Luke 22:3 (NIV) 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.
I do not believe that every evil can be blamed on Satan. I believe that some evil is committed by us from our greed, lust, selfishness, etc. Many times Satan has nothing to do with it. It is our fallen flesh which has sinned.
Yet, that does not explain all evil. There are times when Satan himself is the author of the evil. There are times when he inhabits a person to personally bring evil into the world.
I have seen this happen in a few people. There eyes appear haunted. Their demeanor is non-human. There is no compassion for their hearts become rock hard. They can do any evil imaginable. They will say evil things about others in order to steal, kill and destroy. There is no reasoning with them for they have the heart and mind of Satan himself.
Thus, we will hear about those who murder without prejudice as very normal at other times in their lives. They will lie without regard to whom is hurt even though they normally tell the truth. They will be violent when they are normally passive.
How can you explain Judas remorse later?
Matthew 27:3-4 (NIV) 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
Judas realized what he had done. I have wondered if Satan departed after doing what he wanted with Judas. Like so many people who have taken a gun and murdered people at their schools or workplaces, Judas commits suicide. He can't live with what he has done. This is a common scene when people do such evil that it carries such grave consequences.
Judas was filled with remorse and confessed his action as sin. He did not seek forgiveness. He thought he could work off the sin he had accumulated. He gave back the thirty pieces of silver but realized that it wasn't enough to pay for the sin. He confessed it before the priests but that also wasn't enough to eliminate what he had done. The pain of what he had done was too great. He wanted to end it.
So, Satan truly claimed him in his suicide.
The clever Satan managed to kill two of God's beloved creations. He took the lives of both Jesus and Judas in a single act.
Satan continues to use his own tools of destruction when seeking to steal, kill and destroy. He has tempted mankind to fall from the glory of God. He continues to use that corrupt nature to work in the lives of people. But he inhabits some who have entertained his nature. He uses accusations, false testimonies, hatred and murder to harden the hearts of those whom he will enter into.
Many of the people I have counseled have had their own hearts broken by their own sinfulness. They repent rather than try to repay. They confess rather than simply admit their sins. They fall on their knees before Christ rather than running from Him in suicide.
I know that many people don't believe in Satan. They will claim that certain acts of evil can be explained with abnormal psychology. I will admit that this evil is certainly abnormal but I also find that this measure of evil requires "outside help."
All hell breaks loose when Satan enters in.
I believe that some who will read this blog could be entertaining Satan. I think it is interesting that they think of him as beneficial to the things they want in their lives. He gives them a sense of power over others. But the truth is that he is using them. Judas was stolen away from walking with the Lord. His faith was killed. Then, Judas was destroyed.
Satan enters in when he can.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Beauty of Good Friday
I just read the story of Judas hanging himself after Jesus has been sent to Pilate for execution. I wonder exactly what went on in his mind. What did he think would happen when he turned Jesus over to the religious leaders who had made it known that they wanted to execute Jesus? Surely, he knew their hearts.
Did he think that Jesus would be proven innocent once all evidence was presented. Maybe he didn't count on Jesus' compliance with the religious leaders in their accusations. Maybe he expected Jesus to stand up for himself when he had evidence which would support His case and to be silent when He had evidence otherwise. Maybe he thought that the other disciples would speak up for Jesus.
Of course, none of that happened. These religious leaders would not have allowed it to happen anyway. They had already made their minds up. They were going to execute Jesus. They just had to figure out how to justify their action.
So, Judas brings his thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders. He has betrayed innocent blood. He wants to buy back his innocence. But thirty pieces of silver will never buy back innocence.
With nothing left to restore his soul, Judas is in such despair that he can no longer live with himself. He believes he has finally done something which cannot be forgiven. The only apparent solution is to die. He hangs himself.
Many years ago I sat with a young lady who confessed to me that she had an abortion. She told me that she had finally done something that she couldn't be forgiven for. I told her emphatically, "You're wrong! You're wrong! Jesus died on a Friday to pay for your sins."
This young lady came to the realization that she was, indeed, forgiven by Jesus. She realized He paid the price of her sins and for all others who will accept Him.
Months later she went with our church on a mission trip in which several people went door to door to tell the good news of Jesus forgiveness and salvation. at the end of one day she was not at the place I would was supposed to pick her up. Each woman had been partnered with a man so that there would be some measure of safety. I found the two of them walking toward the rondezvous point. She was crying. As she got in the van I asked her what was wrong.
She said, "I was talking to a lady named Betty and I told her that Jesus had paid for her sins no matter what she had done. Betty said, 'I wish I could believe that, and I told her, 'It is true, Betty, it is true!' but she just wouldn't accept it."
This young woman knew something that Judas never realized. It was good Friday because the sins he, I and everyone else have committed were forgiven forever. Judas was right in one thing. The price was much higher than thirty pieces of silver.
Romans 5:6 (NIV) 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Did he think that Jesus would be proven innocent once all evidence was presented. Maybe he didn't count on Jesus' compliance with the religious leaders in their accusations. Maybe he expected Jesus to stand up for himself when he had evidence which would support His case and to be silent when He had evidence otherwise. Maybe he thought that the other disciples would speak up for Jesus.
Of course, none of that happened. These religious leaders would not have allowed it to happen anyway. They had already made their minds up. They were going to execute Jesus. They just had to figure out how to justify their action.
So, Judas brings his thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders. He has betrayed innocent blood. He wants to buy back his innocence. But thirty pieces of silver will never buy back innocence.
With nothing left to restore his soul, Judas is in such despair that he can no longer live with himself. He believes he has finally done something which cannot be forgiven. The only apparent solution is to die. He hangs himself.
Many years ago I sat with a young lady who confessed to me that she had an abortion. She told me that she had finally done something that she couldn't be forgiven for. I told her emphatically, "You're wrong! You're wrong! Jesus died on a Friday to pay for your sins."
This young lady came to the realization that she was, indeed, forgiven by Jesus. She realized He paid the price of her sins and for all others who will accept Him.
Months later she went with our church on a mission trip in which several people went door to door to tell the good news of Jesus forgiveness and salvation. at the end of one day she was not at the place I would was supposed to pick her up. Each woman had been partnered with a man so that there would be some measure of safety. I found the two of them walking toward the rondezvous point. She was crying. As she got in the van I asked her what was wrong.
She said, "I was talking to a lady named Betty and I told her that Jesus had paid for her sins no matter what she had done. Betty said, 'I wish I could believe that, and I told her, 'It is true, Betty, it is true!' but she just wouldn't accept it."
This young woman knew something that Judas never realized. It was good Friday because the sins he, I and everyone else have committed were forgiven forever. Judas was right in one thing. The price was much higher than thirty pieces of silver.
Romans 5:6 (NIV) 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Making God into Our Image
One means of communication is to take that which is known to explain that which is unknown. Thus, Jesus told parables which related to what people knew to explain the things of God which they did not know. However, parables cannot be used to explain all things. Metaphors such as "as far as the east is from the west" are used to explain the action of God. But all the parables, metaphors and adjectives fall short of explaining the attributes of God. Why? Because we have no example or anything that approaches who God really is.
The Greeks created gods in their own image. Their gods showed jealousy, hatred, greed and all other human failings. They murdered and cheated on each other. They were powerful but not any better than their subjects. Holiness was an unknown attribute to the Greek gods.
Many people today wish to believe in a god but cannot fathom a god who is like our God. They cannot make themselves believe Him to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. They cannot understand His absolute purity in holiness, mercy, justice and love. So, they make up cute stories of how busy He is when they pray. They don't ask for some things because they believe it is too much for Him to do. They claim that they are alone when they can't hear Him. They make Him of the same character and attributes as themselves.
This is not lessened when speaking of holiness. Since they cannot imagine a god who is purely holy, they excuse their own sins. They gossip about others and say it is merely telling the truth. They judge as if they have the right. They do not understand that they do not have the right to judge because they are not holy and capable of judging. God, on the other hand, is holy.
Humanity judges holiness by its impurities. We say that a person has a "holier than thou" attitude toward others because this person believes himself to be more pure. God's holiness cannot be described this way. His holiness is described by its purity.
Mankind can hardly imagine pure evil or pure holiness. There are really no examples for man to relate to for each person known who is considered to have exhibited the greatest evil has also had moments of kindness. Each person who has shown himself to be of the highest moral character has had moments of evil even if that evil is well hidden. God has no impurities. He is absolutely holy.
Mankind cannot fully understand the need for death of Jesus as the sacrifice for sin without some understanding of holiness. Sin is falling short of God's glory. Sin has a penalty of death since the holiness of God cannot tolerate sin. Sin cannot go unpunished. The holiness of God cannot be tarnished. Thus, the record of sin must be esponged from the sinner. Jesus' holy blood was spilled to pay that penalty which allows for holiness to enter the life of the believer. The glory of God returns to the believer.
Each and every sin has one payment. It is always the holy blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, we are saved by the blood of Jesus but we also will be saved by the blood of Jesus when we stand before our Lord. Our reconning of our sin is inhibited by our softing of holiness. If we make God like ourselves our sin never looks so bad. We rarely confess these sins because they are hardly considered sins if God is not so different.
And then we stay out of His presence. We are like those people who travel to Nashville and take tours of the country music stars houses. They feel they have experienced something of their country idol because they have seen his or her house. My wife used to lead a Bible study next door to one of these famous stars. She told me that people would get out of the tour buses and pick the flowers in the country stars flower beds to take home with them. But even though they had seen the house or even picked their flowers, these fans had never met the star. That's about how close some people get to the prescence of God.
The Bible records that Isaiah found himself in the Temple with the Lord. He heard the angels singing. He noticed the majesty of God. He was devastated by his sin. He knew that there was a difference. He knew he was undone if God did not purify him. He was either going to make God unholy by his presence or God must make him holy. An angel takes a piece of the burning sacrifice from the altar and puts it to Isaiah's lips. He is made clean by the sacrifice. We, too, are made clean by the blood of Jesus.
Therefore, if we continue to make God into our image, we shall ignore our sins, refuse or forget to confess them and find ourselves unable to really worship in His presence.
True cleanliness comes in the recognizing of dirt and the desire to have it eliminated rather than tolerated. Knowing that there is no one like God in His holiness should reveal our own dirt. It should create in us the need to confess and be cleansed of all unrighteousness.
Trying to create God in our own image is no god at all.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NIV) 2 "There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Isaiah 6:3-7 (NIV) 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
1 John 1:9-10 (NIV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
The Greeks created gods in their own image. Their gods showed jealousy, hatred, greed and all other human failings. They murdered and cheated on each other. They were powerful but not any better than their subjects. Holiness was an unknown attribute to the Greek gods.
Many people today wish to believe in a god but cannot fathom a god who is like our God. They cannot make themselves believe Him to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. They cannot understand His absolute purity in holiness, mercy, justice and love. So, they make up cute stories of how busy He is when they pray. They don't ask for some things because they believe it is too much for Him to do. They claim that they are alone when they can't hear Him. They make Him of the same character and attributes as themselves.
This is not lessened when speaking of holiness. Since they cannot imagine a god who is purely holy, they excuse their own sins. They gossip about others and say it is merely telling the truth. They judge as if they have the right. They do not understand that they do not have the right to judge because they are not holy and capable of judging. God, on the other hand, is holy.
Humanity judges holiness by its impurities. We say that a person has a "holier than thou" attitude toward others because this person believes himself to be more pure. God's holiness cannot be described this way. His holiness is described by its purity.
Mankind can hardly imagine pure evil or pure holiness. There are really no examples for man to relate to for each person known who is considered to have exhibited the greatest evil has also had moments of kindness. Each person who has shown himself to be of the highest moral character has had moments of evil even if that evil is well hidden. God has no impurities. He is absolutely holy.
Mankind cannot fully understand the need for death of Jesus as the sacrifice for sin without some understanding of holiness. Sin is falling short of God's glory. Sin has a penalty of death since the holiness of God cannot tolerate sin. Sin cannot go unpunished. The holiness of God cannot be tarnished. Thus, the record of sin must be esponged from the sinner. Jesus' holy blood was spilled to pay that penalty which allows for holiness to enter the life of the believer. The glory of God returns to the believer.
Each and every sin has one payment. It is always the holy blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, we are saved by the blood of Jesus but we also will be saved by the blood of Jesus when we stand before our Lord. Our reconning of our sin is inhibited by our softing of holiness. If we make God like ourselves our sin never looks so bad. We rarely confess these sins because they are hardly considered sins if God is not so different.
And then we stay out of His presence. We are like those people who travel to Nashville and take tours of the country music stars houses. They feel they have experienced something of their country idol because they have seen his or her house. My wife used to lead a Bible study next door to one of these famous stars. She told me that people would get out of the tour buses and pick the flowers in the country stars flower beds to take home with them. But even though they had seen the house or even picked their flowers, these fans had never met the star. That's about how close some people get to the prescence of God.
The Bible records that Isaiah found himself in the Temple with the Lord. He heard the angels singing. He noticed the majesty of God. He was devastated by his sin. He knew that there was a difference. He knew he was undone if God did not purify him. He was either going to make God unholy by his presence or God must make him holy. An angel takes a piece of the burning sacrifice from the altar and puts it to Isaiah's lips. He is made clean by the sacrifice. We, too, are made clean by the blood of Jesus.
Therefore, if we continue to make God into our image, we shall ignore our sins, refuse or forget to confess them and find ourselves unable to really worship in His presence.
True cleanliness comes in the recognizing of dirt and the desire to have it eliminated rather than tolerated. Knowing that there is no one like God in His holiness should reveal our own dirt. It should create in us the need to confess and be cleansed of all unrighteousness.
Trying to create God in our own image is no god at all.
1 Samuel 2:2 (NIV) 2 "There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Isaiah 6:3-7 (NIV) 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
1 John 1:9-10 (NIV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Where Is Your Head Today?
I hear a lot of pop theology. People tell me what they think of God, the Bible, miracles, angels, the end of time and whatever other theologies they have developed by watching tv and talking to nutty friends and family. I hear lots of things which do not come from the Bible.
That's probably why so many televangelists are able to get away with some of the nutty things they have said. They say things which amaze me .(sorry, I can't quote because I am not sure of the exact wording). They tell of revelations from God which led them to believe that God looked exactly like they do. They tell of Adam being able to fly above the birds. They give theologies of God having to have faith or He would lack the ability to create. They claim great powers and appear to see changes in people's lives.
People fill stadiums to hear this malarky. These televangelists are great showmen. They work the crowd. They take a new "revelation" and massage it until the people are worked into a frensy. They give exhibitions of miracles and say the name of Jesus enough times to entice their followers to fully believe in their "anointing." I wonder how this could happen until I remember that lots of people believe the show put on by professional wrestlers is real.
Those that believe in these "shows" are like children who can be manipulated by the uncle who appears to pull off his thumb. The amazement they should have for their Lord has been transferred to these televangelists. Thus, they will travel untold miles and give untold money to this person. The televangelist has become the head of the body.
I suppose that this can happen with any famous preacher even if he or she doesn't desire this devotion and admiration. My congregation often tells me of watching solid, biblical preachers on tv. They also will send money and travel great distances to hear these preachers.
Is it really okay to follow a preacher with extreme devotion? Not if that devotion puts this preacher in the place Christ should occupy. Christ is our head.
I grew up on a farm. Occasionally, we would raise a number of chickens which would one day be killed. plucked, cleaned, bagged and frozen. My job was to catch and kill the chickens as a child. I would remove their heads and watch them get up and start running. They had no eyes in which to see nor brains to give them direction but they would run, fall and collide with things for several minutes until they died.
Christians do not need to run around without their Head. Christ Jesus is our head or we act as if we are headless. We will also run around without direction and sight. We will run in circles or into each other or just go nowhere at all. We will be blown about when we hear theologies that meet any need of our belief system for the moment. We will never grow up.
Maybe that's why so many churches are filled with people who are fighting each other. Paul said that Christ, the head, grows and builds the body (the church) in love as each part does its work.
After doing something especially silly, I have been asked, "Where is your head today?" I have never thought that was an appropriate question until now.
Where is your head today?
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NIV) 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
That's probably why so many televangelists are able to get away with some of the nutty things they have said. They say things which amaze me .(sorry, I can't quote because I am not sure of the exact wording). They tell of revelations from God which led them to believe that God looked exactly like they do. They tell of Adam being able to fly above the birds. They give theologies of God having to have faith or He would lack the ability to create. They claim great powers and appear to see changes in people's lives.
People fill stadiums to hear this malarky. These televangelists are great showmen. They work the crowd. They take a new "revelation" and massage it until the people are worked into a frensy. They give exhibitions of miracles and say the name of Jesus enough times to entice their followers to fully believe in their "anointing." I wonder how this could happen until I remember that lots of people believe the show put on by professional wrestlers is real.
Those that believe in these "shows" are like children who can be manipulated by the uncle who appears to pull off his thumb. The amazement they should have for their Lord has been transferred to these televangelists. Thus, they will travel untold miles and give untold money to this person. The televangelist has become the head of the body.
I suppose that this can happen with any famous preacher even if he or she doesn't desire this devotion and admiration. My congregation often tells me of watching solid, biblical preachers on tv. They also will send money and travel great distances to hear these preachers.
Is it really okay to follow a preacher with extreme devotion? Not if that devotion puts this preacher in the place Christ should occupy. Christ is our head.
I grew up on a farm. Occasionally, we would raise a number of chickens which would one day be killed. plucked, cleaned, bagged and frozen. My job was to catch and kill the chickens as a child. I would remove their heads and watch them get up and start running. They had no eyes in which to see nor brains to give them direction but they would run, fall and collide with things for several minutes until they died.
Christians do not need to run around without their Head. Christ Jesus is our head or we act as if we are headless. We will also run around without direction and sight. We will run in circles or into each other or just go nowhere at all. We will be blown about when we hear theologies that meet any need of our belief system for the moment. We will never grow up.
Maybe that's why so many churches are filled with people who are fighting each other. Paul said that Christ, the head, grows and builds the body (the church) in love as each part does its work.
After doing something especially silly, I have been asked, "Where is your head today?" I have never thought that was an appropriate question until now.
Where is your head today?
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NIV) 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Encouragement for All Pastors Who Are about to Be Thrown into a Blazing Furnace
Pastors are called to stand in the gap. They are called to holiness, doing what is right and facing persecution because they have allowed God to be the center of their hearts. They must be the first to give God glory in all that they do. They must be the ones who will be fired for their devotion, castigated for their values and named as evil because of their righteousness.
Often these attacks come from within their churches. There will always be religious people who are bothered by purity that exists beyond rituals. They will play politics in order to undermine the work of the pastor. They will attack the pastor and his family in order to destroy his ministry. They will get in the way of what he believes God is doing. They seek his surrender from doing things which they dislike. They do not care what God really wants and have not asked.
I am not in this situation today but I have been. I know how these beaten down, beaten up pastors feel. If you are one of these pastors I would ask you to look at a passage of scripture with me. I am writing this as one who has realized what I had to do, didn't like going through it but glad that I did when I got to the other side.
Daniel 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to call something or someone god who was not God. They did not bow to the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar when the music played. Here's how it went:
They were accused as being unfaithful when they were purely faithful.
Daniel 3:12-13 (NIV) 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
Astorlogers came forward to point out to the king that these men were not doing what was publically accepted as the right thing to do. There is no mention whether anyone could worship God. The command was to bow to the image of gold that the king had set up any time music was heard. In other words, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could continue to worship their own God as long as they also worshipped theirs.
Pastor, many people will allow you to carry on with church as long as you pay homage to the things they want to worship. They ask you to bow down to a family or way of worship or a stained glass window or anything they have decided is valuable. They ask for this worship in addition to your worship of God. As far as they are concerned you can do what you wish as long as you do what they wish. They have already compromised their faith; why shouldn't you compromise yours?
But you can't. You must be obedient to the Lord alone. You must stand firm and not allow any erosion of your faith.
Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego responded with a full acknowledgment of the penalties for their faithfulness.
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV) 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Their faith knew that God could save them from the blazing furnace but they also realized that He may not. That did not change their decision. They continued to refuse to the bowing down to a golden image.
Pastor, you may be fired. God does not necessarily remove you from the blazing furnace. He sometimes allows the ones coming after you a temporary victory.
Years ago a pastor friend of mine welcomed an African American family into the church he was serving. The church leaders fired him right away and took his furniture from the parsonage and moved it to the sidewalk that night. I am sure that it looked very bad at that moment but God has had the victory. That pastor has been incredibly blessed by God in the past thirty or so years. I don't think his former church can say the same.
Shadrach, Meschah and Abednego were thrown into the fire. Nebuchadnezzar made sure that the fire was seven times hotter than normal. Surely, it must have looked like this was their end. But God had other plans.
Daniel 3:19-23 (NIV) 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Pastor, we sometimes say that God will rescue us from the blazing fire but that is not always the case. He, instead, uses the fire to bring glory to himself. You just may be put in a position which will appear unconquerable. Take heart. Just when faithless people say its over, God is not finished yet!
There were four in the fire even though only three had been tossed in. Even Nebuchadnezzar could tell the difference. He could see that One was not like the others. He could also see that they were walking in the flames rather than being burned by them.
Daniel 3:24-25 (NIV) 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." 25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
Pastor, God will never allow you to be place in the blazing furnace alone. He will go in with you. He will give you a means of standing up though the pressures against you demand that you be crushed. I know He will. He has done so for me.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken out of the furnace to the glory of God.
Daniel 3:26-30 (NIV) 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
God gave Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego a promotion for their faithfulness.
Pastor, God has a supply that will meet your need. He will supply it through your faithfulness rather than because of your faithfulness. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego would never have received their promotion if they had simply gone along with the king's command while also worshiping God. They took a stand which put them in the right place to receive the promotion.
Pastor, there is no shame in asking God for strength to do what you must do to bring purity to your church. There is no shame in being thrown into a fire. (In your case it maybe why they call it being "fired.") But never forget that God is with you. He will allow you to walk where you should be crushed. He will give you blessing where you should be cursed. He will promote you when you should be devastated. Stand the gap. Keep up the good work. Let your heart be His alone.
(Please forward, copy and or send this to any pastor who is going through a difficult time. I am sure you pastor knows all the things I have written but sometimes we need to hear them again. Also, tell your pastor that you will stand with him. It will make all the difference in the world.)
Often these attacks come from within their churches. There will always be religious people who are bothered by purity that exists beyond rituals. They will play politics in order to undermine the work of the pastor. They will attack the pastor and his family in order to destroy his ministry. They will get in the way of what he believes God is doing. They seek his surrender from doing things which they dislike. They do not care what God really wants and have not asked.
I am not in this situation today but I have been. I know how these beaten down, beaten up pastors feel. If you are one of these pastors I would ask you to look at a passage of scripture with me. I am writing this as one who has realized what I had to do, didn't like going through it but glad that I did when I got to the other side.
Daniel 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to call something or someone god who was not God. They did not bow to the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar when the music played. Here's how it went:
They were accused as being unfaithful when they were purely faithful.
Daniel 3:12-13 (NIV) 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
Astorlogers came forward to point out to the king that these men were not doing what was publically accepted as the right thing to do. There is no mention whether anyone could worship God. The command was to bow to the image of gold that the king had set up any time music was heard. In other words, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could continue to worship their own God as long as they also worshipped theirs.
Pastor, many people will allow you to carry on with church as long as you pay homage to the things they want to worship. They ask you to bow down to a family or way of worship or a stained glass window or anything they have decided is valuable. They ask for this worship in addition to your worship of God. As far as they are concerned you can do what you wish as long as you do what they wish. They have already compromised their faith; why shouldn't you compromise yours?
But you can't. You must be obedient to the Lord alone. You must stand firm and not allow any erosion of your faith.
Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego responded with a full acknowledgment of the penalties for their faithfulness.
Daniel 3:16-18 (NIV) 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Their faith knew that God could save them from the blazing furnace but they also realized that He may not. That did not change their decision. They continued to refuse to the bowing down to a golden image.
Pastor, you may be fired. God does not necessarily remove you from the blazing furnace. He sometimes allows the ones coming after you a temporary victory.
Years ago a pastor friend of mine welcomed an African American family into the church he was serving. The church leaders fired him right away and took his furniture from the parsonage and moved it to the sidewalk that night. I am sure that it looked very bad at that moment but God has had the victory. That pastor has been incredibly blessed by God in the past thirty or so years. I don't think his former church can say the same.
Shadrach, Meschah and Abednego were thrown into the fire. Nebuchadnezzar made sure that the fire was seven times hotter than normal. Surely, it must have looked like this was their end. But God had other plans.
Daniel 3:19-23 (NIV) 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Pastor, we sometimes say that God will rescue us from the blazing fire but that is not always the case. He, instead, uses the fire to bring glory to himself. You just may be put in a position which will appear unconquerable. Take heart. Just when faithless people say its over, God is not finished yet!
There were four in the fire even though only three had been tossed in. Even Nebuchadnezzar could tell the difference. He could see that One was not like the others. He could also see that they were walking in the flames rather than being burned by them.
Daniel 3:24-25 (NIV) 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." 25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
Pastor, God will never allow you to be place in the blazing furnace alone. He will go in with you. He will give you a means of standing up though the pressures against you demand that you be crushed. I know He will. He has done so for me.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken out of the furnace to the glory of God.
Daniel 3:26-30 (NIV) 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
God gave Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego a promotion for their faithfulness.
Pastor, God has a supply that will meet your need. He will supply it through your faithfulness rather than because of your faithfulness. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego would never have received their promotion if they had simply gone along with the king's command while also worshiping God. They took a stand which put them in the right place to receive the promotion.
Pastor, there is no shame in asking God for strength to do what you must do to bring purity to your church. There is no shame in being thrown into a fire. (In your case it maybe why they call it being "fired.") But never forget that God is with you. He will allow you to walk where you should be crushed. He will give you blessing where you should be cursed. He will promote you when you should be devastated. Stand the gap. Keep up the good work. Let your heart be His alone.
(Please forward, copy and or send this to any pastor who is going through a difficult time. I am sure you pastor knows all the things I have written but sometimes we need to hear them again. Also, tell your pastor that you will stand with him. It will make all the difference in the world.)
Monday, April 2, 2012
Love Desires Forgiveness
I wrote a blog a couple of years ago entitled, "When Someone Will Not Forgive You." Nearly every week since then I have gotten an email from someone who is heart-broken because someone will not forgive them. They recount to me stories of spouses, children, former best friends and even pastors who hold back their forgiveness.These emails reveal an anguish of broken relationships and desires to make things right.
I'll admit that my responses were often supporting the one who had been wronged. I wanted the ones seeking forgiveness to understand why trust was so hard to give. I wanted them to realize the overwhelming grace that comes with forgiveness.
But there is another side. It is the side of love. It is here that the person who has been wronged needs to look. Love seeks to forgive the person who has done the wrong.
The Bible says in its description of love:
1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
That word translated "keeps no record" could also be translated , "put down to one's account" or "brood over." I think of it more in the latter for I find that those who refuse to forgive must continue to hold the wrong before their own eyes in order to refuse forgiveness. This is especially true if the person in a Christian for he must know that Jesus has forgiven greater sins than what he is refusing to forgive. He, therefore, rehearses this sin. He takes the sin out as if it is a collector's item that no one else can behold, caresses it, feels the hurt all over again and gets more angry than the last time it was held to his eyes. Bitterness fuels the remembrance of the wrong. Hatred replaces the love that was once held. Emptiness fills the gaps.
Of course, holding the wrong so closely to his eyes is a coping mechanism. He doesn't want to be hurt like was hurt again so he makes sure that he never lets the person get close again. He was stabbed in the heart so he must keep this person a knife's lunge away.
Love, on the other hand, isn't self-centered. It turns its attention to the one being loved. It is love that has a mom washing the clothes of the child who has just said that he hates her because she has made him clean his room. It is love that brings home the alcoholic father. Love does not keep a record of wrongs. It does not rehearse the things which have hurt. It seeks to forgive. It is not self-seeking.
The problem of those who refuse to forgive is found in the lack of love. They will not allow the love of Christ to flow through them if they are believers. They, therefore, have no more love than the rest of the world. The rest of the world says, "To hell with others!" and they agree with their lack of love and lack of forgiveness.
I have found that I cannot walk with my Lord and refuse to forgive. I can't tell Him that I love Him while I am hating someone else. I can't walk in His light while I am trying to walk in the darkness.
The person who refuses forgiveness also refuses the Lord. He loved and told us to love like He loves.
There is no reconciliation in knowing that others are in pain. There can be no joy in knowing that the one who refuses to forgive you is also suffering because of their lack of forgiveness but you should know that their lack of forgiveness is distancing them from their Lord. It is becoming something that diminishes the love they have for others.
Refusing to forgive is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies.
If you are a believer and have been wronged, please seek the love of Christ to help you forgive. It is not only best for the one who wrong you. It is best for you.
I'll admit that my responses were often supporting the one who had been wronged. I wanted the ones seeking forgiveness to understand why trust was so hard to give. I wanted them to realize the overwhelming grace that comes with forgiveness.
But there is another side. It is the side of love. It is here that the person who has been wronged needs to look. Love seeks to forgive the person who has done the wrong.
The Bible says in its description of love:
1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
That word translated "keeps no record" could also be translated , "put down to one's account" or "brood over." I think of it more in the latter for I find that those who refuse to forgive must continue to hold the wrong before their own eyes in order to refuse forgiveness. This is especially true if the person in a Christian for he must know that Jesus has forgiven greater sins than what he is refusing to forgive. He, therefore, rehearses this sin. He takes the sin out as if it is a collector's item that no one else can behold, caresses it, feels the hurt all over again and gets more angry than the last time it was held to his eyes. Bitterness fuels the remembrance of the wrong. Hatred replaces the love that was once held. Emptiness fills the gaps.
Of course, holding the wrong so closely to his eyes is a coping mechanism. He doesn't want to be hurt like was hurt again so he makes sure that he never lets the person get close again. He was stabbed in the heart so he must keep this person a knife's lunge away.
Love, on the other hand, isn't self-centered. It turns its attention to the one being loved. It is love that has a mom washing the clothes of the child who has just said that he hates her because she has made him clean his room. It is love that brings home the alcoholic father. Love does not keep a record of wrongs. It does not rehearse the things which have hurt. It seeks to forgive. It is not self-seeking.
The problem of those who refuse to forgive is found in the lack of love. They will not allow the love of Christ to flow through them if they are believers. They, therefore, have no more love than the rest of the world. The rest of the world says, "To hell with others!" and they agree with their lack of love and lack of forgiveness.
I have found that I cannot walk with my Lord and refuse to forgive. I can't tell Him that I love Him while I am hating someone else. I can't walk in His light while I am trying to walk in the darkness.
The person who refuses forgiveness also refuses the Lord. He loved and told us to love like He loves.
There is no reconciliation in knowing that others are in pain. There can be no joy in knowing that the one who refuses to forgive you is also suffering because of their lack of forgiveness but you should know that their lack of forgiveness is distancing them from their Lord. It is becoming something that diminishes the love they have for others.
Refusing to forgive is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies.
If you are a believer and have been wronged, please seek the love of Christ to help you forgive. It is not only best for the one who wrong you. It is best for you.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Should Churches Raise Their Standards for Membership?
I have heard it so many times. "It is easier to be a member of a church than a member of the country club. At least they have membership requirements." Yes, those requirements are generally a recommendation from a current member and enough money to pay the membership dues. The fact is, I'll bet that the latter requirement outweighs the former.
So, people who think of themselves as mature want to raise the standards. They want to keep out those who may not be committed. They want to eliminate those who cost more than they contribute. They want purity in the ranks.
Now, I don't want to judge (but often find that I am doing so) but doesn't that sound just like the Pharisees? Didn't Jesus say that they would search the whole earth for a convert and make him twice the son of the devil that they were? Was raising the standard to some observable level a prerequisite during the New Testament?
Let's see. There were over 3000 baptized the same day as their salvation after Pentecost. There does not seem to be more of a standard than a personal belief in Jesus. That standard allowed them to be baptized. That baptism made them part of the church.
I have baptized hundreds of people during my ministry. It is not an act someone performs on themselves. Truthfully, I have a much harder time baptizing someone who wants to "help." Baptism is an act of submission rather than commission. It is hardly a standard administered upon oneself.
Are churches who raise their standards growing? Yes, at least in some cases. They are growing because there are other "mature" believers who want to be a part of a church where everyone has a significant commitment to the Lord.. They also baptize their own children in high percentages. Many of their baptisms come from new members who come from churches that didn't baptize by immersion. In other words, a large percentage of their conversions are their own children and believers who converted to their denomination. In fact, 98% of growing churches are doing so off the backs of other established churches.
There is inherent danger in raising these standards too. Churches which raise their standards may be keeping the new believers from becoming part of the church. If the steps are too tall only the tall can enter the church. If the requirements are too steep only those who can pass the entrance exam will be permitted in. Thus, there is no foothold for new believers to stand upon so they can grow. They have been eliminated from the church.
Essentially, we have torn out the wheat when we tried to tear out the tares.
Jesus parable says that there will be those who are not committed at all in the church. They have never made a true commitment to Christ but they have been admitted on their word. They will never produce any fruit and are represented as tares. They do not look any different than the true believers represented by wheat. Tares and wheat look the same as they grow together but tares have no grain of wheat.
Jesus tells His followers to let them grow because tearing out the tares will also result in the elimination of some wheat. Is this the same as raising the standard for membership and eliminating those who do not meet the requirements?
My church has former child abusers, prostitutes, people who have had abortions and a host of other "shocking sinners." I see these people make deep commitments to Christ and change their lifestyles because Christ is in them. It does not come because we have raised our standards. I want to love on people so that they can have the joy of Christ rather than the burden of religion.
So, I do not want to raise the standard. I want to open the door.
Matthew 13:24-30 (NIV)
24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
So, people who think of themselves as mature want to raise the standards. They want to keep out those who may not be committed. They want to eliminate those who cost more than they contribute. They want purity in the ranks.
Now, I don't want to judge (but often find that I am doing so) but doesn't that sound just like the Pharisees? Didn't Jesus say that they would search the whole earth for a convert and make him twice the son of the devil that they were? Was raising the standard to some observable level a prerequisite during the New Testament?
Let's see. There were over 3000 baptized the same day as their salvation after Pentecost. There does not seem to be more of a standard than a personal belief in Jesus. That standard allowed them to be baptized. That baptism made them part of the church.
I have baptized hundreds of people during my ministry. It is not an act someone performs on themselves. Truthfully, I have a much harder time baptizing someone who wants to "help." Baptism is an act of submission rather than commission. It is hardly a standard administered upon oneself.
Are churches who raise their standards growing? Yes, at least in some cases. They are growing because there are other "mature" believers who want to be a part of a church where everyone has a significant commitment to the Lord.. They also baptize their own children in high percentages. Many of their baptisms come from new members who come from churches that didn't baptize by immersion. In other words, a large percentage of their conversions are their own children and believers who converted to their denomination. In fact, 98% of growing churches are doing so off the backs of other established churches.
There is inherent danger in raising these standards too. Churches which raise their standards may be keeping the new believers from becoming part of the church. If the steps are too tall only the tall can enter the church. If the requirements are too steep only those who can pass the entrance exam will be permitted in. Thus, there is no foothold for new believers to stand upon so they can grow. They have been eliminated from the church.
Essentially, we have torn out the wheat when we tried to tear out the tares.
Jesus parable says that there will be those who are not committed at all in the church. They have never made a true commitment to Christ but they have been admitted on their word. They will never produce any fruit and are represented as tares. They do not look any different than the true believers represented by wheat. Tares and wheat look the same as they grow together but tares have no grain of wheat.
Jesus tells His followers to let them grow because tearing out the tares will also result in the elimination of some wheat. Is this the same as raising the standard for membership and eliminating those who do not meet the requirements?
My church has former child abusers, prostitutes, people who have had abortions and a host of other "shocking sinners." I see these people make deep commitments to Christ and change their lifestyles because Christ is in them. It does not come because we have raised our standards. I want to love on people so that they can have the joy of Christ rather than the burden of religion.
So, I do not want to raise the standard. I want to open the door.
Matthew 13:24-30 (NIV)
24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"
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