Pastor J.D. Greear shares some great ways to live out the Great Commission in everyday life. Read about it by clicking here.
I acknowledge it. It’s officially been a long time since my last post.
It’s been a rough season the past few months in my life and in those times I tend to get a bit quiet and lately I feel like I am riding an emotional roller coaster.
Recently, I found out my day position will soon be cut due to the economy. Some days I feel like God is answering my prayers for something with better pay, while other days I feel expendable.
Expectations of where I should be with the church plant sometimes blow my mind and at other times, honestly, lay me flat with discouragement.
You see… some days are just better than others.
One day I find myself crying out to God as the pain in my gut seems too unbearable. Another day, I rejoice in worship for I know He is refining me in the midst of the fire—teaching me what it means to follow the cross.
Some days I find myself wondering why blessings come to others so easy and why everything seems like a fight for me to obtain. Other days I am overwhelmed by God’s favor poured over me like fragrant anointing oil.
Some days I wonder why I have to face this trial again; feel this pain again; know this weakness again? Yet other days, I taste the sweetness of victory, the peace of healing, and the power of strength.
There are times when friends comfort me in my affliction. Yet other times, they cut me deep.
Some days I am so proud of those that call me pastor. Other days I wonder why they even call me such.
Could it be that day-to-day Christ is all sufficient in my life? That I could actually lift my hands up on this roller coaster? That the words of Paul the Apostle could pound passionately beneath my skin,
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Some days might be darker than others, but that doesn’t change who God is. Through it all I have chosen to follow Jesus. My bridges are burned. There’s no turning back. It’s not about good days and bad day—it’s about his unfailing love that wraps me through it all.
So…
May the light of God burst into every dark day with the light of His presence and may we know the depths of His love when we beat against His chest and then fall asleep in his arms.
Psalm 139:7-12 (NIV)
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,
you are there.If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.”
My wife, Alethea, seriously stirred me up with this excellent post. I can’t give too many details, but it is definitely worth the minute it might take to read! Stop what you are doing and check it out!
At age 17, I had been given the opportunity to give a message to a tribe of people up in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. I had my message all prepared when not more than 5 minutes before I was to speak, God nudged me to preach the Gospel from Mark 16. I did just that and by God’s grace, over 90% of the small rural church responded for salvation.
As the service was coming to close, I proclaimed that God not only saves but is also a healer. I opened the front for anyone who needed a miracle. Numerous people came forward, but a short elderly woman stands out clearly in my mind. Slowly she nudged her way through the crowd up to the interpreters. She spoke softly to them and they turned to me with anticipation in their eyes, “She is deaf in one ear and would like you to pray for God to restore her hearing.”
I believed God could do it, but in the moment I was overwhelmed but my own inadequacies. I turned around and faced the back wall for a moment. “God, I am not sure I have enough faith for this, but I trust you.” Tears began to stream down my face as I turned back and faced the woman. Laying my hands on her ear, I began to simply pray for God to heal her.
When I finished, one of the interpreters began to whisper in this woman’s deaf ear. A smile stretched across her wrinkled cheeks as she began to jump up and down with utter enthusiasm shouting something in in her native language.
“She can hear!!! She can hear!!!”
I crumpled to the floor in awe of a merciful and tremendous God who loves all His children, even those lost in the mountains of southern Mexico.
Since that day, I have prayed for healing of others on numerous occasions. Some have been. Others not. But I’ve realized my job is just to act in faith (pray) and leave the results to God. I don’t have to question the why or how. Faithfulness is just being willing to step out and trusting God with the results based on His character.
You see, “enough faith” is acting in a way that displays trust in something we believe to be true. It has nothing really to do with results. Matter of fact, it is quite the opposite. It is action when we aren’t sure of the outcome, but trust that God does. It’s knowing God in the moment and understanding his will. Faith is something we believe enough to move us to action.
That is enough for me. The rest is up to God.
Today marks the 172 anniversary of the birth of the great evangelist D.L. Moody. In a conversation with Mr. Henry Varley during Moody’s first visit to Britain, Moody heard these words from his friend, “The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully consecrated to Him.”
Moody tried to be that man, and did some incredible things for God. To learn more about D.L. Moody you can watch a video here or read an in-depth history here.
Last night at Bible study we looked at the story of the wise men recorded in Matthew 2. We had a wonderful time exploring the connections and difficulties of how they worshiped Jesus despite what their expectations of the Messiah might have been. They had no trouble bowing before the king of the Jews even though at the time was a small child. The wise men acted by faith, not by sight. They saw God in an unlikely place and circumstance.
On the side, we also looked at King Herod and his attitude towards the Christ child. He was greatly threatened by the possibility of this king of the Jews and did everything in his power to thwart God’s plan.
Often in our lives we can be threatened by Jesus as well. We get scared that Jesus might take away our control, power, dreams, and ability to do the things WE WANT and so we fight against him instead of worshipping him. When Jesus steps onto the scene of our lives, we are forced to look closely at who is really on the throne of our heart in ALL circumstances. Will we bow down when situations aren’t quite what we expect or will we struggle to keep control of our lives?
Psalm 111:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,”
Ephesians 5:15-17, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
These wise men understood that God was in control no matter what they saw with their natural eyes and rejoiced and worshipped according to that faith. What a wonderful testimony to us today! Today, let us walk in the same wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, understanding His will in all the circumstances we face, not just in the times of blessing. He is still all powerful and holds us in the palm of his hand.
Phil 1:6, “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Luke 10:27, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “
Loving people is not as easy as it sounds. People can be grumpy, hateful, backstabbing, greedy, prideful, quirky, accusatory, snarky (love that word), or just plain MEAN, but that doesn’t give us reason to return the favor.
2 Timothy 2:23–26, “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
Jesus calls us the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). We are called to live out the message of the Gospel as we function as divine ambassadors to those around us. In likeness of Jesus, this could mean speaking boldly against the accepted norm or possibly allowing someone to nail us to a cross.
So, how then do we know how God wants us to respond in different situations?
The answer lies in the objective foundation of Scripture. Therein, we find loving others may mean praying for them (Matt. 5:44), asking for or giving forgiveness (Col. 3:12-14), confrontation (Prov. 27:5), or submission (Eph. 5:21). What to do in different situations may vary, so that’s why we not only need the Scriptures, but also the Holy Spirit.
The Scripture guides us. The Spirit leads and empowers us.
One caution when dealing with difficult people or situations is to guard against bitterness and resentment. When we are on the blunt edge of gossip, slander, hate, backstabbing, church divisions and factions, etc… It is fairly easy to give into the bitterness, turn inward, or lash out in defense. At such times, I’ve found the greatest release is to take Jesus example (Luke 23:34) and simply forgive and pray for God to bless those that hurt me.
It’s hard to hear God’s direction in a situation when resentment or bitterness dominates us. Prayer and forgiveness release us to hear the Holy Spirit clearly, which in turn helps us to respond Christ-like in any given situation.
Love the poem.
Sweet song too.
Lately, I have been listening to the new Elevation Worship CD entitled We Are Alive.
“Sing Forever” is one that I seem to keep coming back to, but most all the songs have kept me humming the past few weeks. Listen here.
By the way, Steven Furtick (Pastor, Elevation Church) has never ceased to amaze me when he preaches. Last Sunday he preached a message called “Conflict” in a series entitled Visionary Love, Dream Sex.
If you are married, and ever had conflict (I know it’s rare, but you can always prepare for the future…) you need to watch it!
These commercials stand out in a sea of utterly apathetic advertising. The marketing is incredible. Want to know what this commercial has to do with church? Prodigal Jon nails it here.
