Peripatetics: The Art of Walking

For a New Testament look at joy being able to help us take things from “Head to Heart,” we’ll spend a couple of days in 1 Thessalonians. It might be helpful to read chapter 1 a couple of times before you dive in to these lessons.

As you can see, Paul, speaking for Silas and Timothy is writing to the “church” at Thessalonica. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means “called-out ones.” They’ve been called-out by God to give Him glory.

Paul gives thanks to God for them and sets a friendly tone to the letter by letting them know that he’s praying for them on a consistent basis.

But note what Paul has on his mind regarding these “called out” people in verse 3: “…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hpe in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.”

If you look closely you can see that there are three virtues we’ve already touched on in this “head to heart” series:

First, they came to Christ in faith. That’s the very starting point of the spiritual life. No matter what station we find ourselves in, whether kings or homeless, pastors or farmers, star athletes or average students, we all come to Christ the same way. And no one can begin living a truly abundant life unless they’ve taken this step. We all show up equal at the foot of the cross.

Secondly, they served out of love. We touched on that in some earlier lessons as well. Check the archives for a more detailed look at this topic…but making the choice to serve others is fundamental in living head to heart. Remember the Donald Miller quote: The greatest lie I have ever contended with is this, that life is a story about me. It isn’t a story about me at all, but about God at work in human history, and serving that process makes life much more abundant.

Finally, they stood firm in hope. We all get the idea of standing firm, but the reason they were standing firm is WHO their hope was in. They firmly believed that Christ was coming back for them any minute now, and that this world is only temporary and He would give them strength. When you start looking at this world through God’s glasses, it gives you strength to stand firm.

They were being persecuted, no doubt (we’ll see more on that tomorrow). But they were living an abundant life. Head to heart, because of those three elements.

In verse 4 we see that they were “brothers.” Family, chosen by God. It’s interesting to start looking at those around you in church or youth group or wherever you hang out with other believers as “family.” We’re going to be rubbing shoulders for all eternity so we may as well begin practicing now, with our current warts and all.

Finally, in verse 5, we see that they didn’t get clever speeches about Christ, but rather the Holy Spirit was teaching them, convicting them and giving them power. Dunamis…that explosive kind of power. Note that Paul’s lifestyle gave the message it’s validity.

And that’s the question for today: Does our lifestyle, how we live in front of the world, highlight our message. That message that’s supposed to talk about how we came to faith in Christ…that message that’s supposed to talk about how we serve out of love…that message about us standing firm in hope…

…that message that says we’re out-living those that don’t know God. Are we? Are we really?
Joy Continued: 1 Thessalonians 1: 1—5.

For a New Testament look at joy being able to help us take things from “Head to Heart,” we’ll spend a couple of days in 1 Thessalonians. It might be helpful to read chapter 1 a couple of times before you dive in to these lessons.

As you can see, Paul, speaking for Silas and Timothy is writing to the “church” at Thessalonica. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, which means “called-out ones.” They’ve been called-out by God to give Him glory.

Paul gives thanks to God for them and sets a friendly tone to the letter by letting them know that he’s praying for them on a consistent basis.

But note what Paul has on his mind regarding these “called out” people in verse 3: “…constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hpe in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.”

If you look closely you can see that there are three virtues we’ve already touched on in this “head to heart” series:

First, they came to Christ in faith. That’s the very starting point of the spiritual life. No matter what station we find ourselves in, whether kings or homeless, pastors or farmers, star athletes or average students, we all come to Christ the same way. And no one can begin living a truly abundant life unless they’ve taken this step. We all show up equal at the foot of the cross.

Secondly, they served out of love. We touched on that in some earlier lessons as well. Check the archives for a more detailed look at this topic…but making the choice to serve others is fundamental in living head to heart. Remember the Donald Miller quote: The greatest lie I have ever contended with is this, that life is a story about me. It isn’t a story about me at all, but about God at work in human history, and serving that process makes life much more abundant.

Finally, they stood firm in hope. We all get the idea of standing firm, but the reason they were standing firm is WHO their hope was in. They firmly believed that Christ was coming back for them any minute now, and that this world is only temporary and He would give them strength. When you start looking at this world through God’s glasses, it gives you strength to stand firm.

They were being persecuted, no doubt (we’ll see more on that tomorrow). But they were living an abundant life. Head to heart, because of those three elements.

In verse 4 we see that they were “brothers.” Family, chosen by God. It’s interesting to start looking at those around you in church or youth group or wherever you hang out with other believers as “family.” We’re going to be rubbing shoulders for all eternity so we may as well begin practicing now, with our current warts and all.

Finally, in verse 5, we see that they didn’t get clever speeches about Christ, but rather the Holy Spirit was teaching them, convicting them and giving them power. Dunamis…that explosive kind of power. Note that Paul’s lifestyle gave the message it’s validity.

And that’s the question for today: Does our lifestyle, how we live in front of the world, highlight our message. That message that’s supposed to talk about how we came to faith in Christ…that message that’s supposed to talk about how we serve out of love…that message about us standing firm in hope…

…that message that says we’re out-living those that don’t know God. Are we? Are we really?

Brent 7:22 AM

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Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Yesterday we saw how the Israelites had been restored out of their long captivity. It was like they were dreaming. They couldn't stop laughing they were so happy. They couldn't stop shouting they were so happy. Others looked at their joy and noted how good God had been to them. They looked at themselves and noted how good God had been to them. They were glad.

The bus ride home from my first youth group "away" trip was a lot like that. I went with a whole bunch of friends to a Youth for Christ retreat in the Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. After a 3-year avoidance of God, I was back in the fold and started growing in Christ and this was the first big trip the organization went on. I was thrilled to be going.

And it was everything I hoped it would be. I skiied for the first time. My friends and I had our own room with a mixture of great laughs/pranks as well as real times of talking about what the speaker said in the nightly meetings. We met Christians from all over the Southeast and I exprienced my first worship service among 3,000 people. It was a blast.

The bus ride home was like that, too. Naturally, me and my friends all made commitments to walk with Christ in a deeper way personally, and to be more bold for Him outwardly at school and in our sports and at our jobs and with our families. We were fired up, meant every word of it, and were very happy.

Then, winter break (we called it Christmas vacation then) ended and we went back to school, and it wasn't so easy. There were frustrations with classes/teachers/homework/friends that always seem to happen when school goes back in session. Coaches got on us and anger reared it's ugly head in sports. Bosses still didn't know the best way to get the job done. We still had normal interaction with our families, which meant huffs and eye rolls and hibernating in our rooms.

We lost our joy amid the day-to-day life. The camp high was zapped out of us.

But the 2nd half of Psalm 126 lets us know that it doesn't have to be that way. The Christian in 2004 doesn't have to live between the camp highs our Christian culture provides for us. We don't have to get our batteries recharged on Sunday and hope it at least lasts until next Saturday. We don't have to wait for the upcoming men's/women's/youth retreat to have joy. We can experience it moment-by-moment.

Take a look at verse 4: "Restore our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the South." In other words, "Do it again, God!" That feeling we had...do it again, just like the stream beds in the Negev. Those were dry most of the time in that area (I've read books on it, so I'll have to trust them since I haven't been there) and even a good rain storm could cause those stream beds to flood in a very short time. Do it again, God. Bring us that joy. In abundance. And quickly.

Verses 5 & 6: "Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaths with him."

Notice all the references to work. Sowing in tears. Carrying bag of seed. Bringing sheaths. Life got back to normal for them. The pary was over. The captives had been brought back home over a 7 month period of time. The festival had taken place with provision for the poor people. The nation worshipped together for the first time in generations. Then they had to go and eek out a living.

But not to worry. Because verses 1--3 took place, there is room for verses 4--6. You can look back at God's faithfulness in the past which will encourage you that he's going to supply your need in the future. While you're working and trusting God and doing the next thing, God will be faithful. He always has been. He always will be. You can have joy wherever you are in the midst of whatever you're doing.

The camp high might be nice, but you still have to go to work. And while you're at work, doing the next thing...you will be shouting with joy again and joyfully shout again.

So, what is taking away your joy? What do you need to trust God for today so that you can work with joy?

Brent 5:18 AM

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Monday, October 25, 2004

Remember the reality of the Psalms of Ascent: They were part of a hymnal the Israelites used in worship on their way to Jerusalem for one of the three festivals they attended each year. Looking back historically, we can glean that there are a lot of elements of the spiritual life contained in the order.

First, you choose to live God's way rather than the world's way.
Then you trust God as an individual.
That leads to worship of God.
Part of that worship will be serving others.
Which leads us to trusting God as a body of believers, which will sharpen each of us.
And then eternal security gives us a base from which to live a life free of rules and regulations while walking with Christ...freedom.

And that freedom should lead to joy in our lives.

That's what the author of Psalm 126 is getting after. Note how the Psalm begins: "When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion..."

We touched base on this in earlier studies, that after years of being dispersed throughout the region at that time, Nehemiah and Ezra led a coalition to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore the city. They accomplished the goal in record time. Then, the city needed inhabitants and they spent 7 months getting people to move back "home." The "captives" were now "free."

At first, they were "like those who dream." Have you ever been in one of those dazes that you only experience when you can't believe what is happening is really actually transpiring right in front of your face? When I was 16, I wanted a car for my birthday and had saved enough for an old beat-up clunker one of my great-uncle was willing to unload a little cheaper than he would've for somebody else. It smelled like his cigars but I didn't care. I wanted a car.

Then, on my 16th birthday, which up to that point was a surprisingly unremarkable day, I got home from athletic workouts and my mom had gotten me a car that was MUCH better than what I could've afforded. It was great! Sure, I added some things to it later, but it was a reliable and safe and kinda cool car that didn't smell like cigars. I drove it around all day and showed it to friends.

The whole day I was in a state of suspended belief. I was IN the car, but I couldn't really comprehend that it was MY car. I was in life, but kept wondering if it was a dream.

Okay, it's a small analogy. I mean, these people had been in captivity for generations, and now they were home. But I can relate to it. Even though the event of the Israelites was prophesied about and they knew that it was going to happen (see Jeremiah 30:3 and others), when it finally happened, they were pinching themselves.

Then their mouth was filled with laughter. Notice they didn't have to "force" the laughter like you might with a friend who made an average joke. It was simply filled. I'd imagine it'd be like those 3A.M. times when something really struck you as funny and you couldn't stop laughing and the more you tried to stop the funnier it got until you were finally so exhausted you just couldn't laugh anymore. Yeah. Like that.

And their tongue was filled with joyful shouting. I'd imagine that it involved songs of praise for God. I have friends in The Netherlands. Like the rest of Europe, their passionate about soccer, and when their team scores a goal in a big game, they go crazy. In fact, they sing this song very loudly about it "being so very quiet on your side of the arena" that the other team's fans have to pretty much agree with.

And I'm sure, in the other team's fans minds they're wishing, "I want our team to score a goal so we can have as much fun as they are."

Which is the reaction of the onlookers in the Psalm. Verse 2 says that the nations see how much joy they have and it gives God glory. Even the outsiders can say how good their God is to them.

Because they're showing so much joy...no matter their circumstances. There is no better defense of the Christian faith than an abundant life that is well-lived. You live abundantly, well, that's the "better mousetrap" that the world will beat a path to your door to buy (it's an old saying...you can Google it if you need to). If we're outliving outsiders they'll see how great our God truly is.

In fact, in verse 3, we'll even be reminded that we're actually SO blessed by God that we'll be reminded of it hanging out with joyful people. And that will make us glad that God has done great things for us.

So, today, think through some of the great things God has done for us. Think through all the blesings God has done for you, especially in relation to those in the Body all around you, and see how glad you become.

Brent 7:29 AM

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Sunday, October 24, 2004

In order to get ready for class tonight, read Psalm 126 a few times.

Ask yourself what historical event is being described in verse 1. What was their response?

How did that response evolve in verse 2?

What was the result of the visual response in verses 2 and 3?

In verse 4, there seems to be a shift in the emotional response. Why is that? What is the author asking for?

What about the farming metaphors in verses 5 & 6?

See you in class after the church-wide picnic this afternoon!

Brent 5:02 AM

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Saturday, October 23, 2004

It's almost like the title of this blog is backwards in some ways. I mean, the three items we studied from the Psalms of Ascent, well, if our eternity is secure then it'd be easier to serve and trust God. Don't forget though, where we are in this study of going from Head to Heart.

Remember, I'm going with the idea that the Psalms of Ascent (the ancient Hebrew hymnal used for travel to prepare spiritually for the trip to one of the three annual festivals) are chronologically arranged in such a way that it could be they give us clues to an authentic walk with God.

Psalm 120 reminds us that the first step is realizing that we have to repent of our tendency to think like the "world" thinks rather than seeing the world the way God sees the world. We choose to move from lies to truth.

Psalm 121 then follows with the idea that we need to trust God as individuals because He never sleeps...never stops watching over us and in fact, keeps our very souls.

Psalm 122 kicked off our four week look at worship with the simple words, "I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord..." If we're thinking like God thinks and trusting Him, the next natural step is to worship Him. Sorry, but to get all 28 studies we did on that you'll have to click the archives and get reading.

Psalm 123 reminds us that a natural response to worship of God should lead to action by serving others. Not because there'stuff we can be doing to please God, but because He's been so gracious to us that we have been given a gift we didn't deserve and empowered to help others see that in our lives.

Psalm 124 is the idea that we should trust God as a group. This is important because if we're serving others, it can wear us out. People will not understand what we're up to and they'll rise up against us as a group. Can you imagine if everybody were doing all the things in these Psalms? We'd need each other to sharpen and support us and encourage us by reminding us that God keep our soul and makes us free.

Psalm 125 reminds us that in the midst of this service and trust under fire, that the reason we're doing all this stuff is not to earn God's favor or get bonus points, but rather the reality that no matter how good we are or how bad we are, we abide forever in God's love. He always surrounds us, and we can trust Him whether we are upright in heart of we have crooked ways.

Why not take a moment and think through what God has done thus far in you through this study...give Him thanks for it...because sometimes it's good to step back from the trees and see the forest. And ask Him to prepare you for the next week's lessons...

Brent 5:58 AM

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Friday, October 22, 2004

Yesterday, we looked at eternal security and the reality that, once you're a child of the King, there's nothing you can do to get away from that. God is faithful to His end of the deal regardless of our actions or thoughts or whatever we do.

When you think about it, that thought paints a pretty picture, but if I lived my life with that reality forefront in my mind, what changes?

I think one result can be found in Paul's letter to Philippians. Eugene Peterson wrote this about Paul's letter: "But circumstances or incidental compared to the life of Jesus, the Messiah, that Paul experiences from the inside. For it is the life that not only happened at a certain point in history, but continues to happen, spilling out into the lives of those who recieve Him, and then continues to spill out all over the place. Christ is, among much else, the revelation that God cannot be contained or hoarded. It is this 'spilling out' quality of Christ's life that accounts for the happiness of Christians, for joy is life in excess, the overflow of what cannot be contained within any one person."

And if we look at what is going on in chapter 3, we see Paul warning people about putting confidence in their "works" to gain the favor of God. Specifically, to avoid the "dogs" who are interested in appearances of religiosity. Those people who make lists of what it means to be spiritual, and that list usually requires our effort rather than depending on the unmerited favor and divine enablement of God's grace (see earlier entries).

In fact, Paul gives his resume of "works" in the early verses: As a Jewish man he was circumcised as a symbol of the covenant when he was 8 days old. A member of the nation of Israel. From the tribe of Benjamin. A Hebrew among Hebrews. An up and coming leader of the Pharisees, a powerful sect. In fact, he makes an incredibly bold statement in verse 6, that he was actually found "blameless" in the Law. How about that? In other words, if works (specifically circumcision from the context) had anything to do with living life to the full, Paul would be first on the list.

And then conviction to all of us in verse 7: "But whatever things were gain to me, I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ..."

Think about it. This is a guy that had good stuff and accomplished a lot in his life to this point. In modern terms. He'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, having all the advantages that brings. A good life, the best schools, knowing all the right people. He got into the right colleges and finished with honors. Getting a good job and the power and prestige that came with it. Lots of promotions. Living the good life.

All rubbish to him. The Message says, "everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant--dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by Him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ."

And he lost a lot, too.

He was writing this letter from jail. He'd been working for Christ for 20 years or so at this point and had been beaten within an inch of his life for the priviledge. He'd been attacked even by the Christian leaders of that time. He was a tired old prisoner.

And yet he has joy.

Not because of his works, but because his life didn't depend on works. His eternity was secure in Christ. God would never let him be snatched out of His hand. God wouldn't even let him jump out of His hand. Nope. Once saved, always saved. That's what Psalm 125 and a myriad of other verses say, and that gives him freedom to have joy no matter his circumstances.

He can have joy because he knows God's not sitting up in heaven, looking over the balcony, keeping a scorebook and hoping the good outweighs the bad so we can get into heaven...plugging His ears and going "la la la la can't hear you la la la" when we sin and then hopping back around and paying attention when we confess...that He was a child of the King, a true prince, a co-heir with Christ and there's not a thing that can be done to change that status or enhance it. It's the way we live.

That reality is what allows him to write, at the end of chapter 3, words like this: (from The Message) "But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like His own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around Him."

It's going to be done. That good work which God began in us, well, God will be faithful to complete it (25 points for whoever uses the comments and gives THAT verse!). Regardless of how good or bad we are. It will happen.

And because of that, we're free to live abundantly...windows rolled down favorite music blaring loudly singing full throated abundance...and even that wouldn't do it fully.

And that should spill out all over the place around us into the lives of others. So, today, go ooze the eternally secure life you can't lose and leave a trail of it wherever you go.

Brent 4:54 AM

Comments:

i'm thinking its somewhere around philippians 1:6

posted by  victim of suburbia : 1:32 PM

 

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Wednesday, October 20, 2004

I was looking over some journals from my first trip to Holland not too long ago. On one particular day we'd gotten into a discussion with Dutch teens who were very curious about the show COPS. That turned into a discussion of governments that was actually very educational for me...the differences and similarities between a constitutional monarchy and a representative democracy was a very enlightening discussion.

One thing I noted is that the foundations of our governments did indeed affect our actions. Suffice to say that those "self-evident" truths weren't so much held as self-evident by the Dutch, and we were each influenced by those principles. How we viewed social issues, legal issues, moral issues and the like, and how we lived our lives, in some ways could be traced all the way back to our Constitution.

I've found this to be true in my walk with God as well. Some of those "self-evident" truths that others don't percieve as self-evident...well, how we view them affects our day to day relationship with God.

One of those is the idea of "once saved, always saved." I believe that the idea that my eternity is secure helps me take information from my head and make it real in my life...that Head To Heart thing again.

How?

Well, take a look at Psalm 125:

"Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever."

I'm not sure it can be more plain. There are plenty of other verses I could use to back my view up, but space is the issue here. Suffice to say that I firmly believe that if you trust in the Lord, you abide forever.

"As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever."

The Lord will surround His people...today and forever. Again, it can't be more clear.

But how does that reality help my actions today, right here, right now?

Well, think about it. If there's nothing you can do to lose your salvation because your salvation depends on the faithfulness of God, then you're actually under no pressure to "be good."

There's no requirement to be good to get you into heaven. There's not some cosmic Jeopardy board that could go into the negative numbers and you hope to get a Daily Double just to break even. There's no deals to be cut. There's no shortcut you've got to take or palms you've got to grease.

You're in. Christ paid the price. And because there's no cosmic scoreboard, you can simply relax, enjoy that relationship and trust in the grace and mercy of God instead of your own abilities.

No more looking over your shoulder to see if you've been caught.

Nope. Jesus' yoke is light. Now you're free to "do good" and be "upright in heart." Inwardly and outwardly.

So, the pressure's off if you're one of His children...and this foundational truth should change your entire view of walking with Him. Like God's covenant with Abraham, it didn't depend on Abraham's behavior. The covenant was made. And it's the same with us: Once the covenant is made, it's irrevocable on either end.

And that freedom because of security in Him should lead to...

...Joy,

which we'll see in the Psalm that follows, 126, next Sunday. But read over Philippians 3 and we'll continue our discussion on this in tomorrow's entry.

Brent 11:01 PM

Comments:

Hi,
My name is Savannah, most of you have heard about me. I'm Lara Zepp's sis. Do you mind me reading this blog and using it as a tool for my devotions?
Thanks
Savannah

posted by  Anonymous : 2:02 PM

 

Not at all Savannah...in fact, you can encourage anyone you want to hit the site and make comments or ask questions on it, too.

posted by  Brent : 8:13 PM

 

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I really love The Message when it comes to the Psalms. Take a look at 124:

"If God hadn't been there for us--all together now, Israel, sing out!--If God hadn't been there for us when everyone went against us, We would've been swallowed alive by their violent anger, Swept away by the flood of rage, drowned in the torrent. We would've lost out lives in the wild, raging water.

Oh blessed be God! He didn't go off and leave us. He didn't abandon us defenseless, helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.

We've flown free from their fangs, free of their traps, free as a bird. Their grip is broken; we're free as a bird in flight.

God's strong name is our help, the same God who made heaven and earth."

In reading over the Old Testament, it's fair to say that the world had it out for Israel. There were a lot of wars. A lot of mistreatment. A lot of hard, dark times. Things haven't changed much when you think about it.

And look at the words used for what their enemies would've done to them if God wasn't on their side: swallowed alive; engulfed by waters; raging waters sweeping their very souls.

I've been white-water rafting several times in my life. Each time, trained guides would spend a great deal of time on rowing techniques and such, but one particular safety feature they teach is the "swimmer's position." Obviously, if you're rafting, you don't want to be a swimmer so something's gone awry. Get on your back, allow your lifejacket to support you, put your feet in front of you (to keep you from hitting rocks/debris with your face) and simply be at the mercy of the rapids until things settle down again and the boaters can get you in the calm water.

When you're in rapids, that can be a scary proposition for both the swimmer and those in the boat. Everyone's job changes from fun to emergency procedures in the blink of an eye. Safety first, right?

The reality is that the rapids are beyond your control, so both the rafters and the swimmer have to wait for calmer waters to regroup. The torrent of water pretty much has control.

As a church, our lives can feel that way, too. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq are debating exodus as their businesses are burned and their loved ones kidnapped for ransom. Churches are bombed. The church worldwide doesn't spend much time in debates over whether or not coffee should be brought into the auditorium during worship or on the value of the 7/11 praise chorus (seven words sung 11 times)...they're too busy in the swimmer's position.

Our local church can feel that way, too. Sometimes it's from within like during budget meetings. Sometimes it's when the local town council won't let you put in the parking lot you need or make the building changes you want. Others it's bad-mouthing by the locals or whatever. It's more annoying than life-threatening in our local congregation, but the truth of the psalm remains the same.

Without God watching over us, we're sunk.

But with God watching over us, our life is more abundant. We don't have to worry. Their grip is broken and we're as free as a bird in flight.

Brent 5:06 AM

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Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Yesterday, in our study of Psalm 123 we looked at the basis for serving, which is grace.

Most people teach only half of grace. If you were to ask a person who had been involved in church a while the definition of grace, you might actually get "unmerited favor." Getting something that you don't deserve. Yes. It is getting something that you don't deserve.

As I understand it, though, it's actually got another part to it...the Greek word "charis" that is. Not only does it contain the reality of unmerited favor, but also lets us know the truth of "divine enablement."

So, we've gotten this great gift from God of unmerited favor, but we're also divinely enabled. We can do stuff for the One Who gave us the gift through His very own power.

The implication is that we're actually capable of doing stuff for the One Who gave us the gift. He gave us the gift and empowered us for SOME reason.

Can you imagine if I gave you the car you always wanted as a gift? Hopefully, you'd be very excited and all, and grateful, and hopefully, I'd give it to you with no strings attached on my end. It's just yours, to do with whatever you want.

And, you can want to just let it sit in the driveway. Just admire it, polish it, tell your friends about it...the whole works. Maybe even consider making it a collector's item.

I hope I'd be okay with you doing that, because I gave you the gift to do with whatever you wanted.

But, don't you think you'd be happier sitting in the seat, driving around, showing it to your friends, letting it take you where you need to go and all that? The car has a very practical function, and it would give you more joy using it for the reason it was created, too. That's joyful service. You're happy. I'm happy. Everybody's life is more abundant.

If you read Galatians 2: 18--20 from The Message: "If I was trying to be good, I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan. What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a 'law man' so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified completely with Him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I'm no longer driven to impress God."

So, when choosing to serve, if you're not enjoying it or having fun...

STOP. Just step down. Besides, if you stay, you're likely robbing someone who God showed unmerited favor and divine enablement to the chance to be serving joyfully.

And choose areas to serve that are ultimately joyful to you. Sure, all service opportunities have their drawbacks: If you've ever sat for two hours in dust storms in Juarez, or you've ever cleaned a grease trap in an industrial kitchen, or you've ever had to ask congregants to sponsor you team to walk in the afternoon...well, sure...they all have parts we don't like about them.

But the big picture proves joyful...then do it, and do it with abandon. Like driving the free car. Turn the music up loud and enjoy the ride and be thankful you get to use it.

Brent 4:01 AM

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posted by  Anonymous : 7:53 AM

 

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posted by  Anonymous : 7:53 AM

 

Hey I guess Wes, Lizzie, and Jude are not considered even part of staff thats sad, I know Wes and Jude have a blog where are they??

posted by  Anonymous : 7:53 AM

 

Interestingly enough, neither Wes, Lizzie or Jude has expressed any desire to have their blog links on this page. The only way we link blogs is with permission of the authors. All they have to do is ask.

posted by  Brent : 3:57 PM

 

Lizzie has a blog?

posted by  Nathan : 9:26 AM

 

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Monday, October 18, 2004

It appears to be backwards. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve...that old Mark 10:45 deal. I mean, He's God. He came out of heaven. Of all places to come out of, to start life as a baby and then serve a fallen humanity by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice.

Definitely backwards to our way of thinking. Why would we leave any cushy place to help out a bunch of people we don't know?

But that's the nature of Psalm 123. It starts with the psalmist looking toward heaven, looking to Him for help. The reality, that I say over and over again, is that He is God and we aren't Him. When we need help, God is in heaven, ready to give it to us.

We're servant-like. Waiting for the master's orders. Like handmaidens watching their ladies.

And serving Him can make our life more abundant.

Sure, it seems backwards when you think about it. Why would I leave my cushy suburban home to spend a week living in army tent conditions (which, frankly, are better than the homes of the people we serve) for 6 days to build a modest shelter for the homeless in Juarez?

Why would I give up a weekend of my life, and pay $15 for van rental, to go do kitchen work and grunt work for a Christian camp for free?

Why would I be willing to hang around in the lobby of our church (when I could be hanging out with friends) to help a bunch of middle raise money, and then go walk with those middle schoolers on Halloween, just so a local charity can provide food for the needy on Thanksgiving?

The key is found in the last part of verse 2 and the begining of verse 3. You'll see the word "gracious" used three times. (Some translations use "mercy" but the application is unaffected) Because God is so gracious to me, then I have the freedom to be joyfully gracious to others.

That's why I can spend a week of my life in barrios in Juarez, raising money beforehand...and maybe someone will ask the homeowner how they got the house and lead someone else to Christ. That's why I can keep camp costs down by providing the camp with free labor...and some kids might come to know Jesus because it was $30 bucks cheaper because we did so. That's why someone in hard times might get a meal and have one day to avoid worrying about their next meal because our teenagers purchased because they cared enough to walk 5 miles and raise part of the money to make it happen.

And, a couple of side benefits as a reality: Discipleship without service leads to pride. My senior pastor said that. I agree. If you sit in classes and learn and sponge for years and years and years without ever serving, you'll become prideful. Credence to that is given in verses 3 & 4...note the words used to describe the comfortable.

One other side benefit is a truly more abundant life.

In Mexico, I've watched someone weep uncontrollably when 17 teenagers hand over the keys to a new home. That home might be the size of one of our living rooms, but it's home, and it isn't a cardboard box. To put that in perspective...what would you be doing if you woke up one day, a work crew shows up and does a full-blown home makeover and then gives you the HOME with no strings attached, no payments to make and you'd never see the work crew members again? To watch that joy in someone else makes my life better.

To watch a kid being led to Christ on a bench outside a cabin at a fall camp retreat is an incredible experience, too. In fact, the incident I'm thinking of actually involved one of the teens I took to work in the kitchen, and she led one of the campers to Christ right then and there while we were on break. That kid who became a Christian went and was a part of the servant weekend we recently went on. You don't think that makes life more abundant?

To watch teenagers having a great time by asking for donations/playfully harassing our congregation trying to raise money for their service project made me laugh. There were bullhorns. There were marketing ploys ("If you donate to the 7th grade guys, all your wildest dreams will come true."). There were honest exchanges about the nature of the ministry. The body of Christ was in action, and it was sharpening our teenagers.

An abundant life involves service, and that is crucial in taking Bible knowledge from your head to your heart.

Brent 7:23 AM

Comments:

You're darn right that the 7th grade guys will make your wildest dreams come true.
Thanks for doing this blog Brent, it is a great tool

posted by  Craig : 5:33 PM

 

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Sunday, October 17, 2004

In order to get ready for class tonight, you'll want to read:

Psalm 123, and ask yourself what does service do for us practially? How is our service supposed to be done? You might want to read Galatians 2: 16-19 and Romans 7: 8--15 to get a few insights as well. How does serving others take us from "head to heart?"

Psalm 124, and think of a time when you failed to trust God. What went poorly? How does trust in God help us in the here and now?

Psalm 125, and think through what's the big deal if once we're saved, we're always saved? How does that affect our day-to-day life now? A review of Philippians 3 might be helpful as well.

See you in class tonight!

Brent 4:15 AM

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Saturday, October 16, 2004

Sometimes I can "get lost" in the trees that make up the forest. What I mean is, I can start focusing on day-to-day lessons in the Bible verses I'm studying and lose sight of the big picture of what it is that I'm studying. And we've spent almost four weeks and 20 devotions in what it means to worship God.

We started in Psalm 122 and what sparked this whole thing was the very first line in which David was glad when he was told they'd be going to Jerusalem for one of the prescribed festivals. They were times when he and his family would join others who loved God and celebrate His faithfulness to them. Lots of late nights. Lots of food and drink. Dancing. Fun. No wonder he was glad. He was doing life with people he loved and focusing on God and His faithfulness...and that's an element I think we might have lost in our current culture. I mean, how often do we view going to our modern churches the same way as David viewed going to the festivals? We're more likely to say "I've got to go to church" than "I get to go to church."

So the first step in worship is understanding what we're doing, and rubbing shoulders with God's people should be exciting for us.

We then looked at the four elements that made the early church such an exciting church. These members of a wicked and perverse generation were saved and started doing life together. There were four key elements they were involved in that helped them move from head to heart:

They were getting authoritative teaching.
They were involved in fellowship (one we all too often discount)
They were involved in eating together, likely celebrating the Lord's Supper.
They were involved in prayer...and I'd imagine that was both personal and corporate.

Part of doing life together looks very practical in light of those things. No wonder they had a sense of awe.

Next we took a look at Nehemiah to give us instruction on a few specifics.

First, Nehemiah had a reason to celebrate as he and his nation rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and, in effect, brought Israel together as a nation over a 7 month period of time. This was after almost 400 years of dispersion...failing to be salt and light, which Israel was supposed to be.

When they read the word of God, the people stood up. Pretty amazing how much reverence they had for the Word, even if they were a little fuzzy on the details, they knew that it was living and active and able to change their lives.

The celebrated God's faithfulness to them. They bowed low in worship at the giving of the Law. Then, when they realized their lack of faith, they started to weep and mourn...to which the leaders told them this was a time for celebration...which they did, and included everyone.

Then, on the 8th day, they held a time of confession. Corporately. How they had tried to be God when they weren't worthy of being God. We then saw Psalm 51 as an example of how personal confession should be a part of our worship as well.

We then saw how the Israelites viewed giving of their time, money and resources were a part of their worship lives. Their refusal to neglect the house of their God and to give joyously to that process is inspirational.

Finally, last week, we saw four realities of worship. That there is a way to worship Jesus in a true manner; that there is a relationship with God that makes true worship possible; that hope in God gives us a proper perspective on this life; and finally, that worship is really putting God at the center of our lives.

Think about that, as it might be the most important element in moving from head to heart: Really having God at the center of our lives rather than in orbit around the fringes.

We'll be moving forward in our series, but if we can apply the reality of God at the center of our lives, my suspicion is that it'll move from head-to-heart rather quickly.

Brent 6:47 AM

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Friday, October 15, 2004

Yesterday we saw how important it is to have worship as a lifestyle. That day-in, day-out, minute-by-minute approach to walking with God, glorifying Him in everything we do. Worship is SO much more than singing four songs, having some announcements, having a soloist sing while we take up money, followed by a sermon, followed by another hymn. That's certainly a part of worship, but true worship happens all week. Coming together on Sunday should be pretty much a celebration of a life well-lived. I think that approach would put a bit of "umpf" into that formula.

In Romans 12: 2 there's another stark reality that's highlighted: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

If we're living an abundant life moment-by-moment day-in and day-out we're not going to mesh real well with the world. There's a line in the sand here, don't you think? It's either conforming to the world and it's values and lusts and stuff...or it's a transformation of our mind proving what the will of God is. There's not a way it can be "kinda" worldly. It either is or it isn't.

The Message refers to it as becoming "well adjusted to your culture that you fit in without thinking." The encouragement is to think like God thinks. Focus on Him and what He wants. Donald Miller said it best in his book Blue Like Jazz (recommended on the left): "The greatest lie I have ever contended with is this, that life is a story about me."

And it never works "outside-in." All too often we think that if we clean up our behavior first (and getting on God's good side--as if there were any other--in the process) then we'll start changing. You know. If we stop cussing/drinking/smoking/sexing/rocking and-or rolling/stealing/lying/gossiping/etc. then we'll be better people and we'll relate to God better and then our thought life will get better and then we're acceptable as spiritual people.

It always works "inside out." We start thinking truth...thinking like God thinks...then our minds will start spiritually appraising everything. That's what makes us spiritual, anyway, not our behavior. Don't believe me? Read 1 Corinthians 2: 15. This definition is really the only way a guy like King David could be considered spiritual at all...his behavior had some atrocious moments if I remember correctly.

Thinking truth will transform you. Like an awful lot happens in the trunk and branches of an apple tree before you ever see an apple, an awful lot happens in our minds before we ever see fruit in our lives.

And the only way to think truth...

...Time in the Word.

Now we're back to where we started during the Nehemiah studies aren't we? Remember when they stood in reverence for the Word before it was read publicly? It's my suggestion that the Word of God is central to worship, not only on Sundays, but in our day-in, day-out, minute-by-minute lives.

A lifestyle of worship. Having our hearts stand in reverence every moment. Worshiping in spirit and truth. That's the essence of worship. It's almost enough to make you write and sing with reckless abandon, eh?

Brent 4:08 AM

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Thursday, October 14, 2004

Thus far we've seen how the first thing we need to know regarding the reality of worship is that you have to know the God that you're worshiping. The next step is realizing that there is a truly spiritual way to worship God, and now we can do that through the finished work of Christ. Yesterday we learned the importance of having hope in God as it creates a deep sense of passion for God, which is essential for true worship.

Which sets the stage for our final reality of worship, found in Romans 12: 1 & 2, which reads, "I urge you therefore bretheren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Notice that the word "therefore" is early in verse 1. When that word is in a verse, it points us to the reality that context is important...that the stuff that came before it is vital to our understanding. In this case, Paul finished up what we call chapter 11 with the reality that God is so amazing and unfathomable and great because he showed us mercy even though we were disobedient, and that He is worthy of our worship because of how great He is and what He has done for us.

Also notice that Paul is "urging" us, not commanding us, regarding these things. We have a choice to do it or not. If we were commanded to do what he's about to talk about, that would be legalism...and if we're commanded to worship, well, it comes off as less than what it should be or could be.

When I was younger, I went to a church that was very formal...liturgy, kneelers and pipe organs. The whole deal. My mom would always nudge me to start singing some dirge-like song from the hymnal...needless to say, that didn't do it for me (and in retrospect, it didn't do it for God, either, unless He's counting that I obeyed my Mom), but I obeyed. My heart wasn't in it because I didn't choose to be there or do that.

But now that I'm older, I have a choice, and that's important.

And we don't have to make that choice alone...the mercies of God can give us strength. Drawing from Him the very ability to do what he's about to tell us (see yesterday's entry) is necessary, because if we do it on our strength we'll eventually get tired of it like we do everything else.

And we're to present our "bodies" as a sacrifice...our entire self. Everything we are and do. The Message says, "Take your everyday ordinary life--your sleeping, your eating, going to work, and walking around life--and place it before God as an offering."

Beautiful.

Everything we do should be worship. In other words, worship is a way of doing life...not a set of songs or giving money or the other stuff we've already talked about. Your worship will make doing those things more meaningful and passionate, but without those passions and meanings, we're just doing what we're commanded to do, which isn't true worship.

I'm convinced that we've reduced worship to those things we do on Sunday or maybe with a guitar in a small group Bible study, but the reality is that worship truly involves God giving us the ability to give Him glory by how we live our lives. That's worship.

In fact, one of my seminary professors, Dr. Tom Constable, said, "Worship is putting God at the center of life." And tomorrow, we'll discuss the role that obedience plays in worship.

But for today, think through what pops into your brain when you hear the word "worship." How does viewing worship as a lifestyle change the way you think about worship? What problems does this raise in your mind? How will it affect those areas like your "sleeping, eating, working, walking around" life as our spiritual service of worship?

Brent 4:40 AM

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Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Sometimes we really don't want to be around God. Sometimes we really don't want to think about Him. Sometimes we don't really want to obey Him. Sometimes we just forget to remember Him.

We live in a world that has warps and woofs that don't focus on God, either. It seems that everybody has something they're supposed to be doing, to make money or to learn things that will help them make money later, and none of those things seem to focus on God at the center of them. Bosses don't care about God. Teachers don't care about God. In the world's eyes, God is something some people "do" on the weekends...or maybe on Wednesday.

So, not only do we shove God under the rug, the world system doesn't help us, either.

That couldn't have been more opposite than the way the sons of Korah viewed God in Psalm 42...and in there we find some help on our topic of worship.

Verse 1 says, As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God." As a deer has a physical thirst for God that drives it to a place to get water, from the deepest parts of him, he has a physical desire for God and a relationship with Him.

Verse 2 says, "My sould thirsts for God; for the living God."

The Message says, "I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I'm thirsty for God-alive."

Frankly, there are days when I can barely say words like that...much less actually mean them. Drink God? I'd rather go thirsty. Deep draughts of God? I don't want any more of Him because I've got my own view of things. Thirsty for God-alive? Hardly. I like being "me-alive."

In addition to fighting myself, like the psalmists say in verses 3 and 4, outsiders are reminding me that they have their own things going and God isn't in the mix. Double trouble.

It's usually at these points in the Bible that I want to throw up my hands and walk further from God. I can't be these people. The "God thing" was cute for a while but it's lost it's joy. It's fun. It was a good camp high, but now that I'm back in the real world, well, it's just not the same. Not what it used to be back then.

How do we get that thirst for God back? How do we get the desire to drink deep draughts of God? How do we become God-alive again?

I think there are some answers in verses 5 and 11.

In verse 5, when the psalmist asks the question about why his soul is in despair and become disturbed, he says to "hope in God, for I shall again praise Him."

The same question is asked in verse 11, and the answer is the same.

Hope in God. The result will be that we'll praise again.

So, what does it mean to hope in God?

Focus on Him. Try to let God's thoughts become my thoughts. Dive into the Word and hear from Him. Review His past faithfulness to you. Look at His creation and remind yourself that He made it all. We are NOT of this world.

At least those are some things it means to hope in God.

But verse 8 makes things really practical: Ask God to give you that thirst for Him. That focus on Him. That your soul would long for Him. Like everything else, you can't do it alone.

A joyful soul fixated on God praises Him. Gives glory to Him.

That's worship. The true worship we talked about yesterday and the lifestyle worship we'll talk about tomorrow.

Is your soul distant from God today? It doesn't have to be. Just ask and focus.

But be careful...sometimes you don't know what you're getting into when you start praying prayers like that one. Our self is stops stopping us and the world system is drowned out by our own thirst. Praise happens. Salt & Light happens. God is glorified.

And that's dangerous.

Brent 4:57 AM

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Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Yesterday we learned that the first reality of worship is that you must have a genuine relationship with the one True God. Frankly, that reality is vital. It won't matter what songs we sing, or how well we sing them, or how we give, or anything else if we don't have a relationship with the God of the Bible. Our worship won't be authentic or meaningful.

A second reality of worship can be found in John 4.

Sure, most of us have heard the story before: A woman at the well in the middle of the day. Jesus, the Jewish rabbi, breaks about a gazillion rules in talking to a woman. A Samaritan woman at that. A "loose" Samaritan woman beyond that. Et cetera.

Anyway, the discussion of this passage centers on Jesus' words about living water. Basically, their little chat comes down to her not wanting to haul off and get water every day, and Jesus turns the discussion to her spiritual need...not the physical one. (More on that tomorrow)

When she tells Jesus that she wants this "living water," Jesus tells her to go get her husband first.

She tells him she doesn't have a husband.

Then, from her perspective, the story gets kind of peculiar. This stranger she's never seen then tells her about herself...her "loose living." He tells her that not only is she correct when she said she didn't have a husband, but she has in fact had five husbands and the man she's with now isn't her husband. How would you like a stranger to know those kinds of things about your life? What would you be thinking?

Just like us, she was thinking, "Hmmmm. Sir, you must be a prophet."

Just like us, when the Prophet gets too close to changing her life, she gets all religious on Him. Throws out the "hot button" religious topic of the day. This particular one involved where the best place to worship would be. It might be akin to a discussion we might have about whether or not we should use drama in worship...most people have an opinion, but it could get heated if the parties involved decided to let it. No matter what, she definitely took the focus off herself and changed gears.

Then Jesus gets to the heart of it all in verse 21. (From The Message) "Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark, we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God's way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming--it has, in fact, come--when what you're called will not matter and where you worship will not matter. It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is looking for; those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship...Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."

Wow.

It's who we are and the way we live before that matter. That reality affects our worship.

We must be pursuing truth in our spirit...or be "truly spiritual." That reality affects our worship.

We must be ourselves. Mike Yaconelli, an innovative youth pastor once said it was important to stop pretending in our Christian life because when we stop pretending, it shows others where they are pretending. Phoniness in all its forms affects our worship.

Our very being, our spirit, our true selves must get involved. That reality affects our worship.

Worship is meant to adore God and if we're doing it right it will affect our very soul. Our lives must be tied up in it or it won't be authentic.

It's more than pretty pictures behind our Power Point slides or our coffee in our auditorium or our communion grape juice out of plastic cups or a folded check in a felt bottomed brass plate. None of those things are wrong. In fact, they're good things.

But it's our lives and mindset when we're doing those things.

Being real before God and loving Him. That's the second reality of worship.

How real are we before God today?

Brent 4:16 AM

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Sunday, October 10, 2004

It's a story most of us have heard in Sunday School. If there's ever a movie about Jesus, this story usually makes the choice of scenes a director would choose to use. It's high drama when you think about it.

Satan vs. Jesus. Jesus has been fasting for 40 days in the wilderness. No creature comforts. He's at a very weak point in his life, physically speaking. And we all know how WE get when we're tired and crabby and miserable. Satan tempts Christ. Satan can save himself a lot of hassle if he can end Christ's ministry before it truly begins.

Satan makes a few offers: Food (and remember how long Jesus hasn't had food) and power. He makes a few misquotes of the Bible in order to try to get Jesus to make a wrong turn. There's no margin for error and Satan knows it.

In each case, Jesus responds with the words, "It is written..." He falls back on the reliability of Scripture, and this is where most sermons focus...rightly so, I might add.

I would like to put a magnifying glass on that last response, though. In verse 10 (which is in all caps in my Bible, and red letters in my wife's) Jesus tells Satan to begone, and then he refers back to Deuteronomy 6:13, that we should worship the Lord our God and serve Him only.

In the Deuteronomy verse, the Hebrew word is the word we tranlate Jehovah. The personal God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The one who led the Israelites out of Egypt. That God.

In the New Testament, we learn that this same God is Jesus Christ. They are one in the same...and we'll explore that more tomorrow.

But the first reality of worship is that we must know Who it is that we are worshiping. Lots of other religions have a God that they worship and they aren't our God. That God isn't Jehovah.

And that relationship is crucial to our worship.

It doesn't matter how much we read the Word or preach the Word or teach the Word in our worship gathering, if we don't KNOW this God.

It doesn't matter if we confess corporately or as individuals if we don't KNOW this God.

It doesn't matter how much singing we do if we don't KNOW this God.

It doesn't matter if we give time, money or resouces. It doesn't matter if we practice silence before Him, or light candles or stand in reverence or read the Word publicly or do responsive readings or recite creeds or fellowship or have festivals or anything else.

The methods don't matter and are rendered meaningless without a relationship with Jehovah...the Creator God of the universe...the same God Who came to earth and died for our sins and rose again for us to live abundantly.

That God.

And, so, how's your relationship with Him these days?

Brent 10:15 PM

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In order to get ready for class tonight, you'll want to read Matthew 4: 1--10, and especially focus on the words quoted in verse 10. Those can be found in Deuteronomy 6: 13, so flip to that verse as well.

You'll also want to look at John, chapter 4, and read vv. 1--26. Try to focus on the latter verses where Jesus talks about worship, and what it will look like.

Another place to turn is Psalm 42. It's a song we've sung in our church on occasion, and verses 1, 5 & 11 all have significance to our study tonight. There's also an answer in verse 8, too.

Lastly, we'll look at Romans 12: 1 & 2. I know that we often use these verses to the point of "overkill," but there's a lot said about worship that is in these few words. Probably more than we can grasp in a few minutes of study and and maybe a day on a blog, but we'll try to scratch the surface.

See you tonight!

Brent 4:18 AM

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Saturday, October 09, 2004

Over the last week, we learned that confession is something that should be part of our worship. We also saw that confession has two distinct categories, corporate as well an individual.

Corporately, we saw where the Israelites, after their 7-day fellowship feast/celebration, called a solemn assembly in which they modeled several ways we can worship. They were fasting, in order to focus on God. They also understood that they needed to keep God the focus of their confession, and did so by illustrating their spiritual poverty before God...even to the point of mourning. This is still staggering to me that they viewed their corporate failure as such a serious reality. I often wonder what our corporate prayer as the church in America would sound like.

Then we took a look at the background to Psalm 51, which is an Psalm that vividly expresses the nature of personal confession. We learned that it's easy to see the sin in others lives while difficult to see the sin in our own lives. We also saw that David viewed his sin primarily against God, not man...and we often get that backwards, too.

We saw how David didn't feel a need to grocery list his sins...rather to focus on the holiness of God and where he fell short. In other words, God's holiness should always be our focus, not ourselves.

When then took a look at how David realized that God wasn't pleased with our sacrifices and our offerings, but rather realizing that there isn't a sacrifice or an offering that will cover up murder (which, in the words of Martin Luther, we carry the very nails of Christ in our pockets), depending on the loyal love of God to cleanse us.

Lastly, we looked at the reality that we're to make our decisions with eternity in mind, and that it isn't really good to be short-sighted...which is what sin really is, and ultimately, what this week's worth of lessons is really about: Admitting that God is God, we're not Him, and that He can cleanse us if we really just ask him to do it.

This is setting the tone for a bigger picture of worship that we'll look at beginning tomorrow in Sunday School.

Brent 4:11 PM

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Friday, October 08, 2004

A natural question people would ask based on yesterday's entry is "What would happen if I didn't make confession a part of my lifestyle of worship?" I mean, if it's true that when Jesus said, "It is finished," all of our sins were already forgiven, then why bother going through the process of confessing to God?

I think the answer might partially lie in 2 Peter, chapter 1. Peter spends the early part of the chapter telling us that Jesus wants us to have a true knowledge of Him, and that He has granted us "precious and magnificent" promises. The result of these promises is that we could partake of the spiritual life the way it's supposed to be lived.

That's why verse 5 starts with "For this very reason also..."

Then we're given a list. Whenever you see a list when you're studying Scripture, slow down and pay attention. It's usually significant, and this list is.

We're supposed to diligently live by faith.

If we do this, it will lead to moral excellence.

The moral excellence will lead to knowledge (The Message translates the word as spiritual understanding).

This knowledge will lead to self-control (alert discipline).

Self-control will lead to perseverance.

Perseverance will lead to godliness.

Godliness will lead to brotherly kindness.

And, finally, brotherly kindness will lead to love...which, if you remember from our study of 1 Timothy 1:5, is the goal of our instruction.

But here's how it ties into confession, in verse 8:

"If these qualities are yours and increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." So, if you're growing in Christ, you are useful and fruitful for Him. It's really pretty simple.

Then the contrast follows in 9:

"For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins." Those living fleshly lives either can't/don't see the truth, or they need glasses because they have a short-term view of their actions. It may be fun now...but the bill will come later. It always does, and people seem to forget that.

And, finally, the reminder is in v. 10:

"Therefore, bretheren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you..."

I don't find it too much of a stretch to say that confession, that reminder that God is God and we're not Him, is part of that diligence we should apply.

And, the results of doing this are in verse 10-11: You won't stumble. And your entrance into the Kingdom will be more abundantly supplied to you.

In other words, diligently live with eternity in mind...not a short-sighted, temporary earthly NOW in mind.

Brent 5:22 AM

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Thursday, October 07, 2004

Continuing in our discussion of David's sin with Bathsheba/Uriah and the subsequent confrontation by Nathan, resulting in this Psalm of repentance...

After describing the pain of his sin against God as similar to broken bones and emotionally draining (the thought popped into my brain, "How often does my realization of sin cause THAT kind of reaction?"), David prays for an all-encompassing solution to get the joy back and to eliminate the pain in verse 10:

My Bible reads, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...restore to me, the joy of my salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit." (Yes, I left out verse 11 because of David's Old Testament understanding of how God dealt with sinners and an equally Old Testament understanding of the nature of the Holy Spirit...both of which have changed with the New Covenant--that's an entirely different journal entry)

David understands that it is only God who can create that clean heart. The Message reads, "God, make a fresh start in me, and shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life." He simply asks God to do it, implicitly understanding that God CAN do it, and WILL do it, if only David would allow it to happen (which is easier said than done).

David understands that God can renew a steadfast spirit. Firmly fixed and immovable. Imagine what our lives would be like if our spirit was steadfast.

Once David has these thing, he can then teach sinners what he's learned. That he can lead others to a saving relationship with the God of the universe by teaching them about the grace of God. His compassion. His loyal love and other verse 1 stuff.

All too often, we think we've become useless for God when we've blown it. Can you imagine our president having an affair, his married mistress getting pregnant, and him having her husband killed in wartime on a dangerous assignment? Then this hitting the news? And then can you imagine that same president trying to teach others what he's learned?

But that's what David asks for. The right to glorify God somehow, someway, through all this.

And it's pretty obvious David did that. He taught his son these lessons he learned. Ever read the Proverbs of his son, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived or will live (read the promise God made to him if you don't believe me)? The first few chapters are loaded with Solomon's advice on the nature of men to fall to beautiful, seductive women. So's the last chapter of the book...except focusing more on the positives to look for in women light.

David wants to be delivered from the killing he did. It's keeping him from joy. And this joy is expressed in singing about God, talking about Him and praising Him.

And, here's something we can all learn in verses 16-17: God isn't "delighted" with sacrifices or "pleased" with the burnt offerings that were the nature of Old Testament cleanliness before God. David knew that, too. There's really no sacrifice prescribed that would cover MURDER. This was only covered by God's mercy, and the only sacrifice that would work was a brokenness before God and a contrite heart.

It's really the same way for us. We tend to think that if we clean up our act then God will like us better and then He'll be nicer to us and then we'll have this joy thing again.

But it doesn't work that way. God is loyal to His end of the bargain no matter what our behavior. When Jesus said, "It is finished," it really was finished. See, when He said that, all of our sins were in the future. The work to forgive them was finished at that point.

So, confession isn't the art of telling God our sins and then being good enough with our behavior so God will listen to us. He's not sitting up in heaven, and when we sin, starting to cover up His ears and saying "la la la not listening la la la" over and over until we confess. Not at all. He's already wanting us to admit that we're tired of trying to live life with ourselves at the helm.

He really only wants us to admit that He's God and we're not, and He's capable of restoring those things like joy to our lives if we'll submit and let Him.

Really.

All we have to do is ask.

So...the application today is easy: Have we asked?

Brent 4:55 AM

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Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Yesterday we looked at the circumstances behind this Psalm. The major players were David, Bathsheba & Uriah. David initiated an affair with a married woman, she conceived, and then David orchestrated the killing of Bathsheba's husband Uriah...a noble warrior.

If we were grocery listing, let's see...David for sure committed adultery. Murder would make the list. He literally coveted his neighbor's wife. That's three of the Top Ten. He didn't just think about them. He did them.

If we secretly looked in our own hearts, we'd be feeling pretty good about ourselves, wouldn't we? We might've thought about 'em, but we didn't do 'em.

David was confronted by Nathan the prophet...and, for some reason, I made a notation in my Bible that this took place about a year afterward. Don't quote me on that, though, until I dig up where I found out that information. Anyway, let's take a look at the nature of this particular individual confession.

Note the first thing David appeals to: He asks God to be gracious to him. He's asking God for a favor he doesn't deserve and an enablement that only God can give him. He knew he couldn't earn God's forgiveness. He knew he didn't deserve God's forgiveness. He was giving God the freedom to be God and realizing that he wasn't Him...just like the Israelites did in Nehemiah 9 (see below).

And then, in similar fashion to the Israelites, he focuses on God, not himself. God's a God of loyal love...that no matter how bad we are He still holds up His end of the bargain. His compassion is great. Certainly capable of blotting out transgressions.

He asked to be washed from moral evil. Cleansed from sin. These particular terms might have been phrases used in tabernacle rituals that would allow an Israelite to get back into a right relationship with God, making them clean for service and worship.

And take note of the fact that, in verse 4, David pinpoints the worst affront is actually to God Himself. Not Bathsheba. Not Uriah or his family. Not himself, his wives or his family. Not even the nation of Israel. He took full responsibility for his own sin against His God. But then he focuses on God again: Just and blameless.

Then, in verses 5--7, he admits that He has a sin nature. Had it since birth...it wasn't his environment that caused the problem. The devil didn't make him do it. It wasn't a case of situational ethics. Nope. He was lured and enticed by his very own desires.

And, finally, he describes the pain he's in. Emotionally, he no longer is joyful. He's unhappy most of the time. He describes his pain as that similar to a broken bone...and I'd imagine in his younger days as a warrior he'd probably broken a bone or two, or he'd at least seen them broken and the pain that resulted from them.

What is missing? The grocery list of the sin. Remember earlier that I could even list them. I know David could've. But he didn't feel the need to record them for us. Maybe he did in more private moments, but I'd suggest that David didn't feel it was necessary.

It was more important to seek God's face, talk with Him through his own joyless pain, and admit to God that He was God and David wasn't...and to appeal to God and Him alone to hide His face from the sin...to blot out the iniquity..to purify him...to wash him...to cleanse him...

Not because he deserved it.

But because God is gracious. And loyally loving. With great compassion. Just. Blameless as Judge. Knowing us in our innermost being. Capable of giving us wisdom.

So, as I sit here, it seems evident to me that confession has more to do with focusing on God and what He can do for us rather than our grocery list of sins. It seems enough to ask God to cleanse us because we're not Him and blow it a gazillion times a day...and more on the cleansing tomorrow.

Brent 4:01 AM

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Tuesday, October 05, 2004

After we've seen the Israelites confession as a nation, it's important now that we look at confession from a more personal perspective...and an excellent example of this is found in Psalm 51.

The introduction to this song is very important: "For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba." This gives us a great deal of background that we can use to introduce the depth of feeling and emotion of David's confession (we'll look at specifics tomorrow).

The story is told in 2 Samuel 11 & 12. David, after years of running from Saul and living as a fugitive, became King of Israel. He spent years unifying the nation and bringing it back to economic prosperity. David's nation had become a world force and times were good.

So good that the king didn't even bother going out to the battle. He was unconcerned...especially since the military was in seige mode. David gets out of bed and sees a beautiful woman, Bathsheba, bathing. He sent for her despite being warned that she was married.

Now, here's a king who has wives and concubines for the purpose of kingly pleasures and children. His liason with Bathsheba resulted in pregnancy.

David sends for Uriah, the husband who is off at war, asks him how things are going and tells him to go visit his wife. Uriah, the model warrior, mentions that he is at war for God, that his fellow soldiers are at war and that he can't go live and home and sleep with his wife.

David even tried to get him drunk so he'd go home. No dice.

David had him carry a letter to Joab back at the front, telling the general to put Uriah at the front lines and then have the army pull back so Uriah would die. Joab follows orders, David marries Bathsheba after her time of mourning. She bore him a son (who eventually would overthrow David).

But God sent Nathan. A prophet. The prophet had a little story that might ring very close to home to a former shepherd. It's a story about two men. A rich man and a poor man. The poor man has a pet sheep...it even ate at his table and slept in his bed.

A traveler comes to town to visit the rich man. The rich man took the poor man's lamb to fix a dinner for the visitor. His very pet. For dinner.

In 2 Samuel 12, David was livid. Since God is in heaven. This rich man deserves the death penalty! The penalty won't be that severe, but the rich guy must make 4x the restitution, for two reasons: One, because he did it, and two, because he didn't have any compassion!

Then Nathan lowers the boom. David...

...you...

...are...

...the...

...man.

You've despised the Lord by doing evil. You killed a man and took his widow, after you committed adultery with her and she conceived.

In verse 13, David gets the point, "I have sinned against the Lord."

Again, echoes of the Sermon on the Mount: Jesus, talking to the crowd, talks about specks in our neighbor's eyes and logs in our own.

It's so very easy for all of us to see the sin in others...and fail to see in ourselves what others so clearly see.

So, today's "comment" section: Have you ever had a time in your life when you'd failed to see what others saw regarding a sin in your life and the confronted you? What was your immediate emotion? What did you do next?

Brent 4:01 AM

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Monday, October 04, 2004

The city was refurbished after 300 years of ruins.

The nation of Israel repatriated in 7 months. They moved back in.

A worship gathering was called. The Word of God was read aloud. Amens were said. Reverence took place. Their sins were exposed and they started to weep.

Ezra the priest would have none of that. At least not yet. The nation is back together. The focus is on God now. Ezra told them to celebrate for a whole week. Everyone. Nobody left out. They did.

But there was time for confession. A time for admitting that God is God and we are not Him. On the 8th day, after fasting...you know, one of those things we're supposed to do that we never do that helps us focus on God?

They dressed in sackcloth. The clothing of the poor. Again, echoes of Matthew 5...blessed are the poor in Spirit. They recognized their spiritual poverty before the Lord their God. He's Holy. Holy, Holy, Holy! We're not. Not, not, not. The poor get the Kingdom of Heaven.

They had dirt upon them. The symbol of mourning. Again, echoes of Matthew 5...blessed are those who mourn. They're sad, to the point of grieving, over their unfaithfulness to God. Their falling short of the mark. Their failure to be holy. Well, let's just say it: Their sin. The mourners will get comforted.

In verse 3, we see the nature of this confession service: A fourth of the day reading the law, and a fourth of the day confessing their sin corporately.

All too often, we think of confession as something we're supposed to kinda make a grocery list of our sins and tell God about them. I'm not so sure that's the idea. I mean, this Holy, all-knowing, all-everything-we-can-imagine-and-more God knows our grocery list, and in fact knows the ones we can't think of or don't know about. Any list we'd make would be incomplete, anyway.

But I don't get that sense here. Not at all.

I mean, look at verse 15 & 16. You'll see a contrast. God's the Provider of Food, Doer of Miracles, Giver of Land and Keeper of Promises. We're arrogant. We're stubborn. We're ignorers.

Look at 25 & 26: Another contrast. God's the Fortifier of Cities and Provisionary Farmer. He's the Giver of Blessings. He's the Maker of Abundance. He's Great and Good (Grood, for those of you Homestarrunner/Teen Girl Squad fans). We're disobedient. We're rebellious. We're the selectively blind. We're the killers of prophets.

Verses 32 & 37. Same deal. He's Awesome. He's Great. Mighty. Keeper of Covenants. Just. Faithful. We're wicked. Lawbreakers...and it goes on and on until we get to verse 37. My Bible (NASB) finishes with "So we are in great distress." The Message reads better to me, "We're in big trouble."

And we are. And we should confess. But not in such a way that we become even more selfish and focus on ourselves even moreso. Nope. We should admit our shortcomings but not as a grocery list...rather we should focus on God as He is Everything We're Not. And glorify Him and praise Him for being Who He Is. The name of God should be praised, even in the midst of our sloppy lives. Corporately speaking, anyway. We'll talk more about personal confession tomorrow.

I'd really like the "comments" section to become more interactive between all of us as readers. So, if the Church of America were coming together to confess our poverty before Him, what would we confess, and what would the countering quality of God be in that? I'll start...

"God...we have elevated our human methods of church growth over You, rather than being dependent upon you, because you are One we can truly depend on."

Brent 7:48 AM

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Sunday, October 03, 2004

In order to get ready for class today, you might want to refresh your memory from last week by re-reading Nehemiah chapters 9 and 10 again. Try to take note of the nature of "corporate" confession, especially in light of what we've already seen transpire in the history of this particular worship service.

It'll also help if you stroll through Psalm 51. Note who wrote it and what the circumstances were (which may cause you to flip through 2 Samuel 11 & 12). Try to figure out the emotions David must've been going through as well as look for similarities in the personal confession of David and the corporate confession of the Nehemiah passage.

Finally, browse through 2 Peter 1 :8-11 and note what we are if we aren't people of confession.

At class tonight we'll be spending time in all three passages.

Brent 4:05 AM

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Saturday, October 02, 2004

Acts 2: 41--47 and Nehemiah 7--10 have striking similarities, if you ask me. The New Testament and the Old Testament forms of worship contain many of the same elements.

Such as an emphasis on the Word. The early church, right after some 3,000 members of the "perverse generation" came into a relationship with Christ, they began to focus on the Word. It would've been interesting to see exactly what that looked like since they didn't have Bibles like we have...in fact, there hadn't been anything written, but I bet they studied the Old Testament with a new set of glasses. The Israelites, who hadn't heard from God in some 12 generations (or 7 depending on how you count generations), remembered enough about the reality that God was speaking to them through the scrolls, stood in reverence for what they were about to hear.

The Word is living. Active. Able to change our lives. God's very breath. Able to equip us for every good work. And sometimes we can neglect reading it because we're sleepy. Or busy. Or whatever. And often, if we are in it, we rip through it and then zip up our Bible covers.

But if you want genuine experience of Head To Heart, a reverence for the Word of God is certainly in order.

Another reality: Fellowship. The Acts 2 church understood that iron will indeed sharpen iron, even if you aren't doing anything "Bible-ish." Sometimes it's good just to be near saints. When they laugh. When they weep. When the ski or play softball or Ultimate Frisbee. Doesn't matter. Mileage with other believers is vital to the spiritual life. Equally as important as time in the Word. Think about that for a second, folks.

The Israelites were weeping when the word was read. It's a natural result to gather your spiritual poverty after hearing the Word...if you're hearing it right. And they got yelled at by their spiritual leaders. No weeping allowed today...there'll be time enough for that later...but now, it's festival time. Eat. Drink. Dance. Laugh. Smile. Hug. No wonder David was glad when he heard that he was going to Jerusalem for the festivals.

If you want it all to go from Head To Heart, you need mileage with other believers, and you need to make that a high-level priority.

A third reality: Confession. Admitting to God that He is God and I am not. Not necessarily a grocery list of sin, but rather a comparison of our hearts with True Holiness. And that focus will cause you to bust out in reverence for God. Jesus told us in Matthew 5 that understanding spiritual poverty was crucial to being blessed by God, and the act of confession of sin shows that in spades.

The Israelites dressed in sackcloth and ashes to symbolize their dirtiness before God and their spiritual poverty. In following that example, we should dress our hearts in sackcloth and smear ashes on it if we want to move from Head to Heart.

A final reality: Joyful, gracious giving...giving not under compulsion of any sort but rather as a reaction to God's graciousness towards us...needs to be an act of our worship. The Israelites made a vow that they would not, on their watch, neglect the house of their God. They gave of their resources and their cold, hard cash...and I can't imagine there would've been anyone that told them that they'd better give or else. Nope. They would've been thrilled to give and glad to do it. Seems to me that's worshipful giving.

So, wrapping up, the obvious reaction is to ask ourselves how our worship of God looks and is in each of these areas, and ask ourselves what our attitude is when we hear we're going to church. If joy isn't the reaction, we should ask ourselves why this might be.

Brent 4:09 AM

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Friday, October 01, 2004

I don't believe that the New Testament teaching tithing.

There.

I said it. I feel better.

Yes, I know that many of my brothers and sisters feel markedly different about this subject, and I know that people smarter than me have a different perception and interpretation. I don't mean to be divisive at all...I simply want to each person who reads Nehemiah today to see the act of worship through giving as a gracious and joyous motivation to give freely to the Lord.

I hear the word "tithing" thrown around in my circles as if it's normative behavior. No one really thinks about it much, but the mere fact is that if you know what that word means shows how much it pervades Christian thought...which, by extension, pervades Christian action.

And that's sad, because I think tithing ultimately limits our thought processes on the amount of money we give. I won't try to explain. It would take too long and this isn't the forum for a lengthy discourse...it's supposed to be a devotional on the nature of worship.

Now, I do believe that giving financially is an act of worship. Whether you believe the New Testament teaches tithing or you don't. Giving financially is an act of worship.

And, if you check out Nehemiah 10, you'll see giving as an act of worship, too.

See, at that time, Jerusalem had some practical economic needs. The Israelites just come back from dispersion and now they had maintenance costs all across the board. So, in verse 32, they CHOSE to place themselves under obligation to maintain the worship in the Temple. They gave a simple financial gift each year for this purpose.

Then, in verse 35, we see that they gave of their resources. These were significant gifts, too. The first fruit of every tree of every house, the first born calves, the first born sheep. The first dough. Wine. Oil. And even more money for the Levites.

Obviously, we need to see that giving is an act of worship. It should be more than having some uber-talented person sing a great song and passing around a brass plate with maroon carpet on the bottom and dropping folded checks in it. Maybe that's what it has to look like on the outside in our culture with our specific needs, but the heart of the giver should be deep in worship as an offering to the Most High God for His provision for us.

God has been abundantly gracious to us. He has given us more than we need.

And it should be a pleasure and a joy to give back to Him, and I love the resolve of the writer in verse 39: "We will not neglect the house of our God." Between the lines, you can almost read, "We did that once and wound up being oblivious to Him for over 300 years. Never again. Not on my watch. Walking with God in the center of our lives is well worth whatever we can give to ensure that the ordinances and statutes are carried out."

And the wrap up is pretty easy today: Are you financially (and/or with resources)giving to the work of the Lord joyfully? What does that look like for you?

Brent 4:02 AM

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