Update: Execution Order Issued. In the presence of God's people

Here's the latest as of today 2/23: http://blog.opendoorsusa.org/blog/bid/118817/prayers-for-pastor-nadarkhani-of-iran 
http://youtu.be/_SvnB96Zk9E

Previously published 10/10/2011:


Tonight, the life of Yousef Naderkhani of Iran is in jeopardy. In a natural sense, the decision lies in the hands of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the country. But God is the one who puts leaders in power and all authority comes from Him, so we know that ultimately, Yousef's life is in the hands of no man, but God alone.

Yousef's crime? He has refused to renounce faith in Jesus Christ. Initially imprisoned for advocating the right of Christians to educate their children from a Christian perspective, he was soon charged with apostasy and given three chances to recant, which he refused to do. (A summary of the case can be found here.) Further charges were added after the death sentence was granted - false accusations. No surprise, since Jesus told us this would happen and advised us to rejoice when it occurred.

We need to pray for him. Pastor Yousef is a face of the persecuted church. International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is Nov. 13, but Scripture admonishes us that when one part of the body hurts we all hurt - so we need to pray for Pastor Yousef now. But how?

So often we approach the topic of persecution with either fear or awe, either holding the persecuted church at arm's length or glorifying the role persecution plays in a church. Once we address some of the myths surrounding persecution, we begin to see more clearly how the body of Christ should work together at a global level. We begin to understand the importance of prayer for those undergoing persecution. Even when we become convinced that we are supposed to pray for persecuted believers, we are often at a loss to know HOW to pray. Making matters worse in western culture is that for the most part, we have never been persecuted in any serious manner. We often struggle to relate.

We also live in a culture that increasingly glorifies death. Song lyrics glamorize death and even suicide; euthanasia is called "mercy killing," and it's not unheard of to hear the words "abortion" and "compassionate" used in the same sentence. We forget that Biblically, death is an enemy - a foe conquered by Christ to be sure, but an enemy nonetheless, one that won't be fully destroyed until the resurrection of our bodies. For Christians death is nothing to fear, but it does result in the end of a life poured out for the glory of God among the presence of God's people in what the Psalmist calls "the land of the living". Death ushers us into the presence of God, but except for those few whose works live on in various forms of media, it ends our opportunity to worship with and minister to other believers on this earth and to reach those who haven't heard the Gospel with the message of the cross.

As I've prayed for Pastor Yousef, God has put several Scriptures on my heart with a consistent theme: The continuation of ministry - specifically, praising God in the presence of God's people. I've listed those Scripture-based prayers below, and trust that God will guide you in adding some of them to the ways you are praying for Pastor Yousef. (If you have time, watch the music video as well - such an encouraging song about worship and persecution!)

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones" is Biblical, of course, but it doesn't mean God cherishes our deaths. It means that death is precious in God's eyes in the same way that rare and beautiful stones are precious. He allows death for His Godly ones only when our purpose on this earth is completely finished - when our praise on earth has been fully poured out He ushers us into His presence to worship Him forever. I encourage you to read Psalm 116 below and see the full context of this beautiful verse - deliverance from death. And then pray this, and the passages below, for Pastor Yousef. Let's agree in prayer for death to remain far from him until every good work God has planned for him has been fulfilled.

Pray for Pastor Yousef:

• That God will take what is meant for evil and turn it to good, and that many would be saved. (Genesis 50:20)
• That God will send angels to minister to him. (1 Kings 19:3-9).
• That God will open his eyes to see the spiritual forces at work, and the power God has unleashed on his behalf. (2 Kings 6:15-17)That God will deliver him to show His supremacy. (2 Kings 19:1-19)
• That God would defend the cause of truth and rescue His oppressed. (Psalm 74:21-23)
• That he will proclaim God's power to his children, the next generation. (Psalm 71:18)
• That he will praise God in the presence of the saints once again (Psalm 116, below).
• That He will have a strong sense of God's presence (Isaiah 43).
• That God will enable him to rejoice in the face of false accusations and persecution, and to focus on his heavenly reward. (Matthew 5:10-12)
• That God will calm any doubts and fears, and show him the evidence that Jesus is who He says He is. (Luke 7:18-23)
• That he will be aware just how strongly Jesus identifies with persecuted believers (Acts 9:1-4).
• That the church will be strong in prayer,united, bold, and that nominal believers would be "all in" and false members revealed; for a strengthening, purifying, unifying time for the church so that he won't have to worry about them if he is to be killed. (Acts 12:1-5)
• That he will be delivered for continued fruitful labor with his congregation (Philippians 1:19-26)
• That he will be delivered from these evil men and that God's word will speed ahead and be honored in his future ministry (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Psalm 116

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.

1 I love the LORD, because He hears

My voice and my supplications.

2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,

Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death encompassed me

And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;

I found distress and sorrow.

4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD:

“O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!”

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

Yes, our God is compassionate.

6 The LORD preserves the simple;

I was brought low, and He saved me.

7 Return to your rest, O my soul,

For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For You have rescued my soul from death,

My eyes from tears,

My feet from stumbling.

9 I shall walk before the LORD

In the land of the living.

10 I believed when I said,

“I am greatly afflicted.”

11 I said in my alarm,

“All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the LORD

For all His benefits toward me?

13 I shall lift up the cup of salvation

And call upon the name of the LORD.

14 I shall pay my vows to the LORD,

Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD

Is the death of His godly ones.

16 O LORD, surely I am Your servant,

I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid,

You have loosed my bonds.

17 To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And call upon the name of the LORD.

18 I shall pay my vows to the LORD,

Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,

19 In the courts of the LORD’S house,

In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

http://youtu.be/B2BDO4h2sWs

Blessed Mourning (Sermon on the Mount #4)

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." - Matthew 5:4

Jesus does not want us to live our lives in an artificial, "Pollyanna" existence.

Biblical hope is certain, and faith lifts our eyes to look at that future hope with full assurance that what we see now is not the end of the story. Christians have many reasons for joy, and we are right to recognize and celebrate them. However, it seems that in western Christianity, the emphasis on the promises of God sometimes leads us to believe that mourning is a lesser expression of faith - that God puts up with it, but tries to move us beyond it as soon as possible.

This beatitude reminds us that there is a time to mourn - and according to Jesus, there is a mourning that is not only acceptable, but "blessed". A mourning that ushers us into the fullness of satisfaction found in God alone.

“Mourn” in this passage literally means “sorrow-bearing”. It’s a word signifying the outward manifestation of grief; a grief too deep to be concealed. The tense used indicates an ongoing action – mourning as a way of life.

Jesus is not encouraging us to be depressed or morose. A quick look at a concordance reveals more than 200 uses of the word “joy”; in fact, we are specifically commanded to “Rejoice” over 100 times. What, then, is the mourning which is blessed because of the comfort that is assured? The wider canon of Scripture unveils at least two specific types of mourning that God honors.

Mourning over sin. Whether our own sin, sin in the church, or sin at a societal level, Scripture consistently records that grieving over sin is always appropriate. Paul actually chastised the church at Corinth for NOT appropriately mourning over sin in its midst. The opposite of mourning over a sin doesn’t always mean openly engaging in that sin. Scripture records a range of non-mournful reactions, including passive acceptance (1 Corinthians 5), active promotion (Matthew 5:19), and inappropriate humor (Proverbs 14:9). Isaiah and Daniel, two of the prophets Jesus refers to frequently, each faced times when an awareness of sin led to mourning and deep identificational repentance (Isaiah 6; Daniel 9). The only appropriate response to sin is mourning and repentance.

What is the blessing that comes with mourning over sin? Jesus promises that those who mourn “will be comforted.” The word for comfort is parakaleo; it’s the same word used for the Holy Spirit. When we mourn over sin, God comforts us with His Holy Spirit. This comfort isn’t to make us feel better about the sin; instead, in His comfort we are reminded of the hope that we have even in the depth of sin. He never leaves us or forsakes us; He promises to forgive and cleanse us; and His transforming power means that we can move beyond our own sin and be made more into His likeness. On a societal level, the Holy Spirit’s comfort reminds us of the message of redemption that we have been given – a message that transforms individuals, families, and nations.

Mourning over circumstances. Jesus cared deeply about people’s temporal needs as well. On several occasions, Scripture records that He was “moved with compassion” because of people’s hunger, loss, or sickness. In Luke 4, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 a description of His purpose. The Isaiah passage reveals much about God’s heart for both eternal and temporal needs.

(Isaiah 61:1-4 NIV) - The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

What is the comfort that comes from the Holy Spirit for those whose mourning is temporal? Certainly God wants to give them an eternal hope, but the example of Jesus as He walked this earth shows us that He also wants to make a difference in their circumstances. How does He do that today? Simply put: through us.

In Psalm 132, the people recall God’s purposes for Zion: For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling: "This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it-- I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.” (Psalm 132:13-15 NIV). Throughout the New Testament, God makes it clear that in His new temple, the church, all that He intended for Zion would be fulfilled – including meeting the needs of the poor through His people (2 Corinthians 8-9). As Christians, we should mourn over heartbreaking circumstances like human trafficking, hunger, deep poverty that leads to unnecessary deaths, hopeless diseases, the effects of war on the innocent … and we should pray for God to show us how we are to be part of His Holy Spirit’s comforting ministry to those in need.

“Now abide faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13) Faith and hope rightly look beyond the present circumstance. But love reaches into the present circumstance and embraces the hurting. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The disciple-community does not shake off sorrow as though it were no concern of its own, but willing bears it.” May we willingly reach into our hurting world, make their pain our business, and allow our hearts to be broken with the things that break God’s heart.

I see the King of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see His love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

[Chorus]
Hosanna, hosanna
Hosanna in the highest (x2)
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong_united/hosanna.html ]
[Verse 2]
I see a generation
Rising up to take the place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees, we're on our knees

[Chorus]

[Bridge]
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hillsong_united/#share

Learning the Art of Losing Myself in Bringing Him Praise

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29 NLT)

Sanctification is the hardest part of this thing we call “the Christian life”. To be very clear - God doesn’t make it hard. It’s hard because I make it that way!

When I was oblivious to my sin, when I lived and walked in darkness, only God’s divine intervention could pull me out and give me the desire to seek Him. He dealt with my salvation on the cross when I was still His enemy, and I worship Him forever for justifying me, declaring me righteous in Christ at the moment I believed.

But He didn’t stop there–the Scripture above makes very clear that He has determined that I will be transformed into the image of Christ. And He has determined that this transformation, this sanctification, will be a process, one that will take the rest of my life until I see Him face to face.

And that’s where it gets hard. Because He asks me to cooperate with Him in the process of making me more like Jesus, sometimes really hard decisions are involved. Daily choices abound: to live for myself or for Him; to be selfish or lay down my life for another person; to give up my right to be in control and surrender to Him; to take Him at His word and trust Him or walk in doubt and fear; to obey Him or do what is right in my own eyes.

These daily choices amount to constantly choosing to die to self – to lose myself in His bigger plan. I’m convinced that one of the reasons sanctification is a process rather than instantaneous, and that God asks for our cooperation rather than just making it happen, is that an inside-out change demonstrates Jesus to the world in ways that an outside-in change never could. God has given the church the mission of reflecting Jesus to the world – and the personal process of sanctification in the lives of each believer makes that possible in a way that completely puts the emphasis on God’s gracious work in our lives.

If God were to make me perfectly obedient, but I had no choice of cooperation in the matter, the “witness” would become my outward obedience. However, if God changes me from the INSIDE OUT – increasingly unveiling the new heart He gave me at salvation, a heart that miraculously wants to cooperate with Him in making me like Jesus – then the “witness” becomes His miraculous ability to change hearts. And in this increasingly cynical world, who doesn’t need to know that God can change hearts?

Sometimes when God is teaching me a “big-picture” lesson like this, He uses a song to draw together biblical truths and bring clarity to my thinking. The first time I heard Hillsong’s “From the Inside Out” (video and lyrics below) I was captivated by the line, “the art of losing myself in bringing You praise.” Often since that time I’ve asked God to teach me that art. Over the years I’ve come to understand that “losing myself” isn’t self-loathing or debasement or striking a martyr’s pose as I explain that surely God must be glorified today because I’m so miserable. No, “losing myself” is simply another way of saying what Paul said to Corinth: “I die daily.” It’s choosing to cooperate with God in the process of sanctification, so He can make me like Jesus and the world can see the transformation not from the outside in, but wonder of wonders, from the inside out. He’s given this sinner a new heart that wants to follow Him, transforming me continually along the way.

I don’t always cooperate fully. I fail in thousands of ways. But part of the miracle of salvation is that grace is not just for salvation, but for sanctification. Because when I stumble, I’m caught in His grace. It’s the ground on which I stand. May I increasingly surrender quickly, to become a better reflection of Jesus to those who don’t know Him. And may we pray for each other when that process gets a bit challenging!

FROM THE INSIDE OUT (HILLSONG)

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

My Soul cries out to You
My Soul cries out to You
to You, to You

My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out
From the inside out, O my soul cries out
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

Blessed are the poor in spirit (Sermon on the Mount #2)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

Sometimes in Bible study it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees– to focus so much on a word study or a specific hard-to-grasp phrase that we miss the overall impact of the text. This passage is a perfect example.

Jesus speaks in present tense to teach that the blessedness of the kingdom alreadyexists for those who are poor in spirit. It’s a present reality. Let that sink in for a minute. Those who are poor in spirit – whomever they are – are already blessed, because they already have the kingdom.

We previously saw that blessedness is a state of sufficiency, of satisfaction. Essentially it is a “more than enough”state that recognizes God and what He gives as thoroughly sufficient in every situation. Aristotle used the word as an antonym to “needy”; it’s a state of fullness – fullness from God. When He fills us we are no longer needy, but satisfied – “blessed”.

Glance ahead in the passage and you’ll see that not all the Beatitudes are present tense. Most, in fact, use that wonderful word “shall” – a promise of something to come in the future. The blessedness is present, but the reason for it hinges on a future event – what John Piper calls “Future Grace.”

Not so for those who are poor in spirit (v. 3) or persecuted (v. 10). To these individuals belongs the kingdom of heaven. Not “shall be”, but “is” – they already have the kingdom. With such a rich assurance at the heart of Jesus’ message, let’s look more deeply at what it means to be “poor in spirit.”

The word “poor” is not a Greek word referencing relative poverty; instead, the original word refers to utter destitution. It’s a word used to reference crouching like a beggar and can mean abject poverty, utter helplessness, and complete destitution. Picture blind beggars in a third world country and you begin to understand the level of poverty intended by this word.

“Poor in spirit” thus means literally, “spiritually destitute.” However, to get a full grasp of the meaning of the phrase we have to lay the parallel passages of Jesus’ sermon side by side. Matthew and Luke both record a lengthy teaching by Jesus at this point in His ministry, and they share so many of the same verses that the two passages almost certainly record the same message (commonly called the Sermon on the Mount or the Sermon on the Plain, referencing a flat place on the mountain where Jesus is thought to have stopped to teach His disciples).

Matthew, written to a Jewish audience, emphasizes spiritual poverty in contrast to the “spiritual elite” that Jesus consistently confronts throughout the Gospels but especially in Matthew’s record. “Blessed are the poor in spirit”, in the larger context of Matthew’s Gospel, references those who are not the spiritually elite Pharisees and scribes, but whose hearts represent spiritual helplessness. This type of spiritual poverty is pictured in a beautiful story recorded in Luke:

(Luke 18:9-14 ESV) - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

The spiritually elite Pharisee emphasizes his worth; the spiritually destitute tax collector emphasizes his need for mercy. To see ourselves as spiritually needy is to be poor in spirit.


But Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount adds an additional dimension to the overall definition of poor in spirit. Luke’s record of the Beatitudes includes not only blessings but contrasting woes. Writing to a Gentile audience in the highly materialistic Roman Empire, Luke records Jesus’ words:

(Luke 6:20, 24 ESV) - And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God....But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”

In contrast to the materially elite who might think they are blessed, Jesus lifts up the poor. In the larger context of Scripture, of course we know that being poor alone does not ensure that a person belongs to the kingdom of God. Jesus does, however, indicate that while poverty does not ensure salvation, wealth can be a definite hindrance. Three of the four Gospels record that Jesus taught His disciples, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25).

God’s heart for the poor is evident throughout the Bible. He clearly lines out His heart for them and our responsibility to them. We have an eternal responsibility to share the Gospel –absolutely. But we also clearly have a temporal responsibility as well, to meet their practical needs and relieve their suffering in whatever way we can now. (Seehttp://thejustlife.org/home/resources/scripture-lists/the-bible-on-the-poor/for some of the key references).

From a kingdom perspective, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” reveals to us that the kingdom of God isn’t dependent on the elites of the world. We can never forget Paul’s words to the Corinthians that remind us where our boasting should lie-never in any person, but in God alone:

(1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ESV) - For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

From a missiological perspective, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” gives us insight when we are looking to discover those individuals in whom the Lord is moving. Often, it’s not going to be the spiritually elite who are confident in their rule-keeping and status before God. Instead, those whose hearts are broken by their inability to obey; those who feel rejected by their own religious system because of a failing; those who are outcasts of their religious community and who wonder if God can accept them now – these are often the fertile, good soil onto which the seed of grace falls and takes root. Like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair, these never stop showering love because they are aware how fully they are forgiven.

Finally, from a relational perspective, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” tells us how God wants us to come to Him. Whatever our personal or financial condition, our hearts must be fully cognizant of our need. We can’t be spiritual elitists. We need to have hearts like the Sons of Korah.

Korah was part of a rebellion by Levites who sought a position beyond what God had granted them (see Numbers 16). God brought judgment on the men and many of their family members, but spared the sons of Korah (Numbers 26:11). Their descendents would go on to pen some beautiful, God-exalting psalms (see Psalm 42, 44-49, 84-85, and 87-88). One passage in particular reveals the heart of these men who learned through their family history to rejoice in the special place God planted them, rather than aim for a more “spiritually elite” position. As I sought the Lord on what “poor in spirit”can look like in the life of a believer, I believe God drew me to this passage.

(Psalm 84:1-12 ESV) - To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Review the bold verses in light of lesson of Korah. His descendants learned well that what they had in the courts of God, even just serving as a doorkeeper, was great. God wasn’t holding out on them. There was no need to grasp for a spiritually elite position. They were simply happy to serve, and saw God as one bestowing favor and honor.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” After we realize our spiritual poverty and come to know His grace, may we realize that we never stop needing Him – and may that realization overflow into worship as we rejoice that we have everything we need in His presence.

Surrendering for Greater Things

God loves to send me the same message from different angles when He's trying to get through to me. Passages will jump off the page of Scripture, I'll read it in a book, hear it in a sermon, and even have songs that echo the theme. That's one reason I don't look at His will as a needle in a haystack that I have to dig around to find. Just staying in a place to hear His voice will put me in place for Him to make His will obvious. Even when I don't know the specific details, I will always be able to discern a general direction.

These days, that general direction is surrender. As in let go, give up control, and trust Him for where He is taking me. As my friend Pam Rosewell Moore says, "Let God write my story." (BTW, if you haven't read her book, Safer Than a Known Way, get it now! Learn the lessons of someone who surrendered to God - and found herself working with Brother Andrew and Corrie Ten Boom.)

Of course, since I've always loved to peek ahead to the last page, it's a little challenging to surrender the right to know what's coming down the road. Recently God spoke to me in my quiet time that He never asked me to seek a plan - just to seek Him. "The plan" is unveiled in the context of His revealed will which never comes apart from relationship to Him.

Then right on the heels of that came a new insight in worship one Sunday morning. I hope you pray for your worship team - the choice of music is so significant and it's fun to see God bring it together in different ways, not man-centered or human-orchestrated but God-centered and Spirit-led. So a couple of weeks ago we sang "God of this City" (the extended version) and right behind it "I Surrender All".

Wow - I wasn't expecting what came next. God overpowered me with the word that "Those greater things still to be done here will only be done through surrendered people." Suddenly the call to surrender - daunting by itself - became purpose-driven. God doesn't want me to surrender for the sake of surrender itself. He wants me to surrender MY will for HIS. He wants me to lay down MY plans, goals, dreams, for HIS plans, goals, dreams. Because He has greater things to do than what we've seen - glimpses of the kingdom to bring into a broken world. He wants His will done on earth as it is in heaven - but we have to be surrendered for that to happen.

So in my city, in your city, in far-flung corners of the world that have never heard the name of Jesus, God is asking for surrendered people who will embrace His vision of greater things. When He asks you to surrender something that is hard to give up, remember the purpose behind it. God has called us into this amazing divine partnership. Yes, He is absolutely orchestrating every bit of it. But when we join Him in what He is doing, the lesser things we surrender along the way pale by comparison.

The Blessedness of the Kingdom (Sermon on the Mount #1)

(Matthew 5:1-12 NIV) - Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

An interesting truth about my spiritual learning style is that I learn best by contrast. While I dig out lessons from the lives of Biblical characters and martyrs and missionaries and everyday heroes, I find that the lessons that are most vivid to my spirit are those that come in contrast: “See that reaction? That’s NOT what I want you to be.” “See that choice? Don’t make it.” Those sorts of phrases drop into my heart, often when I’m in prayer about a situation that distressed me. I’ve come to learn that there are just some attitudes and actions God has to let me endure so that I learn “what NOT to wear”, spiritually speaking.

I think that’s one reason the Beatitudes speak to me so deeply. From start to finish, they are in stark contrast to our natural reaction to a given reality. The Beatitudes turn me on my head and shake me around, so that I find that what seems “upside down” is really “upside right”. In a word, they transform my mind.

I’ve been studying the Beatitudes the last few weeks as part of an overall study of the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is essentially Jesus providing glimpses of the kingdom – glimpses of what life can be like if we truly embrace kingdom living now. Jesus didn’t save us so that we can withdraw from the world and wait for His return. Instead, He wants us to be part of the prayer He taught us to pray in this very sermon: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” As followers of Jesus, we are called to be part of His kingdom in heaven coming down to earth – bringing “up there”, down here. Not in its fullness, and not in a worldly political way, but in a very real, tangible, practical way that expresses our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. To either spiritualize or legalize the Sermon misses the point. What Jesus wants us to do is live it.

To truly live these words we have to first understand that our thinking about being “blessed” is all messed up. Think about it – when you hear someone says “God has blessed me” what are they usually referring to? Not always of course, but in the West that phrase often references material prosperity, or circumstances that have gone the way the person wanted them to go. We have an erroneous idea that challenging circumstances are tests we have to pass in order to get to the blessing. Before we can effectively be part of bringing a glimpse of His kingdom to earth, we have to learn what blessedness really means.

The word makarios literally means “a sense of God’s approval”. It’s a contentment that comes from doing what is right in His sight and is rooted in right relationship with Him. A.T. Robertson defines it as "happiness identified with pure character" that pictures the "ideal of a world-wide sympathy and of a happiness realized in ministry." The word is used in the opposite sense of “need” to describe a state of sufficiency and fullness. A literal rendering of Psalm 23:1 reads, “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” This is a perfect definition of a state of blessedness. When we are "blessed" we are fully satisfied. Jesus’ words teach me that this blessedness, this satisfaction, comes when I chose holiness over sin, His way over mine, His presence over popularity; when I live congruently with the new creature He’s made me, then I experience true blessedness.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian who ardently opposed Hitler and the overwhelming majority of churches that gave into Hitler’s schemes. Over time, Bonhoeffer came to see the Sermon on the Mount as a call to a lifestyle of radical discipleship for all Christians. In his insightful book, The Cost of Discipleship, he expounds on the Sermon on the Mount in great detail. Bonhoeffer sees the first two verses as significant:

(Matthew 5:1-2, NIV) Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:

Bonhoeffer observes that while the crowds were present, it was His disciples to whom the message was directed. These disciples followed Jesus (like us!) but lived among the people (also like us!) to preach His call to discipleship. Bonhoeffer sees that the very call to follow Jesus led these men into a status of being poor, afflicted, and hungry – a place they might not have been if they had stayed in their businesses and minded their own business. Ultimately, Bonhoeffer sees the Beatitudes as encouragement for those whose call to discipleship has led them to a place of struggle:  

He calls them blessed, not because of their privation, or the renunciation they have made, for these are not blessed in themselves. Only the call and the promise, for the sake of which they are ready to suffer poverty and renunciation, can justify the beatitudes. (Bonhoeffer, Call to Discipleship, p. 96.)

Yes, Jesus calls the disciples blessed in the presence of the crowd. This becomes a call to all who follow Jesus to live out what He makes us by His promise. For His path to satisfaction and joy has never been a path to more of this temporary, fading existence. Instead His promised depth of satisfaction and joy is directly linked to us bringing a glimpse of His kingdom to this broken, needy world. Through the prophet Isaiah, God painted a picture of what can happen when we pay attention to this call:

(Isaiah 58:6-14 NIV, emphasis mine) - Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Freedom for the oppressed. Meeting the tangible needs of people.  Trading in legalism and accusations for spending ourselves on behalf of others’ needs. Repairing things at a societal level. Enjoying the presence of the Lord. This is true satisfaction and joy. This is true blessedness.

Are you pouring yourself out today and experiencing unexpected challenges along the way? Check out those Beatitudes again. Hear Jesus speaking to you, calling you out from the crowd to remind you that He sees, He knows – and He calls you blessed because you have heeded the call to discipleship and trusted His great and precious promises.

May you learn along with Corrie ten Boom the most precious of realities: “You may never know that JESUS is all you need, until JESUS is all you have.” And may you be reminded that however the world defines your situation, when you are sacrificing for Him, you are blessed. And it is beautiful.

Engaging in Love

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,

so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

-Philemon 6

The Apostle Paul understood something about balance.

Throughout his writings, he consistently strikes a balance between overly personal, pietistic religion on one hand and often hypocritical, external religiosity on the other. Readers of the New Testament will see clearly a call to a radical, personal faith as well as a bold, public witness. I believe that if he were here today, he would reject both the claim that religion should be private and personal (the "naked public square" argument much of Europe has embraced), as well as the idea that we can impose faith from the top down. Based on the full range of his writings, and his example in the book of Acts, I believe Paul would vocally defend the concept of an "open public square" - the idea of freedom OF religion, not freedom from religion - and that he would firmly hold to his belief that the light of truth would speak louder and shine brighter than the darkness of deception.

But Paul also understood something about motivation.

He understood that even Spirit-filled men and women needed encouragement to step into that public square. In his day, there were very few "open public squares" indeed (his experience in Athens was certainly not the norm for him). Believers in many parts of the Roman Empire took a great risk when they shared their faith in any form - whether they simply made their faith known as the motivation for their actions, or responded when asked about the hope that was in them, or boldly preached or taught in a public setting. So Paul, writing to one man known for his faith, laid out a principle that could motivate someone who might otherwise find himself staying silent.

Simply put: The more we share our faith, the more we come to understand just what we have in Christ. As any teacher knows, the best way to cement a lesson is to teach it to someone else. Passing on our faith becomes the divinely-appointed means of strengthening that same faith. In fact, Paul says it's the only way we'll obtain a full understanding of all the good things association with our relationship to Christ. All the Bible study in the world (as crucial as that is!) will not yield the depth of understanding that we will gain from communicating our faith to someone else.

So how, in the still-open public squares in the US and a precious few other countries, or in the naked public squares of Europe, or in the hostile public squares of some parts of the world, can we do this? What should be our relationship to the cultures in which we find ourselves?

Much has been written about Christianity and Culture, but I believe the answer is a simple Biblical principle that transcends all cultural forms: Engage in love.

We are always going to have a fleshly tendency toward fear of man which causes us to either attack or withdraw (fight or flight). When we attack, we create an "us against them" mentality. This mentality does not advance the kingdom of God; if you need proof just look at the Crusades, a horrible mark against the church that mingled selfish motivations with fearful ones and has resulted in entire segments of world that are still closed to the Gospel today. Withdrawing doesn't help either. Withdrawal can look like pacifism and result in tolerant relativism ("all religions are the same"), or it can look like isolationism ("let's just hang out with other believers and wait until Jesus comes").

Engaging in love, however, conquers fear (1 John 4:18). It conquers our fear, but it also becomes a tool to conquer their fears as well. Engaging in love reveals the heart of God to others who may have misconceptions about who He really is. Beyond fulfilling the Great Commandments, engaging in love opens the door for us to fulfill the Great Commission.

So how do we engage in love? There are as many answers to that as there are individuals in the world. A great place to start is www.thejustlife.org, where you will learn much about Biblical justice which the site defines as "love made public." One of their key principles, "Start Small, Dream Big", highlights a continuum from compassion, to incarnational action (loving and meeting needs of one person in unique ways), to community justice, to societal change. The common element to all these is that engaging in love is required. We don't get there by staying in our comfortable homes and churches and never taking the risks of love.

Even as we start to engage, we can be sure God will constantly call us to new levels of love and service, of new opportunities to share our faith. Because He wants us to fully understand all the good things that are wrapped up in knowing Jesus. I have a feeling I've barely begun to scratch the surface.

The Stubbornness of Light

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:5

I've long had a problem sleeping late. It seems no matter how tired I am, when the sun comes up and pokes its rays through the bedroom window, I wake up and can't go back to sleep. The obvious solution - go to bed earlier - works sometimes, but there are times when I stay up later than I intend and really, really want to sleep in the next morning. When sunrise is at 6 or 6:30 a.m., I find myself awake and still feeling tired. 

To try to remedy this problem, we've attempted various solutions to cover the bedroom window. Our most recent solution found my husband and me tacking thick black oilcloth over the windows last night. Three layers should do the trick, I thought. But when I awoke this morning at 6:45, I could see a clear strip on the left where the stubborn light poked through. We tackled it again, closed the door, and looked again for light. There in the middle where two pieces joined was another spot that needed to be "touched up". Only moments ago, I went in the room again to test our fix in full bright sunlight and sure enough, there was one more spot on the right. It's pretty dark in there now, but I have no doubt that I will continue to see places where light seeps through - because light is stubborn like that. 

It's a physical as well as spiritual reality - light always wins out over darkness. The tiniest pinprick of light in the darkest cave becomes a beacon to guide a wanderer to the entrance. A match lit in the middle of a cloudy night outdoors with no street lamps can provide light to keep a camper from stumbling. From the earliest moments of creation, when God spoke, "Let there be light", the darkness hasn't had a chance. 

The NET Bible translates John 1:5 as: "And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it" and explains its choice of translation: 

...For John, with his set of symbols and imagery, darkness is not something which seeks to “understand (comprehend)” the light, but represents the forces of evil which seek to “overcome (conquer)” it. The English verb “to master” may be used in both sorts of contexts, as “he mastered his lesson” and “he mastered his opponent.”

Darkness being dark and black is to be expected. You may have heard the old quote (I couldn't find the source), "The problem in areas in spiritual darkness is not with the darkness, but with the light." That is so true. Jesus Himself tells us:

You are the light of the world; a city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16).

History shows that persecution and restrictions placed on believers cannot stop the Gospel from moving forward. Sometimes restrictions, imprisonment,and even martyrdom have actually fueld the flames of revival. - 2011 30 Days of Prayer booklet, Day 27, page 35

The nature of light is to shine - and light penetrates darkness. Try as I might, there will always be points of light poking through our window. And I pray that they will always remind me that no matter how bad the battle with darkness might look, ultimately, light will prevail. My job, like yours, is just to shine.

Matthew 4: The Complete Sufficiency of Jesus

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

"It is written."

The first recorded words of Jesus' after His baptism reflect a principle we will see over and over in His ministry. He didn't come on His own agenda. He consistently reflected the heart and will of His Father.

This principle is key to understanding Jesus' ministry - but also to understanding our own. For ultimately, our goal should be the same as His: to follow where God is working, do what He is doing, and say what He is saying.

In the context of the temptations of Jesus in this chapter, these words speak of the sufficiency of God. "It is written" is in the perfect tense, meaning, "It has been written and stands written." In every case, what God said was sufficient for what Jesus faced. It was more than enough.

That's been a principle I've been (re)learning lately. I've recently faced the reality that we live in a "never enough" society. Many businesses run around the clock; the Internet has made it easily possible for ministry to do the same. It seems that from the world's perspective, no matter how much we pour out there is always the possibility for more. Most employers will not question you for working through lunches or after hours - in fact, to get ahead it's frequently expected. As a wealthy man once said when asked "How much money is enough?" - "Just a little bit more." We so easily buy into that mindset.

And yet I can't find anywhere in Scripture that testifies to the "never enough" mindset reflecting God's heart. In fact, quite the opposite - whenever God is behind something, it is always more than enough. Think with me of a few examples: Manna in the wilderness. Loaves and fishes for a crowd of thousands. 12 men chosen to "turn the world upside down". In every case, more than enough. In fact, the only time I see Him expect more is when He asks us to give Him more of ourselves - in that case, He wants ALL of us. And even that is for our good - so He can fill us with His Holy Spirit which equips us to pour out His love in our world.

"Never enough" thinking is not of God. Even when applied to "religion", its source is the world, the flesh, even satan. But when God is behind something - even natural things - it is always more than enough. The Spirit-filled life equips us for more than enough for the temptations, the trials, and the opportunities to serve that we face every day. Like Jesus, we can hold onto the truths that are written, and know that the same God who was sufficient for Jesus is more than enough for us.

Ultimately, that's the lesson for me in Jesus' temptations. The author of Hebrews says that His temptations should encourage us to draw near to God (Hebrews 4:15-16). Similarly, as we share in His sufferings we gain an authenticity in our ability to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). In the midst of it all, His Word will be more than enough for us. HE will be more than enough.

Just as Jesus left the time of temptation with intentionality and purpose - bringing light into great darkness by His presence; calling the disciples to follow Him; and holistically ministering to the physical and spiritual needs around Him - so our awareness that all God gives us is more than enough should lead us to look outward. For God doesn't ask us to solve all the problems of the world. He just asks us to yield to Him, so He can fill us with His Holy Spirit, become more than enough for all our spiritual and physical and emotional and relational needs, and with the overflow, bless a needy world, one person at a time.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NASB) 

Looking back and looking forward

Don't say, ‘Life was better in the “good old days.” What happened?'

Wisdom does not lead us to ask that question.

Ecclesiastes 7.10 (ERV)

I am a huge believer in learning from history. Context is a key word in my life, and I wholeheartedly agree that we can avoid repeating errors or reinventing the wheel if we take time to study the historical context of a given situation. We can build on past successes and learn from past failures. The problem is that, as in so many other things, we tend to extremes. We either shun the past as archaic and only teaching us what not to do - or we glorify it and make it an ideal to which we must strive to return. I see this tendency in the political realm, in the educational realm, and even in the church realm. 

A deeper look at a couple of examples from "the good old days" underscore the wisdom of Solomon's words. We often imagine homesteading and the westward expansion as times of vibrant growth and  incredible opportunity. We wonder if we could have had our own "Little House on the Prairie" - failing to realize that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote her books to champion the very opposite of "free land" but instead to show through a child's eyes the hardships that homesteading brought and the power of family and faith to overcome those hardships. 

Similarly, you may have heard your parents say, like mine, that "life was better in the 50's" and if we could just return to those days when "everyone" was publicly Christian and there was prayer in schools, life would be idyllic. The reality is that life in the 50's brought its own set of problems and challenges - its own rights and wrongs. The same public acceptance of faith that supported Christian prayer in schools also, in many cases, turned its back on civil rights and allowed segregation to continue. There was a strong "us vs. them" mindset that is memorialized forever in pictures out of Little Rock Central High School. Things needed to change.

Unfortunately we make the same mistake in looking at God's global purposes. As we awaken to the reality that He is up to something far bigger than our corner of the world, we sometimes glorify believers in other cultures, or persecuted believers, or missionaries throughout history. We speak in awed tones about those who awaken at 4 a.m. to pray; who are in prison today; those who packed their belongings in a casket; who persevered despite a spouse with mental illness -- we begin to think that there is no way we can serve Him well and effectively where we are. Missions becomes an ideal rather than a daily reality. We forget the words of Paul: 

From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. (Acts 17:26-27)

God CHOSE when and where we live. All the "nations" (literally people groups) are divinely placed to maximize the likelihood they will reach out to Him. We each have a very definite role to play in that process, and much to learn (both good and bad) from those who have gone before, but we err when we elevate anything to a level God never intended. We really err when we let it become a stumbling block to our own effectiveness in His kingdom purposes. 

What does the Bible say we are to learn from these past heroes? Hebrews 13:7 tells us to "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith." Their FAITH - not necessarily every decision or method. 

Looking back is helpful to help us learn instruction (1 Corinthians 10), gain encouragement and be reminded of God's character, or be strengthened by others' faith. Looking around at other expressions of worship or persecuted believers likewise brings important lessons. C.S. Lewis noted that reading old books serves as a corrective to the blind spots of our own era. Likewise, looking at believers in other contexts can help us better discern those elements of our faith that are cultural and not biblical. But from Genesis to Revelation, God's word is forward-focused-- moving toward a culmination of all things in Christ. Keep pressing on for that upward call!

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philipians 3:13-14 (NASB)

Matthew 3: God's gracious dealings

(Mat 3:1-17 NASB) - (1) Now in those days John the Baptist came,preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, (2) "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (3) For this is the one referred toby Isaiah the prophet when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'" (4) Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; (6) and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. (7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; (9) and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (10) "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (11) "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (12) "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (13) Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. (14) But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" (15) But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. (16) After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, (17) and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

(Matthew 3 NASB)

The Hebrew for John means "God has dealt graciously."


As I study Matthew 3, I see how significant this name is for the forerunner of the Messiah. Coming as the first prophet to speak after 400 years of silence, John's message of repentance, the nearness of the kingdom of God, and a judgment to come might sound a lot like "tough love". Yet his very name was a reminder to his primarily Jewish audience that God has, indeed, dealt graciously.

For the Jewish people, it was also intended as a reminder that God's gracious dealings in the past were the best way to know His character - a heart of mercy. Everything that He commanded was for them. So the call through John to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" was a call for a heart change that embraced a way of living that resulted in a change of mind, heart, and life. It was for their benefit, because God as their Maker knew what was best and what would only bring harm. He wanted shalom - peace and wholeness - for them, because His kingdom had come near them. Just as the priests purified themselves to enter the holy of holies, so His people needed God to purify them for the coming kingdom.

God also reminded them of His graciousness in not meeting their kingdom expectations. For Matthew, "Kingdom of heaven" is used to refer to the rule of God that transcends political nations. As A.T. Robertson notes, "it points fundamentally to God's rule, not to the realm over which He rules." Although this would prove to be one of the hardest teachings for them to swallow - even His closest apostles wouldn't get it until the Holy Spirit came upon them in Acts - it really was gracious. "It is too small a thing", God told the Messiah in Isaiah 49:6, "that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Jesus didn't come to save Israel from Rome; He came to save all of us from the clutches of the enemy of our souls!

So how does one whose very name means "God has dealt graciously" approach ministry when he was bringing this "tough love" message to people with a quite different conception of the kingdom of heaven than God's? By preaching a message that I have summarized with the title "It's time for Authentic Faith." I always take notes in sermons, and so the "bullet points" I noted from John's message in Matthew 3 are:

• God's kingdom has come near - prepare for the Lord by repenting. 
• Live consistently with the repentance you claim- this is fruitfulness. 
• Reject the tendency to lean on a spiritual heritage instead of a personal faith. 
• God is looking for fruitful faith. 
• Baptism for repentance comes first, then baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. 
• Jesus brings this baptism along with judgment. He will separate the real (wheat) from the fake (chaff). 

Many responded to this message - and like most in ministry, John had his detractors as well. But none of that mattered the day He showed up. The day Jesus came to John to be baptized. With all his understanding of Scripture and anointing by God for the ministry as a forerunner, John still didn't get why Jesus needed to be baptized. Face to face with the very One whose graciousness lended John his name, John became the first to try to stop Jesus from doing something that He simply had to do.

The words "tried to stop" literally mean "would have hindered" - involving strong protests on John's part. Later on Peter would try to stop Jesus from talking about the cross (Mark 8:27-33). The incarnation wasn't just about Jesus' birth - it was about Him entering into our lives, our world - about Him identifying with the people He came to save and following that identification all the way to the cross. From a human perspective, Jesus' actions were radical, maybe a bit eccentric, but ultimately honorable. To this day "holy" men and women in various religious traditions make sacrifices and some even die. But for the Messiah - God in the flesh, Jesus Himself - to not only step into our world but identify with sinners through a baptism of repentance -- that was almost incomprehensible. John rightly realized that the tables should be turned. Like Isaiah in the holy of holies (Isaiah 6), John's encounter with God left him humbled.

The shocking incomprehension of the incarnation - that God would bring Himself to our level and identify with His creation in very tangible ways - is also its beauty. Because when God took on flesh and came to walk with sinners and yet retain perfect holiness, He brought to earth the graciousness and mercy that were in God's heart all along. The Fall so corrupted man that even our view of God is skewed. Jesus came to set that right - all the way to the cross. As Adrian Rodgers has so aptly said, "The cross didn't change God's heart; it revealed it."

A.W. Tozer said that God is both "transcendentally personal" and "personally transcendent" - meaning that He is always separate from His creation, holy and uncorrupt, and yet unswervingly personal to each of His children. In the incarnation, transcendental met personal.

When we embrace that truth, we come face to face with who Jesus is. We see His holiness that certainly did not need to be baptized. And we see His heart of grace and mercy. We know that John's name reflected a deep truth - "God has dealt graciously."

Whatever you are facing today is subject to the character of this holy and gracious God. Like Job, we can bow in worship. Like David, we can pour out our hearts to Him in all the rawness of our emotions. And like John, we can know that He has dealt graciously with us, too.

Shocking Worship

(1) Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king,magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, (2) "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (3) When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (4) Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. (5) They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: (6) 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" (7) Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. (8) And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." (9) After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. (10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (11) After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (12) And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1-12 NASB)

Matthew obviously wasn't writing to impress anyone.

By all accounts the most Jewish of the Gospels and likely written for a group of Jewish Christians, Matthew had nothing to gain, and much to lose, by reminding his audience of the pagan Gentile magicians who traveled far to worship Jesus. Coming as it does on the heels of the shocking genealogy of chapter 1, Matthew's worship emphasis flies in the face of Jewish notions of the day.: Hold those Gentiles who do keep the Law and become "God-fearers" at a distance. No closer than the Court of the Gentiles - that was the practice. Never mind that the Law prescribed that the Gentile who adopted fully the religion of Israel fell under the same religious laws as Israel (see for example Leviticus 17:8) and that Solomon had asked God to hear their prayers (1 Kings 8:41-43). First century Jewish religious leaders excluded Gentiles. Matthew gives them a special place in his Gospel.

The parallels between the magi's authentic worship and Herod's selfish request to worship are obvious. What's less obvious is how shocking the magi's visit really must have sounded on first century ears. Writing to believers who were still learning how to be the church, what it meant to have Jew and Gentile together in one body, Matthew tells us something significant about worship - something shocking.

Look at Matthew's story again. First, the magi were, well, magi. They were basically astrologers. They observed the stars and in this case, saw something unique. Second, the magi hadn't studied the Scriptures closely - they were "in the neighborhood", going to the capital city of Jerusalem, but didn't know that the prophecy for Messiah was that he would be born in Bethlehem. Finally, they don't have offerings that would normally be considered acceptable - no grain, no animals, no blood. They weren't even priests! They would likely not be allowed even in the Court of the Gentiles and would never see the holy of holies.

What they had was an earnest desire to see Jesus. Look again at the only words recorded from their lips, in verse 2: "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."

This is worship?

Oh, absolutely. And this is where Matthew has much to teach us. He uses the more liturgical term for worship here - proskyneo. It's the Greek word used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) for "worship" or "bow down" - the formal worship in the temple, the bowing down before visible majesty. Interestingly, this word is rarely used in the New Testament. Only in the Gospels (where Jesus was physically present), Revelation (where the throne of God is present), Acts (where the temple was still a place of "worship"), and only twice in the epistles, both referencing the presence and power of God. The New Testament favors the word latreuo for worship - a word meaning serve, perhaps seen most clearly in Romans 12:1: "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Why the change in emphasis? John Piper fleshes this out beautifully in the revised edition of Let the Nations be Glad (a must-read for missions enthusiasts). He draws from John 4 to show that "in the New Testament worship is significantly de-institutionalized, de-localized, de-exernalized." He summarizes:

In Himself He would fulfill everything the temple stood for, especially the "place" where believers meet God. He diverted attention away from worship as a localized activity with outward forms and pointed toward a personal, spiritual experience with Himself at the center. Worship does not have to have a building, a priesthood, and a sacrificial system. It has to have the risen Jesus. (p. 217)

The magi didn't know much, but they knew they were looking for Jesus. Matthew uses the formal word for worship,  as they bow down before His visible presence, but the heart and soul of Jesus' later teaching to the Samaritan woman is pictured here with these magi: their shocking worship was just what He came to bring about. He came to create worshippers from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people group.

None of this is to diminish the role of Scripture and sound doctrine. Regular readers of this blog know how much I emphasize in-depth study of God's Word. Even the magi were sent in the specific right direction (to Bethlehem) by God's Word, not their astrological readings. But I believe we can learn from Matthew that God will meet people where they are, and when they sincerely are seeking Jesus, He will make sure to get them to Him. And He will welcome their worship with open arms as they continue to learn more about Him.

We often treat worship like a task, salvation as a transaction. Matthew's story of the magi reminds us that at the heart of worship lies a heart that seeks to find Jesus - nothing else matters. And Matthew lays the groundwork here for a salvation that is a lifestyle - a process that starts, grows, and bears fruit as we continually are drawn to "Him who has been born King of the Jews".

Holding the Orne River Bridge

Last Sunday, as I try to do every year around the anniversary of D-Day to honor my grandfather's service in that epic battle, we watched "The Longest Day". For the first time I noticed the critical role of a small group of men in holding the Orne River Bridge.

Dropped into Normandy before the rest of the group, they had one objective: Capture and hold the bridge. The success of the entire mission was critical to this one task; without the bridge tanks and supplies could not get into Normandy. The men were charged to "hold until relieved" - no matter how long it took.

This scene left me reflecting on the strategic kingdom assignments God gives us. Sometimes we realize it; most often we don't. We wonder why we are "stuck" in a small area while what we perceive as the "real battle" rages elsewhere. We don't realize that God intends for us to hold the bridge to facilitate the ultimate victory.

Maybe you're fighting a spiritual battle at work. Maybe you're serving faithfully in the church nursery. Perhaps you are on the prayer team for a missionary you perceive as doing the "real work". God might call you into focusing on one person for years, developing a deep relationship for His purposes. From a kingdom perspective, you may just have an assignment within a unit that is holding a key bridge.

God puts together specialized "units" (churches) for His purposes. And He gives specific gifts to individuals in those churches to fulfill those purposes. But it all fits together in an amazing plan that only God can orchestrate.

The failure to hold the Orne River Bridge could have changed the course of history. If the Allieds had not taken Normandy, they may not have been in a position to liberate Europe and the concentration camps. Thankfully we will never know, because the men did hold the bridge and the invasion was a huge success. Though not without casualties, the men did indeed "hold until relieved" - mission accomplished.

Wherever God has placed you, He has a strategic plan in mind. Whether you see the big picture or not, trust that He does. Keep doing the last job He gave you to do - and ask for His grace to "hold until relieved".

Learning to Rest

I've been on vacation the past two weeks. This isn't necessarily as exciting as it sounds, because my husband is in a new job and was working and for that reason and finances I didn't really go anywhere. However, I realized that this vacation has really been about teaching me to rest.

If you read this blog regularly you know that a little over a year ago when I finished my master's degree God called me into a season of rest. I've not exactly been doing nothing, but neither have I had the demands of parenting, caregiving, or school pressing on me either. I've been learning to live in the Hebrews 4 rest of faith. But it's been a tough year.

My job has been significantly busier, with so many more students on campus and some big changes in our departments. As a result, I've been worn out with not much left over at the end of the day. On top of that our campus hosted the Dalai Lama and all the student tickets went through our office, adding to what was already a crazy year. I've also been teaching Bible study weekly since August and preparing those lessons. And I guess because I didn't feel I had enough to do, I've been beating myself up over not blogging more :).

So I came into this vacation pretty tired. However, since I tend to live in a task-oriented mode, I came into it with a list of things to do. All I can say is, it's a good thing I took 2 weeks off. It took me a full week to realize that I really didn't have the emotional energy for that list....that I was gaining more strength from the change of pace and hanging out with friends I don't get to see often enough, from a couple of random day trips to see family, and from playing with Nelly.

All this has helped me learn to truly rest. The second week has been filled with much more of that sort of rest, along with some new recipes and plenty of "fun" (to me) reading and movies, feeding that cerebal side of my brain (is that redundant?). As I have reflected on these two weeks I've realized I want to approach my tasks in a more sustainable manner, and try to bring some of this rest into my daily life. I've reviewed some principles I let fall by the wayside and reminded myself of the priority of relationships.

God made me to be a task-oriented person. He knows what he wants to do in and through me. And yet ultimately it's not the tasks that He's about. This vacation has helped me learn to let tasks be a means to an end. Yes, a pleasantly arranged and clean home is good - but it's best when it facilitates relationships, when it blesses those who live here and those who visit with its atmosphere of peace and love. Bargain hunting is good - but it's best when it affords more money to fulfill God's kingdom purposes in the lives of others. And so on.

So I have one day left tomorrow. I plan to fully enjoy our church service and fellowship meal, and a date with my husband. I'll wake up early Monday and start getting caught up at work. And I hope that I can remember what God's been teaching me as I learn to rest in Him.