Will God Give You More than You Can Handle?

     "God never gives us more than we can handle."  I'm sure you've heard this one, a bunch of times.  Usually, you hear it given out as sage advice when a church member, friend, or neighbor experiences a devastating loss.  Now, it sounds like a true thing, and even a Biblical thing.  It also gives people something to say when they are desperately trying to come up with something that is comforting.  They want to encourage their friend or loved one, and to bolster their faith in God.

     Those who utter this maxim do so with good intent--we must give them credit for what they are trying to do. On the other hand, have you ever stood in a circle of caring around a grieving person (maybe at a funeral visitation) and someone has tried to comfort the aggrieved by the famous saying, "God never gives us more than we can handle?"  Have you experienced the instant increase in awkwardness and tension right afterward? If your experience matches mine, the hurting individual has not appeared to be even slightly comforted by these magic words.  In fact, they've often gotten quiet, and looked even more wounded than before.  You can see it in their eyes: "Whatever you may think about that, this is more than I can handle.  Does that make me a poor Christian? On top of all this hurt, is God also disappointed in me because my faith isn't strong enough?"

     So, I thought we could spend a few minutes examining the truth of this time-worn saying.  Is it Biblical? And if it is Biblical, is that what the verse really means?

     People have extrapolated this famous saying from 1 Corinthians 10:13, which in the NIV says, "No temptation  has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

     Now, having given you the verse, I need to point out a couple of features that most folks miss, and so fail to understand the verse fully.

1) Take a look at the context.  What is the theme of the whole chapter?  It's about how Israel caved into the temptation to sin and idolatry.  Paul wrote this  to the church in Corinth as a warning not to fall down the same slide that had brought on Israel's destruction.  So the chief meaning of "temptation" in this verse is "temptation to sin," which Paul says all of us face.

2) The word study books I have suggest that the Greek work for "temptation" (I won't bore you with the word) also includes "trials" in general.  This could mean adverse circumstance, hardship, etc. that puts our faith and character to the test.  Although that's not really the context of this passage, let's say for the sake of argument that Paul also meant "hard times" by this verse.  Even if that's so, (which I don't really buy because of the clear context of the chapter) there are a few other features that we need to notice to get the correct understanding:

3) These temptations are "common to mankind."  In other words, none of us ever face a temptation or hardship that is unique.  So God doesn't make  unique bad things happen to us to see if we sink or swim--whenever we face hard circumstances, they're the very same hard circumstances that thousands or millions are going through, right now.  It's just part of being a mortal human being.  Part of the package.

4) Remember the caution we're given in James 1:13-14...."13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed."  God isn't in the "tempting business", with the hard times that tempt us to abandon our faith.  He's in the "victory OVER temptation" business, as we see here:

5) Look at those words in verse 13 again: "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."  This shows us that God does keep a limit on the temptations He will allow us to endure, mindful of where we are in our walk with Him.  We see that acted out in the Book of Job, when God placed outer limits on Satan's activity in Job's life.  God does shepherd our experiences in this way.  He's a good and loving Father, and He keeps our souls safe if we'll trust Him.

6) The last point is this: God doesn't allow experiences based on what WE can handle; we can't actually handle anything.  When we think of things realistically,  our individual strength and faith will break down in the presence of trials.  Humans just don't have it in them.  The real meaning, balanced by the rest of what God teaches us in the Bible, is that any temptation (or trial) needs more than human strength--we absolutely need God's strength as He walks alongside of us and provides the resources we need for each challenge.  He doesn't sit back and watch to see if we sink or swim.  He gets right down with us in the midst of trials and gives us the strength and victory we could never experience on our own. As it says in John 15:5, apart from God (on our own), we can do NOTHING.  But when we abide constantly with Him, never going off on our own, but walking right by His side, we experience the truth of the promise that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

     So the next time you're hurting, take it with a little grain of salt if someone tells you, "God never gives us anything we can't handle."  Be patient with them.  They mean well. They can see you're hurting, and they really want to encourage you.  However, give yourself permission to admit that you actually can't handle the situation.  Also, realize that God doesn't expect you to handle it--not on your own.  That is why He is right by your side, and if you'll let Him, He'll take you by the hand and lead you through that dark valley.  He will supply His strength where yours is lacking.  And one day you'll realize you see a little light at the end of the tunnel.  You won't know how you've made it that far--and that will be because your Father was carrying you.

     And if you're at the side of a grieving friend, I'd encourage you to remain there, quietly, and let that feeling of loss be what it is.  You don't have to come up with anything to make it go away--God will see to that, with time.  Your mere, caring presence will be an unspoken sign to the hurting that God is right there with them as well.  As you grieve with them, it's a sign that God is grieving with them, too.  And really, that's the most powerful thing you can say to a person who feels lost and alone.

Building Bridges Pays Dividends

     With this post, I'm bringing you greetings from the Midwest! As of today (June 22), I'm sitting in the living room of my parents-in-law in Ottawa, Kansas.  We just came here yesterday from visiting my side of the family.  We attended church with my parents yesterday in St. Joseph, Missouri.  It was the first time my whole family had been together in church for many years.  Of course, all three of us kids have our own churches and schedules, so we can't be together on Sundays very often.  Yesterday, however, things came together for all of us, and we were there, on Father's Day, to hear my father deliver a sermon.  My sister and I both sang.  My father was rather touched to have us all together--I think we gave him a pretty good Father's Day present.

     The whole week was a good one for strengthening relationships.  We three siblings stayed up a few very late nights, just talking about what has been happening in our lives, and how our perspectives on life and faith have adapted as we have gained experience.  We were intrigued, I think, to see how we have come to some of the same perspectives even though we are separated by space, time, and circumstances. Even as our insights have come into greater agreement, it also seems that we are increasingly appreciating the importance of humility--we are realizing how much we have yet to learn.  God is always seeking to impart greater wisdom to us through His Word, our experiences, and through the perspectives of others.  It would be a shame to close ourselves off to that wisdom, thinking we already understand things well enough.  That openness is so important, both for our own growth in Christ and our relationships.

     All of this causes me to reflect, once again, on the great benefits we may gain from Christian fellowship if we just invest the time and effort to reach across our differences, and with a teachable spirit, open ourselves to the stories and perspectives of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  It's important to be honest with ourselves, understanding that it takes constant effort to bridge the gaps caused by differing backgrounds, personalities, and styles.  We love to take the path of least resistance; it involves little effort when we spend time with those who are like-minded and kindred spirits.  However, if we associate only with those who are like us, we are probably not going to learn very much.  

     The Apostle Paul wrote, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3, NIV).  I like that verse, because first, it recognizes the challenge of unity with those who are different from us. We can all testify to the difficulty of relationships with those we'd term "difficult people" -- though we often dismiss as difficult those who are simply very different.  The second thing I like about the verse, though, is that it gives the method for surmounting the difficulty: the "bond of peace."  What is this "bond of peace" which is supposed to give us the resources to have unity with those very different from us? The answer: Jesus Himself; His work on the Cross reconciles us both to God and to each other.  In Ephesians 2:14, Paul reminds us that "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..." (NIV)

     If we have truly made Christ's atonement a part of our lives, we should be living the full implications of the Gospel. One of those implications is that we can live in unity and mutual encouragement with any Christian brother or sister, regardless of our differences.  In the Father's wisdom, He has ordained that a good portion of the wisdom and guidance we need is sent to us by the fellowship of others in the Body of Christ.  We are stunted in our growth when we refuse to bridge the gaps of personal differences and humble ourselves enough to learn.  I pray that you and I will continually commit ourselves not to miss the riches of wisdom and caring that can be found in our Christian family.

Praying in the Big Leagues

     I'm sure you all know my opinion of politics by now.  Let's just say, I don't like politics.  Not a bit.  I have little faith in the American political system, and that includes both sides of the aisle.  The whole thing is rife with corruption, as legislators are owned by special interest groups.  Self-interest rules over the good of the country.  Our religious freedoms are being whittled away.  This latest intrusion by state government into the working of local churches is one example--the background checks and mandatory reporting, etc.  I growl a lot about new laws and regulations, and I sometimes wonder if certain politicians might be actively working to destroy the country.  I get angry...and I sometimes have a hard time thinking Christ-like thoughts or expressing His compassion for all people.  And that's precisely how I learn where I need to grow, when I find an area where I don't reflect the heart of Jesus.  Maybe you need to grow, too.

     Regardless how you vote, there's likely a bunch of times that you've been upset about laws and regulations that have been put in place by some legislative body.  Like I said, I sure have, plenty of times.  Let me ask you this--how many times have you prayed for our leaders? I know, I know--sometimes we get so angry at them that we just want them to get voted out and go away.  Some may even wish them harm!  Before we let our feelings carry us away, however, we ought to find out what Jesus would have us think, and do.

     In First Timothy, chapter 2, the Apostle Paul instructs his pastoral protégé in the methods by which he can cultivate the heart of Jesus within the Ephesian church.  Prayer heads the list, as it must.  He urges that the church pray for everyone--even those for whom they might not feel like praying: "I urge, then, first of all, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority..." (vv. 1-2a, NIV)  It's easy to pray for people we like, right?  Praying for people we don't care for, however...that's when we separate the pros from the amateurs.  Jesus reminded us in the Sermon on the Mount that even the "tax collectors" and "pagans" show love to those who love them. (Matt. 5:46, 47) Followers of Jesus must distinguish themselves from the world by wielding a love that is much higher than unbelievers can attain.  And so it follows naturally that if we truly follow Jesus, we should not balk at praying even for those in power.

     Paul gives two other reasons for such prayers.  The first directly benefits us: "...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (2b)  I can't tell you how many times I've wished that the government would get out of our lives.  I'm sure you've done the same.  Rather than watching the news and seething in resentment, because we're powerless to change things, we should do the one thing that makes change possible--pray!  Yes, God's Word plainly says that praying for those in power can bring about an environment in which governmental leaders leave us alone, and free to pursue lives of godliness and holiness.  How does this work?  I haven't the foggiest notion.  But apparently something happens in the heavenlies when God's people pray for the knowledge and blessing of God to come upon those in authority.  Perhaps God softens their hearts toward us, causing them to look on us more favorably--I don't know.  I do know that whatever we're doing now isn't working.  I think it's time to quit working ourselves up into a froth, drop the angry slogans, and take our place on the battle-lines of prayer.  That's where we do have power.  And just perhaps, the Lord will give us the peace and quiet for which we've been searching.

     The second reason for praying for people in power is more important than our own comfort--it's for their very eternal souls: "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." (vv. 3-4, NIV)  Whatever we may think of presidents, or governors, or legislators, or judges, we must remember who they truly are.  They are, every last one of them, people lovingly created by God, in His image.  They are sinners, like you and I.  They wield a power that can spread the effects of their sin much farther that us, but their level of brokenness is quite equal to ours in the eyes of God.   The love God has for them, furthermore, is just as great as it is for us.  Out of His compassion, He sent His Son to die for them and hopefully to redeem their souls.  To this day, He sends His Holy Spirit to contend with their hearts, opening their eyes to their sin and need for a Savior.  He wants them to be with Him for all eternity.  That is who these people are.  We pigeonhole them, seeing them only in terms of their title, their power, their riches, and perhaps the damage and mischief they can accomplish.  But that is not who they are, whether they know it or not. They are children of the Living God, who wants to redeem them.  That is how we must see them.  We must see past the facade, see their souls, and pray for those souls.  If we do not, we cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus, or of the Father who wants all men to be saved.

     It is time to stop grumbling and kick into action.  It's time to pray!  On May 7, Christians from our entire area will gather at the site of the new school in Kittanning for the National Day of Prayer.  It will be an hour in which we fervently pray for God's love and truth to come upon all of our leaders, national, state, county and local.  We will pray for the new school, for its administrators and teachers.  We will pray for the students who will join together in ways they never have before.  We will pray safety for our law enforcement officers, and all those firemen and EMT's who sacrifice to keep us safe and healthy.  We hope that you will come with us to pray that a knowledge of God and His truth will dawn upon our leaders.  We will pray that blessing will return to our people, and that we will be able to live our lives in peace and godliness.  If you really want things to change, you need to be there.  Our National Day of Prayer service begins at 6:30 pm, at the location mentioned above.  In the event of rain, we will meet instead at the pavilion of Vision Hill, the future site of the First Church of God.  I anticipate seeing you there.

A Long Look Within

   The Lenten season is already upon us. Can you believe it? Do you realize that just two months ago, we were celebrating Christmas? Something really strange has happened this year, with the way all those solstices and equinoxes fall, and Easter will be exceptionally early this year. April 5! I'm having a really tough time making the mental gears switch over--and all this crazy snow everywhere doesn't do much to help me come to terms with the fact that Lent is already here, and Easter is coming fast.

   But we should do everything we can in order to enter into the journey of Lent. The alternative is missing out on a truly precious opportunity: the opportunity to enter into the story of Christ's ministry, His passion, and His resurrection. It's your opportunity to enter into the drama--to make the Gospel story, your story. The result of doing this is wonderful and transformative.

   But before we jump in, headlong, we really ought to make sure that we are clear about what we are doing, and why. A good, first question would be: what is Lent? What does the word mean?

   The word, "Lent," is an Old English word that means "long," in observance of the fact that the days visibly lengthen in the spring. It and "spring" were used somewhat interchangeably. So the Old English term for spring would have been something like, "the lengthening." So originally, the term, "Lent," wasn't even a particularly religious word. However, given that it was in these days of "lengthening" that people also prepared themselves spiritually for entering into the story of Christ's Passion and Resurrection, the word Lent has morphed over the centuries to take on a spiritual connotation.

   A much older term for what we call "Lent" is how they referred to it in Latin: Quadragesima, meaning "fortieth." This is in reference to the fact that the Lenten observance is forty days in length. The forty days of Lent are meant to commemorate the 40 days that Christ spend fasting in the desert, after His baptism, and prior to the beginning of His public ministry. In preparation for celebrating the Passion week, believers have also entered a forty day period of fasting, symbolically participating with Jesus in His wilderness fast. Other foreign words for "Lent" recognize that it is all about entering into the story of Christ's preparatory fast. The German word for Lent is fastenzeit, simply meaning "fasting time." Other European languages, like Russian or Czech, use an expression which translates into "the great fast" (Czech is postni doba; Russian is vyeliki post.)

   So, there we have the meaning and origin of the term, "Lent." Having covered the what, however, we should talk about the why. For many Christians in this country, there is a serious question about whether Lent should be observed at all. Believe me, I understand. My first church memories were in a small, Independent Fundamental Baptist church, and the term Lent only conjured up people eating fish and carrying out mystical, Catholic rituals. I'm ashamed to tell you that anything liturgical like this stirred up suspicion in me and other members of my little group of "Fundies". I have grown a tremendous amount since those days. The denomination I now call home is far more hospitable and ecumenical, praise the Lord, and we understand that liturgy is not a sinister or wrong thing.

   Many strongly object to observing Lent because, they say, it's nowhere in the Bible. To that objection I would be quick to point out that an annual celebration of Christmas is also mentioned nowhere in the Bible, but that holiday is celebrated without anyone raising an eyebrow. To be clear, I'm glad about that. As far as I can tell, there is no biblical prescription for an annual celebration of Easter. Rather, each Sunday is supposed to be a celebration of Christ's resurrection. That's why Christian worship was moved from the true Sabbath, Saturday, to the first day of the week. The first day of the week is when Jesus arose from the tomb. Nevertheless, I hardly have a problem with a special, annual celebration of Easter--I rejoice in it, and so should you. Returning to the subject of Lent, granted, there is no commandment in the New Testament to celebrate it each year. But, are there good reasons to do so nonetheless?

   I submit that the answer is yes. I feel it important to note that motivation is everything. Why do we observe Lent? Is it with the hopes that, from performing "extra credit" religious rituals, we might gain extra favor from God? I fear that far too many people think this way. They treat God as a gum ball machine, and ritual as the coin. Insert religious ritual, turn crank, and out pops good fortune in life. My friend, God is not a divine dispenser of handouts, whom you may manipulate. He is a loving Heavenly Father, who wants to be present in, and to transform, every single area of your life. He wants you to share everything with Him, and He wants to share everything with you.

   The only detail is that you must let Him in. That takes time. And tragically, time is a commodity so precious to us that we begrudge sharing it with Him. Why are we so miserly of the time we are willing to share with God? We're just so BUSY all the time. The alarming thing is that we never stop to consider that all this busy-ness may be a tactic of Satan himself.

   In his book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster says the following:

In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in 'muchness' and 'manyness,' he will rest satisfied. Psychiatrist Carl Jung once remarked, 'Hurry is not of the Devil; it is the Devil.' (p. 15)

   If you are too hurried, too busy, to invite God into all the moments and places of your daily living, then you are too busy, by far. But why does busy-ness have such a hold on us--why do we all feel bound by it? Perhaps part of the answer is something we dare not admit to ourselves. Perhaps it's because we are all too aware of what may happen if we take the time to walk with Jesus, and to share with Him all our goings and comings and doings and thoughts. Perhaps we KNOW what He will do if we open these things to Him--He might start changing things! And just perhaps, we're not sure we want Him to!

   Later in the book I just mentioned, Foster says this:

Human beings seem to have a perpetual tendency to have somebody else talk to God for them. We are content to have the message second-hand...In this way we do not need to go to God ourselves. Such an approach saves us from the need to change, for to be in the presence of God is to change. (p. 24)

Our fear of being alone drives us to noise and crowds. We keep up a constant stream of words even if they are inane. We buy radios that strap to our wrists or fit over our ears so that if no once else is around, at least we are not condemned to silence. (p. 98)

   Why are we so scared of being alone...being quiet...taking time to think? Perhaps (though we'd never admit it to ourselves), we fear what God may say to us, and do within us. If we hold Him at arm's length, we can keep the relationship nice and cordial. God may be less likely, that way, to ask anything of us that we would be uncomfortable doing. When we insist on keeping God at arm's length, relating to Him only through what we hear a preacher say on Sunday, however, that's not enough. We still aren't allowing God to share our lives and innermost thoughts. And that leads to temptation and sin.

   That leads me to another reason we are afraid to take time, alone, with the Lord. I hate vehicle inspection time, don't you? I watch the date on that sticker, and as it gets nearer, my dread grows. I just know that when the mechanic takes a look at my car, he will find something wrong. It's not that seeing the mechanic makes the car develop a problem--the problem is already there. But when the mechanic looks, he will see the problem. I hate that. That means money from my pocket, which I can't easily spare.

   I feel that is another part of the answer as to why we allow our busy-ness to have such a hold on our lives. Being obsessively busy keeps us from time alone, with God, in silence. And, if we don't allow God enough time to see into our hearts and lives, the very real problems we have will remain undiscovered, right? God won't see them? Well, that's foolish thinking, and that's where the whole analogy falls apart. God is not like a mechanic, who won't discover the problem if we don't let Him take a peek under the hood. Psalm 139 breaks the news to us in powerful and beautiful language. Consider the first six verses:

"You have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." (NIV)

   Christians have always held that God sees and knows absolutely everything. We learned this in Sunday School when we were very young. Still, we mortal humans have a difficult time processing that truth in real life. The reality we experience is that our private thoughts and deeds will remain that way unless we choose to reveal them. Despite the fact that we say we believe in the infinite and extensive knowledge of God, we instinctively fall back on the assumption that if we keep certain doors closed to God, He will never find out about the extent of our sinful tendencies.

   We really do need to get the truth to sink into our mortal skulls: there is no use trying to hide anything about ourselves from God. He already knows it—all of it--even better than we know it ourselves. To really blow our minds, He knew all of it before we were even born! Since He already knows it, we may as well be honest with Him, and ourselves, about it. That is because, once we open up to God about our profound brokenness, the way is opened for God to begin cleansing and purifying us. In the Bible, God makes clear His earnest desire to work with us so that we can be conformed to the character of Jesus and bring Him glory.

“'Come now, let us settle the matter,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" -- Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -- 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)

   The type of transformation that can set us free and bring us to a life of true purpose awaits only our being totally open with God, and trusting His loving hand to purge all that stands in the way. King David was eager that the Heavenly Father would undertake this complete renovation of his life. This is why he made the following invitation in Psalm 139:23-24...

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (NIV)

   Just as the forty days of Christ's fasting in the desert marked His complete dedication to the Father's will in His life, the forty days of Lent give us the opportunity to symbolically join Him in a journey that strips away the false directions and securities that keep us from knowing the good He has in store for us. Lent is a long look within--one which helps us to consecrate ourselves to the higher and better purposes for which the Father has destined us.

A Good Year to Change the World

   At the threshold of a New Year, we have fresh in our minds the stories pertaining to the birth of Jesus.  We continue to bask in the glow of the Good News that God the Son would care for us enough to choose to be with us--even more, that He would come amongst us in such a vulnerable mode.   A baby seems so helpless.  It must trust to the love and care of others for its survival and growth.  Interesting, isn't it, that Jesus would begin His mission to change this world forever...in the form of an infant, who is totally dependent and not able to accomplish much of anything.

   Also intriguing is that, according to the story we read in Matthew 2:13-18, Joseph was forced to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt when Jesus was just a toddler.  King Herod was filled with homocidal paranoia at the prophecy of a "King of the Jews" who was to be born in Bethlehem, and he wanted Jesus killed.  Again we find the Messiah, destined to conquer sin, death, and eventually the whole world, in a completely vulnerable state.  Neither one of these pictures of Jesus makes sense to human thinking -- the Savior of the world, God the Son, on the run?  A helpless Baby, born to a poor family and laying in a feed trough seems an inauspicious start; how could such a start lead to the Kingship of heaven and earth?  And yet these paradoxical pictures are part of what makes the Kingship of Jesus yet more glorious: a poor baby, a political refugee, a Servant King, whose court isn't filled with nobles and guards, but with the blind, the lame, the lepers, sinners...and little children. 

   As the New Year begins, we Christ-followers find ourselves embedded in a world awash in violence and hatred.  There are wars happening, not just in Iraq and Ukraine, but our city streets are virtual war zones too.  The protests are wreaking violence, destruction, and murder wherever we find them.  Things only seem to be getting worse, as those entrusted to keep the peace are being gunned down, one by one.  Juxtapose these violent scenes with the various places that completely peaceful scenes have been constructed: the state houses where a simple Nativity scene has been displayed.  These harmless images as an infant Prince of Peace have been banned by courts, or mocked by atheistic and Satanic displays quite nearby.  As a godless world rips itself to shreds, it also makes clear that it wants nothing to do with our Servant-Messiah, nor those who follow Him.

   Do you, my brothers and sisters, feel overwhelmed by the culture that destroys itself and blasphemes Christ who died to reconcile God and men?  Do you feel vulnerable?  Do you wonder how we could possibly make the slightest dent in such a world as we have today?  I need to remind you..and me...then, that a Servant King, constantly vulnerable and in danger of His life, changed the world forever.  He conquered sin and death.  His Church transformed the culture.  All of this from a starting point of complete vulnerability.  If Jesus started out so seemingly low, and ended up so exalted, you and I should not be cowering in a corner somewhere.  

   The Gospel we carry is the antidote to a world that is rotting away from a terminal, spiritual cancer.  As much as they proclaim that they want nothing to do with our Christ, there is nothing they can do to stop the Gospel from spreading its Light, and ransoming individuals, families, neighborhoods and communities from the kingdom of darkness.  That's because the worldly regime, directed from the shadows by the "prince of the power of the air," knows only aggression to force its way.  The Gospel advances by methods that the worldly kingdom has no idea how to counter.   We use, not force, but...Love.  Grace.  Mercy.  Humility.  Service.  Compassion.  Kindness.  Prayer, even for our enemies.  And a quiet, loving courage that proclaims the atoning sacrifice of Jesus even as the world shrieks that it won't bow to  our Servant King.  The worldly regime has no effective counter for the methods used by Christ's Church.  It tries to use violence against us, but even as they apply their force to muzzle us, we simply pray, "Father, forgive them.  They don't know what they're doing."  The enemy has literally nothing that it can do in the face of such love.

   So, my friends, use 2015 to change the world.  How?  Simple--change your corner of it, with Christ's help.  All around you there are friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, people you see in the store, many of whom desperately need Christ.  You can bring the light of Christ to everyone you encounter.  Love them.  Serve them. Bring them joy.  Show them that they matter to you, and to Jesus.  When the opportunity comes, tell them about the Jesus who can transform their lives just as He has yours.  As they accept the Servant King as their ruler, teach them how to do the same thing you just did, and send them out to change their corners of the world.  Put the proper tools and tactics in their hands--not the weapons of this world, but the unconquerable love, humility, and service of Jesus.

Call Forth the Best

    This has been a very blessed month for the Jones family. Many of you know about the concerns we have had for our son, Nathanael. We have taken two trips to the Cleveland Clinic, and our son has undergone a lot of poking and prodding—he stood up to all of that like a real champ. Though his mom and I were concerned, we knew that the Lord was going to see us through the challenge. And He did: the results were that we wouldn't have to come back for more tests until he is seventeen. There was no immediate crisis, and we were extremely thankful. We were particularly moved by how many of you expressed your caring by calls, cards and visits. We even received help with transportation and expenses.

     In addition, you were all so kind and generous to us during Pastor Appreciation Month (and my birthday). We received an outpouring of cards, treats, and gift cards. The church's generous gift of a shopping trip to Men's Wearhouse will be a real God-send for us; my wardrobe has been in real need of updating for some time. So, for all your expressions of love and concern, we want to thank you so much. Thank you that you allowed the Lord to love us through you! As I said a couple Sundays ago, the greatest gift you give us is yourselves: your hearts that are full of love and welcome. Even though our relatives call the Midwest “home,” you have made us feel that our home is right here, sharing life with you all.

     In the wake of your many expressions of appreciation and support, I have been thinking a good bit about Hebrews 10:24-25...”And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The challenge given here really inspires me, and I hope it will do so for you as well.

     Have you noticed how predisposed the human mind is to gravitate toward the negative aspects of our lives and the people in them? The adage, “nothing sells like bad news” is seen everyday. Watch any news program, and you will see nothing but an hour of bad news. “Human interest” stories get thrown in occasionally as the merest token—an afterthought—and everyone says, “Awww.” But it seems no one pays that much attention to them. The stories we remember, and talk about at the water cooler, are the fires and the robberies and the shootings and the maniac cop-killer hiding in the forests of eastern Pennsylvania and the Ebola and, and, and...ad infinitum. All of these things are just horrible, and we should not pretend they don't exist. But, is that the whole picture? Is human nature so debased that we never do anything noble or loving—are we all nothing but monsters? Of course not! So, where's the balance? If we are shown nothing but the blackest aspects of human existence, how will we know that there is an alternative—that we actually can hope and aspire to true community, charity and compassion? We need to see and celebrate the best parts of people so that we will see those examples and make the noble part of humanity our focus and goal.

     This tendency toward a focus on the negative reaches into our relationships. I notice it from time to time with my own children. I have really great sons—I love so many things about them. They are far from perfect, but in general they are very respectful, loving, sensitive, intelligent, hard-working, and really very funny. These things are such a dependable part of my sons' character that it becomes commonplace, expected, and, I am ashamed to say, taken for granted. Instead of continually praising and appreciating the absolutely wondrous things about my sons, my attention gets drawn to the times when they do slip up, drop the ball on their responsibilities, and require correction. I'm not about to say that we shouldn't correct our kids; my sons will be the first to tell you how readily I will correct them. But again, where's the balance? Are my sons nothing but trouble, constantly in need of rebuke? Absolutely not! How will they know, however, that they are precious to me and full of qualities that positively thrill me, unless they hear that from me more often than they hear the rebukes? Given what my sons hear me say to them, how would they answer this question: “My Dad thinks that I am _______________” Fill in the blank. If they think my opinion of them is mostly negative, how will they know that they can actually aspire to fulfill the greatest things about themselves? Oh, and by the way, if you are wondering whether our little scare with Nathanael's health has brought me to this season of soul-searching, you'd be right on-target.

     I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. We are surrounded with people given to us by God as priceless gifts. We are further given the overwhelmingly powerful privilege of seeing and helping them to become the best they can possibly be for the Lord. Too many of us think that the path to that is to aggressively attack the less-than-excellent qualities about them. So we do little but focus on and criticize the negative things we see in them. We might even think we're doing them a favor. But in general, people tend to live up to your expectations of them. If your comments toward them hover on times that they have been incompetent or untrustworthy, chances are they may live right into that mold. If, however, you come at the people in your life with the expectation that they they have been created by God with real gifts and excellence, they may just be inspired by the vision you cast for them and strive to live up to that great vision you have for them. Expect the best from people, and you will be amazed at how often they will give you that. Even when they don't, make it clear that your expectations haven't dropped a bit. That will motivate them to know they can get right up, let God dust them off, and get right back on the road toward being the priceless people God has redeemed them to become.

    This Pastor's Appreciation Month has been so encouraging for my family and I. I know that I am far from the ideal pastor, preacher or anything else. But when you tell me that you're praying for me, and when you say that you appreciate the small things I can do to live out Christ's love among you, that inspires me to live into that vision even more. The great thing is, we can all show appreciation to the people that are gifts to us from God. Take the time to appreciate and praise what has been created in them by God, and makes them truly a unique and valued person in God's and your eyes.

Follow the True Shepherd

"The word of the Lord came to me:  ^'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.  So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.'" --Ezekiel 34:1-5 NIV

Another church has been in the news lately, due to scandal surrounding its pastor.  This sort of thing, tragically, crops up all too often.

The church is in a different denomination than ours, and it's way out in Seattle, Washington.  It's also one of those younger, seeker-sensitive churches with a very contemporary worship style.  For all those reasons, you may or may not have heard of it.  The church's name is Mars Hill Church, and the pastor's name is Mark Driscoll.  Unfamiliar, perhaps, but important because Driscoll is named in a recent listing of the 25 Most Influential Pastors of the Past 25 Years on www.preaching.com.  He has been a prolific author, sought-after speaker at national conferences, and an inescapable presence on the internet and social media.

Along with great celebrity, unfortunately, has come great controversy.  Driscoll is affectionately referred to as "Mark the Cussing Preacher" in Donald Miller's popular book, Blue Like Jazz.  Obviously, I can't identify with a church culture that would view cussing affectionately.  The nickname is somewhat justified, however.  Driscoll has employed language that would jeopardize many pastors' ministries--hopefully most.  Despite that, he has been lauded for his sophisticated theological formulation.  Driscoll is staunch proponent of Calvinism, of which I am decidedly not, but among prominent Calvinist preachers he has received rave reviews--until recently.

I know that a lot of people try to make light of profanity, and excoriate those of us who take it seriously, calling us self-righteous, judgmental Pharisees.  However, the reality of profanity is this: those words rise from undisciplined anger.  The Bible has warned us repeatedly to keep all obscene talk out of our mouths (Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 5:3-4), so obviously God takes it seriously Himself, and it isn't clever, cutting-edge, or cute.  The reason talk matters is that all talk is heart-talk.  Jesus Himself said that "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:45 NIV)  And so, when you hear a person who regularly employs angry, profane words, you are listening to a reflection of an undisciplined, angry heart.

The chief part of the controversy that has arisen has been about Driscoll's admitted anger issues.  Recently, a group of 21 former pastors and elders of Mars Hill have come forward with charges against Driscoll, claiming character deficits which have disqualified him as the pastor of the church.  They allege that Driscoll has a long pattern of spiritual abuse which has driven many leaders from the church, and a few parishioners claim they have even left behind the Christian faith as a result of the treatment they received.  Citing a culture of fear, the charges list many incidents during which Driscoll has allegedly met any questioning or opposition with explosive anger, firings, threats of firings, obscenity, slander against former pastors, threats to destroy their new churches, and a few other things which wouldn't be proper for me to even repeat here.  His accusers claim that he has also ordered the church to completely cut off a former elder from all social contact--just because the elder opposed some of the decisions being made.  Most recently are allegations of plagiarism and hiring a PR firm to artificially manipulate sales for his recent book release--and using church monies to do so.

Driscoll has recently stepped away from leadership at Mars Hill for a period of six weeks, to give the elders a chance to investigate the charges made against him.  Some of the accusations have been admitted to by him.  Some, he says, are issues which arose years ago, which he owned up to then and from which the church has moved on.  Some, he claims, are outright fabrications.  His opponents claim that, despite frequent apologies and claims of reform, Driscoll hasn't changed at all.

So, who is on the side of truth, Driscoll or his accusers?  More than likely, the truth is somewhere in between.  Since we didn't witness any of this, we've no ability to judge.  But whether true or no, the situation itself brings forward some strong cautions for churches everywhere.

First and foremost, church, never follow a man.  It's unavoidable that pastors end up being the public face of a church; he's the guy you see up there behind the pulpit every Sunday.  He's usually the big talker, and many pastors have charisma.  However, the pastor's job is to serve the Lord and the church by pointing past himself and directly toward Christ.  Understand that your pastor can't save you.  He's not Jesus.   Jesus, and only Jesus, is Lord, and He is the only one any of us should be following.  A pastor is only an under-shepherd, and he is only doing his job if he's following Jesus, not his own agenda.  The way he follows Jesus is by loving you, serving you, and doing everything he can to step back and boost you closer to Christ. 

Second, it's all about the fruit.  Every time a story like this pops up, I'm reminded it's time to take a hard look at myself, and then give myself a swift kick.  I don't have any books to sell.  I'm not flown around the country to speak at conferences, and I don't have nationally-known preachers speaking my name, good or bad.  Still, the exact same expectations are on me from Christ as any of those other bigwigs.  Those expectations have nothing to do with how well I can speak, or sing.  I could be the greatest preacher around (I have no such illusions), or sing like an angel, or have really exceptional theological understanding.  But remember this: content and delivery skill do not make a pastor.  It makes a good preacher or singer, but that's it.  As the Bible pictures it, God is not looking so much for pastors who are good at speechmaking as He is interested in those who will convey something of the character of Jesus to his congregation by the way he lives.  His character should be marked by the fruits of the Holy Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22-23.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, all qualities which Jesus personified, should be growing in the pastor's character. Please note I said "growing;" perfection in these qualities will only be found in Christ himself. 

That list of fruits excludes the kinds of responses to people that Driscoll is accused of having.  But more importantly, it puts me and other pastors on notice that Jesus will not have the kinds of power politics and arrogance that are often practiced in secular relationships and businesses.  The Church is not a business; it is a community called to be an embassy of the Kingdom of God.  In this Kingdom, the rules, ethics and relationships are pretty much opposite of worldly communities.  That Christ's Church is part of His Kingdom, not a corporation, is a truth that I wish more churches would come to understand and expect.  Along with that shift would come a realization that pastors are to be shepherds, not CEO's.  A shepherd deals with his flock much differently than a CEO would treat his underlings.  2 Timothy 2:24-26 lays out how pastors should respond to people--even those who would bring criticism:

"And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  Opponents must be gently instructed, 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." (NIV)

Again, a pastor's relationships with his parishioners should carry something of the fragrance of Christ.  Far from anger and defensiveness, he should be known as a person who doesn't want to quarrel.  Instead, he should be kind, gentle, and respectful.  When a criticism is brought, he should be humble enough to take heed and consider it carefully.  It may be that the critique carries the truth with it, even in part, and if so he should admit it and seek forgiveness.  Even if the criticism is unfair or ungodly, he must instruct the person gently and respectfully, teaching instead of arguing.  This is because a pastor must truly love the erring individual, and seek to bring them out of the devil's trap and into a right relationship with God.  If the pastor is seeking to just be right and protect his turf, he is showing little of the love that Jesus has for his straying sheep. 

One more thing I'd like to point out is that it's all about the Church, not the individual.  I can understand how that might be a difficult thing to keep in mind for some of the more famous preachers out there who planted churches and watched them grow under their leadership.  After all, if they're the ones who set the tone, thought up the strategy, cast the vision and did the pioneering work with a local area, it would seem reasonable to feel a sense of ownership for the work.  They're the ones whose blood, sweat and tears went into the place, right?  I'd be the first to agree that they did, in fact make great sacrifices and invest great passion into the work.  I really do respect those risk-takers who are willing to take on such an enormous task.  There's only one problem.  Even if a pastor planted a local church, the moment it becomes a church, it's not his.  Every church is under the headship of Jesus Christ.  Each one is a part of the Bride of Christ.  Every church is under the complete and total ownership of Jesus, who paid with His blood to redeem and sanctify His church.  We pastors are only under-shepherds whom Jesus has called to love their churches like He does, and to faithfully feed those churches with the Word of God.  Stewards, that's all we are.

Since I've entered the ministry, I've served established churches.  I'm thankful for that in many ways, but one of the biggest is that when you come to serve an established church, you instantly know that this church isn't yours.  It was around a long time before you got there, and it will be around long after you've gone.  You know that you're part of something much bigger than you.  The church isn't mine; the head and sole owner of this church is Jesus.  Of course, it's important to remind you all of the same thing; no matter how many years you've gone to this church, and no matter how many generations of your family have gone here, it's not your church either.  It's far bigger than you, and bigger than all of us.  My agenda for this church is unimportant, ultimately.  So is yours.  All that matters is what the Head of this church, Jesus, wants for us.

When I realize who the church really belongs to, it completely changes my ideas about why I am here, what I'm supposed to do, and who I'm doing it for.  The first passage I shared from Ezekiel 34 is a solemn warning of impending judgment for the shepherds of the nation of Israel.  They lost sight of the fact that the one and only job they had was to see to the well-being of their flock.  They were to feed, serve and protect.  Instead, they decided to make themselves richer and fatter at the expense of their flock.  They "fleeced" the flock, clothing themselves with the wool, and they slaughtered the choice sheep to feed themselves.  Instead, God says, they had been put there to seek out the sheep that were lost, to heal the sick and bandage the injured. Because they served their own interests instead, the judgment of God was coming.

I worry for many churches who are following mere men instead of following Jesus.  There are wolves out there in sheep's clothing, false shepherds who will serve their own interests and amplify their own power at the expense of the church.  By God's grace, I am growing to love this church more and more, just like its True Shepherd does. I want to do a better and better job of loving and serving you.   But God forbid, if I would ever fall into sin and begin seeking my own good at the expense of the church family, you should replace me as quick as you can.  Don't let me, or anyone, damage the flock to serve their own interests, or set the sheep against each other.  Follow Christ, and Him alone.