contemporary praise songs disturb us? If the Bible we knew was always KJV can we accept CEV? If the mass was always at 11:00 on Sunday morning how dare believers meet Saturday night! If the priest preaches in jeans and the pastor quotes Confucius are we scandalized? Like the Jews from Jerusalem who insisted the Galatian Gentiles must be circumcised we find our own issues to cut into others or we experience the pain of someone else's passionate knife.

Christ did not die on the cross to make us crusaders for our private causes. He died to make us free! He gave grace to our faith not our legal aptitude! So why then after we meet Jesus do we lose the humility that comes in recognizing we need God to become proud and insist others need us? Why do we lose sight of the GreatCommission to enforce our latest conviction?

How many are not in fellowship with God because they were sacrificed on the altar of church politics? How many have not heard the gospel because God's people majored on eternally lame agendas? People are looking for love and by God's mercy we have the liberty to share that love. Too many people are burned out of fellowship because in truth what they experienced was followship. Liberty means unity not uniformity! Are we free?

LEGALISM

Matthew 12:9-12—Going on from that place, He went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Orthodox Jews understand that 39 kinds of work are forbidden on the Sabbath under prevailing Halakah. The Pharisees were experts in the law. Today we would consider them legalists. We recognize them as the black and white thinkers among our friends, co-workers and relatives. In fact we ourselves may be wired as such. Every society needs law-proponents. But if taken to the extreme, legalism may spawn five serious problems.

1. Legalism is burdensome and a joy-killer. When Jesus offered to give rest to those weary and burdened in Mat.11:28, part of the load the people were carrying was trying to live up to a multitude of laws. For example, M Hagigah 1:8 says, “the rules about the Sabbath . . . are as mountains hanging by a hair, for [teaching of] Scripture [thereon] is scanty and the rules many M Hagigah 1:8. I don’t know about you, but whenever I am around unbalanced legalists I find my joy sapped by the ever-flowing stream of attention to the nit nat and nit noid.

2. Legalism draws attention to its possessor. Jesus said of the religious leaders—“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi’ (Mat.23:5-7).

3. Legalism preserves the tree at the expense of the forest. It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive--Earl Warren. Those who focus on the letter of the law often miss the intent for which the law originated.

4. Legalism is often symptomatic of a deeper issue: jealousy, insecurity, fear, unbelief.

In my opinion, unbelief is the root cause of all legalism. How? It refuses to accept God’s covenant promises—that His Spirit will subdue our sins, empower us to obey, instill His fear in us, cause us to walk uprightly, give us a hatred for sin. When we depart from the truth of God’s covenant, no longer trusting and waiting on Him to do the work, we turn to legalism. We construct our own set of rigid rules devoid of the Spirit’s power—David Wilkerson

5. Legalism is often fraught with muddy thinking and double standards. After Jesus healed the man’s shriveled hand in the synagogue, the Pharisees went out and plotted killing Him. How could men passionate to preserve the Sabbath conspire to murder?! They were not infuriated by Jesus breaking Sabbath rules. They were angry because of His claims of authority (Mat.12:6,8). Jesus taught: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them . . . The greatest among you will be your servant (Mat. 23:2-4, 11).

Does this mean we have the freedom to chuck the law or think less of legalists? No! For Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them(Mat. 5:17). Isn’t the challenge we face, to uphold God’s laws while maintaining a careful understanding of the intent and application of them? If we are more consumed with keeping the law than in loving God and our fellowman we are in jeopardy of actually turning people away from God’s glorious kingdom! Something to think about . . . in reveration.

Inspiration

When I disassociate myself from God, I become a law to myself, and the first thing that happens is I don’t love my neighbor as myself—I am so sure I am right and everyone else is wrong.—Oswald Chambers in God’s Workmanship

LEAKAGE

Sometimes for relaxation, I will sit down and watch the fish in our aquarium. Their territorial battles, peculiar habits, and beautiful coloring make for interesting (albeit slow) entertainment. We purchased our 60-gallon tank in San Diego and had it for over 12 years. Then one morning I awoke to find the water level had dropped. Horror of horrors, the glass zoo had sprung a leak. Now it sits in our backyard and holds plants and the occasional frog we happen to catch.

Meditation

2 Chronicles 26:5—He (King Uzziah) sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

King Amaziah, a direct descendant of King David, was a good king who often did what was right in God’s eyes but not wholeheartedly (see 2 Ch. 25:2). Unfortunately he had a pride problem and turned away from God. This ultimately cost him his life. His son, Uzziah, was just 16 years old when the people of Judah made him their king. As the passage above teaches, Uzziah was successful so long as he sought the Lord. He defeated Judah’s enemies in battle and fortified Jerusalem. He employed many people to plant vineyards and gardens because he loved the soil. Life was good in the land of Judah. But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall” (2 Ch.26:16a). God struck him with leprosy and he died a horrible death. Because of his disease he was not even buried with his fathers.

It is not a complicated thing to follow God. So why is it that few follow the straight path without going crooked? Uzziah watched his dad turn from God and suffer the consequences. Yet, he too became victim to the same malady we know as pride. I suspect it happens to all of us if we are not extremely careful. We begin with good intentions eager to please God. Spiritual growth is profitable and exciting. It feels good to be good. Then we get a little lazy. We stop spending as much time studying our Bibles. We frequently forget to pray. Over time we assume more of the load of decision-making without consulting the Lord. Life goes on and we notice we are doing just fine. Cockiness subtly sets in as we grow increasingly confident in our own wisdom. Then bang we sin in a major way! We justify our errant behavior because God is no longer feared but rather the One Who caters to our whim and will.

The unattended glass just needed caulking. Are you seeking God? If you’re too busy for Him, you are already leaking. If His presence is taken for granted, then godly fear is evaporating fast. Humble yourself! Why suffer downfall when He offers uplift! May we seek Him wholeheartedly before we find our tanks are empty!

Inspiration

Spiritual leakage arises either by refusing to treat God seriously or by refusing to do anything for Him seriously.—Oswald Chambers in Approved Unto God

LEADERSHIP 2

Philemon 8-10—Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

Typically we view leadership as a trait comprised of courage, strong will and that rare ability to see what must be done and inspire people to action. Too often we see those who occupy positions of leadership harness power or vested authority to coerce others into acquiescence. But how often do we hear about leadership from the vantage of love?

Consider God, the ne plus ultra (the ultimate); the Leader of all leaders. In order to free us from the deadly effect of sin so that we could have a viable relationship with Him, He appealed to us on the basis of love. He sacrificed His Son instead of smoking Satan. He made Himself like us to reach us instead of throwing us away and starting all over.

Consider Jesus. If we knew we were spending our last night with our dedicated team before certain death, most of us would summon our most inspirational thoughts and issue directives we consider critical to mission accomplishment. Jesus washed His follower’s feet. He appealed to them on the basis of love.

Consider the Holy Spirit. He speaks with a still small voice when He could so easily split the atoms. He assumes control only if we will listen; interceding for us “with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26b) on the basis of love.

If I want my children to obey me I don’t raise my voice I raise my heart. If they are to embrace what is true and noble they must know what it means to be truly and nobly embraced. I learn this from my Father Who moves me to tears by His most excellent patience, kindness, and gentleness. So often I fall short of His will yet I find His authority sewn with mercy. He inspires me to do what is right from the basis of love.

St. Augustine wrote, “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” Do you wish to lead? Start with love. You hope for success in the lives of those you serve? Give them Jesus. The world’s concept of leadership is based on gain. Heaven’s concept of leadership is based on love. The former sees you for what you will do the latter for who you are. Something to think about . . . in reveration.

Inspiration

You do not lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership.—Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.—Marian Anderson

LEADERSHIP

James Kouzes and Barry Posner spent five years investigating the perceptions that followers had of leaders. In every survey they conducted, honesty was the most sought after leader characteristic. Similarly, a leader’s trust in others was the single most important behavior. In essence, the best leaders are trustworthy and lead by modeling trust in those who work for them. Competence, forward-looking, and inspirational were the other predominant qualities people look for in their leaders. But what I found most amazing in reading their article, “Leadership Is In The Eye Of The Follower,” was the following statements: “Successful leadership depends far more on the followers perception of the leader than on the leaders abilities. Followers, not the leader, determine when someone possesses the qualities of leadership. In other words, leadership is in the eye of the follower.”

Meditation

Matthew 4:19,20—“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him.”

What caused Andrew and Peter to leave their livelihood as fishermen to follow Jesus? They saw something in Him that was profoundly credible. Perhaps it was His teaching. Maybe they saw something unique in His disposition and manner. Whatever caught their eye and touched their heart remained forever with them. These men would not just follow Jesus, they would willingly and joyfully lay down their lives for Him.

When it comes to leaders, Jesus is the ne plus ultra (Latin: meaning the highest point of excellence). The law-obsessed religious leaders vainly tried to find fault in Him. He was perfectly honest. And, if ever there was a leader who held the right to do everything himself, it was God’s Son. Yet, He chose to trust His life and mission to imperfect followers. He trusted His disciples by giving them authority and then sending them away to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness (Mat. 10:1). Before He left for heaven, He formally commissioned His followers to go out into the world and make disciples (Mat. 28:19,20). In essence, God trusted His children to carry out His will.

Jesus’ ability to teach is unsurpassed. He teaches us how we are to live. He gives us a vision of a permanently restored relationship with God in heaven as a result of the grace He offers us—sin squelching grace! To say He is inspirational would be a huge understatement. Today, all around the globe, people’s lives are literally transformed as they place their faith in the Messiah. If leadership is in the eye of the follower, Jesus is unquestionably the greatest leader of all time. Something to think about . . . in reveration!

Inspiration

It is only when we rely on the Holy Spirit and obey His leadership that the authority of Jesus Christ is recognized. The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus only, consequently the interpretation of the Bible and of human life depends entirely on how we understand the character of Jesus Christ.—Oswald Chambers in If You Will Be Perfect

LAZINESS

Proverbs 6:9-11—How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a vagrant and scarcity like a beggar.

Reeenk, reeenk, reeenk! Reeenk, reeenk reeenk!” Oh the obnoxious alarm—that dreaded voice of shrill reason. Hank knows his moment has come to rise. His plan was to read in Proverbs and Acts this morning and to pray before jumping in his Honda Prelude and scooting off to work. But the heart cry of conviction is silenced by the rapid motion of the left hand. “I’ll just snooze a few more minutes then I’ll get up.”

Later, a bolt of thought shoots across his brain. “Oh no! Dang, I’m going to be late!” His feet flip off warm covers. With a rapid turning movement of an unbalanced body trying to wake up, he moves to the bathroom. The chain of events is now set in motion for this day. God had a great word for Hank about patience from Solomon he will miss. At the office, he will react with anger to a critical comment from a colleague. In frustration he will utter words that will cut, causing embarrassment--creating a need to repair a severed relationship.

Spiritually unfortified, Hank’s perspective toward work, people and himself is jaded. When Jill calls to ask if he remembered to pray for her doctor’s appointment, he says “yes” when in fact he forgot in his haste to get to work. As he hangs up, he throws up a quick prayer, “Lord help Jill, You know what she needs.” Then he rationalizes his untruth—he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. The shoulders sag.

Lunch was supposed to be with his accountability partner Phil. But yesterday, he got into an hour-long sports debate with Jerry when he should have worked on his assigned project. Today, behind a pressing deadline, he calls to cancel with Phil. Little does he know that Phil is discouraged—wondering if he is unfit to help because not much seems to be working with Hank. At the end of the day, Hank will look back bemoaning his mistakes while he stays up past midnight glued to the new computer racing game he bought.

Laziness was never built on beams of bad intentions. But every piece of indolence is warped and results in a finished product devoid of the sheen and substance God intended. The sad line of sloth is always, “I deserve this break.” And break is what indeed happens. For lack of discipline feeds an unmotivated spirit. Are you in the clutches of a hot summer line that makes languishing seem exalted? If so, resolve to get up. Don’t let your love for God be usurped by idleness.

Inspiration

God won’t cure laziness—we have to cure it.—Oswald Chambers in Disciples Indeed

LAW

A crumpled gray Saturn blocks the intersection while scores of drivers stuck by the accident sputter at the infuriating delay. Firemen extract the old woman from her car smashed by a young man in a big hurry. She saw a green light and preceded east on Canon Street. He was headed south on Anarchic Avenue. Irritated and in a hurry he ignored the red and sped through the intersection broad siding the hapless woman.

Why is it that so many people disdain laws and take unbelievable steps to circumvent them? Why did the Lawgiver also build within us the freedom to obey or disobey Him? It is interesting to note in Psalm 119, the observations of a writer whose soul was consumed with continuous longing and love for God’s laws. (20,97). Can you remember anyone ever walking up to you and saying, “I just love God’s laws!”? In truth, what we love says a lot about our character. As the Psalmist prayed, may we pray, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” (119:18)

Selfishness is a formidable enemy of the law. The Psalmist wrote, “Turn my heart toward your statues and not toward selfish gain.” (119:36) Our desire to please our flesh results in our undoing. Because selfishness is often subtle and insidious a good prayer is, “Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law and obey it with all my heart.” (119:34) We also need to avoid making excuses. Satan whispers, “You’re already flawed and it’s impossible to be holy so just do the best you can and don’t worry about breaking a few laws.” Oswald Chambers aptly notes, “Because a thing is impossible in a man’s present moral imperfection it does not mean he is exonerated from it. God’s law has nothing to do with possibility or impossibility.” When we set our desires first we find the end result of our experiments to be chaos, pain and disrepute. When we put His kingdom and will first we die to self and profoundly experience the liberty contained in obedience.

The Benefits of God’s Laws

· They provide us counsel and delightYour statues are my delight; they are my counselors.” (119:24,35)

· They provide us comfort—“I remember Your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them.” (119:52)

· They give us peace and keep us from moral failureGreat peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” (119:165)

· They preserve our lives—“I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life.” (119:93)

· They make us wise and understanding—“I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” (119:104)

· Keeping them brings God’s approval!—“You reject all who stray from Your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain.” (119:118)

Inspiration

“God’s laws are not watered down to suit anyone; if God did that He would cease to be God. The moral law never alters for the noblest or the weakest; it remains abidingly and eternally the same.”—Oswald Chambers in Biblical Ethics

“If God exists, everything is possible; if there is no God, everything is permitted.”—Dostoyevsky

LAUGHTER

Laughter+

Pity the stuffy religious leader who wears frowns as a badge of maturity and looks down upon those who laugh as frivolous contenders for God’s eventual wrath. He has missed the divine engineering of our marvelous Creator, misused the ministry of role-modeling and will most likely die the premature death of one repressed instead of blessed. The human capacity to laugh is a God-given gift and for good reason.

Laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones . . . It provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones and the fight-or-flight compounds that swing into action in our bodies when we experience stress, anger or hostility. These stress hormones suppress the immune system, increase the number of blood platelets (which can cause obstructions in arteries) and raise blood pressure. When we're laughing, natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses increase, as do Gamma-interferon (a disease-fighting protein), T-cells, which are a major part of the immune response, and B-cells, which make disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also increases the concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A, which defends against infectious organisms entering through the respiratory tract . . . researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Laughing can be a total body workout! Blood pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in vascular blood flow and in oxygenation of the blood, which further assists healing. Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a workout. That's why you often feel exhausted after a long bout of laughter—you've just had an aerobic workout! [1]

MeditationPsalm 126:1,2—When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men restored to health.* Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

A Multnomah Seminary professor was asked to officiate a baptismal ceremony in a small church. A large tub served as the immersion tank. Behind it was a white curtain hung to provide privacy for changing clothes. The elderly professor baptized a businessman and proceeded on to a large woman. Unfortunately as she went under the water he realized to his dismay that he was not strong enough to lift her up. The woman panicked and furiously began grasping for anything that would get her above the water. Her hands found the white curtain which in one desperate tear came down exposing the businessman naked before the incredulous congregation. The totally embarrassed man, seeing no place to hide, jumped in the tub with the woman. By now, the professor realizing something had to be done, asked the worship leader to lead the congregation in a final number. Can you guess what the last song was? Just As I Am!

Did the angels laugh at what can only be described as comical? Does God chuckle at the unintended mishaps of His children and join with us when we find humor in life? I imagine He does for laughter is the contagious remedy He created in us for our merriment and His glory.

InspirationLaughter and weeping are the two intensest forms of human emotion, and these profound wells of human emotion are to be consecrated to God.—Oswald Chambers in Not Knowing Where

LANGUAGE (SAW)

Here’s a great word for you—logorrhea. It literally means excessive use of words which is comically close in sound to a word which communicates an excess of another problem!

Meditation

Proverbs 12:18—Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Language represents power. The better we are able to communicate, the more effective we will be in accomplishing our goals, edifying others, and minimizing confusion and misunderstanding. The American Heritage Dictionary gives us helpful insight into types of speech we often use.

These nouns refer to concise verbal expressions setting forth wisdom or a truth. A saying is an often repeated and familiar expression: She was fond of quoting the sayings of philosophers. Maxim denotes particularly an expression of a general truth or a rule of conduct: “For a wise man, he seemed to me . . . to be governed too much by general maxims” (Edmund Burke). Adage applies to a saying that has gained credit through long use: On his birthday the child gave no credence to the adage, “Good things come in small packages.” Saw often refers to a familiar saying that has become trite through frequent repetition: My wise saws gave little comfort to the losing team. A motto is a maxim that expresses the aims, character, or guiding principles of a person, a group, or an institution: “Exuberance over taste” was her motto. An epigram is a terse, witty expression, often paradoxical or satirical and neatly or brilliantly phrased: In his epigram Samuel Johnson called remarriage a “triumph of hope over experience.” Proverb refers to an old and popular saying that illustrates something such as a basic truth or a practical precept: “Slow and steady wins the race” is a proverb to live by. Aphorism, a concise expression of a truth or principle, implies depth of content and stylistic distinction: Few writers have coined more aphorisms than Benjamin Franklin.

Have you ever said “hang in there” to a person you know who is going through a tough period in life or, “Cheer up, things will get better!”? Unfortunately, these expressions are saws. Saws can be symptomatic of laziness on the part of the speaker, insensitivity, confusion over what to really say, or, embarrassment because of the awkwardness of what the other person is enduring. We don’t want to be trite! What we say and how we say things does matter.

When I see someone in need my goal is to be an agent of healing. I must decide if it is best to remain silent or to share. The next time you see someone who could use encouragement, avoid verbalizing a cheap platitude. Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right (Proverbs 8:6). Our language matters!

Inspiration

If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit in once. Then come back and hit again.—Winston Churchill

It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.—Sophocles

Oratory: the art of making deep noises from the chest that sound like important messages from the brain.—H. I. Phillips

It is an insult today to tell some men and women to cheer up. One of the most shallow petty things that can be said is that “every cloud has a silver lining.” There are some clouds that are black all through.—Oswald Chambers in The Shadow of an Agony

A bird that you set free may be caught again, but a word that escapes your lips will not return.—Jewish Proverb

LAND

Leviticus 25:4—But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.

Flying over Oregon recently, I was moved by the vast beauty beneath our jet. Crater Lake, the second deepest lake in the nation, (according to our Alaska Airlines pilot), is incredible! Snow-adorned mountains, the vast array of timber and winding rivers each directed my thoughts toward a Creator Who has a phenomenal artistic touch.

Does it seem like conservationists often come under great scorn? The fear that our land is dangerously abused seems somehow absurd to many because of its sheer enormity. Tree-huggers and land-lovers take their share of knocks. Yet, we as Christians ought to be concerned about the land. It’s an issue of stewardship. To be sure there are those who worship the earth and call her mother. This passion, be it old or new age, is nothing short of idolatry in the Father’s sight. But the excesses of some in search of a savior do not legitimize the neglect of others who see earth as a temporary blimp surpassed by a heavenly home.

Do we think the same God Who gave Adam instructions to tend Eden; Who taught the Israelites to care for their land and give it rest from constant growing; drafted cosmic legislation relieving us of responsibility to nourish our surroundings so we could focus solely on propagating the gospel message? In fact, the land is a testifying voice to the reality of God! For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Romans 1:20).

Damaged land hardly glorifies God! How can the fields be jubilant, and everything in them and how can the trees of the forest sing for joy (Psalm 96:12), if they are polluted and trashed? What kind of spiritual example are we if we litter the land in apathy?

Today the sky was full of smog. Yet despite the toll of sin on earth my heart still joins the song crickets and frogs, bluebirds and sparrows raise in chorus. This land is your land. This land is my land. May we wisely treat it with honor so that those still searching see our good deeds and are led to our Savior-Designer.

Inspiration

In God’s sight, the land has rights just as human beings have, and many of the theories that are being advanced today go back to God’s original prescription for the land. When God ordained “a sabbath of solemn rest for the land,” it was a reiteration of the instructions given to Adam in the Garden of Eden.—Oswald Chambers in Biblical Ethics

LAGOM

Silas took me to lunch at a Swedish restaurant in Gothenburg called Lagom. Lagom has no single English word that matches its meaning. Essentially, it translates “enough, sufficient, not too much or too little—just right”.

Meditation

2 Samuel 22:31-33—As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

God’s grace is lagom. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9:

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

In Jesus we have the grace to be “just right”. But to understand this we must have eyes that see beyond our circumstances.

I recently learned that a good friend, Dave, dropped dead of a heart attack. Two weeks prior to dying he had a physical and was pronounced fit. While out jogging, his heart failed. Dave left behind a wife and four children. Another friend unexpectedly lost his job. A woman we know was diagnosed with cancer. How is grace lagom when a wife is widowed with a family to raise by herself? How is God lagom for children now without a father? What about those times when life feels more like a landslide than a sturdy bridge?

King David sang the verses in the meditation above despite the fact that he had already lost three sons, was betrayed by those closest to him, and constantly endured criticism and the attack of enemies. Somehow he recognized that God gave him strength and made his way lagom.

There is much about life and circumstances we cannot understand. Yet, I know with certainty that no matter how desperate my situation may be, if I trust in the Lord, He gives me the strength to proceed. He makes my way lagom. If we think that just right means everything is smooth and to our liking we’re mistaken. It does not mean we will avoid suffering or repeatedly win. It means that God’s will is always right. Because of Who He is and what He promises us, we can ride the worst storms and know that under His wings we are lagom. Something to think about . . . in reveration.

Inspiration

Beware of mental quibbling over the word perfect. Perfection does not mean the full maturity and consummation of one’s powers, but perfect fitness for doing the will of God (compare Philippians 3:12-15).—Oswald Chambers in If You Will Be Perfect


LABOR DAY

Labor Day is a holiday celebrated in America the first Monday in September. It is unclear who first conceived of this day but for over 100 years it has served as a tribute and dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Regardless of what country we live in, work is an important facet of our everyday lives.

As I reflect on work in Scripture, here are some thoughts to consider:

I. Our work comes from God.

1. He is the work originator—Gen.2:2—By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.

2. He has a universal work plan—John 4:34—Jesus told them, “My food is doing the will of the One Who sent Me and completing His work.” Jesus worked the plan God had for Him. We ought to do the same.

3. We need to understand what He would have us do—Ephesians 5:13,17b—Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise . . . understand what the Lord’s will is. Our work should fit God’s plan. Our plan should fit God’s work. Four principles will help us in determining and following God’s will:

· Worship leads to direction—Acts 13:2. The key to finding His will is found in worshiping Him. Plenty of people are happy to tell you what they think you should or should not do. Never settle for opinions that come minus prayerful seeking and humble worship. When God sets you apart or calls you to a work, whether it be sweeping floors or leading a corporation, don’t second guess Him, and don’t sell Him short, get after it. God can take what we think is mundane and make it marvelous.

· Empowerment comes through Christ—Philippians 4:13

· Beware of substituting activity for abiding. Watchman Nee once wrote, “To have God do his own work through us, even once, is better than a lifetime of human striving.” Someone once said, “Activity itself proves nothing: the ant is praised, the mosquito swatted.” Andrew Murray noted, “Do not confound work and fruit. There may be a good deal of work for Christ that is not the fruit of the heavenly Vine.”

· Our will is subordinate to God’s will. Many people are spiritually unproductive because they refuse what God would have them do to pursue what they would rather do.

II. Our work should be God-pleasing.

1. It should be honorable—Tit.3:1—Remind believers to submit themselves to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do any honorable kind of work.

2. We should be wholeheartedCol. 3:23,24Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people. You know that it is from the Lord that you will receive the inheritance as a reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you are serving!

“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.”—Unknown

3. He will test what we have done—1 Co. 3:13-15—The workmanship of each person will become evident, because the day will show what it is. For it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what a person has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If his work is burned up, he will suffer loss. However, he himself will be saved, but it will be like going through fire.

May I ask you a question? Are you writing in the sand? Will you work be washed away by the tide because it is from the flesh? Or are you writing on the Rock? Will your work be a testimony to the One Who loves you and called you according to His purpose? Something to think about . . . in reveration!

LABELS

Charles and I were having a great discussion when I asked him what would happen if a truck came around the bend at a high speed and accidentally struck and killed him? What would he say to God when the Lord asked him why He should let him into heaven? Charles said, “Well the operative answer would be that I believe in Jesus Christ and am sorry for my sins.”

Indeed, when most people give me that answer I assume they are Christians. In Charles case, he had lived a dangerous lifestyle as a gang member in Los Angeles. At a point when he was despairing of life, he heard loud music in a church and went inside. There he heard the gospel message and at the age of 22 prayed to receive Christ. Most people would label Charles a Christian as a result of that action.

But hold the bus. Now seventeen years later, Charles is still struggling to make sense of life. When I asked him about Jesus, he had no idea that God’s Son was sinless. Nor did he understand why He came to earth or what role He played in providing salvation. Charles knew the name Jesus but had no intimate relationship or understanding of the good Shepherd. The extent of his spiritual knowledge was basically a one-time event. He heard of the Shepherd, called his name and then left to continue wandering in other fields with other herds. So it was a great joy to fill him in on Who Jesus really is, why He matters and what He wants to do in Charles life. Charles left Main Street with a challenge to start following the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meditation

John 10:4,14—When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice . . . “I am the good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.”

The danger with labels is that we make an assumption about people that may be wholly absent of fact. Just because a person has prayed to receive Christ does not mean that person knows Christ. Perhaps one of the deepest flaws in Christianity is we have multitudes of people wandering the planet who classify themselves as Christians but who have no spiritual education, training, or understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Labels invite laziness. They spur prejudice and affix meaning that in fact may constitute identity theft.

Charles and I had a splendid time talking about the church and why it is important to be in fellowship with those who KNOW Jesus, whose belief is founded in daily living with the One Whose unfailing love changes our lives, gives us hope and meaning in our journey on the road home. Charles heard about the importance of daily immersion in the Bible and what it means to pray. Hallelujah! God in His faithfulness brought to us a lost man to reveal the true nature and purpose of His Son. So, the next time I hear someone say he or she is a Christian, I may just ask, “Oh really, and what exactly does that mean!” Something to think about . . . in reveration!

Inspiration

Human nature is fond of labels, but a label may be the counterfeit of confession.—Oswald Chambers in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount

KOI

My youngest son Stephen, and I, went with some friends to a Koi/Goldfish show. It was the first time we’d ever attended anything like this. We were quite amazed. Koi come in a wide assortment of colors and shapes much like the dress of their human fans. It was obvious standing around the varied pools, that most of these people knew a great deal about carp. Here some facts I learned and lessons that jumped to mind:

1. If you buy Koi for their pattern and color design and the fish are less than three years old, don’t expect them to look the same as they grow older. Only when the fish reach their maturation point will their pattern and coloration become fixed.

Lesson: We need to be careful we don’t assume too much about children because of what we see when they are young. With growth will come change—not always what we expect--for good or for bad.

2. Koi may jump out of their ponds. I heard more than one fish story of a renegade carp found stiff as a board by its grief-stricken owner.

Lesson: God can give some people all they need to enjoy life and they will still do something stupid only to suffer dire consequences.

3. Koi can live as long as sixty years! People actually will their fish to younger family members or friends. How’d you like to go from cradle to grave with a fish pal?

Lesson: God loves us so much He’s promised to keep us for eternity!

4. The physical size Koi attain depends largely upon the size of their pond or tank.

Lesson: Our spiritual growth is dependent upon how willing we are to let God stretch our boundaries. I hear folks ask why they aren’t growing much. Often it is because they are unwilling to leave their safe confines and be challenged in their faith.

5. Vigilant care must be given to maintaining their water environment! A slight change of PH (acidic vs. alkaline) can cause these lovely fish to go belly up.

Lesson: A slight change in PH (Perfecting Holiness) will cost our health. If we sin or tolerate sin around us we will get spiritually sick.

6. People travel all over the U.S. to Koi shows to buy or admire these fish! One English woman flew in from Great Britain, at personal expense, to serve as a judge.

Lesson: If humans will go to such extraordinary lengths to enjoy and care for carp, imagine, what our loving Heavenly Father will do for us!

Meditation

2 Peter 1:3—His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Inspiration

God loves us the way we are, but he loves us too much to leave us that way.—Leighton Ford in Leadership, Vol. 4, no. 1.

KNOWING GOD 2 -- KAKA AND APOTHEO

Once upon a time two young boys Apotheo and Popinjay lived in a small village near the foot of giant mountain. One day while the ten-year olds fished by a blue stream, a large carriage came down the road and stopped near them. A man climbed out and walked down to them.

“Have you any caught anything,” he asked.

“No,” Popinjay answered.

“Would you like to fish?” Apotheo asked him.

“Why certainly!” So the small boy offered him his pole.

After catching two fish larger than either of the boys had ever seen, the man thanked them and said he must go on his way. He told them that he was a great and powerful king and that he was searching for subjects in his kingdom who would love and faithfully serve him. The boys, sensing a rare opportunity, said they would do so. Delighted by their spirit he walked to his carriage reached inside and pulled out a cage covered by a beautiful purple tapestry. He pulled off the cover to reveal a bright-eyed kaka.

The king said, “Boys, I leave you my special friend. She will teach you about me and how to get the most out of life if you faithfully love her. At the end of three years, you must release her. She will fly until she finds me and tell me if you are indeed worthy followers. If you are, you will be richly rewarded. Then as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone.

The boys excitedly ran to the village and told their parents about the king and showed them the parrot and the two large fish. But then the question arose as to who would keep the bird. Apotheo kindly deferred to his friend so Popinjay took the cage and its winged occupant home.

A month later, Popinjay and Apotheo met to fish. Popinjay said, “Apotheo, I want you to take that stupid bird. All she does is sit and look at me. I can’t even get a squawk out of her. I’ve told her she’s lucky to live in my room, and I’ve warned her that if she won’t help me I’ll take her out of her cage so she can meet my cat. Still she only stares. I’m busy. I don’t have time to waste with a dumb bird. I don’t think that man knew what he was talking about; I bet he wasn’t a king.”

Apotheo gladly took the kaka to his home. With the help of his father, he made a beautiful oak stand for the cage. Every day at the break of dawn he went out and found worms to feed the bird. Then he sat and sang her his favorite songs. He took her outside for walks and carefully cared for her. By the end of six months, she practically lived on his shoulder. Most of the villagers laughed at him for wasting his time with a mute parrot. He didn’t care. He remembered the stranger’s words and loved the kaka.

One morning as he prepared to go outside to find her breakfast, a melodious voice said, “Thank you for your kindness to me Apotheo.” The stunned boy turned and looked at her. “Thank you for your kindness to me Apotheo.” A tear plunged from his eyes. “O Kaka, you really can speak!”

“Of course I can speak and with you I gladly do so.”

From that day on, whenever Apotheo and those who respected her were around, she taught them about life and her Master. For everyone else she remained silent. By the end of three years, she was Apotheo’s best, beloved friend. Still, he remembered the stranger’s command that his parrot should be released. So, with a saddened heart, he let her go. She thanked him again for his kindness and flew away from a young man sure he would never see her again.

Three lonely days passed before Apotheo and Popinjay again decided to go fishing. While Apotheo reminisced with his unbelieving friend about the incredible kaka, a carriage pulled alongside. The king stepped out. Instantly, Apotheo fell to the ground in great respect! His friend, feeling a strange terror, froze—unable to recognize the kaka’s master. The king walked by him to Apotheo, placed a robe around his shoulders, and invited him into his carriage. Down the road they traveled leaving a bewildered Popinjay to wonder.

Meditation

2 Peter 1:3,4—As we know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive His own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, He has given us all of His rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in His divine nature. (NLT)

KNOWING GOD

Jeremiah 9:23,24—This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, Who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

There is a strong tendency in Christianity to measure our understanding of God and our relationship with Him by our circumstances. God encourages us not to be proud over our brains, our muscles, or our bucks. His advice implies that if we are to be proud it should be in knowing Him. It is easy isn’t it to be content with God when we are in control for we feel secure about tomorrow! Yet when the hurricane unexpectedly turns and twists our serene plans to chaos then what do we think of God?

Whether life is good or tough, pleasant or demanding, fair or unkind, just or unjust, predictable or chaotic am I pointed true north? Do I seek to understand God—not what He will do, not what others say about Him, not what I suspect is true but rather a running to His presence to be with Him. My seven-year old springs from bed, runs down the stairs and prepares to pounce on my turned-back. He wants to be with his dad. He wants to know me and I relish his attention.

Oh God help me to run to You. If I am to have wisdom let it be to find You and listen to what You have to say. If I am to have might may it be the power to blow through any obstacles that might come between us. If I am to have wealth, let it be the riches of dining in Your presence—forever. Knowing is one thing, knowing God is everything!

Inspiration

God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is.—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest